Get Grounded Through Art Therapy

Traveling With Monet

Join painter and author, Monti Sikes for a Claude Monet inspired class in cold wax painting. Monti will teach students how to work with cold wax to create a beautiful impressionistic work of art. Cold Wax is an oil painting medium which is a soft paste made of beeswax mixed with a small amount of solvent and resin. The cold wax paste is mixed with oil paint on a palette. Cold wax adds body, transparency, and depth to the oil paint. Express yourself through this unique medium and sign up for her class today.

Special Christmas Ornaments

Join artist, Nita Bunting for a fun holiday workshop. Students will learn to make Christmas Ornaments out of ordinary home items and craft materials. Bring the festive spirit back home with these cute decorations.

Live Christmas Wreath

Join art teacher Patricia Hilton for a Live Christmas Wreath workshop. She will teach students the best way to arrange branches and foliage into a wreath. Students can also decorate with other festive items like pinecones, ribbons, and ornaments. Bring home a beautiful wreath that will sure to wow holiday guests.

Sketching by the Grid

Join artist and Arts Alive board member, Jim Parrett for a Sketching by the Grid workshop. Jim will guide students in the basics of using a grid to make sure the subject dimensions are accurate. Create a beautiful piece of art to give as a gift or keep!

Basic Drawing

Join art instructor and Arts Alive board member, Sue Kurfees, for a Basic Drawing workshop. Sue will teach students the best techniques to capture a still life subject with paper and pencil. Sign up to learn the basics of drawing!

Chinese Silk Painting

Join VMFA textile art instructor Mary Swezey for a Chinese Silk Painting workshop. Mary Swezey has a BFA in art history from VCU and an MFA in fibers from Arizona State University. She has also studied textile techniques at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. She has taught at VCU and Longwood College. Mary will help students learn the Chinese inspired techniques of painting on silk scarfs. After painting the background on their silk scarf, participants will examine images found in traditional Chinese art (including bamboo, fish, birds, and Chinese characters) which they will draw on the silk using a liquid resist. Once the resist has dried, students will apply brilliant fabric paint to complete their design. Participants can expect to finish one long scarf.

Oil Painting Basics

Join VMFA art instructor Marjorie Perrin for an Oil Painting Basics workshop. Marjorie Perrin is an instructor of fine arts painting and drawing at the VMFA Studio School. She obtained her BFA at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, a liberal arts degree from Randolph Macon Woman’s College, and has studied at The Art Students League of New York and VCU. Learn how to create realistic or abstract oil painting and the best ways to apply oil paints. Sign up today and take a home a beautiful masterpiece!

Watercolor Landscape Painting

Paint Like Georgia (O’Keeffe)

This workshop will focus on using floral close-ups to inspire your creativity. Monti will demonstrate various acrylic painting techniques she uses in her own work. Students should bring a selection of floral photos they have taken. Some instructions and a supply list will be sent before the workshop.

Needle Felt a Small Pumpkin

Fluid Acrylics, Beyond the Pour

Porcelain and Glass Embellishing (Zen Tangle and more) 

Colored Pencil and Acrylics

How to Make Paper Beads

Garden Themed Mosaic Birdbath – Workshop is Full

Abstract Watercolors and Acrylics