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Continuing Education at PAFA



All CE Summer 2026 In-Person and Online Courses

Spontaneous Abstraction Workshop (ONLINE)

$175

with Kassem Amoudi

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 11, 2026 at 10 am

Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. (Live Zoom only) 
Instructor: Kassem Amoudi 
Weekend Workshop

Register by April 27 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSUMMER2026 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Dual Plus or Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. Discount applies to CE regular adult Summer Session 1 and 2 classes and workshops only. Spring 2026 courses, Summer Studio-Critique/studio rental programs, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.

Many artists can feel frustrated in front of a blank canvas, unsure of how to start and what to paint. Paint with confidence by learning techniques to tap into your intuitive process and find inspiration more easily! Experienced instruction and advice will push students to take chances and explore unexpected directions and accidental marks to achieve artistic discoveries. Students will use line, color and space, and editing possibilities to create busy/calm areas and focal points in their paintings as they work from personal imagery, expression, and imagination. Instruction will take the form of PowerPoint presentation/examples, formal direction from modern and contemporary artists, and one-on-on critiques in Zoom sessions that are geared toward open painting time in a classroom-like setting. Painting experience recommended.

Image: Kassem Amoudi

Register by: July 6 
Materials List 
 
Please review CE's Summer 2026 Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies, prior to registering. 
Information for PAFA CE Online Courses

Traditions in Landscape Painting (ONLINE)

$295

with Al Gury

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 12, 2026 at 3 pm, runs for 6 weeks

Sundays, 3 - 4 p.m. (Interactive asynchronous Canvas content supported by weekly Zoom meetings) 
Instructor: Al Gury 
Six-Week Condensed Course (30-Hour Equivalent) 

Register by April 27 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSUMMER2026 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Dual Plus or Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. Discount applies to CE regular adult Summer Session 1 and 2 classes and workshops only. Spring 2026 courses, Summer Studio-Critique/studio rental programs, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.

In this visually rich and interactive class, students will be guided through the development of the color and styles of contemporary landscape painting from its beginnings in the 16th century to the modern era, with a focus on historical Dutch landscape painting, the English and French plein air painters, the Impressionist landscape, and early modern forms of personal expression in the genre. Each class will include a visual history of the topic, color palettes, the materials and techniques of each approach, and a video demonstration by the instructor. Working from master copies and photos, as well as observational painting, will be addressed. Weekly project assignments will be critiqued by the instructor. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the development of landscape painting while developing individualized painting approaches and personal style.

Register by: July 6 
Materials List 
 
Please review CE's Summer 2026 Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies, prior to registering. 
Information for PAFA CE Online Courses

Structural Figure Drawing and Painting (ONLINE)

$295

with Al Gury

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 12, 2026 at 4:30 pm, runs for 6 weeks

Sundays, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. (Interactive asynchronous Canvas content supported by weekly Zoom meetings) 
Instructor: Al Gury 
Six-Week Condensed Course (30-Hour Equivalent) 

Register by April 27 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSUMMER2026 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Dual Plus or Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. Discount applies to CE regular adult Summer Session 1 and 2 classes and workshops only. Spring 2026 courses, Summer Studio-Critique/studio rental programs, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.

Improve your drawing and painting skills in the use of the figure and portrait through exploration of figure anatomy and structure. Weekly Zoom presentations by the instructor will include Q&A concerning students technical and artistic questions and struggles in working with this subject, visual art history of the topic, a rich array of examples and styles of each topic as well as demo drawings and demo videos buy the instructor. Weekly projects will be presented in class and in the syllabus, and weekly assigned projects will be posted and critiqued on Canvas. Topics will include drawing structure and anatomy of the figure (including drawing media and techniques and styles), color and palettes and painting approaches to the figure, working from photos, life and master copies. The student learning goal is an improved and more secure understanding of drawing and painting the figure and portrait. Classes will be recorded for student review. This course is open to all media.

Register by: July 6 
Materials List  
Please review CE's Summer 2026 Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies, prior to registering. 
Information for PAFA CE Online Courses

Palette Knife Painting

$295

with Shushana Rucker

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 13, 2026 at 1 pm, runs for 6 weeks

Mondays, 6 - 9 p.m.  
Instructor: Shushana Rucker 
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours)

Register by April 27 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSUMMER2026 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Dual Plus or Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. Discount applies to CE regular adult Summer Session 1 and 2 classes and workshops only. Spring 2026 courses, Summer Studio-Critique/studio rental programs, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.

Explore the possibilities of palette knife painting in this six-week course led by artist Shushana Rucker. Designed for painters of all levels, the course introduces students to a range of knife techniques for applying oil paint to create bold lines and strong texture. Through demonstrations, guided exercises, and individual feedback, students will learn how to mix bold color and use texture to heighten expression and atmosphere. Working from observation and reference imagery, participants will complete several finished paintings and develop a personal approach to working with the knife. No prior palette knife experience required.

Image: Shushana Rucker

Register by: July 6 
Materials List
Please review CE's Summer 2026 Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies, prior to registering.

Small Worlds: Oil Painting in a Small Format

$245

with Shushana Rucker

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 16, 2026 at 6 pm, runs for 5 weeks

Thursdays, 6 - 9 p.m.  
Instructor: Shushana Rucker 
Five-Week Short Course (15 Hours)

Register by April 27 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSUMMER2026 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Dual Plus or Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. Discount applies to CE regular adult Summer Session 1 and 2 classes and workshops only. Spring 2026 courses, Summer Studio-Critique/studio rental programs, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.

This five-week course focuses on the specific skills needed to successfully create small and miniature oil paintings. Students will learn how to adjust composition, simplify forms, and control detail so that images read clearly at a smaller size. Students will learn painting strategies which will make working at a smaller scale more approachable. Working from observation and/or reference, students will also explore how value, edges, and color relationships function differently in a compact format. Through demonstrations, exercises, and critique, participants will build confidence in making clear, deliberate decisions that suit the demands of painting small.

Image: Shushana Rucker

Register by: July 9 
Materials List - Coming Soon 
Please review CE's Summer 2026 Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies, prior to registering.

Everyday Textures for Oil Painters Workshop

$195

with Frederic Kaplan

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 18, 2026 at 9 am

Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.  
Instructor: Frederic Kaplan 
Weekend Workshop (12 Hours)

Register by April 27 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSUMMER2026 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Dual Plus or Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. Discount applies to CE regular adult Summer Session 1 and 2 classes and workshops only. Spring 2026 courses, Summer Studio-Critique/studio rental programs, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.

In this intensive weekend course, students will complete two to three small oil paintings while exploring a range of techniques for rendering complex surface qualities. Through focused exercises, participants will develop methods for organizing the flowing structure of draped fabric, capturing the intricate patterns of wood grain, and conveying the reflective sheen of metal. The course will also address the challenges of depicting transparency in glass and the subtle, shifting character of water both on surfaces and within vessels such as glasses or vases. This class presents valuable information for painters of all subject matter. Previous drawing and painting experience is strongly recommended. 

Register by: July 10 
Materials List
Please review CE's Summer 2026 Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies, prior to registering.

Nocturnes in Watercolor Workshop

$225

with James Toogood

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 25, 2026 at 9 am

Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. 
Instructor: James Toogood 
Weekend Workshop (14 Hours)

Register by April 27 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSUMMER2026 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Dual Plus or Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. Discount applies to CE regular adult Summer Session 1 and 2 classes and workshops only. Spring 2026 courses, Summer Studio-Critique/studio rental programs, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.

This workshop explores the evocative world of nocturne painting through the delicate and expressive medium of watercolor. Focusing on landscape scenes at the edge of day—sunset, twilight, and night—students will learn to capture the silvery light and subtle atmospheric effects that define these transitional hours. Learn how to work with restrained hues and layered washes to create a sense of depth and unity, to suggest rather than describe subject matter. Instruction will emphasize tonalist concerns of working with muted color palettes, gentle value shifts, and harmonious compositions. Through individualized guidance, participants will hone their sensitivity to tonal relationships and the expressive potential of nocturne painting.

Image: James Toogood

Register by: July 17 
Materials List 
Please review CE's Summer 2026 Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies, prior to registering.

Drawing Fundamentals Intensive

$485

with Phyllis Laver

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 27, 2026 at 9 am, runs for 1 week

Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.  
Instructor: Phyllis Laver 
One-Week Intensive (30 Hours)

Register by April 27 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSUMMER2026 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Dual Plus or Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. Discount applies to CE regular adult Summer Session 1 and 2 classes and workshops only. Spring 2026 courses, Summer Studio-Critique/studio rental programs, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.

If you’ve never drawn before, or your skills are a little rusty, then this class is for you. Learn to draw what you see with confidence. Work from still life arrangements, interior spaces, and the human figure to master the drawing elements: shape, contour line, composition, light and shadow, texture and perspective. Instruction will guide students through sight-drawing and measuring techniques, use of materials, shading methods, and ways of defining form and space. This course is excellent as a foundation for future study, including for painting and other disciplines. Note: Tuition includes a $35 models fee.

Image: Phyllis Laver

Register by: July 20
Materials List
Please review CE's Summer 2026 Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies, prior to registering.





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