Class Overview

Acrylic painting is an amazing medium which can provide a lifetime of enjoyment! In this intermediate class, you’ll learn how to express yourself and you’ll gain more advanced practice in the use color, proportions, composition, color, layering and glazing.

More experimental acrylic painting techniques will be presented as well, including palette knife, texture application, adding your own elements, and changing color schemes and composition of the painting. You’ll be surprised
how quickly your skills will improve by observing and painting along with step-by-step class presentations. Gain a new level of enjoyment in the medium by bringing even more variety and spontaneity to your art, and you’ll bring your paintings to the next expressive level!

This class will be presented as a live, interactive video (Zoom), which is more similar to an "in-person" class, because you get the benefit of seeing the art demos live, up- close, in real time just like in an "in- person" class and ask questions along the way. You can also paint along with the instructor!

Supplies Needed

Please see the supply list for this class.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Better understand color mixing and be able to mix a wider variety of colors to add more interest to your paintings
• Use more “exotic” color schemes and the juxtaposition between warm/ cool, light/ dark, and pure/ neutral colors and how that can give you more variety in your paintings
• Utilize more experimental painting techniques such as palette knife, paint spraying, and texture application
• Practice glazing skills to add more layering and atmospheric effects to your paintings
• Understand how to use acrylic mediums to enhance the layered effect
• Combine and compose various objects and ideas into one painting
• Paint a variety of subject matter
• Increase the use of value, contrast, light and shadow to represent 3 dimensional form in painting (in black and white and in color)
• Incorporate drawing skills to enhance the composition of your paintings

Who Should Take this Class?

• Anyone who is interested in enriching their lives with the joy of painting!
• People who would like to improve their painting skills and apply those skills to paint a variety of subject matter
• Anyone who would like to learn to express themselves through the medium of painting
• Artists who would like to gain the foundational skills of painting to apply to any visual art medium in the future

Class Overview

Learn how to draw cartoons and caricatures! Enjoy a series of step-by-step demos that you can follow and draw along with at the same time. Learn all about the dynamic and expressive genre of cartooning. Skills will be presented in a series of step by step
demos that you can follow and draw alongside.

Skills will include drawing anatomy, proportions, simplification, squash and stretch, movement, line of action, gestures, facial expressions, and more. You’ll also learn to draw caricatures, in which the exaggeration of a person or character brings out the personality and expression of that person, animal, or cartoon character.

Whatever drawing skills you have now, beginner to advanced, you will learn a lot about the fascinating genre of cartooning in this fun and informative class.

This class will be presented as a live, interactive video (Zoom), which is more similar to an "in-person" class, because you get the benefit of seeing the art demos live, up- close, in real time just like in an "in-person" class, ask questions, and draw at the same time. Connect with your classmates and learn from the comfort of your own home!

Supplies Needed

• Pencils (Graphite):
  2B pencil
  4B pencil
  6B pencil
  8B (optional)
• Woodless pencil (6B or 8B) optional
• 70-90lb drawing paper pad - either 9&12" or 11x14"
• White vinyl eraser
• Mechanical eraser, or pink eraser on back of pencil (for detail erasing and drawing white lines on gray areas)
• 3-4 (variety sizes) paper blending stomps
• Pencil sharpener (preferably with shaving collector)

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: 

• Depict cartoon characters
• Simplify and exaggerate to amplify comic effect
• Depict characters in action through use of gesture and dynamic anatomy
• Draw cartoon characters in their natural environments and interacting with each other!
• Demonstrate motion and action in fantasy creatures
• Depict the props, vehicles, and other elements of the environment in cartooning
• Be able to produce caricatures of famous people or people you know though comic exaggeration
• Utilize believable yet exaggerated forms and proportions

Who Should Take this Class?

• Anyone who is interested in enriching their lives with the joy of cartooning
• Drawers who would like to gain or improve their cartooning abilities and learn more about creating cartoons from scratch
• Anyone who would like to bring more expressiveness to their drawing
• Artists who would like to gain the foundational skills of cartooning
• Anyone who would like to gain cartooning skills to tell a story or narrative in the future

Class Overview

Drawing is the fundamental basis of all visual art, and it can provide a lifetime of enjoyment! In Intermediate Drawing, you’ll begin to learn more advanced drawing techniques and subjects.

Practice drawing animals and people in motion, portraits, interiors and exteriors, vehicles, landscapes and anatomy. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to work in black and white, as well as color, through graphite and colored pencil.

You’ll be surprised how quickly your skills will improve by observing and drawing along with step-by-step class presentations, which make it easy to understand and put these techniques into practice. Once you learn these skills, you’ll find them becoming second nature, and you’ll greatly increase your ability to represent the world around you.

This class will be presented as a live, interactive video (Zoom), which is more similar to an "in-person" class, because you get the benefit of seeing the art demos live, up- close, in real time just like in an "in-person" class, ask questions, and draw at the same time. Connect with your classmates and learn from the comfort of your own home!

Supplies Needed

• Pencils (graphite):
  • 2B pencil
  • 4B pencil
  • 6B pencil
  • 8B (Optional)
  • Woodless Pencil (6B or 8B) optional
• Drawing paper pad - either 9"x12" or 11"x14"
• White vinyl eraser
• Mechanical eraser, or pink eraser on back of pencil (for detail erasing and drawing white lines on gray areas)
• 3-4 (variety sizes) Paper blending stomps (or paper towel/ tissues for blending, if you can't find these for first day)
• Pencil sharpener (preferably with shaving collector)
• Set of colored pencils (24 to 48)

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: 

• Draw portraits, facial features, landscapes
• Depict complete objects and scenes in perspective such as vehicles, buildings, interiors, and exteriors
• Portray animal and human anatomy (including specifics like line of action, gesture drawing, body masses, hand, feet, and clothing)
• Draw animals and people in motion with a variety of action poses
• Continue to expand the ability to draw three dimensional objects 
• Use of proportions better
• Apply the use of atmospheric perspective in scenes and landscapes
• Have more understanding of color, layering, and transparent/ translucent media through colored pencil
• Maximize the use of value, contrast, line, mark making, and details to draw with expression

Who Should Take this Class?

• Students from Drawing – Beginning, though that is not required
• People who draw who would like to improve their drawing skills and apply those skills to draw anything they want in the future
• Anyone with some drawing experience, interested in enriching their lives with the joy of drawing 
• Anyone who would like to learn to express themselves through the medium of drawing
• Artists or anyone who would like to gain the foundational skills of drawing to apply to any visual art

Class Overview

Do you love making photographs? Do you ever wish your photographs were better? A key first step is going beyond the Auto Exposure setting on any camera along with just knowing your tool better. Discover creative alternatives and what they can deliver in your photographs. Explore how to get more out of your camera, from handling to settings to improve your experience and results. Learn how to use a checklist of what to consider every time you go out to make new photographs. We will use Zoom for live sessions and Flickr for sharing the assignments for feedback both outside of and during our Zoom meetings.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will:

• be familiar with how to use much more creative settings on your camera, including Aperture and Shutter Priority
• understand what these settings can do
• be much more comfortable with your camera and what it has to offer

Who Should Take This Class?

• Anyone who has a passion for photography
• People with any digital camera that has more than just the Auto Exposure settings who have not fully explored it

Class Overview

Indigo dyeing is one of the most widely used natural dyeing techniques for thousands of years. The use of indigo dye in China began in the Xia Dynasty about 3000 years ago.

In this course, learn all about dyeing and printing techniques that you can easily do today, inspired by the Chinese indigo dyeing tradition, including tie-dye and stitch-dye. We will use chemical indigo dye instead of the natural plant dyes for convenience.

You can dye fabrics such as table runners, coasters and pillowcases to decorate your home. This process can be great for adding some color and artistic style to your home environment, or it can be used for making gifts and handicrafts. 

Supplies Needed

• 1 yard of white fabric 100% cotton or muslin
• Rit liquid dye – indigo 8oz
• Non-iodized salt
• Liquid dish soap
• Distilled white vinegar
• Basting thread, 100% cotton & needles
• scissors
• Precision Craft Knife
• 10 Popsicle sticks
• 4-6 small or medium binder clips
• 10 Rubber bands

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: 

• Develop essential skills for the dyeing and printing process.
• Design a pattern by applying tie-dye and stich-dye techniques.
• Apply indigo dyeing fabric to your home decoration such as a table runner, coasters and pillowcases.
• Be familiar with history of Chinese indigo dyeing

Who Should Take This Class?

• Anyone interested in learning modern indigo dyeing techniques
• Artists who would like to learn to use new materials and approaches
• People interested in Chinese culture and history
• All levels are welcome!

Class Overview

Fiddlers -- continue learning old time fiddle! Build your techniques and stylistic approaches in playing the diverse, vibrant and evocative fiddle music from Appalachia, the South and Midwest. 

This will pick up from where the Oldtime Fiddle for Beginners class ended. You do not need to have attended the Beginners class prior, but it would be helpful to have some experience playing fiddle including being able to play a couple of simple tunes and knowing the G, D, and C major scales. The instructor will review and break things down thoroughly.

In this class, learn more tunes and fiddle techniques including bowing. You will also have the opportunity to learn more about the historical and current cultural context of the tunes and this tradition. 

Enjoy learning from a local musician and participating in a group class with other intermediate fiddlers.

Supplies Needed

Please have the items listed below ready before the class:

• Fiddle (violin)
• Bow
• Rosin
• Tuner

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: 

• Play tunes on the fiddle in the oldtime style
• Learn historical and cultural context to the music
• Be better at playing by ear 
• Improve your bowing technique
• Increase your use of the fingerboard
• Improve your overall musicianship 

Who Should Take this Class?

Prerequisites: This class will build on the themes and approaches of Fiddle for Beginners course in the preceding month. It is not required that you take that course first, but it would be beneficial to have a little bit of experience with the violin prior to this course.  

• Anyone wanting to learn to play the oldtime fiddle
• Fiddlers wanting to learn traditional American tunes
• Anyone wanting to sharpen their mind and have a fun, rewarding hobby
• People wanting to participate in music making at local jams, dances and festivals (when those resume!)

Not every singer’s journey is the same! Learn all about the opera singer’s training process and how it differs from other genres. In this class you will discover different training options for opera singers and learn about the different voice types. Compare techniques used from other genres and find the center of the raw human voice. Learn from an opera singer with a Master's degree from the Eastman School of Music, who is also teaching artist with the Seattle Opera and has a background in education. 

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to…

• Classify the different types/fachs of opera singers
• Recognize the differences between genres of singers
• Identify the different training options available

Who Should Take This Class

Prerequisites: Understanding of the basic human voice: soprano, alto, tenor, bass.

• Anyone interested in singers, singing or the background/training for a singing voice.
• All levels welcome!

Class Overview

Pets are such an important part of our lives -- why not let yours be your artistic muse! Explore the fascinating art of drawing pets in this fun class. Learn a variety of techniques to portray your favorite pet to create a drawing that is vibrant and expressive. Explore light, shadow, proportions, exaggeration, facial expression and detail. In this class you can experiment and develop your drawing skills, starting with the very simple and building from there. You will create several pet portriats to enjoy, and also have new skills and approaches for drawing that you can use with other subjects.

Supplies Needed

1. Drawing Pencils

• 2B, 4B, 6B pencils (or set) (HB and 8B optional)
• Paper Blenders (Blending Stomps, not Tortillons)
• Pencil Sharpener (preferably one that has a plastic shavings catcher)
• 9 x 12' or 11 x 14' drawing paper pad (at least 70 lb – drawing pad, not sketch paper pad)
• White Vinyl eraser (Strathmore or Canson or Blick is good)

2. Optional: For drawing white details you can choose:

• Best: Detail Eraser/ Mechanical Eraser: (Tombow Mono Knock 3.8) or you can use the pink eraser at the back of a regular pencil for drawing details
• 6B and 8B woodless pencils

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Draw simple renditions of animals and pets
• Use a variety of new skills to depict animals and pets in a more realistic manner
• Depict light and shadow in your drawing
• Use proportions to get the result you'd like in your drawing

Who Should Take This Class?

• Anyone who is interested in learning to draw
• People who enjoy drawing and would like to practice and have the guidance of an instructor
• Anyone who loves animals and pets and would like to create a portrait of them
• Artists who would enjoy drawing a new subject matter = pets!

Class Overview

Color can be your most powerful design element if you learn to use it effectively. In this class, learn all about color and how to use it in art, design, fashion or simply to bring joy and harmony to your life.

We will demystify color theory with the use of the color wheel and learn how color combinations can set a mood, attract attention or make a statement. Examine how the perception of color changes in different contexts. Explore the psychology and marketability of various color combinations.

By selecting the right color schemes in design or fine art, you can convey a dramatic or playful tone or create an ambience of elegance, warmth and tranquility.

Supplies Needed

1. Any color wheel – from the Color Wheel Company, Artist’s Supply Source or Jerry’s Artarama: Color Wheel 9 1/4”  diameter - $8.35 or Pocket Color Wheel 5 1/8” diameter - $5.50. 
2. Bring several examples of color samples that you like or find interesting, from ads, paintings, websites etc. Please have your examples in a digital format that you will be able to share on Zoom. (Hint: you can take pictures of your color samples, and screenshots, and we'll use 'screensharing' with the whole class. You can use just images that can be shared, or put them in a doc file to share, or make a pdf to share.)

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: 

• Use a color wheel to understand basic color theory principles and terminology.
• Understand how to use color combinations that harmonize.
• Be familiar with color psychology and the effects different color schemes can have on people's moods.
• Appreciate how colors affect perceptions and behaviors.
• Understand how colors impact consumers’ impressions of a brand.

Who Should Take This Class?

• Anyone, including interior designers, wishing to enhance a home environment 
• Graphic designers, illustrators or anyone creating web and print products 
• Fine artists wishing to improve their use of colors or create a specific mood in their art
• People interested in making a well-coordinated fashion statement
• Anyone with an interest in using color to create an image or mood

Class Overview

Have you ever had a friend or family member say you should do more with your art? Have you ever imagined doing business with your art? Explore one of the simplest, least expensive, safest ways to make some return on your investment of time and money in your art: turning your art into greeting cards. 

Learn about what types of art makes the best greeting cards and how to assemble a greeting card - what you need and where to buy it. Discuss how to photograph your artwork, if it is not photography, to prepare it and duplicate it.

In this class we will explore pricing, selling online, working with stores and even licensing your art to third parties. The emphasis will be on removing hurdles so you can be making your own cards by the second session. This class is timed to prepare you in plenty of time for the best time of year for greeting cards, the holiday season. Greeting cards can work well for all art mediums, in two dimensions and three, from photography to painting, ceramics to wood working. Please bring 10 examples of your art to share for the first session.

Supplies Needed

1. At least 10 small copies (not original art, but photographs or photocopies) of your art - 5x7 inches or smaller
2. 10 scored, blank sheets of card stock
3. 10 matching envelopes (get them when you shop for the paper)
4. 2-sided tape applicator
5. Internet access for uploading photos to Flickr and joining class by Zoom videoconferencing
6. A device with webcam and microphone for joining Zoom sessions 
7. Optional materials (not required for attending the class): plastic enclosures, 10 adhesive labels with © copyright notice

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: 

• Select the pieces of your art that are the most suitable for greeting cards
• Make a finished greeting card with your art
• Set an appropriate price for your greeting cards
• Contact a store to have them sell your greeting cards
• Approach

Who Should Take This Class?

• Anyone making art in any medium
• Artists who want to make some return on your investment of time and money in your art
• Anyone who wants to share their art with friends or loved ones
• Artists who love seeing their art out in the world, being enjoyed by and having an impact on others

Continue to learn the ukulele! In this class, work on right and left-hand techniques while learning more songs, melodies, scales and chords. This class will pick up from where the Ukulele for Beginners class ended, though you do not need to have attended the Beginners class. It would be helpful to have some experience playing ukulele including knowing a few chords and songs. 

Learn many enjoyable, accessible songs in this fun, hands-on class. Practice playing while learning some music theory and more tips for navigating the fingerboard. Enjoy guidance from a professional local musician and meeting other people with shared interests. Continue to unlock the big fun in this small instrument!

Supplies Needed

Please bring these to class:

• Ukulele
• Tuner
• Optional: a strap

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be have: 

• Improved facility and understanding of the ukulele
• Increased overall musicianship
• Better left and right hand coordination
• Understanding of basic music theory
• Familiarity with how to play several songs

Who Should Take this Class?

• Anyone who has taken the Ukulele for Beginners class, or has some prior experience with the ukulele, or plays the guitar or another stringed instrument
• Ukulele learners aspiring to jam with others (when we can!)
• Students of ukulele wanting to learn additional songs and techniques

Class Overview

Explore your creativity and develop your artistic skills by learning to paint with acrylics in this class for beginners.

During this introductory class, enjoy the experience of putting paint on paper and discover the fundamental properties and techniques specific to painting with acrylics.

Study the fascinating field of color theory and how you can utilize the potent colors available in acrylic paint for a powerful effect.

Enjoy the ease of using acrylic paints, including fast and easy clean-up. In addition to guided instruction by the teacher, you will have the opportunity to explore your interests.

Supplies Needed

Please see the supply list for this class.

Learning Outcomes

• Gain an understanding of the characteristics of acrylic paints
• Become familiar with painting techniques specific to acrylic paint
• Develop painting technique and ability
• Expand your knowledge of color theory
• Create original paintings

Who Should Take this Class?

• Anyone interested in exploring their creativity and developing their artistic skills - no experience necessary!
• People interested in painting
• Artists who would like to learn to use acrylic paint

Have you always wanted to learn how to draw, or do you have you some drawing experience that you'd like to build upon? Join us!

This class is excellent for both beginning and intermediate students who want to improve their fundamental drawing and observation skills. Learn how to draw using a simple graphite pencil. Explore line, value, space, perspective and composition. Enjoy guidance of a professional artist and learn approaches to drawing that will help you get better with just a bit of practice.

Join a community of fellow art students and give yourself time to learn, practice and develop these rewarding skills that can give you endless hours of fun and satisfaction. No previous art experience is needed.

Supplies Needed

• Graphite pencil (HB or 2B)
• Sketchbook (no smaller 9 x 12", no larger 11 x 15")

Learning Outcomes

• Explore fundamental drawing techniques
• Learn about different style approaches
• Practice and improve upon your skills under the guidance of an expert

Who Should Take this Class?

• Budding artists
• Working artists that would like to practice their drawing skills
• Designers who would like to improve their ability to sketch

No previous art experience required

Class Overview

Drawing is the basis of all visual art, and it can provide a lifetime of enjoyment. In this class for beginners, increase your imagination, creativity, and perception through the practice of drawing!

Learn the fundamentals of drawing: light, shadow, proportions, details, perspective and three dimensionality. Practice drawing many subjects including animals, nature, people, and still life.

You’ll be surprised how quickly your skills will improve by observing and drawing along with step-by-step class presentation! This process will make it easy to understand and put these techniques into practice.

Once you learn these skills, you’ll find them becoming second nature. This practice will greatly increase your ability to represent the world around you with a pencil or pen.

This class will be presented as a live, interactive video (Zoom), which is more similar to an "in-person" class, because you get the benefit of seeing the art demos live, up- close, in real time just like in an "in- person" class and ask questions along the way. You can also paint along with the instructor!

Supplies Needed

• Pencils (graphite):
  • 2B pencil
  • 4B pencil
  • 6B pencil
  • 8B (Optional)
  • Woodless Pencil (6B or 8B) optional
• Drawing paper pad - either 9"x12" or 11"x14"
• White vinyl eraser
• Mechanical eraser, or pink eraser on back of pencil (for detail erasing and drawing white lines on gray areas)
• 3-4 (variety sizes) Paper blending stomps (or paper towel/ tissues for blending, if you can't find these for first day)
• Pencil sharpener (preferably with shaving collector)
• Set of colored pencils (24 to 48)

Learning Outcomes

• Learn the various uses for the tools and supplies of drawing
• Draw representational objects and scenes
• Represent 3 dimensional space through the use of light, shadow and detail
• Learn various blending techniques
• Draw 3 dimensional objects -- the building blocks of all other drawings
• Combine three-dimensional objects to make more complex drawings
• Expand your use and understanding of form and line
• Gain a good understanding an ability to use proportions
• Represent three-dimensional objects and scenes using simple perspective
• Utilize light and dark details
• Maximize the use of value, contrast, line, mark making, and details to draw with expression

Who Should Take this Class?

• Anyone interested in learning the joy of drawing
• People who would like to improve their drawing skills
• Anyone who would like to learn to express themselves through drawing
• Everyone who would like to gain the foundational skills of drawing to apply to any visual art medium in the future

Class Overview

Unleash your creativity through fantasy and science fiction art! Learn to draw and paint science fiction and fantasy creatures.

Explore the anatomy and proportions of fantasy creatures in order to capture their essence. Discover how you can depict creatures in action. We will also focus on learning how to draw three dimensionally, using light, shadow, detail, and color to make fantasy creature drawings and paintings come to life.

You’ll learn to combine these skills to depict a variety of creatures, such as: dragons, dinosaurs, mecha, robots, trolls, shape-shifters, cyborgs, mutants, insectoids and animal- and multi- creature hybrids. We will also explore how to depict all of the amazing things they do: running, flying, battling foes, rescuing heroes, breathing fire, and more. 

This class will be presented as a live, interactive video (Zoom), which is more similar to an "in-person" class, because you get the benefit of seeing the art demos live, up- close, in real time just like in an "in- person" class and ask questions along the way. You can also paint along with the instructor!

Supplies Needed

• Pencils (Graphite):

• • 2B pencil
  • 4B pencil
  • 6B pencil
  • 8B (Optional)
  • Woodless Pencil (6B or 8B) optional

• 70-90lb Drawing Paper Pad - either 9"x12" or 11"x14"
• White vinyl eraser
• Mechanical Eraser, or pink eraser on back of pencil (for detail erasing and drawing white lines on gray areas)

• • 3-4 (variety sizes) Paper Blending Stomps (or paper towel/ tissues for blending, if you can't find these for first day) 
  • Pencil Sharpener (preferably with shaving collector)
• Set of Colored Pencils  (24 to 48)
• Small Inexpensive set of Acrylic Paints 6-12 Colors (at least White, Yellow, Blue, Red- bonus if it has green, purple, orange, or brown) (i.e. Liquitex Basics)
• Small collection of Brushes- Small #1 round, a 1/4" filbert brush, and a 3/8" filbert brush
• Jar or large plastic cup or container (like Yogurt or Peanut Butter Jar) for water
• Paper Towels
• Watercolor Paper Pad (8.5x11", 9x12", or 11x14")

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: 

• Depict fantasy creatures through three dimensional form through light and shadow
• Illustrate motion and action in fantasy creatures
• Have knowledge and skills in the depiction of anatomy and proportions
• Utilize light shadow and geometric objects to depict 3 dimensionality
• Use color mixing and paint application to depict fantasy creatures in color
• Draw and paint a wide variety of fantasy creatures and characters in dynamic poses
• Illustrate a variety of fantasy creature subject matter 

Who Should Take this Class?

• Anyone who is interested in enriching their lives with the joy of fantasy creature drawing and painting
• Artists who would like to gain or improve their drawing and painting skills and apply those skills to the subject of fantasy creatures
• Anyone interested in fantasy and science fiction who would like to learn to portray characters and creatures
• People currently drawing fantasy art who would like to improve their realism
• Anyone who would like to gain the foundational skills of painting to apply to any visual art medium in the future