WINTER 2026 - ADULT ART CLASSES
Classes are open to all - Become a Glastonbury Arts member and take a discount on every class as a membership benefit.
Materials lists are included for each workshop and class.
Students are responsible for providing their own art supplies unless otherwise specified in the class or workshop description.
Serious teens are welcome to enroll in adult classes but must supply their own materials.
SKILL BUILDING IN OIL, Tuesdays, January 20 - February 24, 9:30 am to noon (6 weeks)
Unlock the versatile medium of oils and how a painting develops. Begin with mastering the art of composition, creating captivating focal points that draw the eye. Explore the wonders of color theory, learning to mix any hue with a limited palette, and discover the power of contrast and edges to craft strong compositions. Through engaging demonstrations and constructive critiques, you'll learn to paint with confidence. This class is designed to elevate your skills whether you are a seasoned artist or a beginner.
Fee: $205 | $195 for Glastonbury Arts Members
Register for Skill Building in Oil
Instructor: Katherine Simmons, www.KatherineSimmons.com
FURS AND FEATHERS IN PASTEL, Thursdays, January 22 - February 19, 9:30 am to noon (5 weeks)
Bring your favorite furry or feathered friend to life in this pastel class where creativity takes center stage! Whether you’re a beginner or intermediate artist, this class is all about exploring the magic of pastels while learning essential art principles in a relaxed, encouraging environment. Working from your own photo references, you will master pastel techniques under the guidance of master pastelist Karen Israel.
Fee: $205 | $195 for Glastonbury Arts Members
Register for Furs and Feathers in Pastel
Instructor: Karen Israel, www.ArtByKarenIsrael.com
DRAWING STUDIO, Thursdays, January 15 – March 19, 2026, 6:00 to 8:00 pm (8 weeks - no class on January 29 and February 19)
Come and explore drawing as a tool for self-expression and as a core building block of the art-making process! Over eight weeks this course will cover different components of drawing practice and how they're expressed: looking at various approaches and strengthening fundamentals that allow us to capture life within the confines of a piece of paper. Whether you've never picked up a pencil or have many years of practice, this class is designed to grow your skills as an artist.
Fee: $215 | $205 for Glastonbury Arts Members
Instructor: Matt Becker, www.MattBeckerArt.com
ABSTRACT IN ACRYLICS - CONNECT WITH DESIGN Fridays, February 6 thru March 13, 9:30 am to Noon (6 weeks)
Explore how abstraction and realism connect and differ as we dive into unique styles and see how they blend. Discover inspiring works from modern artists and get hands-on tips from your instructor on mixing paints, choosing brushes, and creating textures. Learn key design principles to bring your ideas to life. Acrylics are perfect for all skill levels—water-soluble, quick-drying, and versatile for vibrant washes or thick, textured layers. Both beginners and experienced artists are welcomed to enroll.
Fee: $205 | $195 for Glastonbury Arts Members Instructor: Nancy Bunnell, www.NCBunnellStudio.com
Register for Abstract in Acrylics - Connect with Design
Instructor: Nancy Bunnell, www.NCBunnellStudio.com
1 Day Workshops for Beginners
Do you want to explore oil painting or pastels but feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of materials and tools?
These workshops are designed with you in mind.
OIL PAINTING 101, Instructor Patricia Trapp, Saturday, February 21, 9:30 am - 3:30 pm
You will be introduced to the basics of oil painting and guided through the process of acquiring the materials and tools necessary to start you on your path to becoming an oil painter. We will cover such topics as types of oil paint, brushes, surfaces, mediums, easels and other miscellaneous items you will find useful. To make things even easier, you’ll see real samples and take home a glossary handout for quick reference. While we do not plan on doing any actual oil painting, the instructor will demonstrate how to apply gesso to prepare the canvas for a future oil painting. Participants should bring an 8 x 10 stretched canvas or canvas panel, small plastic container and a one inch brush. I will supply the gesso. If time permits, students will learn how to grid a photograph for transferring the image to the canvas. Please bring a sketch book, lead pencil, eraser, ruler and a photograph. Remember to bring a bag lunch and a beverage.
Fee: $125 | $120 for Glastonbury Arts members
PASTELS 101, Instructor Patricia Trapp, Saturday, March 14, 9:30 am to 3:00 pm
Learn the basics of pastel painting and be guided through the process of acquiring the materials and tools necessary to start you on your path to painting in pastels. We will cover such topics as types of various pastel sticks (hard and soft), pastel pencils, various pastel papers and other miscellaneous items you will find useful. See real materials samples and take home a glossary handout for quick reference to start you on your pastel painting journey. While we will not be doing any actual pastel painting, if you have any soft pastels (no oil pastels) and pastel papers bring them and you can follow along as the instructor speaks about the various tools you would use to create a pastel painting. Remember to bring a bag lunch and a beverage.
Fee: $125 | $120 for Glastonbury Arts members
INSTRUCTOR PATRICIA TRAPP is an award-winning artist in both soft pastel and oil whose work has been exhibited in a range of juried shows and galleries. She is a member of several local art associations and is an Artist Member at Arts East of Vernon and Associate Artist at the Lyme Art Association. Patricia is a self taught artist who has honed her art making skills with classes and workshops with many well-known artists. Her inspiration comes from photographs of her travels abroad and throughout New England.
REGISTRATION: Register early to avoid disappointment. Classes and workshops won't run if the minimum number of students haven't registered one week before the start date. Classes and workshops are filled in the order received. Registrations will not be processed without payment. When you register, consider yourself confirmed: You will hear from us only if the schedule changes or the class is cancelled.
ATTENDANCE: There are no make-ups, refunds, or pro-rating of class/workshop fees. Students who cannot attend a class or workshop cannot substitute another person in their place.
CANCELLATION POLICY: In the event a course or workshop is cancelled by Glastonbury Arts (e.g. insufficient enrollments, teacher illness, severe weather, etc.), all fees will be refunded to students. If a registered student withdraws from a class or workshop, the student must notify Glastonbury Arts via email two full weeks prior to the start of the class or workshop in which case we will refund the student’s registration fee less a $35 administrative charge. No refunds will be made for voluntary withdrawals less than two full weeks before the start of a class or workshop.
INCLEMENT WEATHER: In the event that Glastonbury Public Schools are closed or delayed, Glastonbury Arts will be closed. Classes or workshops not held due to bad weather will be rescheduled based on teacher availability. In the event that a class or workshop cannot be rescheduled, please refer to our cancellation policy.
PHOTO WAIVER: Glastonbury Arts occasionally documents classes using photography for publicity purposes. Registration in a Glastonbury Arts class or workshop assumes permission by adult class participants to use such images for publicity unless the photographer is informed otherwise at the time the photographs are taken. Parents of students in classes for teens or children are asked to indicate their permission to photograph their children on the class registration form.