Painting + Drawing Classes

Tue, Feb 4–Apr 22, 1–3:30 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
Merenda Cecelia

This introductory class helps students develop basic drawing skills using various techniques and materials. Observation, imagination, memory, and creativity will be utilized while building skills and confidence.
 
$235 (VMFA members $215)

Thu, Feb 6–Apr 24, 1–4 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
Dawn Flores

Expand the use of color in drawing with soft pastels, employing various application methods and paper choices. Students work from the still life or subjects of their choice. Individual critiques provided. Prerequisites: basic drawing skills.

$250 (VMFA members $230)

Wed, Feb 5 – Apr 23, 1 – 4 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
Dawn Flores

Learn to generate ideas, choose subjects, and adopt approaches for using paint, pencil, and pastel. Students also work on independent projects, with guidance and individual critiques from the instructor. Prerequisites: basic drawing & painting skills.

$250 (VMFA members $230)

Mon, Feb 3–Apr 21, 1:30–4:30 pm (12 Sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
Merenda Cecelia

Be inspired by works in the VMFA collection as well as native flora. Students will learn basic botanical drawings skills using graphite and pen and ink, drawing from life as well as photographs. Watercolor techniques and experimentation will also be included later in the semester. Prerequisite: basic drawing skills.

$250 (VMFA members $230)

Mon, Feb 3–Apr 21, 9:30 am–12:30 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
Dawn Flores

Learn a wide variety of watercolor techniques while using related drawing mediums in this course for beginning and experienced watercolor artists. Students work directly from the still life, landscape, and other subject matter, with discussions of color and watercolor masterworks offering inspiration. Individual and group critiques provided. Prerequisites: basic drawing skills.

$250 (VMFA members $230)

Tue, Feb 4– Apr 22, 9:30 am–12:30 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
Amy Smith

Learn to use direct observation when painting from life. Through demonstrations, observation-based painting exercises, and instructions, beginning and intermediate artists strengthen their ability to see color and value relationships, and they learn how to mix colors accordingly. Students also learn to simplify any subject matter by identifying color masses from which to develop realistic or abstract paintings. Prerequisites: basic drawing skills.

$250 (VMFA members $230)

Mon, Feb 3–Apr 21, 1–4 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
Amy Smith

Explore drawing and painting from direct observation, photos, or sketches and depict various subjects including the still life, human figure, and landscape. Students develop a more personal approach to imagery, drawing, and painting styles by examining the formal and expressive aspects in their work and that of classical to contemporary artists. Prerequisites: basic drawing and painting skills.

$250 (VMFA members $230)

Thu, Feb 6–Apr 24, 9:30 am–12:30 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
MARTHA PRIDEAUX

This is a great studio course for students at the intermediate level who are working to develop their own personal painting style and approach to imagery. Through individual guidance, students explore painting strategies and working methods. Prerequisites: basic drawing and painting skills.

$250 (VMFA members $230)

Fri, Feb 7–Apr 25, 10 am–1 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
SALLY BOWRING

Expand technical and critical skills and learn to develop new ideas and imagery. The class will focus on contemporary art in the VMFA's galleries as points of interest and inspiration. In the studio, students will work from a variety of subjects, focusing on color and abstraction. Critiques and discussions of contemporary painting will be included. Prerequisites: basic drawing and oil or acrylic painting skills.

$250 (VMFA members $230)

Wed, Mar 5 -- Apr 23, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm (8 Sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
MARIA REARDON

Explore drawing and painting the landscape from direct observation. With guidance from the instructor, students will develop a more fluid response to painting on location. Students need to provide their own plein air painting easel, stool and painting supplies. Prerequisite: basic drawing and painting skills. 

$200 (VMFA members $180)

Tue, Feb 4–Apr 22, 10 am–1 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
DIANA DETAMORE

Using found materials, create unique images that range from abstract and dynamic to representational and poetic. The instructor will discuss materials, techniques, mounting, and presentation. Explore one of the most satisfying forms of visual play. Experienced students are also welcome.

$250 (VMFA members $230)

Wed, Feb 5–Apr 23, 9:30 am–12:30 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
CATHERINE SOUTHALL

In this color class designed for beginners, professional artists, and aspiring designers, students complete a series of exercises using The New Munsell Student Color Set. Assignments will aid students in a better understanding of color use, mixing, color schemes, selection for personal projects, creation, manipulation, and organization. The color theories of Albert Munsell and Joseph Albers will be discussed along with the color world of Pantone. Students may choose to work with watercolors, acrylics, or oil paints.

$250 (VMFA members $230)

Mon, Feb 3–Apr 21, 10 am–1 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
MARTHA PRIDEAUX

Discover approaches and materials that can inspire new ideas and add a fresh dimension to your artwork. Explore the beautiful textured surfaces that you can create using cold wax medium and oil paint. The instructor will do demonstrations and provide guidance when experimenting with a variety of new materials. Prerequisites: basic drawing and painting skills.

$250 (VMFA members $230)

Wed, Feb 5 -- Mar 12, 10 am – 1 pm (6 sessions) | Studio School, 1st floor
SARAH HAND

Make playful and colorful illustrations using familiar and unusual techniques and media. In this lighthearted class, you will learn to generate ideas for imagery, simplify drawings while adding personality, make a portfolio to hold experiments and samples, and create finished art. Students will develop an intuitive feel for mixing and using color. Techniques included are painted paper collage, stencils, and masks, smudging and scribbling, oil pastel and crayon, simple printmaking, and fun ways to add lettering and words to your art.

$180 (VMFA members $160)

Fri, Feb 7 -- 28, 1:30 – 4:30 pm (4 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
MATT LIVELY

Learn strategies to paint on a large scale with guidance from well-known painting muralist Matt Lively. The instructor will teach you how to plan and methods for making big acrylic paintings. Students will be provided a 4 ft x 6 ft gessoed wooden panel for a fee of $100, payable to the instructor at 
the first class session. Students must be able to transport their paintings to and from the class. Arrangements may be made with the instructor if the student’s vehicle is too small.

Prerequisite: Intermediate-level drawing and acrylic painting skills

$145 (VMFA members $125)

Thu, Feb 6–Apr 24, 7–9:30 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
AMY SMITH

This introductory class helps students develop basic drawing skills using various techniques and materials. Observation, imagination, memory, and creativity will be utilized while building skills and confidence.

$235 (VMFA members $215)

Tue, Feb 4 – Apr 22, 7 – 10 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
DAWN FLORES

Learn a wide variety of watercolor techniques while using related drawing mediums in this course for beginning and experienced watercolor artists. Students work directly from the still life, landscape, and other subject matter, with discussions of color and watercolor masterworks offering inspiration. Individual and group critiques provided. Prerequisites: basic drawing skills.

$250 (VMFA members $230)

Tue, Feb 4– Apr 22, 7 –10 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
AMY SMITH

This is a great drawing and painting class for students who are interested in working from direct observation, including the figure and still life. The instructor will encourage drawing as an important foundation for painting. Individual and group critiques will be provided. Prerequisites: basic drawing and painting skills.

$250 (VMFA members $230)

Wed, Feb 5–Apr 23, 7–10 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
JOAN ELLIOTT

This is a good painting class for beginning or intermediate level oil painters who want to develop their own personal painting style and approach to imagery. Through individual guidance, students explore painting strategies and working methods. Prerequisites: basic drawing skills.

$250 (VMFA members $230)

Mon, Feb 3 – Apr 21, 7 – 10 pm (12 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
JOAN ELLIOTT

Explore drawing and painting from direct observation, photos, or sketches and depict various subjects including the still life, human figure, and landscape. Students develop a more personal approach to imagery, drawing, and painting styles by examining the formal and expressive aspects in their work and that of classical to contemporary artists. Prerequisites: basic drawing and painting skills.

$250 (VMFA members $230)

Sat & Sun, Feb 15 & 16, 10 am–4 pm (2 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
DAWN FLORES

Beginning artists and those wanting to brush up on their skills will discover the basics of drawing, including pattern and composition, light and shade, proportion, three-dimensional form, and perspective. Learning through demonstrations, discussions, and individual instruction, students complete multiple drawings working from the still life and landscape images. Soft vine charcoal (assorted sizes), 18" × 24" sketchpad and a kneadable eraser required.

$145 (VMFA members $130)

Sat & Sun, Feb 8 & 9, 10 am–4 pm (2 session) | Studio School, 2nd floor
MARIA REARDON

This workshop is an introduction to painting with gouache, an opaque water-soluble medium that is like watercolor. Gouache, which is applied in layers like acrylics or oils, offers highly saturated colors, flexibility, and spontaneity. The medium is great to use as a sketching medium to plan larger paintings or for finished artwork. Students will learn to use gouache to make studies, to plan compositions and color themes that they may use for larger works. Prerequisites: basic drawing and painting skills.

$145 (VMFA members $130)

Sat, Feb 15, 10 am–4 pm (1 session) | Studio School, 2nd floor
MARTHA PRIDEAUX

Experiment with new techniques, materials, and more to make innovative collages. The teacher will demonstrate ways to design, mount, and present your artwork in this workshop designed for all levels of experience.
 
$90 (VMFA members $75)

Sat, Feb 22, 10 am–4 pm (1 session) | Studio School, 1st floor
KAREN EIDE

Encaustic painting is an ancient process using molten, pigmented beeswax to create layered and luminous art. Designed for both new and experienced painters, the instructor teaches classic encaustic techniques and ways to combine them with contemporary painting techniques and mixed media. Discover collage, incising, texturizing, surface embellishment, and relief work, as well as how to combine oil paint, pastels, inks, watercolors, and gouache with the encaustic. Some materials included.

$105 (VMFA members $90)

Sat & Sun, Feb 22 & 23, 10 am–4 pm (2 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
CATHERINE PURDY

Learn how to capture the unique personality of your favorite furry friend. Start by studying the anatomy and features of different animals, focusing on the artistic process of making detailed studies. Then with guidance from the instructor and working from photograph, create accurate and expressive portraits of your own pet using drawing materials and oil or acrylic paint.

$145 (VMFA members $130)

Sat & Sun, Feb 22 & 23, 10 am - 4 pm (2 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor

KATHLEEN CALHOUN

Do you want to capture a moment and place, whether traveling or just hanging out? Record the little and big things in your life by creating a visual record. Participants will learn several easy and successful strategies for drawing, painting, collage, and writing to turn their adventures into handheld works of art. Mini field trips within and outside VMFA will also offer source material and inspiration. 

$145 (VMFA members $130)

Sat & Sun, Mar 1 & 2, 10 am–4 pm (2 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
MARTHA PRIDEAUX

This workshop will teach students how to build beautiful textured surfaces using cold wax medium and oil paint. Experienced and beginning painters are welcome. The workshop will consist of demonstrations and hands-on practice. With guidance from the instructor, students will create small-scale studies and paintings using various techniques and leave with an understanding of how to use the wax medium to build gorgeous, layered surfaces in future paintings. Prerequisites: basic drawing and painting skills. 

$145 (VMFA members $130)

Sat & Sun, Mar 8 & 9, 10 am – 4 pm (2 session) | Studio School, 2nd floor
MARY SCURLOCK

Experiment with various painting and drawing media. Explore new ideas, techniques, and imagery. Students will work on individual projects with demonstrations from the instructor. This is a great workshop to recharge your studio practice. Prerequisite: basic drawing and painting skills. 

$145 (VMFA members $130)

Sat & Sun, Mar 15 & 16, 10 am–4 pm (2 Sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
DAWN FLORES

This workshop provides step-by-step instruction on a variety of watercolor techniques, including special effects, glazing, wet on wet, washes, and more. Working from colorful photographs or still lifes of flora and fauna, students explore the full range of watercolor painting. Prerequisite: basic drawing skills.

$145 (VMFA members $130)

Sat, Mar 22, 10 am–4pm (1 session) | Studio School, 2nd floor
AMY SMTH

Start by exploring a variety of drawings of the human form by other artists. Then with guidance from the instructor and working from a live model, learn to create expressive portraits in charcoal and pencil. Prerequisites: basic drawing skills. 

$90 (VMFA members $75)

Sat, Mar 22, 10 am–4 pm (1 Session) | Studio School, 2nd floor
KENDRA WADSWORTH

Explore several methods for making acrylic pour paintings. These paintings are characterized by unpredictable swirls of colorful paint with a glossy finish. Prerequisites: basic drawing and painting skills.

Please bring as many painting canvases or panels as you can safely transport – not to exceed 24” x 24”, one quart of white semigloss house paint, and four to six acrylic colors of your choice. Miscellaneous supplies will be provided by the instructor for a $5 fee, payable at the beginning of the workshop.

$90 (VMFA members $75)

Sat &Sun, Apr 5–6, 10 am–4 pm (2 Sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
DIANA DETAMORE

This workshop introduces oil pastels and paint sticks for painterly approaches to drawing flowers and plants. Students explore colored grounds, glazes, and various methods of layering color as well as color mixing and interaction. Prerequisite: basic drawing skills.

$145 (VMFA members $130)

Sat & Sun, Apr 5 & 6, 10 am–4pm (2 session) | Studio School, 2nd floor
CATHERINE PURDY

Develop observational drawing skills and learn to capture depth, details, and sense of place through architectural illustration. After learning the basics of one-and two-point perspective, explore the museum grounds with the instructor to practice sketching on site. Back in the studio, choose one of your sketches to refine using watercolor and ink. Previous experience with watercolor is not necessary. The workshop is a great way to jumpstart a travel sketchbook or urban sketching practice. Prerequisites: basic drawing skills. 

$145 (VMFA members $130)

Tue, May 6 - 27, 10 am – 1 pm (4 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
DAWN FLORES

Artist John Singer Sargent was a master of color. His blacks were textured, his whites were complex, and his side-by-side use of warm and cool colors gave his paintings vibrancy. In this intensive class, students will study Sargent’s artwork through slide presentations and catalogs. Working in either watercolor or acrylic paint, students will complete color exercises, copy Sargent’s work, and create their own compelling pieces inspired by Sargent’s use of color. Prerequisites: basic drawing and watercolor or acrylic painting skills.

$145 (VMFA members $125)

Fri, May 9–30, 10 am --1 pm (4 sessions) | Studio School, 2nd floor
SALLY BOWRING

This class combines visits to the VMFA galleries and studio work. Each session will start with a visit to a different painting. The instructor will lead a discussion about the meaning of the painting, the period in which it was created, and surrounding ideas, writings, and music of the time. Students will return to the painting studio, inspired by the painting and information, to create a work of art. Students may work in any drawing or painting medium they choose. Prerequisite: basic drawing & oil or acrylic painting skills.

$145 (VMFA members $125)