Tuesdays, 6 – 8:30 p.m. (Zoom with posted Canvas content)
Instructor: Susan Sullivan
Ten-Week Course (30-Hour Equivalent)
Credit: Non-Credit or 1.0 Undergraduate Credit (See Below)

Abstraction in art can look like a variety of different things, from the painterly glow of a Turner seascape to the flattened patterns of a Matisse interior to Pollock’s nonobjective drip technique. But how does one get from painting realistically what one can see in the real world to translating it into invented color and shape or to abandoning form altogether? Learn from master artists throughout modern art history by trying on their techniques to find your own personal style! Explore different paint application methods, color interactions, and compositional tactics as you take on a variety of subjects, including still life, interiors, landscape, and the figure or self-portrait…using the examples of Helen Frankenthaler, David Hockney, Mickalene Thomas, and other master artists to guide you. Each session will include lecture and artist examples, in-class painting time, and one-on-one feedback from the instructor. Whether you are seeking to drive your current work to a new direction or simply experiment with different ways of generating imagery, this is a great steppingstone to making abstraction – in whatever form it may take – personal, expressive, and satisfying. Open to all media and levels but drawing experience recommended.

Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $595. Select credit option with price adjustment when registering.

Image: Susan Sullivan, B-52 (detail), oil on canvas.

Register by: May 22
Materials List

Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Information for PAFA CE Online Courses

Wednesdays, 1 - 4 p.m.*
Instructor: Kassem Amoudi
Ten-Week Course (30 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit or 1.0 Undergraduate Credit (See Below)
Note: This previously online class is currently being offered in-person.

Learn to explore new possibilities and paint more intuitively under the guidance of artist/critic/mentor Kassem Amoudi! Work from personal subject matter (objects, images, emotions, or ideas) to find your own visual language, informed by examples from contemporary and modern art. Examine how to use concepts of color, harmony, focal point, space, and mark-making as powerful tools of personal expression. Open painting is heavily supported by critiques and advice from the instructor as he works one-on-one with each student to guide them in their personal style and goals. This course is excellent for students pursuing abstract or nonobjective imagery, seeking knowledgeable feedback and a focused community painting environment. Painting experience recommended. 

Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $595. Select credit option with price adjustment when registering.

*Note: No class on June 19 for Juneteenth holiday.

Image: Kassem Amoudi.

Register by: May 24

Materials List

Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies

Tuesdays, 1 - 4 p.m.
Instructor: Ron Wyffels
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit Only

Note: The dates of this course have changed to June 4 - July 9, reflecting a two-week delay.  Alternate scheduling options available for July 2 and 9, via individual arrangements with the instructor: rwyffels@pobox.pafa.edu. 

Printing from a drawing carved into wood or a linoleum block is the oldest and most straightforward form of printmaking. The direct nature of this process makes it an ideal introduction to printmaking for beginners, while artists of all levels enjoy its potential for intricate detail and graphic impact. This six-week course is the perfect condensed exploration into this striking technique. All aspects of the process will be covered, including drawing on the block, carving your design and printing black-and white and color prints. All levels welcome. Tuition includes a $20 lab fee.

Learning Objectives

• Students will gain a basic understanding of the relief printing process.
• Students will acquire technical experience in preparing woodblocks & linoleum blocks to receive their drawn images.
• Students will learn safe and smart cutting techniques for making their printing blocks.
• Students will acquire technical expertise by proofing and printing their black & white and color relief prints, including skills in ink brayer use & press operation.
• Students will learn printmaking professionalism including printing editions on clean registered printmaking paper and signing and numbering editions appropriately.
• Students will learn the importance of image development by exploring various possibilities with the process.
• Students will develop critical visual and verbal skills through individual discussions with the instructor and with their peers.

Image: Ron Wyffels.

Registration still open!

Materials List

Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies

Wednesdays, 6 - 9 p.m.*
Instructor: Ron Wyffels
Ten-Week Course (30 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit or 1.0 Undergraduate Credit (See Below)

Note: This course has been delayed by one week, now scheduled to start on June 5.  Options for an extension to August 14, or an alternate make up date, for the missed session will be discussed during the first class.  The course remains OPEN for registration.

Lithography is a versatile printmaking process that allows for a complete range of drawing effects: contour line, hatching/cross-hatching, painterly wash applications, expressive mark-making, and reductive techniques. Learn all aspects of the lithographic process through step-by-step demonstrations and hands-on practice: preparing a traditional stone or lightweight aluminum plate; creating your own drawing from observation, imagination or photographic transfer using a range of drawing materials; selecting paper; printing in black-and-white and color; and editioning your prints. Note: Tuition includes a $20 lab fee.

Learning Objectives

• Students will gain a basic understanding of the lithography printing process.
• Students will acquire technical experience in preparing stones, plates, & ink.
• Students will learn basic stone & plate drawing, etching and processing techniques.
• Students will acquire technical expertise by way of proofing and printing their stones & plates, including learned skills in roller use & litho press operation.
• Students will learn printmaking professionalism including printing editions on clean registered printmaking paper, signing and numbering editions appropriately.
• Students will learn the importance of image development through individual reviews and by exploring various possibilities with the process.
• Students will develop critical visual and verbal skills by way of individual discussions with the instructor and with their peers.
• Students will advance their individual art concepts and expand their artistic territory through new techniques & material uses.

Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $615 (including lab fee). Select credit option with price adjustment when registering.

*Note: No class on June 19 for Juneteenth holiday.

Image: Ron Wyffels.

Register by: May 24

Materials List

Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies