Art Classes

I really enjoy teaching art to both adults and kids and helping people discover their art! Because my classes are focused on process – exploring tools, media and techniques you can play with and carry forward into future art projects – both beginners and experienced artists will find something to enjoy. Want to make art with me? Here’s where I’ll be teaching in 2026 (and please reach out to me if you’re interested in hosting an arty class, team-building event or party!):

January 20: Greeting Card Workshop | 6:00pm at Montclair Library
Using simple collage and printing techniques and maybe some playful watercolors, create beautiful greeting cards for any occasion which you can use throughout the year. We’ll also have letter stamps and some hand-lettering tips for those who want to add text. Every participant will come away with at least a handful of cards ready to send and share. Audience: Adults

February 17: Insect Art, Charley Harper Style | 6:00pm at Montclair Library
Using basic geometric shapes and fun colors, we’ll create beetles, butterflies, bees and other insects inspired by the mid-century style of illustrator Charley Harper. Audience: Adults

March 7: Altoids Tin Ofrendas | 2:00pm at Castro Valley Library
Come build a pocket-sized memorial to honor a loved one, a lost pet or someone else you admire who has passed on. We’ll spend some time thinking about special memories and symbols that remind us of the person or animal, and then use collage materials, paper flowers and other objects to build a tiny ofrenda (an altar or memorial usually associated with El Día de los Muertos) in a repurposed Altoids tin celebrating their life and memory. I might even sneak in a mini art history lesson about assemblage artists like Betye Saar and Joseph Cornell! If you have photos or small items (that you’re okay gluing down) you want to include in your ofrenda, please bring them to the class. Audience: Adults | Pre-registration required

March 10: Matisse-Inspired Botanical Collages | 6-7:30pm at Rockridge Library
“Draw with scissors” like Henri Matisse! We’ll explore some of Matisse’s work and examine the shapes of leaves, flowers, trees, seaweed and other natural materials, then translate those shapes into loose, organic paper cutouts and arrange them into collages. Audience: Adults

March 17: Invented Tools: Painting Without a Brush | 6:00pm at Montclair Library
Learn to make your own art tools from natural and found materials like sticks, pine needles and string and use them to create abstract art and textures with ink and paint. Audience: Adults

April 14: Blackout Poetry | 6-7:30pm at Rockridge Library
Using pages from old books, magazines and newspapers, learn how to block out text to leave selected words behind to create a poem. We’ll look at examples from other artists/poets, talk about how to choose words and explore several different techniques and styles for covering up the unused words. You’ll create a piece of personalized art you can display or add to a scrapbook or journal!. Audience: Adults

April 21: You Can Draw Trees! | 6:00pm at Montclair Library
Celebrate Arbor Day this month by learning how to draw trees using simple shapes and then add color with fun mixed media, like paint, collage, colored pencils and pastels. Audience: Adults

May 12: Paint Your Pet | 6-7:30pm at Rockridge Library
With a simple tracing technique (no drawing experience required!) and pop art inspired colors, create a one-of-a-kind portrait of your pet (or the pet you wish you had) and capture their unique personality. Bring in a clear, close-up photo of your pet or another animal you want to draw, or use one we provide. Audience: Adults

May 19: Happy Accidents: Monoprinting | 6:00pm at Montclair Library
We’ll experiment with blobs of paint and ink on folded paper (sort of like a Rorschach test) and play with overlapping colors and textures to create surprising shapes like butterflies (if you plan your design) and abstract designs (if you don’t). You never know quite how it’s going to turn out, and that’s part of the fun! Audience: Adults

June 16: Painting the Sky | 6:00pm at Montclair Library
Learn how to watercolor three simple, Polaroid-sized paintings of skies: a night sky, clouds and a sunset. We’ll break each scene down into simple steps and play with wet-into-wet watercolor and other fun techniques. Audience: Adults

July 21: Paint Your Pet | 6:00pm at Montclair Library
Our most popular class of 2025 returns for an encore! With a simple tracing technique (no drawing experience required!) and pop art inspired colors, create a one-of-a-kind portrait of your pet (or the pet you wish you had) and capture their unique personality. Bring in a clear, close-up photo of your pet or another animal you want to draw, or use one we provide. Audience: Adults

August 18: To Be Determined | 6:00pm at Montclair Library
We’re still finalizing plans for the August Tuesday Night Art Club session, but it might be TetraPak printing! Stay tuned. Audience: Adults

September 15: Paint with Coffee & Tea! | 6:00pm at Montclair Library
Who says you have to paint with paint? Learn how to use coffee to paint a warm, monochromatic watercolor-like image and tea bags to print shapes you can use as inspiration for doodles. Audience: Adults

October 20: Gelli Printing | 6:00pm at Montclair Library
Experiment with plants, stencils and acrylic paints to create one-of-a-kind layered prints using a flexible printing plate. You can use the papers you create as art, collage material or journal backgrounds, or you can bring them to our November class to use in our next art project! Audience: Adults

November 17: Stamp a Still Life | 6:00pm at Montclair Library
We’ll “carve” flower and plant stamps from craft foam with scissors and pencils and print them, then pair them with vases and pots cut from the decorated papers (including some we created in our October class) to create a fun mixed media still life image of a potted plant or bouquet. Audience: Adults

December 15: Botanical Silhouettes | 6:00pm at Montclair Library
Start with an outline of a person, animal or letter (bring/draw your own or use one of our templates) and learn several ways to fill it in with realistic or folk-art images of plants and flowers to create a fun, personalized piece of art. Makes a great gift! Audience: Adults

» Looking for 2025 classes? They’re archived here.