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Papermaking: Sheetforming to Sculpture
with Clay Tenhula
Thursdays, 12:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Instructor: Clay Tenhula
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours)
Discover the myriad of possibilities of handmade paper from sheetforming, to painterly pulp techniques, to sculptural forms in PAFA's Brodsky Center Paper Studio. Learn fundamentals or build on previous papermaking knowledge as you begin by forming sheets with a mould and deckle, and then move beyond into working with colored pulps and exploring 3D techniques such as casting and draping paper over armatures to create paper sculptures. Working with cotton, flax, and abaca fibers, experience how paper can fuction as both surface and structure. All levels welcome. Tuition includes a $50 materials/lab fee.
Image: Clay Tenhula
Register by: October 8
Materials List
Please review CE’s Fall 2026 Policy Guide, including Withdrawal/Refund Policies, prior to registering.
Portrait Painting Basics Workshop
with Theodore Xaras
Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Instructor: Theodore Xaras
Weekend Workshop (14 Hours)
This comprehensive workshop covers all aspects of painting a traditional portrait. Topics include achieving a likeness, modeling light and shade, mixing flesh tones and applying paint through various techniques. All participants will produce at least one finished portrait. Includes demonstrations and portrait history. Valuable information for all levels. Note: Tuition includes a $25 model fee.
Learning Objectives
- Students will learn to analyze and construct a portrait using clearly defined steps.
- Students will be able to achieve a likeness through the careful observation of shapes and their color/value equivalent, which together, form the “topography” of the face.
- Students will learn how to mix and adjust colors to produce accurate flesh tones.
- Students will be able to produce one completed portrait, either a head and shoulders or the entire torso and hands.
- Students will be able to paint a recognizable portrait from life.
- Students will gain an appreciation for the art of portraiture from their own work as well as becoming acquainted with historical and contemporary examples as a basis for further study.
Register by: October 9
Materials List
Please review CE’s Fall 2026 Policy Guide, including Withdrawal/Refund Policies, prior to registering.
Autumn Leaves and Fruit in Watercolor Workshop
with Linda Gist
Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Instructor: Linda Gist
Weekend Workshop
Watercolor is the perfect medium for capturing the jewel-like tones and gradients of color in autumn’s changing leaves and abundant harvests. Learn to preserve the season’s rich textures and tapestries of color by exploring a variety of paint mixing and application techniques while working from natural forms. This workshop will include demonstrations of wet-into-wet and dry-brush techniques and one-on-one instruction. All experience levels welcome.
Register by: October 16
Materials List
Please review CE’s Fall 2026 Policy Guide, including Withdrawal/Refund Policies, prior to registering.
Introduction to Stone Lithography
with Rae Helms
Wednesdays, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Instructor: Rae Helms
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours)
No class on November 25
This six-week class introduces students to stone lithography, the traditional printmaking method of creating fine art prints from drawings made on limestone blocks. Students will learn the basics of this fascinating process, including graining the limestone to prepare it for drawing, creating an image in oil-based lithographic crayons and ink, etching the stone by means of a chemical process, inking the stone, and operating PAFA’s litho press to print an edition of prints. Students will benefit not only from expert class instruction, but also from access to PAFA’s beautiful, light-filled printmaking facilities (including its selection of limestone blocks) and plenty of monitored lab hours for outside work for the entire length of the course! Note: Tuition includes a $20 lab fee.
Check out this informative illustrated explanation courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art!
Register by: October 21
Materials List
Please review CE’s Fall 2026 Policy Guide, including Withdrawal/Refund Policies, prior to registering.
Watercolor Plunge
with Tony Rosati
Thursdays, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Instructor: Tony Rosati
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours)
No class on November 26 (Thanksgiving Break)
Take the plunge to learn the fundamentals of watercolor through this beginner-friendly class designed for those with little or no painting experience! Acquire a thorough grounding in basic watercolor materials and techniques, including papers, brushes and pigments, as well as transparent and opaque painting methods. Gain the confidence to further your skills and enjoyment in the medium, in future studies or personal expression.
Register by: October 22
Materials List
Please review CE’s Fall 2026 Policy Guide, including Withdrawal/Refund Policies, prior to registering.
Assemblage and Mixed Media Art (ONLINE)
with Colleen O'Donnell
Thursdays, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Instructor: Colleen O'Donnell
Six-Week Online Short Course (Zoom + Asynchronous Content; 18-Hour Equivalent)
No class on November 26 (Thanksgiving Break)
Students in this online assemblage art course will master the foundational techniques of mixed-media construction from their home studios. Participants will develop a sharp eye for transforming everyday household or discarded objects into cohesive three-dimensional narratives, learning to evaluate items for both their structural integrity and their symbolic meaning. Beyond physical fabrication, students will cultivate critical thinking and visual literacy by actively participating in live Zoom critiques. By the conclusion of the workshop, learners will possess a portfolio of finished sculptures alongside the technical and creative problem-solving skills necessary to independently share, critique, and execute complex multi-material art projects.
Register by: October 22
Materials List
Please review CE’s Fall 2026 Policy Guide, including Withdrawal/Refund Policies, prior to registering.
Oil Painting: Portrait from the Masters (ONLINE)
with Roberto Osti
Fridays, 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Instructor: Roberto Osti
Six-Week Online Short Course (Zoom + Asynchronous Content; 18-Hour Equivalent)
No class on November 27 (Thanksgiving Break)
Copying from masterworks is a time-honored form of artistic instruction and an excellent means of studying the art of portraiture in particular. Hone your oil painting skills using both alla prima (direct painting) techniques and indirect methods of building form and color through layers. Master painting references from artists such as Paxton, DeCosta, and Manet will be carefully selected to cover foundational paint-handling techniques, composition, color theory, and mixing flesh tones using a limited palette, as well as painterly methods for depicting the structure of the head, facial features, and hair. This class offers a fascinating way to internalize the techniques and aesthetic decisions of successful artists and incorporate them into your own artistic expression.
Register by: October 23
Materials List
Please review CE’s Fall 2026 Policy Guide, including Withdrawal/Refund Policies, prior to registering.
Mixed Media Collage Workshop
with Anthony Ciambella
Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Instructor: Anthony Ciambella
Weekend Workshop
Mixed media art and collage offer a myriad of possibilities to combine papers, photographs, and 3D elements to make a statement, convey something personal, or create something textural, colorful, and beautiful. Develop rich and complex imagery finding inspiration from memory, literature, films, and other sources, while working in a variety of traditional and non-traditional materials. Sessions will discuss the characteristics of adhesives, paper and fabric cut-outs, wood, and plastics. Students will receive one-on-one instruction and participate in open discussions about their ideas and work. Topics include construction, storage and presentation strategies. Open to all levels.
Register by: October 23
Materials List
Please review CE’s Fall 2026 Policy Guide, including Withdrawal/Refund Policies, prior to registering.