The advanced techniques students will learn include designing a larger stained glass panel, lead came techniques of making a stained glass panel, reinforcing larger stained glass panes, framing and hanging a larger stained glass panel, and how to accurately measure for a stained glass window home installation.
This course is a continuation of the Introduction to Sketching and Drawing course. Students will continue learning how to sketch objects and incorporate backgrounds. Techniques using pencil and color pencil will be explored using loose gestural techniques and transitioning to more complex drawings. Proportion using sighting techniques will be applied. Perspective will be utilized to give the illusion of space and depth. Shading and use of highlights will be applied to capture reflections in glass and metal objects. Color will be incorporated for local or symbolic use. NOTE: Students are encouraged to take the Introduction to Sketching and Drawing course prior to this course, but NOT required in order to take this course.
Botanical Painting in Watercolor, Gouache, and Ink
This course explores watercolor, gouache, and ink through the study of Texas botanicals and native wildflowers. Students will develop foundational drawing and painting skills while learning to observe and interpret the natural world with intention and creativity. Emphasis is placed on color theory, brush control, layering, and the integration of ink linework.
Through in-studio exercises and observational studies, students will explore both representational and expressive approaches to botanical art. The course encourages experimentation, personal style development, and an understanding of how watercolor and gouache can be combined to create depth and vibrancy. Prior experience is helpful but not required.
In this introductory course, students will learn the fundamentals of using acrylic paint to produce various styles. Students will begin with monochromatic color schemes and progress to full color. Color mixing and various thicknesses of paint will be explored from thin washes to thick impasto techniques. A focus on composition, manipulation of space and capturing the likeness of objects will be studied. Students will become familiar with the materials and experiment with the flexibility of acrylic paint that can represent detailed traditional paintings as well as expressive, calligraphic, and translucent compositions.
Discover the art of crochet by learning essential stitches and techniques. Crochet is experiencing a major comeback in modern fashion, with many designers and brands featuring crochet-inspired pieces in recent collections. In this course, students will create a granny square, the foundation for many beautiful crochet projects and a timeless staple in both traditional and contemporary design. Beginners are welcome, and no previous experience is required.
The purpose of Intermediate Handbuilding Ceramics is to further develop students' conceptual and technical skills in clay by building upon fundamental techniques learned in Introduction to Ceramics. Course content is designed to enable students to explore their own unique aesthetic in three dimensional forms by way of interpretive assignments coupled with intermediate slab, pinch and coil demonstrations as well as an introduction to casting.
This course will be a basic introduction to hand forging steel articles. Students will learn how to make various projects using blacksmithing techniques to shape the hot metal. Student will learn how to select the appropriate tools for the forging and how each tool works. We will also be using shop tools to cut the steel to length in preparation for forging.
The purpose of Introduction to Ceramics is to provide each student with a basic ceramics experience extended from his or her knowledge of design and drawing on which to build the visual thinking skills, knowledge of historical and contemporary art forms, technical approach to materials and the methods for channeling creative energies that enable a life-time of personal artistic expression.
In this beginning course, students will learn how to create illustrations for ideas. Techniques using pencil, color pencil, markers, watercolor and pen and ink will be explored. Loose gestural techniques and more complex drawings will be developed. Text and image will be balanced. Journaling with images will be practiced and developed for various outcomes. Color use for communicating ideas will be studied.
This course is an introduction to the art of drawing and sketching. Students will learn how to sketch objects and incorporate backgrounds. Techniques using pencil and color pencil will be explored using loose gestural techniques and transitioning to more complex drawings. Proportion using sighting techniques, gestures, contour, and shading will be applied.
Stained Glass Workshop (Copper Foil Technique). Learn the basics of stained glass in this introductory hands-on class. Each student will learn the skills to complete a beautiful stained glass panel, including glass cutting, grinding, soldering, and finishing following the copper foil method (derived by L. C. Tiffany). No previous experience with glass is required. All tools, materials, and necessary equipment will be provided.
This beginner-friendly course introduces students to the fundamentals of watercolor, ink, and gouache through an exploration-based approach. Students will learn essential techniques, including washes, wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, glazing, layering, and line work using ink. Emphasis is placed on understanding material properties, color mixing, and the relationship between transparent watercolor and opaque gouache.
Through guided exercises and creative projects, students will build foundational skills in both drawing and painting while experimenting with a variety of styles, from abstract compositions to simple landscapes and still lifes.
Tap into your creative side and discover how fun and easy it is to construct beautiful works of art with mosaics. Students will learn the basics of glass mosaics including cutting, layout/design, affixing the materials, grouting, and finishing in this introductory hands-on class. Each student will complete one project. No previous experience is required. All tools, materials, and necessary equipment will be provided.
Learn to create frame-worthy watercolor artworks through a step-by-step process rooted in art fundamentals. Develop skills in proportion, color theory, brush techniques, perspective, and composition while exploring styles like realism, impressionism, and abstract. Most class sessions students will produce a finished piece, building a personal collection that showcases your artistic growth.
