Taking in-person classes on our campus in Uptown Sedona affords the opportunity not only to explore the arts, but also to meet new neighbors and immerse yourself in the Sedona arts community. Ongoing instruction is available in painting and ceramics and members receive a 10% discount.
Painting for All Levels with Gretchen Lopez
Friday, December 16, 2022
From the beginning to the experienced student, this one-day class in oil or acrylic will guide and teach students how to approach the painting process with confidence, while exploring the basics of value-pattern, composition and color. Students may work from life and/or photos. Instructor demonstrations and lots of individual attention provided.
Water Media Exploration with Mary Helsaple
January 25, 2023
Come learn How, Why, and What Water-based media is best used. This class is about exploring materials to best effect. In each class session, we will explore a different water-based material or technique and how best to use it effectively. Many of these same ideas can be applied to other surfaces like canvas, fabric, wood, metal and glass. Starting with Watercolor and progressing to acrylic, we will learn what combines well. We will be using only water-based supplies such as watercolor pigments, gouache, pencils, inks, flow pens on paper, then yupo, claybord, and loose canvas sheets, and finally acrylic medium. In this class, you will gain a deep understanding of all fluid mediums by exploring the process required to create your MasterWork.
The Practical & Entertaining Art of Drawing with Ed Buonvecchio
February 6 — March 13, 2023
Drawing can be a useful and fun tool in your daily life taking you away from your stressful day and giving you a way to express ideas or memorialize experiences. Learning to draw can give you the skill to design something you want to make, begin a painting or serve as a launchpad to exploring other forms of art or teaching others your learned drawing skills. In this six-week ongoing studio class we will learn skills and tools needed to draw what you think and see. We will practice the use of pencil, charcoal, pen and ink, brush and paper surfaces. We will learn about perspective, value, line, shape and composition. At the end of each class we will complete a drawing or drawings based on the lessons of the day.
NEW Ceramics – Thursdays with Lolo Aileen
February 2 — March 9, 2023
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. Tuition includes the first 25-pound bag of clay, firings and glazes, and one open studio session per week.
Taking in-person classes on our campus in Uptown Sedona affords the opportunity not only to explore the arts, but also to meet new neighbors and immerse yourself in the Sedona arts community. Ongoing instruction is available in painting and ceramics and members receive a 10% discount.
Clouds and Sky NEW ONLINE Workshop! with Gretchen Lopez
Thursday, December 15, 2022
Expressing movement and atmosphere in your landscapes adds an incredible vitality to the painting. In this session we will focus on the shapes of clouds, and the way the atmosphere can add depth to the composition. The way to start and add cloud shapes along with the gray or blue of the sky, will help the student become more confident with their Plein Air work as well as studio work.
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.
Texture/Simplification of Architecture NEW ONLINE Workshop! with Gretchen Lopez
Thursday, December 29, 2022
In this class, we will learn to paint and simplify architectural shapes. Everything from old barns to city streets, and sidewalk cafes, create wonderful subject matter for paintings!
The key is not being literal, but painting an impression of what we see.
I will show you some simple keys to perspective along with the application of light and shadow, as we compose and loosen up to create our paintings!
Photo reference will be supplied! Plan to have fun!! This class is planned to be less technical.
Painting a Snow Scene NEW ONLINE Workshop! with Gretchen Lopez
Friday, January 6, 2023
Fresh packed snow picks up every color, light or dark based on natural sunlight or even on an overcast day.
In this session, we will learn to simplify shapes in the landscape, then working from dark to light, mix the neutrals we see in snow from grays to beautiful violets. Bold Brush moves with your brush give depth and volume to the forms in the snow.
Let’s work on a surface no larger than 12×16
A link and photo reference will be provided!
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.
How to Paint Sedona’s Landscape NEW ONLINE Workshop! with Gretchen Lopez
Friday, January 20, 2023
Finding the focal point is an important part of this session. Our focus will be on the combination of street scenes set against the iconic formations of Sedona. Observing those major shapes will help as we navigate through uptown and “Sail Rock”.
Be ready to work on a canvas, stretched or panel no larger than 12×16!
Learn to edit out and only keep what you want in your composition. The key? Painting an impression of what you see!
A link and photo reference for the session will be provided.
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.
Red Rock Fantasy, Painting the Iconic Landscape NEW ONLINE Workshop! with Gretchen Lopez
Friday, February 17, 2023
Experience Level: Some drawing experience is required. Questions? Email Gretchen at gretchenlopezart@gmail.com.
Experience the beauty and magic of Sedona, as we learn to navigate through some of the Iconic formations which make Sedona the world’s most desired place to visit.
Discover the special palette of color used to create the vivid reds in the Rod Rocks and why toning is very important in the beginning!
Please plan to work in a small format and use 2- 8×10 panels or 2-8×8. Use these small scale oil sketches for larger paintings.
A link and photo reference for the session will be provided!
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. Workshops are appropriate for all levels of students and are presented through demonstrations, individual instruction and group presentation. Instructors are experts in their field – experienced teachers with national recognition.
Mixed Media Transfer Techniques with Michelle Sales
December 13, 2022
In this six-hour workshop you will learn to transfer images from various sources such as magazines, photographs, and ink or laser jet images onto cradled wood board and canvas utilizing transfer paper. Many of the transfers created in this workshop can be incorporated into other images. We will explore various methods of layering images using acrylic paint, stamps, and other mixed media to create dimensional effects. This class is appropriate for all levels of skills or experience.
NEW Beginning Sculpture with Suzy Allan
February 2 – March 9, 2023
Thursdays | Feb. 2 – Mar. 9, 2023 | 1:00 – 4:00 pm | Ceramics Studio
Unlock your visions and dreams! In this workshop you will learn sculpting basics in clay and you will be making one medium-sized sculpture. You will learn how to cut, hollow out, then reassemble your piece. On the final day we will explore different glazing techniques.Please bring your clay tools and several photos of what you want to sculpt, or better yet a 3-D example.
Alternative Firing with Dennis Ott
February 12 & 19, 2023 (2-Sundays)
Join us to experience new and exciting finishing techniques. This workshop is great for a first time clay experience or for the experienced potter to explore a number of new finishes. We will be using non-traditional finishes such as Raku, Sager, Obvara and horse hair to create beautiful surface results.
We will meet on two consecutive Sunday’s, the first, to create our pieces and the second to fire them.
This workshop is open to all experience levels, from none to advanced. The potters wheel is available for those with experience. Handbuilding is available for all. Each participant will create 4-5 pieces.
Embedding Technology Into 2-D Art with Erin McGee Ferrell
March 2 – 4, 2023
In this workshop participants will learn to embed audio and video into 2D paintings, integrating smartphone app technology with traditional painting materials. Viewers will then be able to scan where the NFC (Near Field Communication) sticker is located underneath the paint and hear sound or see an accompanying video that compliments the work.
Contemporary Maine Artist, Erin McGee Ferrell, will demonstrate and guide you into the exciting new world of making 2D work interactive. Paintings come alive with accompanying sound and video. Participants will work with watercolor from photographs. Erin McGee Ferrell will provide the NFC stickers that will be embedded in the works of art.
