Introductory Courses
Acrylic Painting for Beginners
Are you a beginner adult artist who has the desire to learn acrylic painting fundamentals and has little to no prior experience? Then this course is a great opportunity for you to build your foundational art skills and create your own portfolio! We will build these skills by learning about different painting techniques, colour theory, compositions, and subject matter. All materials are included in this class, but you will be invited to bring in supplementary supplies. FULL Mondays from 6pm - 8pm | 23 January - 20 March 2023 Instructor: Lisa Leskien |
Introduction to Printmaking
Dip your toes into the world of printmaking through several weeks of exploration with various techniques such as monotype, lithography, intaglio, and relief. In addition to this hands-on learning experience, you will receive a crash course on the history of printmaking and how a printmaker prepares a studio space. All materials are included in this class, but you will be invited to bring in supplementary supplies. Tuesdays from 6pm - 9pm | 10 January - 23 March 2023 Instructor: Michaela Zinsmeister Drop-Ins Welcome! |
Realistic & Expressive Portraits in Charcoal
Are you interested in creating life-like portraits using charcoal? In this course, you will learn to create charcoal portraits with clarity and expressiveness! These will be made through the use of photographs, where you will explore the principles of how to render light and form to produce bold and believable portraits using charcoal. Wednesdays from 9:30am - 12:30pm | 11 January - 22 March 2023 Instructor: Brandon Liesen |
Beadwork for Everyone
This is a beginner to an intermediate-friendly course that will build the foundation and develop skills to complete up to three projects using varied beadwork strategies. We will build a bead-circle community; explore the history of beadwork in both Turtle Island (North America) and European style beadwork; start with flat-stitch bead embroidery and move from there into brick stitch and fringe beadwork. This is a community-based class where-in students will have the say on what they'd like to explore. Students can expect to leave with at least 1-2 pieces of completed beadwork (i.e. a pin, earrings, a necklace or a bookmark). All materials are included in this class, but you will be invited to bring in supplementary supplies. FULL Tuesdays from 6pm - 9pm | 10 January - 14 February 2023 Instructor: Taylor Tye |
Head to Toe
Working in dry media, you will create a series of studies of the human body! Through these you will develop an understanding of the forms and movement of the body, and learn to simplify the structures of the figure for compelling and effective drawings. Starting with the head and portrait, this course will cover body parts in isolation, before putting it all together. Throughout the course we also discuss and problem-solve a variety of topics such as foreshortening, posing, capturing a likeness, expression, and more! FULL Wednesdays from 6pm - 8pm | 11 January - 12 April 2023 Instructor: Floriana Ehninger-Cuervo |
All Levels Welcome
Integrated Watercolour Course
This course is designed for beginners, but also for those who wish to further hone their painting skills. We'll start with the fundamentals: how to apply washes, wet-into-wet blending, dry brush, etc. These will be applied to elements of the landscape as subject matter, such as skies, foliage, flowers, water, and rocks. If you have some watercolour experience, you are welcome to pursue your own projects if you'd prefer. FULL Tuesdays from 9:15am - 12:15pm | 10 January - 28 March 2023 Instructor: Bruce St. Clair |
Happy Art Habits
Would you like to start a daily art habit? This course focuses on developing a daily art habit with weekly themes, and skill sessions that will work with any medium you choose to work in. Drawing, painting, printmaking, and digital can be used in this interesting class. Let’s see how much art we can create together in the month of February! FULL Wednesdays from 6pm - 8pm | 25 January - 1 March 2023 Instructor: Lisa Leskien Drop-Ins Welcome! |
Landscapes in Transparent Watercolour
In this course you will learn several watercolour painting techniques and processes to produce expressive and realistic landscapes, with a focus on trees, hills, water and skies. You will also learn about the properties and uses of materials and tools to make informed choices. Application of contrasting values will be employed to produce pictorial depth. Step-by-step exercises, using a limited palette, will be practiced before exploring multi-coloured schemes. Attention to creating pleasing compositions will be central to the course. All levels welcome! Mondays from 9:30am - 12:30pm | 30 January - 27 February 2023 Instructor: Marta Scythes |
Portraits in Watercolour
In this four week course you will learn a step-wise process of applying transparent watercolour washes to structured, life-size under drawings, starting with a limited palette, progressing to multi-colour by the end of the course. Methods for capturing likeness will be introduced and practiced each class. Underlying bony structures, proportion and surface anatomy will be considered, both in frontal and profile studies. Pleasing colour schemes will be explored to produce aesthetically pleasing portraits. References will include a 3D clay model and your photographs as primary sources. All levels welcome! Mondays from 9:30am - 12:30pm | 6 March - 27 March 2023 Instructor: Marta Scythes |
Exploration in Oil Painting
The classic painting medium, oils are now much safer to use, but still produce rich and satisfying results while encouraging your personal expression. And, unlike acrylics, oil gives you lots of time for blending and subtle transitions of colour. We will include other subject matter - people and pets, buildings, still life, or subjects you'd personally like to paint, introducing some additional techniques such as painting detail and 'palette knife' applications. You'll be encouraged to begin to discover your personal "voice" as you hone your painting skills. FULL Tuesdays from 12:30pm - 3:30pm | 10 January - 28 March 2023 Instructor: Bruce St. Clair |
Now Let's Paint!
Now that we've studied to develop the skills and knowledge leading to a successful painting – "Everything But Painting" – let's put them into practice. The course has equipped you to do just that! Although this session naturally follows from the previous one, the previous course is not a prerequisite. Anyone who would like assistance in creating their own beautiful work of art is welcome to join us. Some experience with painting is required. Medium of your choice. Thursdays from 1pm - 4pm | 12 January - 30 March 2023 Instructor: Bruce St. Clair |
Open Studios
Printmaking: Open Studio
Come and explore a wide variety of printmaking techniques in a friendly supportive environment! A supervised studio for printmakers. Facilities are available for creating monoprints, monotypes, etchings, collagraphs, linocuts, and woodcuts. Fridays from 10am - 1pm | 13 January - 31 March 2023 Instructor: Margaret Bignell Drop-Ins Welcome! |