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Structural Figure Drawing and Painting (ONLINE)
with Al Gury
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
with Shushana Rucker
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
with Shushana Rucker
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
with Frederic Kaplan
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
with James Toogood
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
with Phyllis Laver
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.
Color Temperature in Oil Painting Workshop
with Shushana Rucker
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Instructor: Shushana Rucker
Weekend Workshop (One Day, 7 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 one-day workshop introduces the fundamentals of color temperature and its role in creating depth, light, and mood in a painting. Through demonstrations and hands-on exercises, participants will explore the relationships between warm and cool colors and how temperature shifts can be used to model form, suggest atmosphere, and unify a composition. Working from simple references, students will practice mixing and applying color with intention. This workshop is suitable for all levels and emphasizes both observation and experimentation.
Image: Shushana Rucker
Register by: July 24
Materials List - Coming Soon
Please review CE's Summer 2026 Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies, prior to registering.
Monotype: The Painterly Print Intensive
with Tony Rosati
Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Instructor: Tony Rosati
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.
Monotypes are an expressive and accessible entry into printmaking: draw or paint an image on a Plexiglas plate or other surface and then print it on paper or fabric to create a one-of-a-kind artwork. Instruction will cover both hand-printing and press techniques, as well as water- and oil-based colors. Tuition includes a $30 lab fee.
Image: Tony Rosati
Register by: August 3
Materials List
Please review CE's Summer 2026 Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies, prior to registering.