Current educational opportunities

Oil & Acrylic Workshop
Michele Combs

Date: Feb 5 
Time: 9:30 am - 3:30 pm
Location: Minnetonka Center for the Arts

Michele will begin by demonstrating her painting process and how she plans out a painting, so you can be more successful with yours. Emphasizing composition, she'll teach you to use value and color comparisons to help you capture the story you want to tell. Individual help provided at your easel. Learn more and register here.

Artistic Essentials: Practice the Painting Principles
Lisa Stauffer

3 Days: Feb 13-15 
Time: 9:30 am - 4 pm
Location: White Bear Lake Center for the Arts

Paint simple still life set-ups in pastel while discussing design, composition, painting fundamentals, and the importance of accurate drawing. Watch demonstrations, participate in group critiques, and have fun! Intermediate to advanced artists of other media are welcome, though demonstrations will be done in pastel. Learn more and register here.

drawing in metalpoint (Tuition FREE)
Karlyn Eckman

Starts: Feb 15, meets monthly
Time: 3 pm - 4:30 pm
Location: 2332 Bourne Avenue, St. Paul, MN

Karlyn Eckman received a 2026 Minnesota State Arts Board Creative Individuals grant to offer a course in metalpoint drawing for up to 15 students. Metalpoint drawing is an early Renaissance technique. Students learn to draw in copper, brass, bronze and other metals. Drawings tarnish with time, changing in color and tone. Classes meet monthly for 90 minutes and include practical lessons, hands-on instruction and homework. All instruction and materials are provided tuition-free. To sign up, contact Karlyn Eckman by email or phone 651-308- 7285.

Winter Plein Air Workshop
Bridget Ertelt

2 Days: Feb 28, March 1 
Time: 10 am - 4 pm
Location: The Atelier, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Bridget introduces students to the basics of winter plein air painting during this 2-day workshop. She'll focus on fundamentals of form and composition in the mornings and students will head outside to paint en plein air each afternoon. Learn more at The Atelier Academy of Fine Arts website. 

Oil & Acrylic Workshop
Michele Combs

2 Days: Apr 23, Apr 30
Time: 9:30 am - 3:30 pm
Location: Minnetonka Center for the Arts

Michele will address the importance of choosing an image, thumbnail, sketches, simplifying composition, underpainting, paint application, focal point, and color. Individualized instruction to strengthen your artistry. Work on one painting in the morning and another in the afternoon to maintain a fresh eye! Learn more and register here.

Painting in Pastel: Landscape from Photographs
Lisa Stauffer

4 Days: April 29 - May 1 
Time: Full Day
Location: Grand Marais Art Colony

Bring your pastel landscapes to life through a better understanding of key artistic principles. We'll discuss design and composition, painting fundamentals, the importance of accurate drawing and those valuable tools: color, value, intensity, and temperature, among others. We'll experiment with and have fun exploring a variety of painting approaches. Students will paint from their own photo reference materials, paintings, and field studies. Lisa will lead the class in an exploration of materials, including pastel brands, papers and techniques. Class time will include demonstrations, one-to-one instruction, and group critique. Learn more and register here.

Fearless Plein Air Painting!
A 4-day Workshop With Mary Pettis

Dates: May 25 - 30
Location: Dillman's Resort, 3305 Sand Lake Lodge Lane, Lac du Flambeau, WI 54538

This studio and plein air workshop by ARC Living Master, Mary Pettis, is open to all artists, but especially designed for those who have a basic knowledge of oil painting and are now ready to move towards more personally expressive and masterful landscapes.  Mary employs proven  plein air techniques from the greatest contemporary schools of thought to help painters open their hearts and minds to their artistic purpose. Embrace the adventure of plein air painting and discover the joy it brings! Register and find more information here.

Plein Air Painting in Pastel
Lisa Stauffer

5 Days: July 6 - July 10 
Time: 9:30 - 4:30 (time may adjust due to light and weather)
Location: Grand Marais, MN

Paint outside with pastel in beautiful Grand Marais. The basics of outdoor painting will be discussed throughout the week. You will learn to choose your own subject, improve your skills in design, composition and drawing, consider painting fundamentals, and more. Instructor demonstrations, personal assistance at your easel and group critiques will give us a chance to learn as we explore plein air (outdoor) painting in a fun and supportive environment. Do plan to bring all the equipment you will need for your own painting set-up and comfort during our days of painting, watching demonstrations, and enjoying the beauty of Grand Marais and Cook County.

Contact Lisa for registration information or questions: email
 lksart@aol.com, visit lisastauffer.com, or call 
218-720-5888 (please leave a message).

Redwoods, Coastline, Canvas, and Cuisine:
A Luxury Plein Air Retreat with Mary Pettis

Dates: Sept. 13 - 18
Location: The Inn at Newport Ranch, 31502 N Highway 1, Fort Bragg, CA

Embrace the adventure and joy of plein air painting with ARC Living Master Mary Pettis immersed in the dramatic beauty of the Mendocino coastline and awe-inspiring redwoods! The Inn at Newport Ranch provides luxury accommodations and gourmet cuisine while students enjoy live demonstrations, personalized one-on-one instruction and thoughtful critiques from Mary Pettis. This exclusive experience is limited to 10 artists. Contact Mercedes at 707-962-4818, or email her here for more information and registration.

Ongoing Classes​

Monthly Intermediate Drawing Class
KARLYN ECKMAN

I have been offering classes since 2017, and cover basic concepts in perspective, foreshortening, value, sight-size drawing, freehand drawing, composition, tree anatomy, and other topics requested by the students. Classes are taught in Saint Anthony Park in a private studio, with frequent outdoor sessions and an occasional museum field visit. Anyone interested can contact me; there are a few OPM'ers in the group. Contact Karlyn at eckma001@umn.edu or 651-308-7285

Impressionist Landscapes
Ylli Haruni

Ongoing: Tuesdays, 4 pm - 7 pm
Address: 106 Water St., #321, St. Paul, MN 55107

Internationally-acclaimed Impressionist oil painter Ylli Haruni shares 50-years of experience to make your painting process happy, fun, and productive.  All levels of experience are welcome. Learn more here, or call/text Ylli at 845-729-8123 with questions or to register for his weekly painting classes.

Portrait and Figure Drawing/Painting
OT Artists

Ongoing: Mondays, Wednesdays - 7 pm
Address: Warehouse 2 (ACVR) 4th Floor, 106 Water Street West, St. Paul, Minnnesota 55107

Monday night portrait drawing/painting with clothed model, and Wednesday night figure drawing/painting with nude model. All sessions begin at 7:00pm. Cost is $6/hour for alternating 2 or 3-hour sessions. For more information, visit https://www.otartists.com and/or subscribe to the Life Drawing newsletter.