SPRING SEMESTER 2025

Adult Painting & Drawing Classes

7624 Painting from A–Z
Instructor: Sandy Ruda
Mondays, 9:30 AM–12 PM
This general painting class places the emphasis on oil painting, but you may work in the medium of your choice. Each class will begin with a short talk or demonstration covering multiple topics. Explore your inspiration and discover your vision!
10 session(s): 3/31–6/9 (no class on 5/26)
Tuition: member $372, non-member $402

7623 Self-Expression Through Painting
Instructor: Matthew Langley
Mondays, 9:30 AM–12 PM
Express yourself! This comprehensive class embraces all personal styles—figurative, expressionistic, or abstract. The class focuses on oil and acrylic, but you are welcome to use mixed-media, other tools, and other media. The goal of this class is to have you create the best possible piece of art you can, and to express what you have envisioned as closely as possible. It is a “no rules” class relying on the laws of shape, color, and intuition where you will work on individual projects at your own pace. Individual instruction and class discussion create a warm and supportive atmosphere.
7 session(s): 3/31–5/12
Tuition: member $252, non-member $282

7632 Getting Started: Painting
Instructor: Matthew Langley
Mondays, 12:30–3 PM
Painting can be a fun and enriching pastime. This class will help break down uncertainties and fears that often give new painters problems and turn them into strengths. Designed for beginners, or people who have been away from making art for a while, this class will teach how to prepare to start painting in any kind of style, building confidence and knowledge along the way. Learn how to set yourself up for success with easy to do exercises that will allow you to confidently handle your supplies and work with acrylic paint.
7 session(s): 3/31–5/12
Tuition: member $252, non-member $282

7781 Exploring Color
Instructor: Alicia Cotter
Mondays, 12:30–3 PM
Explore color theory, mixing, layering, usage, and more through demonstrations, exercises, and free–paint sessions with the medium of your choice. Get a better understanding of color by experimenting and building upon new concepts to develop as an artist. This class is perfect for beginners as well as experienced painters.
8 session(s): 3/31–5/19
Tuition: member $295, non-member $325

7641 Learning to Paint in Oils
Instructor: Duane Lutsko
Mondays, 3:30–6 PM
This foundational course will explore the essential concepts and techniques of oil painting, emphasizing the careful observation of subjects ranging from still life to self portraits and the figure. Topics covered include basic technical control of materials and tools, methods of paint application, color mixing, and the preparation of the painting surface (paper, hardboard, and canvas). Visual presentations will help convey the medium’s nearly limitless expressive potential through a variety of historical and contemporary examples to inspire your own work.
8 session(s): 3/31–5/19
Tuition: member $295, non-member $325

7648 Drawing: the Basics
Instructor: Joel Tidey
Mondays, 7–9:30 PM
Develop and expand your observational abilities and rendering skills! Students will obtain methods for sensitively describing objects in terms of line, shape, volume, proportion, and tonality. The instructor will cover basic perspective fundamentals in order for students to create realistic drawings, and students will gain confidence by engaging in various studies. Students will have the opportunity to draw from life and reference photos with their choice of subject matter.
10 session(s): 3/31–6/9 (no class on 5/26)
Tuition: member $372, non-member $402

7655 Dedicated to Drawing
Instructor: Alicia Cotter
Tuesdays, 9:30 AM–12 PM
Are you eager to learn how to draw or want to refine your techniques? Then, this class is for you! Students will gain confidence while working in graphite and charcoal to enhance their drawing skills. The instructor will provide demonstrations on the following: turning basic shapes into forms, experimenting with shading techniques, perspective, and more. Repeat students are welcome to register for this class to brush up on their techniques and work independently with the guidance of the instructor.
9 session(s): 4/1–5/27
Tuition: member $330, non-member $360

7658 Painting in Acrylics for Beginners
Instructor: Alicia Cotter
Tuesdays, 12:30–3 PM
This class is made for beginners who would like to explore the potential of painting in acrylics. Students will work on provided table top easels and the instructor will provide step-by-step demonstrations on painting still lives and landscapes.
9 session(s): 4/1–5/27
Tuition: member $330, non-member $360

7659 Exploring Painterly Painting
Instructor: Duane Lutsko
Tuesdays, 12:30–3 PM
This class will challenge painters to loosen up and explore the potential of painterly painting! Through a variety of projects, students will be encouraged to be spontaneous and incorporate expressive mark-making into their own paintings. Also, students will learn about the advantages of painting from direct observation.
8 session(s): 4/1–5/20
Tuition: member $295, non-member $325

7785 Understanding Landscape Painting
Instructor: Gerry Heydt
Tuesdays, 12:30–3 PM
Learn to create atmospheric and painterly landscape paintings from your own photos. Instruction includes: how to structure a painting; mixing realistic colors; and capturing accurate perspective, scale, and atmosphere. Learn how to handle skies, grasses, trees, water, and other landscape elements by simplifying and using expressive brushwork. Instructor will provide both demonstrations and one-on-one instruction.
8 session(s): 4/1–5/20
Tuition: member $295, non-member $325

7666 How to Paint Like the Impressionists
Instructor: Duane Lutsko
Tuesdays, 3:30–6 PM
Learn to paint with the same palette of colors and brush strokes as the Impressionists. In class, you can paint sunflowers, bowls of fruit, drapery, and still life, or you can opt for starry nights, snowy streets, rivers, hills, and mountains. Recreate luminous portraits and figures from the Impressionist period. Explore how colors are used for atmospheric effect and amazing light.
8 session(s): 4/1–5/20
Tuition: member $295, non-member $325

7671 Painting with Pastels
Instructor: Sandy Ruda
Tuesdays, 6:30–9 PM
Learn how to layer pastels with a focus on composition, value, and color theory. You will experiment with pastel application, color mixing, and blending while taking this class. There will be opportunities to enhance your skills using pastels to create landscapes and still lifes. Additionally, a demonstration will be given on underpainting, a painting technique that affects the brightness of a white canvas. A variety of materials for the class will be discussed and you will be able to choose your favorite materials to use for your finished painting.
10 session(s): 4/1–6/3
Tuition: member $372, non-member $402

7672/7673 Drawing the Figure with Confidence
Instructor: Joel Tidey
7672 Tuesdays, 7–9:30 PM
7673 Fridays, 12:30–3 PM
Figure it out! Learn to simplify the complex nature of drawing the human form by getting familiar with basic anatomy to better understand the figure. Because our poses are short, you will be able to focus on how to initiate a figure drawing through basic structuring. Repetition and practice are key elements in expressing yourself with confidence. Please note: This class uses life (nude) models. Students under 18 years of age must have written permission from a parent or guardian to participate. Please contact studioschool@artcenternj.org for more information.
7672 10 session(s): 4/1–6/3
7673 10 session(s): 4/4–6/6
Tuition: member $372, non-member $402
Materials fee: $73

7677 Drawing & Pastels
Instructor: Andrea Gianchiglia
Wednesdays, 9:30 AM–12 PM
This class is perfect for anyone looking to pursue a colored medium with a drawing mindset. Color  theory, value, and form will be addressed and demonstrated in both step-by-step and exercise based lessons to help students learn how to take their drawing skills to the next level while introducing color with pastels.
10 session(s): 4/2–6/4
Tuition: member $372, non-member $402

7678 Introduction to Abstract Painting
Instructor: Matthew Langley
Wednesdays, 9:30 AM–12 PM
A painting doesn’t need to be realistic to be outstanding. Discover your voice as a painter as you explore non-representational painting techniques to express your visual ideas. Abstract painting is no different than painting from life. You will learn the structure of making images including format, composition, rhythm, color, surface, and texture. A wide variety of painting styles and approaches will be addressed.
7 session(s): 4/9–5/28 (no class on 5/14)
Tuition: member $252, non-member $282

7682 Painting: Making Your Creative Mark
Instructor: Andrea Gianchiglia
Wednesdays, 12:30–3 PM
Whether you are an experienced painter or looking to brush up on your skills, this class is perfect for exploring new styles, techniques, and furthering your artistic creativity. Demonstrations in various media such as oil, pastel, acrylic, watercolor, and others will be given throughout the session. Every week a new technique or idea will be discussed and shown to expose students to new ways of tackling painting within their own practice. No matter what your style or medium, all artists will get exposure and inspiration throughout the course while picking up useful tips to experiment with along their painting journey.
10 session(s): 4/2–6/4
Tuition: member $372, non-member $402

7681 The Beautiful Art of Sumi-e (Chinese Brush Painting)
Instructor: Diana Hsu Kung
Wednesdays, 12:30–3 PM
Intrigued by Chinese brush painting? Learn to use simple brush strokes to create vivid images of flowers, birds, fish, bamboo, and more while also practicing how to incorporate texture and unique wash techniques essential for landscape painting. Individual attention is given to students of all levels.
8 session(s): 4/2–5/21
Tuition: member $295, non-member $325

7737 NEW! Sketching in Paint
Instructor: Matthew Langley
Wednesdays, 12:30–3 PM
Have you ever wanted to create freely? How about wanting to feel more confident in trying new ideas? If you are looking to discover and explore more possibilities in painting, this class will help you develop ideas quickly and refine them before going into your next complete painting. Students will unlock the ideas they have and leave this class with the ability to visualize and generate new artworks.
7 session(s): 4/9–5/28 (no class on 5/14)
Tuition: member $252, non-member $282

7694/7695 Watercolor: Pure & Simple
Instructor: Mark de Mos
7694 Wednesdays, 6:30–9 PM
7695 Thursdays, 12:30–3 PM
Create loose, expressive watercolor works based on weekly demonstrations that focus on specific concepts. Work from your own original reference photos and/or sketches or from a reference provided by the instructor.
7694 10 session(s): 4/2–6/4
7695 10 session(s): 4/3–6/5
Tuition: member $372, non-member $402

7696 Water-Soluble Graphite Figure Paintings
Instructor: Joel Tidey
Wednesdays, 7–9:30 PM
Students will be working with water-soluble graphite to represent the figure through line and tone. This medium is similar to using black watercolor paint or even gouache. Working with shades of gray is one of the best training techniques to gain confidence in painting. An emphasis will be placed on breaking down the human form into simple tonal shapes to create contrast and three–dimensional modeling. Students will be able to explore expressive and gestural paintings where they are free to work in a realistic or exaggerated manner. Experimental techniques will be an important aspect to help to bring life and energy into the work. This is a great introduction for anyone interested in oil painting. Please note: This class uses life (nude) models. Students under 18 years of age must have written permission from a parent or guardian to participate. Please contact studioschool@artcenternj.org for more information.
10 session(s): 4/2–6/4
Tuition: member $372, non-member $402
Materials fee: $73

7706 Exploring the Potential of Soft Pastel
Instructor: Anita Gladstone
Thursdays, 9:30 AM–12 PM
Through landscapes and still lifes, students will have the opportunity to explore the beauty and potential of painting with soft pastels. With demonstrations and one-on-one instruction, we will look at all aspects of pastel painting, including basic principles such as composition, color, value, techniques, and materials. Students will work on developing a solid foundation in pastel in an effort to find their individual creative voice.
9 session(s): 4/3–6/5 (no class on 5/15)
Tuition: member $330, non-member $360

7705 Create & Inspire: Empower Your Art Journey
Instructor: Andrea Gianchiglia
Thursdays, 9:30 AM–12 PM
Explore your artistic potential in a fun and relaxed atmosphere! Each week, the instructor will provide a demonstration in various mediums delving into form, value, color, texture, and more, which is applicable to the student’s choice of medium. Whether you are a seasoned artist or just starting out, this class is designed to inspire creativity and elevate your artistic skills.
9 session(s): 4/3–6/5 (no class on 5/1)
Tuition: member $330, non-member $360

7709 Painting in Color & Light
Instructor: Andrea Gianchiglia
Thursdays, 12:30–3 PM
Add color to your canvas with instruction on achieving correct color, value, texture, temperature, soft and hard edges, atmospheric perspective, and much more. Demonstrations and topics enhance this fun and relaxed class where you choose to work from either a still life or reference photo. All colored media welcome.
9 session(s): 4/3–6/5 (no class on 5/1)
Tuition: member $330, non-member $360

7719 Learning to Paint Naturally in Oils
Instructor: Joel Tidey
Thursdays, 7–9:30 PM
Whether you are new or experienced, this class will sharpen your painting skills. The focus of this class will be creating artistic studies and smaller paintings, while learning the fundamentals of drawing, composition, and color. Students will leave with greater confidence and the knowledge to take on more challenging paintings of their own. Students will use various reference photos of their choice to work from.
10 session(s): 4/3–6/5
Tuition: member $372, non-member $402

7720 Encaustic Painting: the Basics & Beyond
Instructor: Chase Cantwell
Fridays, 12:30–3 PM
Encaustic is the art of painting with molten beeswax combined with colored pigments and resin. The results are like no other medium—mysterious, deep, and translucent. Gain fundamental knowledge of working with encaustics while receiving hands-on time for personal exploration. Informal critiques and discussions are encouraged so students can take risks, let go of preconceived ideas, and most of all, have fun with this beautiful and versatile medium. Some materials supplied.
10 session(s): 4/4–6/6
Tuition: member $372, non-member $402
Materials fee: $130

7722 Techniques in Watercolor and Watercolor Pencil
Instructor: Traci Zaretzka
Saturdays, 10 AM–12:30 PM
This class will explore a variety of techniques that can be used with traditional watercolors and with watercolor pencils, such as creating washes, glazing and layering, and creating textural effects. We will look at the specific properties of watercolors versus watercolor pencils, exploring when to use each and how to use them together to create even more effects. Basic color theory and drawing techniques will be covered as well. Students have the option of painting the same subject as the instructor or working on their own project.
9 session(s): 4/5–6/14 (no class on 4/19, 5/24)
Tuition: member $330, non-member $360