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Continuing Education at PAFA



Courses by Subject

Papermaking: Sheetforming to Sculpture

$345

with Clay Tenhula

Calendar Next available session starts Oct 15, 2026 at 12:30 pm, runs for 6 weeks

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

$250

with Theodore Xaras

Calendar Next available session starts Oct 17, 2026 at 9 am

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

$195

with Linda Gist

Calendar Next available session starts Oct 24, 2026 at 9:30 am

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

$315

with Rae Helms

Calendar Next available session starts Oct 28, 2026 at 6 pm, runs for 6 weeks

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

$295

with Tony Rosati

Calendar Next available session starts Oct 29, 2026 at 1 pm, runs for 6 weeks

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)

$265

with Colleen O'Donnell

Calendar Next available session starts Oct 29, 2026 at 6 pm, runs for 6 weeks

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)

$265

with Roberto Osti

Calendar Next available session starts Oct 30, 2026 at 10 am, runs for 6 weeks

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

$195

with Anthony Ciambella

Calendar Next available session starts Oct 31, 2026 at 9 am

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. 





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