You asked for it, a whole day focused on the basics of watercolors! This class is for the beginner watercolor painter, or the practiced painter looking to refresh their skills. In the morning, we will complete a worksheet with 15 watercolor application techniques, and then in the afternoon we will practice our skills on a small watercolor painting.

Refer to the "Watercolor & Gouache, Student Supplies" list HERE

• We believe art should be accessible to all. Scholarships are available for those who qualify.
• Membership is one of the easiest and most effective ways to support our mission! Learn more about it's benefits and discounts!

In this beginner-friendly workshop, participants will explore the magic of working with alcohol inks. In this workshop you will: - Begin by working on a blank 6" x 6" white ceramic tile focusing on the intuitive nature of inks and the fine balance between controlling the inks using a variety of tools and allowing the painting to process. - Apply inks to a number of different surfaces including a variety of synthetic papers, canvas and panels. - Learn to use tools such as paint brushes, foam brushes, and hot and cool airflow to move and control the inks. All tools and materials are provided. You will go home with several frame-worthy pieces of your own work to keep for yourself or to give as thoughtful gifts.

All necessary materials are provided for an additional $35 fee, payable directly to the instructor.

• We believe art should be accessible to all. Scholarships are available for those who qualify.
• Membership is one of the easiest and most effective ways to support our mission! Learn more about it's benefits and discounts!

Celebrate Autumn and Thanksgiving In this seasonal edition of our popular Watercolor Free Spirit Workshop.

Instructor Jackie Kane, will kick off the workshop with a lively, 30-minute practice demo of essential brush handling techniques to achieve the desired effects. Then, the studio is yours! Whether you want to freely draw your own designs of any subject or one of our Autumn / Thanksgiving themed designs, with the option to use our tracing templates (featuring pumpkins, leaves, corn stalks, turkeys and scarecrows), you'll have 3.5 hours of pure painting bliss to bring your vision to life. You'll leave with your very own painted interpretation of Autumn images or your own design!

Streamlined for Your Peace of Mind

Forget the stress of packing a bulky supply bag! You are welcome to bring your own favorite watercolor supplies, or, for $25, purchase an All-Inclusive Customized Materials Kit from the instructor on the day of the workshop. Kits may be purchased with cash or check and can be taken home for future use. The kit may also be used in future Watercolor Free Spirit workshops!

Each kit includes:

• Two 9" × 12" sheets of 100% cotton, 140 lb. ARCHES cold press watercolor paper
• A professional-grade 12-color watercolor set in a metal palette tin
• One Winsor & Newton Cotman brush

Experienced painters who prefer the comfort of their own familiar, professional-grade supplies are welcome to bring their favorite materials. Just be sure your palette includes key fall colors such as vivid oranges and reds, yellows, and browns, along with your standard colors. Click HERE for a full materials list.

Seats are strictly limited to ensure personalized instruction. Grab your spot today and let's get into the spirit of Autumn!

• We believe art should be accessible to all. Scholarships are available for those who qualify.
• Membership is one of the easiest and most effective ways to support our mission! Learn more about it's benefits and discounts!

Inspired by the 18th- and 19th-century tradition of collecting natural specimens, artifacts, and unusual discoveries, this collaborative series brings together Historic Yellow Springs and Historic Sugartown for four workshops exploring botanical preservation, ceramics, paper marbling, cyanotype printing, and traditional bookbinding.

Each workshop can be enjoyed independently, or attend two or more to build a collection of materials for your own Cabinet of Curiosities journal.

• Saturday, October 24 | Historic Yellow Springs | 9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.Collecting & Preserving Specimens — Sarah Rafferty
  • Explore ways to collect, dry, and press botanical specimens. Create a small ceramic element by pressing a natural specimen into clay to make a unique button or fastener.
• Saturday, October 31 | Historic Sugartown | 9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.Traditional Paper Marbling — Ramon Townsend
  • Learn the historic art of paper marbling and create one-of-a-kind decorative papers for future covers, endpapers, or journal pages.
• Saturday, November 8 | Historic Yellow Springs | 9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.Cyanotype Specimens
  • Transform plants and natural objects into striking blue-and-white cyanotype prints for display, journaling, or future creative projects.
• Saturday, November 21 | Historic Sugartown | 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.Traditional Bookbinding — Ramon Townsend
  • Bring your collected materials together in Historic Sugartown’s working bindery. Learn traditional bookbinding techniques to create a handcrafted journal incorporating your marbled papers, cyanotypes, specimens, and other discoveries. Those attending two or more previous workshops can create a more finished, personalized Cabinet of Curiosities journal

Each workshop can be enjoyed independently, or attend two or more to build a collection of materials for your own Cabinet of Curiosities journal. No previous experience is required. To participate in the bookbinding workshop, you must attend at least one of the three preceding workshops so you have materials to incorporate into your journal.

• We believe art should be accessible to all. Scholarships are available for those who qualify. 
• Membership is one of the easiest and most effective ways to support our mission! Learn more about it's benefits and discounts! 

Print, ink and repeat with plants from Historic Yellow Springs! Discover the excitement of printmaking and see your image come to life in each print. In this all day workshop, we’ll explore both monoprinting and linocut using nature as both inspiration and material to create beautiful artworks. Forage near the studio and explore the historic medicinal herb garden to gather materials for printing.

You’ll be guided through the entire process from drawing to carving to printing. Make multiple prints you can frame or give as a gift. Bonus: the printing plate is yours to keep for future printing. Try different colors, mix your own inks, and enjoy some creative camaraderie!

You’ll take home the custom plate you design for future use, along with all of the prints you create during the workshop.  $35 materials fee payable to the instructor.

• We believe art should be accessible to all. Scholarships are available for those who qualify.
• Membership is one of the easiest and most effective ways to support our mission! Learn more about it's benefits and discounts!

One of the most exciting techniques in gel plate printing is creating a “ghost print”—the beautiful image that’s left behind after the first pull—so I thought it would be a fun play on words for Halloween. The class would focus on layered prints using botanicals, vintage papers, image transfers, metallic accents, and rich autumn colors to create artwork that’s more whimsical and sophisticated than spooky.

$15 Materials Fee payable to the instructor

• We believe art should be accessible to all. Scholarships are available for those who qualify.
• Membership is one of the easiest and most effective ways to support our mission! Learn more about it's benefits and discounts!

Make a functional piece of pottery for your kitchen! In this hands-on class, you’ll use clay to create and decorate your own ceramic spoon rest. Choose your own design and make it uniquely yours.

No prior experience required.

This class is held in a ADA accessable studio space

• We believe art should be accessible to all. Scholarships are available for those who qualify.
• Membership  is one of the easiest and most effective ways to support our mission! Learn more about it's benefits and discounts!

Learn the basics of how to use gouache (pronounced GWASH), watercolor's opaque cousin. We will start the morning by completing a cheat sheet, learning a dozen basic application techniques and properties of gouache. In the afternoon, we will practice using gouache in a small painting.

How to Use Gouache: Refer to the "Watercolor & Gouache, Student Supplies" list HERE

• We believe art should be accessible to all. Scholarships are available for those who qualify.
• Membership is one of the easiest and most effective ways to support our mission! Learn more about it's benefits and discounts!