Adults

Monday, March 9–April 27, 1:30–4:30 pm (8 Sessions)

Students will hone their drawing skills by working from live specimens, and occasionally photographs, of a variety of flowers, plants, and seeds. Learn to examine structure in nature and translate that structure into drawing while focusing on composition. Botanical demonstrations in a variety of mediums will be included in this course. Students will work in graphite to begin with and expand into colored pencils. Learn about the history of botanical illustration while studying a diversity of artists. Prerequisite: basic drawing skills.

Instructor: Dawn Flores

Monday, March 9–April 27, 9:30 am–12:30 pm (8 sessions) 

Learn a wide variety of watercolor techniques while using related drawing mediums in this course for beginning and experienced watercolor artists. Students work directly from the still life, landscape, and other subject matter, with discussions of color and watercolor masterworks offering inspiration. Individual and group critiques provided. Prerequisites: basic drawing skills.

Instructor: Dawn Flores

Saturday & Sunday, March 7 & 8, 10 am–4 pm (2 sessions) 

 This workshop is an introduction to painting with Gouache, an opaque water-soluble medium that is like watercolor. The medium offers highly saturated colors, flexibility, and spontaneity, applied in layers like acrylics or oils. Great to use as a sketching medium to plan larger paintings or for finished artwork.  Students will learn to use gouache to make studies, to plan compositions and color themes that they may use for larger works. Prerequisites: basic drawing & painting skills. 

Instructor: Maria Reardon

Saturday & Sunday, March 7 & 8, 10 am - 4 pm (2 sessions)

Do you want to capture a moment and place, whether traveling or just hanging out? Record the little and big things in your life by creating a visual record. Participants will learn several easy and successful strategies for drawing, painting, collage, and writing to turn their adventures into handheld works of art. Mini field trips within and outside VMFA will also offer source material and inspiration. 

Instructor: Kathleen Calhoun

Saturday & Sunday, March 14 & 15, 10 am–4 pm (2 Sessions)

This workshop provides step-by-step instruction on a variety of watercolor techniques, including special effects, glazing, wet on wet, washes, and more. Working from colorful photographs or still lifes of flora and fauna, students explore the full range of watercolor painting. Prerequisite: basic drawing skills.

Instructor: Dawn Flores

Saturday, March 21, 10 am–4pm (1 session)

Start by exploring a variety of drawings of the human form by other artists. Then with guidance from the instructor and working from a live model, learn to create expressive portraits in charcoal and pencil. Prerequisites: basic drawing skills. 

Instructor: Amy Smith

Saturday, March 21, 10 am–4 pm (1 Session)

Explore several methods for making acrylic pour paintings.  These paintings are characterized by unpredictable swirls of colorful paint with a glossy finish. Please bring a maximum of eight small canvases or panels. These need to be safely transported flat after painting (canvases should not exceed 11” x 14”). Also provide one quart of white semigloss house paint, and four to six acrylic paint colors of your choice.  Miscellaneous supplies will be provided by the instructor for a $5 materials fee (cash or check) payable at the beginning of the workshop. Prerequisite: basic drawing and painting skills.

Instructor: Kendra Wadsworth

Saturday &Sunday, March 28 & 29, 10 am–4 pm (2 Sessions)

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.

Instructor: Diana Detamore

Saturday & Sunday, April 11 & 12, 10 am–4 pm (2 sessions)

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. 

Instructor: Catherine Purdy

Wednesday, May 6– 27, 10 am–1 pm (4 sessions)

Expand technical skills in drawing and painting and learn to develop new ideas and imagery. Students will work with drawing and/or painting materials of their choice. The instructor will offer demonstrations and provide guidance when exploring new materials and methods. Prerequisites: basic drawing skills.

Instructor: Amy Smith

Tuesday, May 5–26, 10 am–1 pm (4 sessions) 

Gouache (pronounced “ga-wash”) is a versatile paint that can be opaque like acrylics, fluid like watercolors, and reawakened with water even after it has dried on your paper. In this 4-week intensive class, you will learn the basics of using gouache to mix and layer colors, to paint subjects from life and from photos in at least two different styles.  Prerequisites: basic drawing & painting skills. 

Instructor: Grace Mae Huddleston

Monday, March 16–April 20, 10 am –1 pm (6 sessions)

This class helps students refine both technical and creative photographic skills. Through discussions, class critiques, and weekly assignments, participants solve problems with exposure, low-light situations, and creative ennui, and learn time-saving methods for an effective digital workflow. A digital SLR to use in class and experience using the camera settings are required. Prerequisite: Completion of Digital Photography for Beginners class.

Instructor: Samia Minnicks

Monday, March 16 – April 20, 7–10 pm (6 sessions) 

This class helps students refine both technical and creative photographic skills. Through discussions, class critiques, and weekly assignments, participants solve problems with exposure, low-light situations, and creative ennui, and learn time-saving methods for an effective digital workflow. A digital SLR to use in class and experience using the camera settings are required. Prerequisite: Completion of Digital Photography for Beginners class. 

Instructor: Kevin Morley

Tuesday, May 5 – 26, 10 am–1 pm (4 sessions) 

Learn how to use foam sheeting as a medium for creating prints. The inexpensive, versatile material is great for making simple silhouette imagery or something more complex with tone can be achieved by layering the material into a relief matrix. Both the etching press and barens will be utilized for printing.

Instructor: Randy Toy

Saturday, March 14, 10 am–3 pm (1 session) 

Current pottery students will work on independent projects in this one-day workshop. Faculty assistance is available. Prerequisites: current enrollment in any VMFA pottery class.

Instructor: Steven Glass

Thursday, March 19 -- April 23, 1:30 – 4:30 pm (6 sessions)

 Using low-tech stencil and stamp printing methods we will create unique and colorful fabric patterns with fiber reactive dye, textile pigment, and discharge paste. The instructor will cover the basics of printing in repeats and producing one-of-a-kind compositional fabric design. Finished fabrics will be suitable for quilting, home decorating, and garment construction. No previous experience is 
required. A materials fee of $40 payable to the instructor at the beginning of the class covers a selection of fabrics and dyes.

Saturday & Sunday, March 7 & 8, 10 am – 4 pm (2 sessions)

 Learn the ancient art of Shibori (Japanesestyle tie-dye) using fiber reactive dyes. Shibori creates sophisticated and complex patterns. Also known as Procion or cold-water dyes, they yield a rainbow of bright permanent colors. Participants will make several pieces of richly patterned fabric along with two silk scarves. A materials fee of $25, payable to the instructor at the beginning of the workshop covers most materials. Students can bring a few small natural fiber items from home to dye (cotton, silk, or linen).

Instructor: Julia Pfaff

Saturday, March 21, 10 am – 4 pm (1 session) 

Participants will learn the history of visible mending with roots in Japanese Sashiko stitching and Indian Kantha stitching. With guidance from the instructor, students will make a mending sampler featuring a variety of stitches to fix tears and holes in loved and worn clothing. You will learn skills to repair your garments and make them more interesting in the process. The instructor will provide a mending kit for $20, payable at the beginning of the workshop. You may also want to bring an additional cloth or clothing item to work on 
during the workshop.

Instructor: Mary Swezey

Saturday & Sunday, March 28 & 29, 10 am – 4 pm (2 sessions)

This fast-moving and fun workshop explores a spontaneous approach to a traditional quilting favorite with an emphasis on contemporary design. Participants will learn a new way to piece quilt blocks together and create unique arrangements of blocks. Pieces will not be quilted during the class, but quilting options will be discussed. Bring your own sewing machine if possible. This technique only requires a straight stitch. There will be machines available for shared use.