Using acrylic paint on glass and gel plates, participants will create expressive prints in both black & white and color. Drawing inspiration from abstract expressionist artists, the process encourages accessing the subconscious and embracing spontaneity.

Crash course in frame making just in time for the holidays! Art always makes the best presents for the holidays. The only problem is it can cost upwards of $300 for the recipient to put a nice frame around it. Instead of buying a frame, why not learn how to make one?

Celebrate the season with a relaxing and creative origami workshop! In this 1.5-hour class, you’ll learn simple folding techniques to create beautiful paper ornaments. These festive designs can be used to decorate a tree, hang in a window, or give as thoughtful handmade gifts.

This hands-on workshop invites participants to experiment with a variety of materials and techniques to expand their creative possibilities. Over two sessions, we will explore drawing, painting, monoprinting, and collage—blending these disciplines to discover new approaches to mixed media art.

Taking Pictures vs. Making Images

Want to develop your interest as an artist and looking for a place to start? Whether you want to make artwork that is realistic or abstract, all art shares the same fundamentals. Beginning with traditional forms of drawing, this 6-week class will start by teaching comparative measurement and the basic techniques artists have used to draw for hundreds of years. Next this class will transition to working from direct observation and teach students how to find inspiration from the world around them. Finally, students will apply what they learned and challenge their abilities by drawing the human form.

Most artists who try to paint are pretty good at drawing but struggle with the transition between drawing and painting. Fortunately, every artist, even going back hundreds of years, has struggled with this. This class will follow the various techniques artists have developed to ease the transition from drawing to painting and make painting less intimidating.

Using acrylic paint on glass and gel plates, participants will create expressive prints in both black & white and color. Drawing inspiration from abstract expressionist artists, the process encourages accessing the subconscious and embracing spontaneity.

Explore dry point technique to create your monoprint artwork. In this class we will discuss image composition and combining drawing, texture, and form to create a monoprint of your image. Students should to bring their sketchbook and multiple images (landscape, still life, portrait, abstract, photograph, etc.) and ideas to review for their first print. Black and white images, preferred. Artwork should be sized to 6x8. Students will be expected to work on their own during the course. No experience necessary.

"Artivism" is the word combining Art and Activism. It is considered effective to convey social messages, etc.  Graffiti and big murals are often used for Artivism, but Naoko Kamioka, an Origami Instructor, demonstrates an example of Artivism using Origami, 1000 paper cranes for wishes of peace and hope. 

The series of 5 Origami classes for children to learn a set of basic folds and bases. Applying the learned folds/bases, the children create fun and interesting figures.

As autumn begins and the air turns crisp, let's gather to honor this season of transition through the art of scroll-making. Using journaling and collage, you’ll create a personal scroll to capture what you’re releasing, what you’re harvesting, and what you’re inviting in for the months ahead. No art experience needed—just curiosity and openness to play. Bring images that resonate with you, a glue stick, scissors, a pen, and a black Sharpie.

Learn the fundamental techniques of Bookmaking. This class will give Artists a foundation for exploring their creativity through the Art of Book Making. A total of six books will be created in class using a variety of materials and techniques. The techniques that will be discussed are Belgian Stitch, Japanese Stab Book, Traditional Spine Construction, Maze and Fan Fold Books with a final project using Alternative Materials.

Students will learn the rudimentary of working with watercolors. Color theory and mixing of colors will be taught as well as wet and dry methods of using the  watercolors.

This course is designed to help participants get comfortable with drawing, painting and mixed media. Through a series of exercises and projects, participants will develop their skills in fast sketching, contour drawing, color and composition basic knowledge.

In this hands-on course, you’ll dive into the colorful and creative world of gel plate printing. Using charcoal, acrylic paints, stencils, and special layering techniques, you’ll learn to create beautiful one of a kind monoprints. We’ll explore ghost printing, layering, and even incorporate a Japanese tissue paper collage technique. By the end, you’ll have a series of prints and the skills to continue your gel plate journey on your own.

The series of 5 Origami classes for children to learn a set of basic folds and bases. Applying the learned folds/bases, the children create fun and interesting figures.

Step into a serene space where art and mindfulness meet. This 75-minute beginner-friendly session invites you to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with yourself—surrounded by the contemplative beauty of sculptural monoprints and layered textile works from our current exhibition, Engaging the Wild.

Explore using various media (printmaking, collage, painting) to create your monotype artwork. In this class we will discuss the principles and elements of design, composition, and combining drawing, texture, and color to create a monotype of an image using line and plexiglass, collage, and oil (or acrylic) painting. Students will learn to transfer an image to paper, add collage materials to enhance image, and paint into the image to create final one-of-a-kind pieces of artwork.

Learn the fundamental techniques of Bookmaking. This class will give Artists a foundation for exploring their creativity through the Art of Book Making. A total of six books will be created in class using a variety of materials and techniques. The techniques that will be discussed are Belgian Stitch, Japanese Stab Book, Traditional Spine Construction, Maze and Fan Fold Books with a final project using Alternative Materials.

Join us for a transformative two-hour creative experience where art meets mindfulness through the practice of neurographic art. Using vibrant acrylic paint markers, participants will be guided to create abstract, flowing patterns that reflect their inner thoughts, emotions, and subconscious mind after being led through a brief meditation.

Join us for a transformative two-hour creative experience where art meets mindfulness through the practice of neurographic art. Using vibrant acrylic paint markers, participants will be guided to create abstract, flowing patterns that reflect their inner thoughts, emotions, and subconscious mind after being led through a brief meditation.

Richard Louis is an experienced art lawyer and is licensed to practice in Washington D.C.  and New York. Richard has worked with Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts and Maryland  Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. He has a speciality in contracts, small business matters, and  estate planning. He was also a paid speaker at the Kennedy Center for the Access/VSA  Emerging Young Artists Program. 

Artists traditionally spend a lot of time drawing the nude human form because it’s the fastest way to develop an understanding of human anatomy. Problematically, a lot more goes into creating artwork about people than just understanding anatomy.

Write a poem and create a collage to go with it

Come join us for an afternoon of art-making that merges writing and art. We'll create a little haiku poem--just 3 lines of 5-7-5 syllables--and then make a collage to go with it. (Don't worry, we'll have some "readymades" on hand in case we get writer's block :)

In the art world, this is called "ekphrasis," usually when writing describes a work of visual art. We're turning that on its head by creating art inspired by the written word. We'll handwrite a simple haiku about weather or a season, and integrate all or fragments of our poems into a picture. 

"Artivism" is the word combining Art and Activism. It is considered effective to convey social messages, etc. Graffiti and big murals are often used for Artivism, but Naoko Kamioka, an Origami Instructor, demonstrates the examples of Artivism using Origami.

Discover the power of the iPhone’s built-in editing tools in this hands-on workshop. Whether you're capturing portraits, landscapes, or spontaneous moments, you'll learn how to enhance your photos directly from your device—no third-party apps required. We'll explore features such as exposure adjustment, color correction, cropping, filters, and more. Perfect for artists, travelers, and content creators who want to make the most of their mobile photography. Bring your iPhone, and get ready to turn ordinary shots into compelling images.

Origami (paper-folding) is the Japanese traditional art still practiced in Japan commonly. Explore using Origami for your artwork! Naoko Kamioka, originally from Japan and an Origami Instructor shows an example. First, she teaches how to do Japanese sumi ink marbling on Japanese rice paper. Then she instructs folding of some Origami figures to paste on the cards. The cards generate the Japanese ambience of tranquility and refinement. I imagine this combination of sumi marbling and origami is unprecedented.

In this workshop, we will begin by exploring the essential settings on your iPhone and its camera to ensure you're capturing the highest quality images possible. Participants will learn how to optimize resolution, enable useful tools like grid lines and Live Photos, adjust exposure and focus manually, and understand when to use different formats like HEIF or RAW (on supported models). We'll also dive into using features like Night Mode, Portrait Mode, and HDR effectively, helping you adapt your settings to various lighting conditions and shooting scenarios. This foundation will set you up for successful editing and elevate your overall photography workflow—right from your phone.

Make souvenir collage art as keepsakes of your trip

Every wish you could create art on the road but don't want to pack a lot of supplies? Or come back from a trip with tons of memories (and photos!) that get lost as the day-to-day takes over? 

Come join us for an afternoon of art-making where you'll learn how to collage your travel memories into something you can share with friends and family. Whether you use what you find to make art on the road or shortly after you get back home, there's no wrong way to do it--this is FUN art, not fine art!