Art Classes
Salt Spring Island Painters Guild is dedicated to promoting artistic expression and creativity in the local community. We offer a variety of art classes for painting and drawing, suitable for artists of all skill levels. Our experienced instructors will guide you through the techniques and methods used in creating beautiful works of art. Come and join us and discover the joy of creating art in a supportive and friendly environment.
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*If your membership has expired or you're a new member, click on Annual Membership to complete your membership form.
If you are already a member, you will receive a renewal reminder by email, letting you know that you will be renewed automatically.
Once you have purchased your Annual Membership
you can register for the following classes:
Cancellation Policy
Refunds for withdrawal from an instructed or mentored workshop will be issued if one withdraws at least 14 days prior to the instructed workshop. To cancel your registration, 14 days prior to the workshop, contact the registrar. Exceptions for refunds (medical or family emergency) post 14 days will be considered at the discretion of the registrar at info@ssipaintersguild.com.
Your Language
Dates: Sept 20 and 27
Time: 10:00 to 4:00
Instructor: Nathalie St-Amant
Location: Sept 20 Ruckle Park, Sept 27 Baptist Church Basement Hall
Levels: All
Medium: Oils or Acrylics
Price: $90
Max Participants: 12
* In case of rainy weather on Sept 20th, we will meet on the 27th with plenty of important exercises to support interpretations of the Landscape. (You will receive a refund for one day if Sept 20th is cancelled.) Led by Salt Spring Gallery artist Nathalie St-Amant, this two-day workshop “Your Language” will focus on tips on how to interpret or deepen your interpretation of the Landscape. First day will take place at Ruckle Park painting Plein Air, followed the next week with instruction on how to finish plein air paintings in studio. Note: see below in Materials for oil painting alkaloids for faster drying! The Workshop Day 1 – Painting in Ruckle Park: (Drawing pad) Nathalie will provide suggestions on how to simplify composition through our interpretation of the landscape. (On canvas). We will work on minimizing the initial directive sketch and practice applying spontaneous playful and emotional brush strokes (right brain practice) in order to produce a looser and more expressive painting. Nathalie will provide one-on-one instruction throughout the day. She will choose a location that is close to parking and easily accessible. Please arrive on time! Day 2 – Finishing your painting in studio: we will first review the work in progress with an opportunity to identify the strengths of your painting. Nathalie will provide a demonstration on how to finish the painting (and not overwork it). The remainder of the day will be dedicated to working on your painting. Materials list: 1-Paints: titanium white, medium red, light and medium yellow, ultramarine blue, phthalo blue, alizarin crimson or magenta, black (orange and purple if desired). 2-Drawing pad: with china pen or compact charcoal. 3-Canvas: 16 x 20 primed with ochre colour or warm pink; 16” by 20” cheap practice canvas/board, primed with a colour. 4-Plein air easel. Bring shopping bags in case its windy (to fill with rocks). 5-Brushes: Flat and round big to small. 6-Oil Medium: walnut oil, alkaloid liquid for faster drying and easier application. Acrylic: Water and spray bottle. 7-Rags, jars for water, medium and cleaning liquid (dish soap and water for oils). Ensure you bring a bag for all garbage. Instructor: Nathalie St-Amant’s work can be seen at the Salt Spring Gallery. She is dedicated to Plein Air painting and Abstract Expressionism. She has painted for over thirty years in varying parts of the world, and is influenced by the Group of Seven, Emily Carr, Chagall amongst others. You can view Nathalie’s Work at https://natalinatali.com
Watercolour Basics
Date: October 1, 2025
Time: 9:30-3:00
Instructor: Julie Bowen
Location: Lion’s Hall
Levels: Open to all
Medium: Watercolour
Max Participants: 16
Price: $45
Watercolour can be a rewarding and frustrating medium to use – sometimes through the course of a single painting. But with some practice, and some understanding of the interactions between paint, water and paper, watercolour can be a very versatile and somewhat more predictable painting medium. This class will focus on exercises to practice different types of washes, ways of layering washes, tools for maintaining the white of the paper, and explore the different qualities of watercolour paint (opacity, granulation, transparency etc). The ways these techniques can be used to paint skies or water will be addressed. Along with the happy accidents that occur in watercolour, there are the accidents that one wants to undo such as unwanted edges, blooms, and unwanted marks or blots. Techniques to tackle these will also be explored in demos and exercises. The afternoon will be given over to working on a painting that uses some of these techniques. A couple of options of photos will be available to paint from, but feel free to bring your own. Materials: Drawing materials (sketch book or pad, hard and soft pencils) Watercolours – best to have a wide range of artist quality paints. Watercolour brushes including at least one large mop or round brush, one large flat and an assortment of other sizes and shapes of brushes. Watercolour paper pad for the exercises of at least 140lb (can be a smaller size), and loose or a pad of paper for the afternoon painting (larger size). Bio: A recent transplant to Salt Spring Island, I have been painting wildlife in watercolour for many years. My style leans toward realism and I strive to capture some aspect of the character of the bird or animal I am painting. I am currently represented by Two Horse Gallery in Hunstville, Ontario. Website: http://juliebowenartist.com
Sharpen your Drawing Skills - A Creative Workshop
Date: October 8, 2025
Time: 10-4
Instructor: Susan Rogers
Location: Lions Hall
Levels: Open to all
Medium: Wet and dry drawing materials (see materials list)
Price: $45
Max Participants: 16
Do you want to improve your drawing skills or perhaps you feel stuck and need some fresh ideas to reinvigorate your drawing practice? This workshop is designed to help you see and draw with greater accuracy while adding new tools and approaches to your artistic toolkit. We’ll explore essential drawing methods, including perspective, proportion, and value, to bring life and character to your work. Our subject will be shoes - familiar, everyday objects that offer just enough challenge to stretch and refine your skills. You’ll practice observing angles, shapes and tonal values, and discover how learning to truly ‘see’ these elements can instantly improve your drawings. Along the way, we’ll broaden your mark-making vocabulary by experimenting with dry and wet media to develop your own personal visual language. Since good drawing is 90% observation, this workshop will help you strengthen the abilities you already have making drawing feel more natural, rewarding and enjoyable. By the end of the day, you’ll have several completed drawings and a clear roadmap for continuing your drawing journey. Whether you are new to drawing or ready to take your skills to the next level, you’ll finish the workshop with renewed confidence and inspiration. Materials sketchbook (or loose paper) For example: I like Strathmore Mixed Media vellum surface 9x12, and Opus Essential Paperback Sketchbook 8.5x 11, but you can use any paper you have at home that can handle ink and washes. Pencils 2B and 4B A water-soluble pencil Sharpener Eraser Ruler preferably a transparent one Pens/Markers (water-soluble and water resistant ) Bottle drawing ink and pen Paintbrush for ink Water container You can also bring any drawing materials that you would like to experiment with in the workshop - crayons, charcoal, etc Please bring at least two pairs of shoes, sandals, dress shoes and running shoes perhaps. You are also welcome to bring other items if you’d prefer to draw something other than shoes. These drawing techniques apply to any subject including people, buildings, landscapes, etc. but for the workshop purposes small portable items are best. Instructor bio Susan Rogers attended Chelsea Art School in London UK. She has been a member of the guild for many years and has taught several classes in painting and drawing. She is an avid urban sketcher and enjoys painting people in urban settings.
Painting Through Transparent Water (Acrylics)
Date: Wednesday October 22
Time: 9:30 - 4:00
Instructor: Joyce Upex
Location: Lions Hall
Levels: Experience using acrylic paint
Medium: Acrylic
Price: $50
Max Participants: 12
Have you ever wondered how painters can take you through transparent water to reveal the rocks and seascapes below? Joyce Upex will lead you through her 3-step process of painting through transparent water: Underpainting Glazing of water Painting the top of water Joyce will show works in each of the 3 stages, demonstrate how to paint each of these steps, and have you practise painting your own stages along the way. After completing the practice round, you will start your own painting with Joyce providing instruction and guidance during that process. Materials: Along with your usual painting essentials please include several flats with your usual array of brushes, a medium sized canvas approximately 16” x 20” for practising and a second canvas to start your own painting. Bring paints you enjoy using for water and landscapes but ensure you have a burnt sienna for underpainting and a raw umber. Joyce will provide reference pictures for you to practice with, and you should bring a picture or photo for your final painting. She will also provide Gloss Medium and Airbrush Medium (used to attain the look of transparency) and some of her favourite paint colours. Instructor: Born in Vancouver BC, Joyce began painting after a fulfilling career of teaching and education administration. Being motivated by the beauty of patterns in nature, she picked up a paintbrush and began her journey as a landscape painter. “My work could best be described as representational as my process (and subsequent outcome) often leans more towards the interpretive than the realistic”. Joyce has shown her paintings in numerous exhibitions throughout BC including Salt Spring’s Coast Gallery, and has a second solo show there running from August 29 to September 25.
Basics I - Composition & Design
Date: October 29, 2025
Time: 9:30 – 16:00
Instructor: Don Hodgins, AFCA
Location: ArtSpring
Levels: all levels (with an emphasis on beginners)
Medium: any medium
Max Participants: 16
Price: $45
Discover composition and design – beginning fundamentals. This workshop is the first in the Guild’s Foundation Program, and deals with design and composition of strong paintings. The purpose is to explain and illustrate half a dozen keys to taking your work to a more artful level. It is primarily focused on those who are new to painting, or would like a review of these basic concepts and the ‘vocabulary’ of painting. For sure, one goal is to help you on the path to making your paintings distinctive and unique. The session will kick off with a presentation for about 45 minutes stepping you through the concepts and design elements that deliver the best results. Lots of questions are welcome as we go. Following this introduction, we’ll work from photo references and do a series of “design” layouts, creating different paintings from one or more photos (Don will supply some; you can also bring your own). These will be worked out using thumbnail sketches. You will then paint the ‘best’ design, with one-on-one coaching. Don will demonstrate the steps as we go along. The workshop will wrap-up with a discussion/critique – a what have we learned type review. Reference photos and hand-out notes will be provided. Materials: you will need – Drawing materials (sketch book or pad, hard & soft pencils, ink markers if you prefer). Painting kit – whatever you have; don’t worry about bringing an elaborate range of colours or brushes (after all you haven’t done the basics courses yet!). Supports – 2 or 3 canvases or w/c paper, about 12” x 12” or 11” x 14” in size (not larger), or 10” x 14” w/c paper. Instructor: Don is a signature member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and has successfully entered over forty juried exhibitions at the FCA, and has had his artwork in the Sooke Fine Arts Show and the Sidney Fine Art Show on several occasions. Don also shows regularly in the Guild Shows, at ArtCraft and with League 181. He has also been a juror for the FCA for several years.
Basics II - Developing Your Style
Date: November 5, 2025
Time: 9:30 – 16:00
Instructor: Don Hodgins, AFCA
Location: Lions Hall
Levels: all levels (with an emphasis on beginners)
Medium: any medium
Max Participants: 16
Price: $45
Creating your own style – basic concepts. Our second basics workshop develops the ideas around “style”. It deals with the artist’s tools to create painterly work: colour & light, shape & line, temperature, value, edges and texture. We will begin with a review of these elements using examples from a wide range of artists (slide show), and discussion of how they exploit these tools to maximum effect. Then you will use reference photographs (supplied or your own) to focus on one or two elements and work them into a painting with one-on-one coaching and mini-demos as required. We’ll wrap up with a discussion/critique – a what we have learned type review. Hand-out notes will be provided. Materials - Drawing materials (sketch book or pad, hard & soft pencils, ink markers if you prefer). - Painting kit – see basic palette with this program, appropriate brushes, solvents, mediums, paper towels/rags, spray bottle, etc.. - Supports – 2 or 3 canvases or w/c paper, about 11” x 14” or 12” x 16” in size (not larger), or 10” x 14” w/c paper Reference photos of your choice. Basic colour palette for Foundation Program (this is to get you started) Titanium white (acrylic & oil) Warm yellow (e.g., Hansa yellow medium) Warm bright red (e.g. Naphthol medium red or Winsor red in water colour) Alizarin crimson hue Ultramarine blue Sap green or phthalo green Raw sienna Burnt sienna Burnt umber Mars or carbon black Instructor: Don is a signature member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and has successfully entered over forty juried exhibitions at the FCA, and has had his artwork in the Sooke Fine Arts Show and the Sidney Fine Art Show on several occasions. Don also shows regularly in the Guild Shows, at ArtCraft and with League 181. He has also been a juror for the FCA for several years.
Simple Portrait Approaches
Date: Nov 12, 2025
Time: 10 – 4
Instructor: Mel Williamson
Location: Lions Hall
Levels: Intermediate (some experience with oil paint)
Medium: Oil
Price: $50
Max Participants: 14
This one-day workshop will explore ways to start and create portraits, using a limited palette (inspired by Anders Zorn). Using various approaches, we will explore ways to get basic shapes in place and check proportions. We will start with brief slideshow and demo, then move on to exercises that support both accuracy and looseness in your future work. Join me to build your confidence and have some fun with faces! Reference photographs to work from will be provided. Needed materials: OIL PAINT - 4 TUBES ONLY: • Ivory Black • Titanium White • Yellow Ochre • Cadmium Red Light or Medium*** ***It is important that the Cadmium Red in particular is *artist grade*, not student grade (eg. Gamblin, but not 1980, not W&N Winton). Know that it’s pricey! So you could consider sharing with a friend (won’t need to use a whole tube). MEDIUMS: • Gamblin Gamsol (or other odorless mineral spirit) • Gamblin Galkyd Medium -or- Gamblin Solvent-Free Medium *another alternative would be Graham Oil Alkyd Medium • optional: Gamblin Alkyd Gel -or- Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel (in tube) and two small jars / containers - one with a lid for the Gamsol. SURFACE: Canvas pad is what I usually recommend for workshops, as it is a good and affordable option for practice. Size approx. 9 x 12” - 12x16”, Please have lots of sheets (e.g. 10). Canvas boards are also okay (e.g. cardboard wrapped in canvas). Please do not bring stretched canvas. BRUSHES: I recommend using quite a big brush to encourage looseness. My favourites are hog bristle Egbert (or sub Extra Long Filbert / Filbert) size 6, 8, or even 10. You can use whatever shapes you have and are comfortable with, just make sure you have something fairly large, and also a smaller option. PALETTE: Wax paper palette pad is great, or wood/glass if you have it. (I use a glass palette and razor blade scraper). ALSO MIGHT WANT: masking tape, lots of shop towel / paper towel, and a sketchbook/pencil for notes, if you wish. Instructor Bio: Mel Williamson’s work has been described as “fresh and honest” and has a unique expressive quality, through her loose, bravura brushwork. Known as a kind, generous and open teacher, Mel shares her knowledge and practices with others in an encouraging manner, both online and in person. She teaches in-person in Vancouver at Canvas Method, online with Winslow Art Center, and at yearly plein air workshops in Italy. She especially loves oil paint in all of its materiality and possibility, and believes there are no mistakes, only practice. She is currently represented by Steffich Fine Art on Salt Spring Island, Peninsula Gallery in Sidney, BC and Art Interiors in Toronto, ON.
2-Day Open Painting Session - Still Life
Dates: November 18 & 19, 2025
Time: 9:30 – 3:30
Instructor: Lisa MacLean
Location: Lions Hall
Levels: all
Medium: all
Price: $55
Max Participants: 16
Join Lisa for a relaxed painting class where we transform everyday objects. Participants will work from curated arrangements — such as fruit, flowers, vessels, and textiles. We will focus on observing shapes, shadows, light and colour while experimenting with brushstroke and emphasising the importance of composition. Perfect for beginners and those who want to refresh their skills, this class will offer step-by-step guidance and time for personal exploration. By the end of the 2 days you will be able to take home a completed painting. Materials: Media and support of your choice, sketchbook, camera, brushes/tools, solvent (water is available), and portable easel and small table. We would like to limit the number of large tables used in order to enable space for everyone around the set-ups. Also bring plastic garbage bags to take away all waste material.
Loose Landscapes
Date: November 26, 2025
Time: 10-4
Instructor: Kimoko Brown
Location: ArtSpring
Levels: Open to All
Medium: Acrylic
Price: $50
Max Participants: 14
In this workshop, Kimoko will share her process for creating loose and bright landscape paintings. We will be using acrylic paints so we can work at a faster pace. We’ll first start on a small panel before we go bigger with our second painting. With some instruction and guidance, we’ll explore techniques to keep our paintings loose and fun. A selection of printed landscape photos will be provided, but you can also bring your own landscape photo - preferably printed large (like on letter sized cardstock paper). We’ll discuss composition and have the opportunity to sketch some thumbnails before we start on our small panel. A toned 6x6 flat panel will be provided. On this small panel, our goal is to simplify the scene, eliminating details and getting ourselves outside of our comfort zones by using a larger brush than you might typically reach for. We will practice making bold beautiful strokes and leaving them! We’re also trying to paint faster - this will help to keep our paintings “loosey-goosey”. Kimoko will walk you through this first small piece, including: palette set-up, toning, colour mixing, working thin-to-thick / dark-to-light / front-to-back, and negative space painting. Once we have finished our small, it’s time to go bigger! Participants are asked to bring a medium sized canvas or panel. Using our new 6x6 painting, as well as our original reference photo, we’ll now walk through the same steps on our larger canvas. Materials: Medium sized primed canvas or panel (e.g., 10x10, 12x12, 11x14) Soft vine charcoal and/or pencil and eraser Brushes: bright or flat with a long handle, sized 6 and 4 Palette knife Acrylic paints (Kimoko will be using Golden heavy body acrylic mixed with Regular Gloss Gel Medium and Retarder) Something to mix on like disposable paper palette, or paper plates Container for water Paper towels and bag for garbage Portable easel 1 6x6 flat panel will be provided. You’re welcome to bring paper or other extra surfaces for practicing on. Instructor Bio: Kimoko is a self-taught artist whose work focuses on florals and landscapes, using bright happy colour and a loose expressive style. Raised in New York City, art has always been a part of her life. But it was only after moving back to Canada and to Salt Spring with her family, that painting became a central passion. Inspired by the lush beauty of the island, Kimoko loves to create art that is uplifting, light-filled and full of joy. Feel free to contact Kimoko with questions at kimokobrownart@gmail.com
Imagine Re-imagined
Date: Dec 3, 2025
Time: 09:30 – 4:00
Instructor: José Campbell
Location: ArtSpring
Levels: any and all
Medium: your choice
Price: $45
Max Participants: 16
Stuck in a rut? Bogged down? Having trouble finding your own style? You’re not alone, happens to all of us. So, take a day and try something you absolutely have not done before. Here’s the idea. Find an image: a reference photo you like, a drawing, something – anything you want to paint. Then find an artist whose style you like; this can be as off-the-wall as you wish. But make sure it is NOT similar to what you do now. Take a chance; depart from the 'safe'. Switch mediums, whatever. You can find countless examples of artists and their styles with a simple internet search – just Google artists you think might be interesting and look at images or their websites. Quite a few also have videos on Youtube and reels on Facebook. We’ll also send you some suggestions via the web site or email at a future date. When selecting a style to follow, try to see doing it with your medium of choice (although it is sometimes really interesting to select, say, a watercolour style and paint it with oils!). The illustration with this write-up shows an example by Don Hodgins. The bw reference photo was taken in Norway in 1976, the inspiration came from a post on FB by Marjorie Thomson in 2023, and the result in 2025 is ‘North Wood’. The game plan is to get started by showing each other the image you want to paint, and the example of the style you will use. José will kick this off and then you go. This is a chance to ask questions about how to approach the subject/style you’ve chosen. After that you paint. José will circulate and provide guidance, mini-demos, whatever helps. We can cap off the day with a little show and tell, ending with where you will go next style-wise. Materials: bring your usual painting kit and one (or two) supports you think are suited to the subject and style that you’ve selected (size and material). Two supports are often good in case the first gets totally screwed up early in the game. Instructor: José is a long-time member of the Painters Guild, and has mentored/instructed popular workshops for many years. She mainly works in oils and watercolour, but also paints in acrylics as well as dabbling in reduction printing. Her paintings regularly finish in the top-ten viewer’s choice awards in Guild shows. Her favourite subjects include animals, landscape and portraiture – the last being a current focus. José also feels that drawing is a key skill for an artist and has been attending life and portrait sessions since joining the guild.
Artist's Cafe
Date: December 10, 2025
Time: 09:30 – 12:30
Location: Lions Hall
Price: free
Once again, please join us for our Artists’ Café to end off our Fall session. Bring a favourite piece of your art or a piece for feedback that you’ve completed this fall – painting, life drawing, art class, whatever - to share and discuss with our group. We’ll use the same format this year as last, with our round-table breakout groups. We will try to have one of our more experienced painters with each group as a sort of moderator. As we look at each other’s work, the moderator will offer comment and helpful suggestions, and keep things moving along. Brisk and lively; informative and entertaining. First on the morning’s roster, we will hold our AGM. This is a requirement of incorporation, and contains a few mandatory items to be completed annually, including reports from various officers, the election of directors and any changes to the bylaws of the society to be voted on by you, the members. Because your executive is extremely well organized, this should move along fairly quickly. Also, we’ll cater in some nibbles and tea/coffee just to keep the wheels turning.