Classes and Workshops

Winter 2025

Figure Drawing from a Live Model – Ongoing

TUESDAYS | 6-8PM

Beginning February 4th, Figure Drawing from a Live Model is moving to Tuesday evenings, and we now offer bundled class passes!

Join us on Tuesday evenings to draw or paint the human figure with whatever medium and materials you prefer. Come practice with us as we sketch the figure and learn to capture the essence of the human body’s musculature, gesture and posture.

Figure Drawing

Piecing Together Art with Jonathan McPhillips

MAR 11, 12 | 10AM-4PM

In this two-day course, Piecing Together Art: Painting in Oil and Watercolor, Jonathan will demonstrate in both watercolor and oil, and explain how he uses each medium to inform the other in his overall body of work. In addition to the technical process for each medium, he will also open the discussion to the many aspects of contemporary painting, including juried events, digital media, and supplies, to name a few.

Piecing Together Art

Discover Gouache: The Opaque Watercolor with Edward Huff

MAR 18, 19, 20 | 12:30-4PM

Gouache is an opaque watercolor that is used quite differently from transparent watercolors. The techniques use with this vibrant medium will be explored and you will gain confidence to create with renewed vision.

This three day class will introduce you to the fundamentals of this wonderful medium. Gouache is an exciting and portable medium that just about anyone can master with the knowledge of a few basics.

Discover Gouache

Bold Strokes with Jossy Lownes

MAR 26, APR 2 | 1:30-4:30PM

Take your artistry to the next level with Jossy Lownes’ transformative painting class, Bold Strokes: Unlocking Creativity! Dive into an exciting exploration of composition and color that will spark your creativity and boost your confidence. Guided by Jossy’s expertise, you’ll work from inspiring photos to master the art of simplifying space, infusing emotion, and experimenting boldly with color. Let’s make your artistic journey extraordinary!

Bold Strokes

Gretjen Helene Pysanky Eggs Portsmouth Arts Guild

Traditional Pysanky Ukrainian Eggs

APR 5 | 10AM-2:30PM

Pysanky, a traditional Ukrainian egg-writing/decorating technique similar to batik wax-resist cloth-dyeing, uses layers of wax and colored dye to achieve beautiful, complex designs. Our instructor, Gretjen Helene, who learned the art of Pysanky from her mother, will demonstrate the full process of applying wax, layering dye, and revealing the final colorful results as the wax is removed, as well as discussing the traditional symbolism that makes up the decorative process that is Pysanky.

Pysanky Ukrainian Eggs

Melony Poirier Bookbinding Portsmouth Arts Guild

Handmade Bookbinding Series

JAN 11, FEB 1, 22 | 9:30AM-3PM

Travel journal? Sketchbook? Artist’s gift? All three?!

In this series of three hand-made bookbinding classes we will learn the fundamentals on the first day and then go on to make even more advanced books in the second and third classes. With her mastery of handmade bookmaking, our instructor Melony Poirier has developed a fun, creative, and rewarding approach to teaching the craft.

1st Class: Bookbinding Fundamentals
2nd Class: Learn the Belgian Binding
3rd Class: Sketchbook with Coptic Binding

Handmade Bookbinding

Watercolor Botanicals with Anne Wert

JAN 22, 29 | 9AM-1PM

Painting botanicals makes it possible to connect with nature and brighten up the indoors even in the middle of winter! In this two day workshop, we will take an abstract approach to painting realistic looking plants, flowers, or anything botanical. Paint from your own photos, or bring something to work from observation. Letting watercolor be watercolor, building up values, mixing color, and negative painting are some of the techniques we will explore. Open to all levels (some watercolor experience preferred).

Watercolor Botanicals

Register For A Workshop

Please register using the online form. You may choose to pay online or pay by check.
Questions? Send an email: workshops@portsmoutharts.org

Registration

Classes and Workshops FAQs

All classes and workshops will be paid in full at time of registration.

What if I need to cancel or change my workshop?

Cancelling your class registration more than 7 days prior to the class will result in a full refund less the credit card fees if you paid by credit card.

Transferring your registration to another class or to a gift certificate toward a future class can be made with no fee up to 7 days before a workshop start date.

Cancellation within 7 days of a workshop start date results in the full loss of tuition.

In the case that I am unable to attend a workshop, can I give my space to a friend?

Yes, though we ask that you please let us know if someone else will be taking your place in a workshop.

I can’t make all the days of the workshop; can I still take it?

In most cases, students can take part of a workshop, though you should let us know so we can check with the teaching artist. In general, workshops are not pro-rated if you are unable to attend the entire session.

What if PAG cancels a workshop?

In the event of under-enrollment, extreme weather, or other unforeseen incidents, the Portsmouth Arts Guild may cancel a scheduled workshop or class.

If an entire workshop is cancelled dues to under-enrollment, tuition will be refunded in full. If a single session of a workshop is cancelled, and we are unable to make up the class on another date, a pro-rated tuition refund will be issued.