Spring 1 - Introduction to Ideas + Methods in Abstract Painting
with Eleana Daniel
Sunday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm
This course will survey different methods and applications in non-representational painting through exploration of the history of abstraction. This course is for beginning to intermediate students who are interested in learning the key artists and movements within abstract painting while investigating their own relationship to image-making from a more conceptual lens.
Spring 1 - No-Mordant Natural Dyes: Kakishibu, Tea, Iron Buff and Indigo
with Elaine Luther
Monday, 10am-12pm
Most natural dyes require preparing the fabric with mordants to get the dyes to bond with the fabric. Skip those steps by using the few natural dyes out there that really and truly work without a mordant! Colors we can achieve include lovely blues, rich browns, rusty oranges and smokey grays. Use shibori and adire folding and binding techniques to created lush fabrics with layers of colors and patterns. Dye your own 100% cotton or linen fabrics. Bandanas from Dharma Trading are a good choice, or dye pieces to use in later quilting projects. Wash according to the instructions in the materials list.
Spring 1 - Unraveling the Complexity of Travel Sketching
with Richard Sheppard
Monday, 6:00 - 8:00pm
Click on the image to learn more about supplies and other course details.
The best souvenirs are not the things you buy or the photos you take while traveling, but the drawings you create in a sketchbook. Sketching allows the artist to slow down enough to get acquainted with surroundings that are often overlooked while framing the world through a lens. This class will discuss materials, styles, and techniques that are best suited for travel sketching. Through the use of pencil, ink, and watercolor, we'll learn to draw and paint subjects that are both memorable and meaningful.
Spring 1 - BEGINNING TO INTERMEDIATE DRAWING
with Jesse Howard
Tuesday, 10am - 12pm
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Learn fundamental drawing techniques and expand existing skills in a variety of media to discover individual drawing style. The focus will be on constructing composition and linear perspective with an emphasis on value plane and the use of line. Students will learn how to bring clarity and consistency to their subject matter.
Spring 1 - EXPLORING OIL PAINTING
with Julie Sulzen
Tuesday, 6:30 - 8:30pm
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Students will explore the fundamentals of oil painting with an introduction to materials and by practicing skills of observation, methods of drawing, explorations of color theory, and techniques of brushwork. Utilizing carefully designed still life arrangements, fundamentals of painting such as light, shape, value, and edges will be covered. Demonstrations and discussions are designed to encourage individual progress as well as general painting guidance.
Spring 1 - WATERCOLOR BASICS
with Tony Armendariz
Wednesday, 10am-12pm
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Learn a range of watercolor techniques using both wet and dry pigments, suitable for artists of all experience levels.
Spring 1 - PASTEL PAINTING
with Mike Barret Kolasinski
Wednesday, 1pm-3pm
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Join us to learn the essential techniques behind using soft pastels as a way to create richly detailed, dimensional pastel paintings. Open to all skill levels.
Spring 1 - BEGINNING TO ADVANCED DRAWING
with Jesse Howard
Wednesday, 7pm - 9pm
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The focus will be on constructing composition and linear perspective with an emphasis on value plane and the use of line. Students will learn how to bring clarity and consistency to their subject matter.
THURSDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Thursday, March 19th, 9am - 12pm
Model: Holden
2-WEEK POSE (Cont. on March 26th)
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
Spring 1 - Relief Printing
with Alexandra Blom
Thursday, 1:00 - 3:00 pm
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Explore this oldest form of printmaking through guided instruction, as well as the time to explore independently with support. Students will learn carving techniques for creating a linoleum block and how to maintain their carving tools and materials. Students will print blocks on a press and by hand, providing them with skills to access this type of print outside of class.
OPAL Sip & Paint
Thursday March 19, 6:30 - 8:30pm
with Eleana Daniel
Join us for a delightful two-hour painting session led by a talented OPAL artist instructor. Immerse yourself in the creative process of finishing a themed work of art while enjoying your favorite beverage. Open to all experience levels. Make new friends or bring your crew!
Spring 1 - Working With Mixed Media - Experiment, Play & Create
with Jackie Lakely
Friday, 1pm - 3pm
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This is a class that introduces the same concepts in different ways for each session and is for all levels of skill and experience. Emphasis is put on process over product, and we will almost always work in multiples in order to try different applications of each week’s lesson. We will work with still life arrangements and your imagination to create narrative work, as well as intuitive world-building based on combining materials as you go.
Spring 1 - Working With Mixed Media - Experiment, Play & Create
with Jackie Lakely
Friday, 4pm - 6pm
Click on the image to learn more about supplies and other course details.
This is a class that introduces the same concepts in different ways for each session and is for all levels of skill and experience. Emphasis is put on process over product, and we will almost always work in multiples in order to try different applications of each week’s lesson. We will work with still life arrangements and your imagination to create narrative work, as well as intuitive world-building based on combining materials as you go.
Kintsugi Workshop
Saturday, March 21st, 10am - 1pm
with Mami Takahashi
Discover the art and philosophy of Kintsugi — the Japanese practice of repairing broken pottery with gold — in this all-level, hands-on workshop.
In this 3-hour session, students will learn and apply the modern Kintsugi method using food-safe adhesive, epoxy putty, and golden finish. The technique is safe for beginners and designed to make the centuries-old practice accessible in a single-day format. Rather than erasing damage, Kintsugi highlights each crack as part of an object’s unique story — inviting us to reflect on beauty, imperfection, and transformation.
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Sunday, March 22nd, 10am - 1pm
Model: Ryan
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
THURSDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Thursday, March 26th, 9am - 12pm
Model: Holden
CONTINUATION OF POSE FROM MARCH 19TH
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Sunday, March 29th, 10am - 1pm
Model: Deandrea
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
OPAL History, Community Workshop Series
Thursdays, April 23rd, April 30th, May 7th, May 14th, and May 21st
with Elise Holowicki
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Opal History is an eight-part workshop taking place in the Spring of 2026. Led by OPAL 2026 artist in residence Elise Holowicki with guest instructors and speakers.
Throughout sessions, participants will learn about the events of 1954 in Oak Park involving a burgeoning cult of acolytes, a prophecy predicting the end of the world, and the community response to international attention around these occurrences.
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Sunday, March 15th, 10am - 1pm
Model: Eve
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
THURSDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Thursday, March 12th, 9am - 12pm
Model: Thia
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Sunday, March 8th, 10am - 1pm
Model: Jason
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
THURSDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Thursday, March 5th, 9am - 12pm
Model: Bob
THIS SESSION WILL BE CLOTHED
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Sunday, March 1st, 10am - 1pm
Model: Thia
THIS SESSION WILL BE CLOTHED
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
THURSDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Thursday, February 26th, 9am - 12pm
Model: Joe
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Sunday, February 22nd, 10am - 1pm
Model: Isabella
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
OPAL Sip & Paint
Thursday February 19, 6:30 - 8:30pm
with Eleana Daniel
Join us for a delightful two-hour painting session led by a talented OPAL artist instructor. Immerse yourself in the creative process of finishing a themed work of art while enjoying your favorite beverage. Open to all experience levels. Make new friends or bring your crew!
THURSDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Thursday, February 19th, 9am - 12pm
Model: Hannah
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Sunday, February 15th, 10am - 1pm
Model: Bobby
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
THURSDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Thursday, February 12th, 9am - 12pm
Model: Perahje
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Sunday, February 8th, 10am - 1pm
Model: Belle
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
THURSDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Thursday, February 5th, 9am - 12pm
Model: Estrellita
THIS SESSION IS CLOTHED.
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Sunday, February 1st, 10am - 1pm
Model: Trevor
THIS SESSION IS CLOTHED.
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
OPAL Sip & Paint
Thursday January 29, 6:30 - 8:30pm
with Eleana Daniel
Join us for a delightful two-hour painting session led by a talented OPAL artist instructor. Immerse yourself in the creative process of finishing a themed work of art while enjoying your favorite beverage. Open to all experience levels. Make new friends or bring your crew!
THURSDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Thursday, January 29th, 9am - 12pm
Model: Gretchen
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Sunday, January 25th, 10am - 1pm
Model: Sean
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
THURSDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Thursday, January 22nd, 9am - 12pm
Model: Glenn
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Sunday, January 18th, 10am - 1pm
Model: Gretchen
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
Introduction to Travel Sketching
Saturday, January 17th, 1:30m - 4pm
with Richard Sheppard
The best souvenirs are not the things you buy or the photos you take while traveling, but the drawings you create in a sketchbook. Sketching allows the artist to slow down enough to get acquainted with surroundings that are often overlooked while framing the world through a lens. This class will discuss materials, styles, and techniques that are best suited for travel sketching. Through the use of pencil, ink, and watercolor, we'll learn to draw and paint subjects that are both memorable and meaningful.
Introduction to Suminagashi Paper Marbling
Saturday, January 17th, 11am - 1pm
with Pamela Martinez
Suminagashi translated means floating black ink. It is the ancient meditative Japanese practice of gently floating pigments on the surface of water with a brush and then capturing the mono print image on absorbent paper. This exciting 2 hr. workshop will include the historical background and introduce the time honored techniques with several artistic possibilities. Recommended for beginners.
THURSDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Thursday, January 15th, 9am - 12pm
Model: Belle
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Sunday, January 11th, 10am - 1pm
Model: Mark
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
THURSDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Thursday, January 8th, 9am - 12pm
Model: De’Eric
THIS SESSION IS CLOTHED.
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Sunday, January 4th, 10am - 1pm
Model: Mia
THIS SESSION IS CLOTHED.
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Sunday, December 14th, 10am - 1pm
Model: De’Eric
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
THURSDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Thursday, December 11th, 9am - 12pm
Model: Joe
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Sunday, December 7th, 10am - 1pm
Model: Shoshana
THIS SESSION IS CLOTHED
3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!
Oracle Card Making With Mixed Media
Saturday, December 6th, 10am - 4pm
with Jackie Lakely
Oracle cards mean different things to different people, but I see them as intuitive messages to my future self, or visual ideas/messages/thoughts that I like to have around me. Some might be creative seeds for future paintings, reflect the months of the year, represent important areas of your life, revolve around a single theme, or be spontaneous and intuitive so each card is different from the next. They are usually in decks of at least twenty cards, but for the purpose of a one day workshop we will work in a group of twelve. You are welcome to do more if you like. I will supply cards in a few different sizes, ready for drawing, painting and working on one side or both sides.
OPAL Sip & Paint
Join us for a delightful two-hour painting session led by a talented OPAL artist instructor. Immerse yourself in the creative process of finishing a themed work of art while enjoying your favorite beverage. Open to all experience levels. Make new friends or bring your crew!