Drawing + Painting is a very popular area of study and has the most offerings – over thirty each semester. Beginning students are encouraged to start with a Basic Drawing class then graduate to more advanced classes such as Drawing in Color: Pastel, Watercolor Studio, Introduction to Painting or many other courses or workshops.
Instructors Sally Bowring, Merenda Cecelia, Joan Elliott, Dawn Flores, Amy Smith, Marie Reardon, Catherine Southall, and Martha Prideaux teach most of the weekly classes.
Class Schedule
Drawing Flowers in Color with Oil Pastels [32]
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)
Architectural Illustration [33]
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)
Color with Sargent [34]
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)
Inspired by Paintings [35]
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)