Classes

Select a class type:

• Painting
• Drawing
• Jewelry
• Pottery & Sculpture
• Art Appreciation
• Art & Technology
• Stained Glass
• Specialty Classes

Painting

Beginning Watercolor
Instructor:  Patt Bacon

Learn about watercolor papers (types and weights), color (wheel and mixing), and brush techniques. Demonstrations are given on each phase of learning. We will also learn how background washes are done and how watercolor paints can be layered and still be translucent. Above all, we can have FUN doing it all!

The Three Cs of Watercolor
Instructor:  Patt Bacon

Learn the 3 Cs ... Composition, Color and Contrast! Each session begins with a mini-lesson on one of these topics. There is a critique on works in progress or how to improve a completed work. Each person works at his or her own speed. The objective is that we all learn and improve while enjoying ourselves.

Advanced/Intermediate Watercolor
Instructor:  Kathy Bostwick

More individual problem solving and group critique. Demonstrations are given as needed by students. Intermediate instruction depends upon the students in the class.

Creative Water Media
Instructor:  Kathy Bostwick

Not a good place to learn watercolor techniques. Artists in this class are seeking change from their usual style of watercolor. Students are free to use acrylics, gouache, and collage along with their watercolor. This class is geared to help students break free from their previous limitations and explore. Critique can last from 9am till Noon, depending upon students.

Oil Painting Impressionist Style
Instructor:  Margaret Egli-Thomson

Learn the easy steps to oil painting in this style. Learn to create on a flat canvas three dimensions, distance, depth, light, and shadow. Your canvas can become a fascinating colorful impression. Learn shortcuts to painting in oil; some ways to make a catching composition. Beginners and more experienced painters are welcome.

Portraits - Live Model
Instructor:  Margaret Egli-Thomson

Discover the easy steps to portrait painting in oil and create your own beautiful heirloom to enjoy for years. Learn to sculpture on a flat canvas the three dimensions of a face, with light and shadow, and careful play on contrasts. Your canvas will become a fascinating colorful impression as I share some hard-earned short cuts to painting portraits in oil. Beginners and more experienced painters are welcome.

Drawing & Painting Studio
Instructor:  Bob Cassell

This class is based on a college-level drawing and painting class. Drawing skills are basic for all representational art work. All media are accepted from pencil and pastel to acrylic, oil and watercolor. Mixing and matching color pigments and understanding the color wheel, design, composition, perspective drawing, anatomy, architecture, landscaping, portraits and anything else that is necessary to complete the individual choices of students is covered. This class is for the experienced artist. Each student chooses their own subject matter and the teacher works with each student individually. The goal of the class is to master a medium of choice so that one can create whatever they want to see. This class is taught by explanation and demonstration, meaning the student is told how to do it and shown how it's done.

Painting Studio
Instructor:  Fran Hines

Students may work in their medium of choice as well as subject matter with individual instruction.

Acrylic and/or Oil – All Levels, Any Style
Instructor:  Alberto Cruz

Class will cover art theory, perspective (interior & exterior), sketching/drawing, monochromatic and color gradation, how to choose the best themes to paint, how to use light and shadow, layout/composition, texture, mixing colors (using colors to achieve depth). Beginners, intermediate and advanced are welcome. It's lots of fun - join us!

Portrait Studio
Instructor:  no instructor for this activity

Work on your portrait skills in your own medium at our weekly portrait studio on Thursdays, from 9am-noon, in Goff Gallery. Different face model every week; male and female, young and mature. Formal instruction is not offered. Easels and stands are available. No pre-registration is necessary; however, there is a model fee, which varies.

Color Mixing & Matching
Instructor:  Ron Sanders

Many painters struggle with color mixing. This class will help students to systematically understand how to analyze the color you see and mix it in paint. The class will begin with color matching exercises in a limited 5-color palette and expand to a temperature based 11-color palette, applying your color understanding to the subtleties of temperature biased lighting in short to moderate length studio paintings. Goals of the class will be to help students understand principles of color mixing, the four attributes of color, and to hone your skills in seeing and identifying color in your subject matter. Learning to see and reproduce the subtleties of color can bring a greater sense of truth and emotion to your paintings.

Portraits - All Media
Instructor:  Ron Sanders

Instructor guided class open to artists of all skill levels using any 2-D medium. Artists will work from a live model. The instructor will discuss simplification of forms and value patterns as the starting point to good facial studies and will branch off to application of color and decisions about texture and detail. Instructor will also demonstrate various media as requested by the class.

Mixed Media
Instructor:  Alberto Cruz

Who says that art must be serious, formal and frustrating? Are you ready to have fun? Turn your creativity loose by learning how to create Mixed Media art with beautiful colors and your favorite textures. With Mixed Media you can create nice landscapes and seascapes, happy flowers, still life, colorful abstract art … you choose! You will be taught to use your style, but in Mixed Media instead of paint and brush only. You’ll be amazed what you can do with your talent and just one course on Mixed Media!

Landscapes - All Media
Instructor:  Ron Sanders

A proper understanding and manipulation of color, value and edges create space, form and atmosphere. Learn how to combine these elements with the use of size, position, overlap and weight to create a believable sense of space in your artwork. Week 1 will be lecture and drawing only. Weeks 2-6 will use the painting medium of your choice for color work.

Building Form with Lights and Darks
Instructor:  Ron Sanders

This class will focus on how to avoid flatness in your work by building stronger value patterns. By limiting, and even exaggerating the contrast of lights and darks, a greater illusion of form and depth can be created on the two-dimensional surface of canvas or paper. Students will participate in foundational drawing exercises in charcoal, then expand to apply these principles to their favorite medium of color.

Linear Composition
Instructor:  Ron Sanders

The first step to a good painting is good composition. We’ll study how to address size and placement of elements to create a harmonious image that leads to focal point. Learn how to combine size, position, overlap and weight to create the illusion of space in your landscapes.

Watercolor Simply
Instructor:  Don Melander

Watercolor Simply is a landscape class using watercolor in a simplified manner. Scenes are depicted through identifiable shapes, a strong value system, composition and color. Don paints watercolors in a realistic style. His paintings often contain a building, barn, lighthouse, boat or other common man-made objects with the goal of preserving their individuality. Each session will begin with a demo and discussion on theory. Most of the session will then be devoted to the participants painting with individual help and instruction. Beginners are always welcome; separate classes for beginners and non-beginners.

Intermediate Watercolor
Instructor:  Kathy Bostwick

Does not usually start with explanation of supplies and their differences, but has an emphasis on how to begin a painting and help to evolve through multiple layers. Intermediate instruction depends upon the students in the class.

How to Paint a Landscape in Just 3 Hours
Instructor:  Ron Sanders

Have you ever wondered how anyone could paint outdoors, with the moving sun and shifting shadows, and manage to create a finished painting in less than 3 hours? There is a secret! (And it comes in the form of simple shapes of color and value.) Learning to see and record blocks of color-values quickly helps to lock in the effects of the sun while building the essential composition. This allows you all the time you need to finish the painting to completion. We will explore the methodology needed to succeed in seeing and recording these simple form shapes through studio exercises and demonstrations. Even if you never plan on painting outdoors, these methods can be used for any Alla Prima painting, whether of still life setups, studio figure studies, or even creating fresher landscape paintings from photos. The class is aimed primarily at oil and acrylic painters, but any color medium is welcome, including watercolor and pastels.

Artist Bootcamp for Self-inflicted Artistic Improvement
Instructor:  Diane Mannion

This is a workout studio with exercises and experiments to explore techniques and practice skills. Artist will create small studies (Etudes) to learn the language of painting. Basic concepts of drawing, form, value, composition, edges, and color will be stressed. Class will begin with a demo as inspiration and end with constructive (but kind) critiques. With a realistic approach to still life, landscape and figurative painting, artists will be encouraged to set goals, grow, and find their own way. For all levels (artists who are just starting and artists who just can’t stop) and all media (oils preferred).

The Pastel Experience
Instructor:  Diane Mannion

Experiments in pastels-exploring the limits of this unlimited medium-for practicing color, design, composition, and basic drawing fundamentals with pastels. Direct drawing/pastel-painting from life and reference photos for all levels.

 

We focus on art for kids with classes, workshops and summer arts camps.

Questions? Call the VAC at 941-639-8810, or e-mail the Education Coordinator at VACeducation@yahoo.com

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Kids 'n Clay
Instructor: Linda Fugere

Afterschool fun for kids 6-10 with Linda Fugere. Students will use different types of clay to make different projects each week. Click HERE for printable info.