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

Tuesdays, 6 – 8 p.m. (Zoom with posted Canvas content)
Instructor: Alicia Mino 
Six-Week Short Course (18-Hour Equivalent)
Credit: Non-Credit Only

Learn strategies to translate your photographs into drawings that both retain the photo’s realism and promote your personal expression. Using colored pencil (which combines the possibilities of color with the ease of dry media), explore tactics for accurately translating your imagery to your drawing surface; identifying, mixing, and layering color to achieve vibrant effects; creating realism through the study of texture, light, and contrast; and employing addition and subtraction techniques to expand your range of mark-making. Work from your choice of photographic subject matter – a great option for students seeking to make art from personal experiences, capture family and friends who cannot pose for portraiture, or expand their interests and skills in landscapes, animals, or other subject matter not easily accessible.  This course is excellent for beginners or those interested in colored pencil or photorealistic drawing techniques. 

Image: Alicia Mino.

Register by: June 24
Materials List  
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Information for PAFA CE Online Courses

Wednesdays, 2 – 4:30 p.m. (Zoom with posted Canvas content)
Instructor: Roberto Osti 
Six-Week Short Course (18-Hour Equivalent)
Credit: Non-Credit Only

The natural world is an infinite and fantastic source of inspiration for the artist, and the versatility and luminosity of watercolor make it the perfect technique for recording nature in a fresh and fun way.  In this course, learn fundamental drawing techniques and essential watercolor techniques to create both quick field sketches and detailed, finished artworks. Subject matter will include flowers, plants, and animals. Reference images will be gathered through observational sketches and photography.  An ideal course for those interested in both the fine arts and the Illustration field. 

Image: Roberto Osti.

Register by: June 24
Materials List 
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Information for PAFA CE Online Courses 

Wednesdays, 6 – 8 p.m. (Zoom with posted Canvas content)
Instructor: David Wilson 
Six-Week Short Course (18-Hour Equivalent)
Credit: Non-Credit Only

Drawing with ink offers a wealth of descriptive and expressive possibilities for fine art and illustration purposes. Learn pen, brush, and quill techniques to create rich values, crisp lines, textural or decorative effects, and atmospheric washes.  Hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, and wash methods will be covered, as well as preparatory drawing and corrective strategies.  Students will work from still-life, interiors, and photos with demonstrations, critiques, and posted content from the instructor toward helping each individual realize their goals in the medium.

Image: David Wilson.

Register by: June 24
Materials List 
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Information for PAFA CE Online Courses 

Thursdays, 6 – 9 p.m. (Zoom with posted Canvas content)
Instructor: Susan Sullivan 
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit Only

Are you intimidated by the idea of oil painting? This course will help the beginning painter gain confidence in a variety of techniques including direct and indirect painting; color mixing; using mediums, solvents and additives; and painting with a brush and palette knife. Subject matter will include still life, portrait, interior spaces, landscape, and a master copy. Zoom class times will be comprised of group lectures and demonstrations, as well as studio painting time where the instructor will work one-on-one to guide students toward successful compositions. Drawing experience required. 

Image: Susan Sullivan, Malibu, Oil on panel, 16 x 16 in.

Register by: July 5

Materials List  

Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies 

Information for PAFA CE Online Courses 

Sundays, 3 – 4 p.m. (Interactive asynchronous Canvas content supported by weekly Zoom meetings) 
Instructor: Al Gury
Six-Week Condensed Course (30-hour Equivalent) 
Credit: Non-Credit or 1.0 Undergraduate Credit (See Below)

Al Gury, Professor of Painting and Drawing at PAFA and noted author of Alla Prima, Color for Painters, and Foundations of Drawing, presents this in-depth approach to the skills, materials, colors, history, and techniques of alla prima portrait painting and drawing. Working from photographs, masterworks, or available models, learn concepts that will not only improve your portrait painting and drawing, but also grow your confidence in your artistic practice. Video demonstrations, images, and written instructions on the online learning platform Canvas will be supplemented by critiques and weekly discussions. Oil painting will be the primary focus, but all media are welcome as well as all levels of experience. Class meetings will be held on Zoom, and Canvas will be used for assignments and class content.   

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

Image: Al Gury, Beatrice, Oil on panel, 8 x 10 in.

Register by: July 8
Materials List
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Information for PAFA CE Online Courses

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)
Credit: Non-Credit or 1.0 Undergraduate Credit (See Below)

An in-depth approach to understanding and using composition by Al Gury, Professor of Painting and Drawing at PAFA, and noted author of Alla Prima, Color for Painters, and Foundations of Drawing. This class presents practical skills and strategies for making strong compositions. Composition, the arrangement of images, shapes, forms, colors, values to form visual balance and strength within the pictorial frame of an artwork, will be explored through projects using still life, interiors, portraits, and landscapes. Each class will contain explanations of the visual compositional strategies in both historic and contemporary art, and extensive tactics for problem-solving and solutions, as well as a weekly assignment and critique of personal work. Class meetings will be held on Zoom, and Canvas will be used for assignments and class content. All media and levels of experience are welcome.  

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

Image: Al Gury, Still Life with Crazy Quilt, 2022, 20 x 16 in.

Register by: July 8
Materials List
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Information for PAFA CE Online Courses 

Saturday and Sunday, 1 – 4 p.m. (Zoom with posted Canvas content)
Instructor: Susan Sullivan 
Weekend Workshop
Credit: Non-Credit Only

Collage has the incredible capacity to combine disparate materials, text, and imagery into a single, coherent composition that is textural, colorful, and visually interesting or even surprising.  It also can serve as a great means of personal expression, story-telling, or self-exploration, combining objects from the artist’s life or surroundings. Explore the many ways you can create your own imagery through mixed media collage by examining composition, communication, and assembling techniques. Experiment with found objects, images, photo transfer, paint, ink, and dry media on various surfaces. Examine the collage and mixed media work by master artists such as Pablo Picasso, Hannah Hoch, Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Richard Hamilton, Miriam Schapiro and Anselm Kiefer. This course is open to all levels, with no prior experience necessary. 

Image: Susan Sullivan, This is the only way I could think of contacting you, Mix Media, 7.25 x 6.75 in.

Register by: July 19
Materials List  
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Information for PAFA CE Online Courses