Holiday Workshops in The Studios@SAM!

Join us in The Studios@SAM this season for a variety of holiday workshops. Adults and children are welcome to spend quality time making memories – and unique gifts for family and friends.

The Studios At SAM

Adult Classes

With offerings in ceramics, drawing, painting, and mixed media, The Studios at SAM provide creative adults with a wide range of possibilities for self-expression and artistic growth, all year round.

Whether you’re just beginning your creative journey, are looking to brush up on your skills, or are interested in pursuing serious artistic training, we invite you to discover an artistic community at The Studios at SAM. Learn from our team of experienced instructors through our selection of four-week and single-session classes.

Ceramics

Beginning Wheel Throwing

Lauren Hope Holton

4 weeks
Linda & Dick Dickinson Ceramics Studio
 
$180 Museum Members
$200 Not-Yet-Members

May 7, 2025 – May 28, 2025

Wednesdays
5:30 – 8:30 pm

Satisfy your curiosity, and experience a fun and thorough introduction to throwing on the potter’s wheel. Learn the skills necessary to throw cylinders, cups, bowls, and more in this exciting introduction to throwing fundamentals. Your instructor guides you through the process of throwing, shaping, and trimming pots on the wheel. Basic surface decoration and glazing techniques are also demonstrated. This class is designed for students with little or no experience with the potter’s wheel.

Note: All supplies are included.

 

Intro To Handbuilding

Introduction to Handbuilding

Samantha Harthoorn

4 weeks
Linda & Dick Dickinson Ceramics Studio
 
$180 Museum Members
$200 Not-Yet-Members

May 3, 2025 – May 24, 2025

Saturdays
9:30 am – 12:30 pm

Learn the basics of hand-building and surface decoration. You will make functional dishes, decorative tiles, and sculpture. Coil, slab and pinch construction is covered along with slip painting, sgraffito, image transfer and stenciling techniques. New demonstrations every week help guide the projects but students are free to develop their own projects too. Note: All supplies are included.

Ceramics at SAM

Intermediate Advanced Wheel Throwing

Lauren Hope Holton

4 weeks
Tuesdays 5:30 – 8:30pm
Linda & Dick Dickinson Ceramics Studio
 
$180 Museum Members
$200 Not-Yet-Members

May 6, 2025 – May 27, 2025

 

Tuesdays
5:30 – 8:30 pm

This class is for those who can consistently throw a 6-inch cylinder or larger. Students will focus on higher-level forms and wheel techniques including vases, pitchers, teapots, plates, and casseroles. Completed pieces will be bisqued, glazed, and fired. Students should complete several wheel thrown pieces. Prerequisite: students should have taken at least 3-4 ceramics classes or have similar experience.

Ceramics Open Studio - Ryan Moore, 24' Photography

Ceramics Open Studio

S+DA Instructor
Linda & Dick Dickinson Ceramics Studio

1 session
$50

May 6

Tuesday
1 – 4 pm

Samantha Harthoorn
4 weeks
Linda & Dick Dickinson Ceramics Studio

$180 Museum Members
$200 Not-Yet-Members

May 3, 2025 – May 24, 2025

Saturdays
1 – 4 pm

Students and practicing artists work independently in the studio. The studio is monitored for safety purposes. To participate, students must have previous experience in a ceramics class. Instruction is not available during Open Studio. Supplies include 1 bag of clay and glazes and firing. All skill levels are welcome.

Glaze Your Own Handmade Pottery

Lauren Hope Holton
Linda & Dick Dickinson Ceramics Studio

 
$50

March 3, 2025

Monday
1-3 pm

Please join us for a wonderful afternoon in the Ceramics Studio adding your personal flair to ceramics. Begin with an exciting demonstration on the pottery wheel to witness the skills with which your pottery was made! You will then have the opportunity to glaze two unique works of handmade ceramic art, made by our Ceramics Teaching Artist, Lauren Hope Holton. Choose from a variety of forms including cups, bowls, mugs, and vases. Your work with then be fired in the kiln and available for pick up the following week!

Drawing

Gallery Sketching

Introduction to Drawing

Patrick Thomas Parnell 

4 weeks
Sarah F. Huisking Classroom
 
$140

May 5, 2025 – May 26, 2025

Mondays
5 – 8 pm

Calling all artists! Join us at SAM to learn drawing basics using pencils and charcoal. We explore line, shape, perspective, light and shading, scale and proportion. Students view drawings by different artists through history, learn the skill of careful observation, and practice drawing with a variety of mediums on paper. 

Please Note:All supplies are included.

Figure Drawing

Figure Drawing

Patrick Thomas Parnell 

4 weeks

Sarah F. Huisking Classroom

$160

May 9, 2025 – May 30, 2025

Fridays

5 – 8 pm

In this class, students learn to observe and draw the human figure. With our Museum Educator, Patrick Thomas Parnell, students learn to look carefully at and draw from a live, draped model each week. Line and light, shading and shadow, are discussed along with other topics. All skills levels are welcome.
Please note: All supplies are included.

Colored Pencils: Inspired by Nature

Elisabeth Trostli-Rusling

4 weeks

Ringling College Museum Campus

$150

May 5, 2025 – May 26, 2025

Mondays

9:30 am – 12:30 pm

This is a program designed to introduce the artist to another medium for greater ease of expression and control: Colored Pencils.
For inspiration, we will conduct brief walking tours of our immediate Museum campus, and learn to truly “see” and collect often overlooked weeds, flowers, pebbles, feathers, sticks, shells and other miscellaneous objects as sources of inspiration.
You will be introduced to Basic techniques for shading, blending and subtle pattern-making made possible with Prismacolor Colored Pencils to create a finished glorious rendering of your Nature-inspired object. All supplies provided. Beginners welcome!

Decorative Design, Pattern, and Color

Elisabeth Trostli-Rusling

4 weeks

Ringling College Museum Campus

$150

May 6, 2025 – May 27, 2025

Tuesdays

1 – 4 pm

This course is an introduction to COLOR and PATTERN – Two basic elements of Design.
As a final project, students will create a finished “Mandala” combining decorative patterns, symmetry and color harmonies. We will use a variety of mediums including colored pencils, watercolor markers, inks, and drawing pens. All supplies provided.

Wildlife Drawing

Wildlife Illustration

Gwynne Rohrs

4 weeks

Ringling College Museum Campus

$140
For adult beginners and hobbyists with basic drawing skills. In this course, participants will be able to create detailed, accurate, and expressive wildlife illustrations using pencil, ink, and watercolor mixed media. All materials included.

Explorations in Line and Letter Embellishment

Elisabeth Trostli-Rusling

4 weeks

Ringling College Museum Campus

$150

May 1, 2025 – May 22, 2025

Thursdays

1 – 4 pm

In this class we will learn about “line” and how to embellish letters, initials, and Monograms. Explore linear and other decorative graphic elements as used in calligraphy, engraving, Medieval illuminated manuscripts, Celtic art, Islamic, Indian, Judaica and other traditions.
After learning about the basics of various types of line and the use of various tools for creating them, we will learn the history and essentials of typography, guilding, calligraphy (“beautiful writing”) and apply our artistic skills to construct original illuminated letters, and decorative letterforms and monograms. All supplies provided.

Fun with Photoshop

Elisabeth Trostli-Rusling

4 weeks

Ringling College Museum Campus

$120

In this 4-class series, you will learn how to use Photoshop’s basic and powerful tools to enhance photos. You will learn about tools, layers, and special effects for editing photos and creating digital art. We will work on several fun and easy projects. Beginners welcome! All supplies provided.

Painting

Painting

Introduction to Painting

Patrick Thomas Parnell 

4 weeks
Sarah F. Huisking Classroom
 
$160 

May 7, 2025 – May 28, 2025

Wednesdays
5 – 8 pm

Join us to learn about different paint mediums and discuss fundamental painting vocabulary, skills, and techniques. Focusing primarily on acrylic, we explore color theory, color/paint mixing, and the painting process. Students create multiple works on paper and canvas.
Note: All supplies are included.

Painting Loose and Bold

Victoria Mayol

4 weeks
 
$160

Mar 4, 2025 – Mar 25, 2025

Tuesdays
9:30 am – 12:30 pm

This class is all about tapping into your creative energy and painting with confidence. We’ll explore color theory, brush strokes, scale value, and the essential techniques that will help you create bold, vibrant paintings. It’s a fun and relaxed class where you’ll approach painting in a fresh original way. We’ll focus on painting birds and nature, using an exciting style, learning to paint with palette knife and exploring blocky brush strokes. Both beginners and intermediates are welcome. Note: All art supplies are included!

Portrait Drawing Photo: Karen Arango

The Essence of Portrait

Victoria Mayol

4 weeks
 
$160
In this class, we’ll explore the art of portraiture with acrylic paints, focusing on more than just likeness. Working from reference images, we’ll learn to see proportions, values, and colors in fresh, expressive ways. Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate artist, this class will guide you in understanding face anatomy, mixing skin tones, and creating a vibrant color palette that reflects feeling as much as form. We’ll also look at slides of contemporary artists and works throughout art history for inspiration, exploring different approaches to portraiture. Demonstrations will be provided, and all materials are included.
Abstract Figurative Painting

Abstract Figurative Painting

Victoria Mayol

4 weeks
 
$160

May 6, 2025 – May 27, 2025

Tuesdays
9:30 am – 12:30 pm

In this class, we’ll dive into the exciting space between figurative and abstract painting. We’ll learn about artists from both the past and present who’ve explored this balance. You’ll get hands-on experience with color theory, scale, value, and techniques like blocky painting and glazing layers. There are no mistakes here, just happy accidents! With plenty of guidance and the freedom to explore your creativity, you might be surprised by what you can create. Both beginners and intermediate are welcome. Please note: all supplies are included

Watercolor painting class

Introduction to Watercolor Painting

Gwynne Rohrs

4 weeks

Ringling College Museum Campus

$140
This class is designed to introduce adults to watercolor painting fundamentals, including tools, techniques, color theory, and composition, while encouraging creativity and confidence. Each day Students will work on a personal project, with a theme or subject based around a set list of ideas chosen and created under guidance of the instructor. All materials provided. Beginners welcome!

Open Studio

Independent Study Photo: Karen Arango

Independent Study

Patrick Thomas Parnell 
4 weeks

 
$140

May 10, 2025 – May 31, 2025

Saturdays
9 am – 12 pm

The independent study offers local artists and students the opportunity to bolster their own projects under the guidance of our professional working artists and educators. Participants in this open-studio class can learn more in-depths techniques, the art historical and cultural context of their work, or just be in an environment with other artists and makers. Participants will also learn how to look at their work through a critical lens to strengthen their art practice and vision. Come join us while we converse and create together!

Photography