Sedona Arts Center — Sign up for an Art Workshop Today!

Simplifying what you see is a necessary component of observational painting. But it can also be used as a liberating constraint to explore design, composition, and color. During this class, you will focus on distilling your surroundings into compositions that convey both the essence of the landscape around us and our individual artistic voices. We will begin by focusing on selection and composition exercises before moving on to full color paintings. Discussions on theory and demonstrations will be followed by painting time with guidance by the instructor and group critique. Beginner and experienced plein air painters are welcome, however, this class is a class for people with some substantial painting experience. While demos will be provided in oil paint, both oils and acrylic painters are welcome.

Finer points will also touch on shipping, storing and pastel framing techniques – even ideas on how to approach galleries if you so desire.

Watercolor is a popular, flexible medium, and suitable for anyone that travels and would like to capture the beauty of their surroundings. In this workshop we will explore watercolor basics, using a journaling/sketchbook approach. We’ll cover the basics of composition, value, brushwork and color relationships, experiment with color mixing and ink drawing, and finish by working with the living landscape to create sketchbook paintings that can stand on their own or serve as inspirational notes for later studio works. At the end of the workshop, you should have begun a sketchbook of your own that you can carry virtually anywhere, which will allow you to record your travels, and your progress in this medium. Suitable for beginners and more experienced painters alike.  

The Artist’s Professional Toolkit:
A Writing Class for Your Portfolio

What’s the difference between an artist statement and artist bio? How do you write a compelling proposal? Learn how to exquisitely craft and then repurpose all three of these artist tools when applying for exhibitions, workshops, residencies, funding, and more. 

We know how difficult it is to face the blank page and write about yourself in a way that perfectly reflects you and your artistic practice. Through a step-by-step process and many examples for inspiration, your bio, statement, and proposal will come into focus and be ready to plug into any opportunity that comes along.

Drip, pour, drag, layer, heat, and incise! Investigate the ancient medium of encaustic painting in this very hands-on workshop using pigmented wax, and a heated palette! Explore a rich variety of marks and surfaces while doing image transfer, etching, and collaging in this seductive medium. This introductory workshop will guide you through the basics of fusing, paint application and its possibilities, collage, stencils and going beneath the surface with line work and scraping.  Class time will be divided between demonstrations and individual work time.  We will also touch on proper studio ventilation, wax safety, and how to “finish” artworks in terms of framing and care.  Students will leave with multiple finished pieces and the understanding of proper studio set-up. This class is suitable for ALL levels!

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.