Sedona is surrounded by a magical landscape of red rock formations and high desert hills with beautiful Oak Creek meandering through it all. Come experience the Shangri-La of the Southwest, a beautiful learning environment with Art Colony roots going back nearly 100 years.
Workshops at the Sedona Arts Center offer an intensive experience that will provide inspiration and information to distill and practice for months and even years afterwards. A wide variety of disciplines and mediums are offered with a special focus on studio and plein air landscape painting, mixed media and abstraction.
Colorful Concertina Sketchbook with Lori Roll
April 24–25 : Wednesday & Thursday, 11am – 4pm
Many artists employ sketchbooks to capture daily exercises and inspire finished pieces. This expressive class will utilize collage to create uniquely personalized sketchbooks in one continuous story that unfolds like a concertina.
In this class you have the option of making your own concertina sketchbook from recycled folders and heavy papers, or purchasing a commercial concertina sketchbook in which to work for $28, available the first day of class.
We will use acrylic paints, markers, charcoal and carbon pencils, inks, paper pieces, handmade papers and stencils, cloth, scraps and other materials using water-based adhesives to create colorful sketchbooks. While the instructor will bring folders, heavy papers and many materials, students are highly encouraged to bring special papers, found objects and odd pieces to add to their work. All skill levels are welcome. Wear old clothes or an apron.
Waxing Poetic: Cold Wax & Oil Painting with Lori Roll
April 26–27 : Friday & Saturday, 11am – 4pm
We will explore the expressive nature of oil paint mixed with cold wax medium to create layers, textures, mark making and personal expressions. Work can be abstract or representational.
Lori will provide all paint, wax medium and multi-media supplies and reference materials – there is a $40 materials fee payable directly to the instructor on the first day. Students may bring additional supplies if they wish. Click on the Materials List tab above for more complete information.
After the introduction and demonstration, students will have plenty of time to explore and paint! On day-two we will come back to our work with fresh perspectives to edit or create new work. An understanding of design and color mixing is helpful and creative problem solving is encouraged. This dynamic class is limited to 12 participants to allow for one-on-one attention. At the end of each day we will share our experiences and pieces with the class.
Painting a Bold, Colorful, Arizona Landscape with Joe A. Oakes
May 4 : Saturday, 10am – 4pm
Join award-winning artist Joe A. Oakes for a fun, info-packed, painting experience. Learn to take an ordinary image and transform it into an extraordinary, finished, VIBRANT painting. Valuable art principles and important acrylic painting techniques will be discussed while we work through and complete a finished piece. All painting styles and skill levels are welcome. Also open to oil and pastel painters.
The Poetry of Healing with Jodie Hollander
May 11 : Saturday, 10am – 1pm
For centuries, creating art, and writing poetry in particular, has served as a form of healing for pain and grief. In this workshop, we’ll discuss examples of celebrated poems that tackle these difficult topics and study effective techniques for channeling our challenges into poetry. Then, through a series of writing prompts, we’ll delve into our own experiences and turn them into powerful, effective poems. This workshop is for anyone who is interested in the incredible transformative power of poetry to heal our wounds, whether emotional or physical.
ONLINE: Abstract Figurative Workshop with Robert Burridge
April 19–21 : Friday–Sunday, 9am – 4pm California Time
This workshop pushes you out of your safe zone and into a brand new, looser, abstract direction drawing and painting the contemporary nude. You will learn expressive painting techniques for the modern painter. If you ever wanted to learn how to paint the freestyle abstract figure, this workshop is for you. Color is explained and explored. You will learn the 12 Design Compositions for a successful painting. Your “drawing the nude” skills are not a prerequisite.
The second day of the workshop will include working directly with the live model in a variety of undraped, partially draped and nude poses. You will do lots of paint sketching, gestural drawing and finger painting techniques.
The third day – be prepared to paint looser, bolder, freer, lighter and more intuitively. The model will transform into one of Burridge’s “Lounge Ladies” with imaginative sets and playful costumes!
ONLINE: It’s All About Your Brushes with Gretchen Lopez
May 10 : Friday, 9:30am – 2:30pm Arizona Time
Get to know what your brushes can do in this one session course.
Your brushes are an extension of you. Gain more confidence in your paintings by understanding all the techniques which go into the handling of your brushes!
Instructor demonstrations and lots of individual attention provided. This class is online – enrolled students will receive an email invitation with a link to join the Zoom meeting platform from Gretchen Lopez a day or two before the class.
Painting: Anatomy of Flowers in Still-Life with Gretchen Lopez
May 9 : Thursday, 10am – 4:30pm
Learn the structure, values and shapes to build gorgeous flowers in your paintings. We’ll take this in a step-by step approach, as we mix color and learn to compose.Instructor demonstrations and lots of individual attention provided.
Watercolor Crash Course:
Capturing Luminous Light with Betty Carr
May 13–14 : Monday & Tuesday, 10am – 3pm
This class welcomes beginners who have some drawing experience and want to learn how to paint with watercolor, as well as the more experienced painters who want to learn more watercolor techniques.
Our class will focus on the “how to’s” of brushes, mediums, paper, seeing and painting light on form, understanding temperatures of light and shadow, and working with edges in painting a variety of subjects. I’ll be demonstrating exciting ways to create effects in watercolor using impressionistic, painterly brushwork. How to paint in watercolor using glazing and textural techniques, incorporating frisket (don’t worry if you don’t know what that is – you will find out and it’s fun), and applying a value sketch will be covered. When completed, we will all have painted some exciting and beautiful watercolors.
Through demonstration and one-on-one instruction, students will learn to throw a variety of forms on the potter’s wheel or techniques to create hand-built works. Slab roller, extruder and forms are also available to create functional and decorative pieces. Class sessions are 6-weeks long and meet once/week.
Sedona Arts Center’s ceramics instructors are all highly skilled artists and experienced teachers!
Our mission is to connect, enrich, educate and lead through the inspiring power of the arts and creative discovery.
Sedona Arts Center is one of Northern Arizona’s most well-established cultural organizations and serves as the creative heart of Sedona. Founded in 1958, the nonprofit is based in Uptown Sedona and offers year-round classes, exhibitions, festivals, and cultural events that enhance the creative life of the Verde Valley.
Ceramics – Advanced
