Explore the wonderful shapes, colors, and textures of insects! We will work in graphite, micron pen, and colored pencil from pinned insect specimens and photographs to create engaging specimen illustrations of insects. We will start by creating accurate graphite drawings of insects from a variety of angles. Then we will practice watercolor techniques in rendering insect exoskeletons, iridescent wings, and insect environments.

Materials not provided. Please bring the following:

- Drawing Pencils (2B, 6B, Ebony Pencil)

- Pencil Sharpener

- White Click Eraser

- Bristol Paper, Smooth Vellum

- Sketchbook for note-taking

- Micron Pen (001, 03, 08)

- Magnifying Glass

- Watercolor set

- Watercolor paper, (hot or cold press 100% Cotton)

- Insect specimens in resin

- Pinned butterflies

- Insect photo references

- Toned drawing paper

- Ruler

Open Print Lab is designed to be a creative exploration space! Open Print Lab is where our intergenerational printmakers, with an established practice, meet with others, share work, tips, and life's journeys! Enjoy access to 3 manual roll-top etching/relief presses for your self-directed projects! This studio session is not a regular instructional class, so we recommend beginners start with one of our various printmaking classes.

Folks are welcome to bring in anything that they wish, just so long as it goes back home with you! A Studio Monitor is available to answer questions and orient you on materials. Some materials are available at cost, so bring cash for additional supplies.

Friday Print Lab is where our intergenerational printmakers, with an established practice, meet with others, share work, tips, and life's journeys! Enjoy access to 3 manual roll-top etching/relief presses for your self-directed projects! This studio session is not a regular instructional class, so we recommend beginners start with one of our various printmaking classes.

Membership with The Drawing Studio is required for Print Lab participation. Membership dues allow us to keep cost low. 

Folks are welcome to bring in anything that they wish, just so long as it goes back home with you! A Studio Monitor is available to answer questions and orient you on materials. Some materials are available at cost, so bring cash for additional supplies.

Welcome to “Beyond 27 Seconds, the How, What, and Why of Looking at Art”, our FREE monthly Community Forum where we look at, talk about, and create art!  

For our September forum, teaching artist Tracy Dunbar will discuss the challenges facing women art makers and strategize about what is needed to overcome these hurdles in the modern world and art market, all while learning about imagery created by historically lesser-known female artists, as well as female artists currently creating work today.

ABOUT 27 SECONDS: Do you know that the average time a person views an art piece is a mere 27 seconds?  In that time one may decide “I like it” ,“I don’t get it” “It’s good.” or maybe “My 6-year-old could do that.” But what does one really comprehend in such a short amount of time? In this fun and lively forum series, we will learn how to better engage with, enjoy more deeply, and truly appreciate art – and the artist! Each session will focus on such topics as: process, genre, medium, or group of artists, movement, or time period, with the goal of understanding how and why artists create and how we can view art in new ways to better interpret, connect with, and appreciate what we see! Each month one of our teaching artists will share curated works of art to lead the forum, with the first hour exploring concepts like “What makes a piece of art effective?”  “Do I need to know “what” I am looking at to appreciate it?” “How did they do that?” Once inspired, we will create a simple, yet exciting art piece relating to the topic of the month. Join us each month, August through November at The Drawing Studio. In December, we will have a field trip to a local museum to view real art “in the wild” and practice our new skills of seeing and engaging!

Originating in 1997 as a collaborative art project by Swiss artist M. Vänçi Stirnemann, artist trading cards are designed for artists to create, trade, and collect miniature artworks outside the commercial art market. The size of a playing card - 2.5 inches x 3.5 inches - artist trading cards can be created using any medium and depicting any subject. Artist trading cards are made and traded around the world by artists of all ages and levels. In this class, students will learn how to cut and prepare their trading card surfaces and will have a chance to make at least one trading card to keep or trade.

Ages 10-18 welcome with adult.

Class will be taught by Julie Ragland and Megan Letchworth.

Materials provided by The Drawing Studio. 

A monthly process painting session, open to all — no experience, no agenda, no product to produce. Each session is a 3-hour held space where participants paint freely, guided by the principle that the creative process matters more than the outcome. Participants leave feeling more connected to themselves, their body, and a community of people who showed up for the same thing.

Materials provided by The Drawing Studio. 

Create a black and white print using both wood and linoleum blocks, through a whirlwind of printmaking techniques. Become familiar with two of the most common color printing techniques used in relief printmaking; 1) reduction, and 2) multiblock using linoleum. Class covers some art history in order to consider exemplary uses of block printing skills. 

Most of class time is focused on creating, both collaboratively and independently, in a supportive studio environment. Instruction is bespoke to your personal skill level (beginner- advanced), as well as your own interests and curiosity surrounding printmaking. 

Materials provided by The Drawing Studio for the first session. At your first class, your instructor will indicate what supplies you will need for your particular project. 

We will use fabric ink to illustrate a design on fabric for a personalized bandana. Class will begin with creating a design, considering composition and contrast. Learn brief art history of Chicano culture and illustrate your unique image on fabric!

Materials provided by The Drawing Studio.