Class Schedule - Abernathy Arts Center

Click on a class below to begin the enrollment process:

This class is currently full.  Please consider signing up for Carol's Painting Studio class on Tuesdays at 6:30pm, starting April 16th!

In this class you will learn about the Masters of Impressionism and how loose bold movements, bright paintings and colors composed an artistic era. Artist Carol Santos will work with you on several projects and guide you through your creations. All levels welcome.

 

Instructor Bio:

Carol Santos is a Brazilian born; Atlanta based artist. Her work is deeply personal and explores the lost narratives of oral history. Her sculptures, paintings, textiles, installations, and conceptual art investigate nostalgia and identity, creating connections with the viewer. Carol holds a bachelor's in communication and marketing, a master's in integrated marketing and communication and recent graduate (May 2023) with a master's in fine arts, Painting, from the Savannah College of Arts and Design. Santos’ studio is in Sandy Springs, where she lives with her husband and three children.

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Join artist Carol Santos for a fun night of painting. Choose from acrylic, watercolor, or pastels to create your own masterpiece. The instructor will work individually with students and guide them by deepening their understanding of color, form, composition, and techniques. All levels welcome.

Instructor Bio:

Carol Santos is a Brazilian born; Atlanta based artist. Her work is deeply personal and explores the lost narratives of oral history. Her sculptures, paintings, textiles, installations, and conceptual art investigate nostalgia and identity, creating connections with the viewer. Carol holds a bachelor's in communication and marketing, a master's in integrated marketing and communication and recent graduate (May 2023) with a Master in Fine Arts, Painting, from the Savannah College of Arts and Design. Santos’ studio is in Sandy Springs, where she lives with her husband and three children.

Click the RED TEXT below for more info or to register.

 In this class students will work on composition, value, shapes, and techniques in oils.  We will be using photos or occasionally work from set ups to examine the effect of light on subjects. Students can bring their own photos to work from or use some provided by me. This class will help students make better decisions about how to begin a painting and carry it through stages to completion. If you are looking to step up in your painting journey, this class will get you started.

INSTRUCTOR BIO:

 I have loved color and creating since I was a child. Rainy days spent inside coloring or painting were my favorite activities. Not much has changed, a rainy day remains an invitation to turn on some beautiful music and create at the easel. As a young adult I married and since we lived in a rural area, it was not easy or affordable to take art classes. I painted from home while raising my family, studying books and working first with watercolor, then pastels and finally oils. Each medium had its own strengths and I now use something from all of them to create my paintings. As my family grew, I went to work and began to take life classes in the evenings after my youngest child left for college. It was so exciting to be able to learn from wonderful artists. I painted at night and on the weekends working in oils and pastels.  I was president of Southeastern Pastel Society for seven years and came into contact with some talented artists. The desire to paint from life sent me outside into the landscape to paint plein air.  Painting plein air has enhanced my work beyond what I could have imagined.  I continue to paint plein air for my own education, working on location and bringing information back into the studio where I remember colors, sounds and impressions that no photograph can duplicate. I have found my passion painting the landscape in oils and pastels with all of its many moods, trying to share my vision with the viewer. I particularly love painting the mountains, coast and water anywhere. My greatest compliment is when someone says my paintings make them feel like they are there.

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Fall in love with watercolor by learning the core principles of painting applied specifically to watercolor techniques. Learn to paint from direct observation as well as from photos, working on a variety of subjects from flowers, cityscapes, still nature, wildlife, portraits, and more. You will finish a painting by the end of each session. A demo will be performed at each class and individual guidance will be given as you progress with your artwork. All levels are welcome!

INSTRUCTOR BIO:

BIO: Holding a master's degree in Fine Arts from the prestigious Romanian University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca, Diana has been engaging with the art community since 1995 showcasing her work in over a hundred international group exhibitions and eight solo art shows. Diana is often invited to judge and jury art shows and to speak on behalf of the working artist on open panels, such as The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and at The Contemporary Museum in Atlanta, Georgia. Between 1995 and 2021 Diana won an array of awards locally as well as on an international level. Her artworks have been showcased in art magazines, and billboards, and acquired by corporations to be displayed in public spaces. Diana is the demonstration chair for the Georgia Watercolor Society and the former IWS USA branch president of the International Watercolor Society. Diana also teaches painting classes for adults in the Atlanta area and at art centers within the US and abroad. Her teaching approach focuses on fast, free-flowing painting release, and creative un-blockage.

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 This drawing class is perfect for both beginners and those who wish to practice and sharpen their drawing skills. Using a variety of dry materials (pencil, charcoal, graphite and Conté - and any addition drawing materials you may have) students will learn about value, form, and composition. Working from observation and references, students will focus on line, shading, and perspective. See Supply List (appx. $45), please bring all your supplies to our first class meeting.

INSTRUCTOR BIO:

Evelyn M. Breit is an Atlanta based artist who works from the live model in pastel, graphite, charcoal, and oil. A full-time painter for many years, she also paints landscapes, still life, and portraits. Evelyn holds a BFA with honors from the State University of New York and is a winner of numerous awards. She is Member of Excellence at the Southeastern Pastel Society and Atlanta Artists Center, as well as Juried Associate Member at the Pastel Society of America. Evelyn has studied portrait and landscape painting with acclaimed artists Margaret Carter Baumgaertner, Burton Silverman, Richard Whitney, Susan Ogilvie, and Bill Hosner.

 

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Students will create paintings in watercolor inspired by their travel photos or sketches. Kathy will start each class with a demonstration, then assist students individually and offer critiques (if desired). Prior watercolor experience highly encouraged; this is NOT a beginning class. Returning students will build on skills previously developed. Bring your current watercolors (warm and cool of each primary) and supplies, an assessment will be done to determine if additional items are needed. 

Please email questions to Kathy at: ArtbyKRF@mindspring.com

INSTRUCTOR BIO:

Kathy Rennell Forbes is an accomplished artist and instructor. Her impressionistic paintings are in private and corporate collections around the world.

The artist was a 2017 Olmsted Plein Air Invitational "Master Artist." She was an invited artist to the Olmsted Georgia Color four times (2019 - 2022). Kathy is a Signature Member and past President of the Georgia Watercolor Society. She participates in many solo and group shows; and has won awards in local, regional and national exhibits. Forbes earned her BFA in Art and Art Education at the University of Georgia in Athens. She continues to attend art workshops with many of the leading painters of today.

Kathy has exhibited and conducted watercolor demonstrations at the High Museum of Art, Booth Western Art Museum and Oglethorpe University Museum of Art. She conducts watercolor workshops around the U.S. and Internationally (Cuba, France, Italy, Spain) and teaches art classes in the Atlanta area. Forbes creates her artwork at ‘Studio Z’ in Atlanta’s historic Westside Arts District.

https://www.rennellforbes.com/

https://www.instagram.com/artbykrf/

https://www.facebook.com/KathyRennellForbesArtist

Artist Statement:

I work in watercolor, acrylic and oil; my favorite is watercolor. I love the freedom this medium provides and how the paints react to different surfaces and the way I manipulate my brush. The medium is very transportable. It allows me to travel with a minimum of supplies across the globe, to a local park or garden to paint outdoors. Working in nature, heightens all my senses that then take hold in my paintings. In addition to the beautiful landscape in front of me; I like to capture the sound of the birds and insects chirping, the soft breeze on the back of my neck, the smell of the saltwater and the taste of local foods into my paintings. Although some of my outdoor paintings are finished works, many are studies. I take the information I gathered onsite and incorporate them into my studio paintings.

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Do you lack confidence in your painting skills?

- Are you in the dark when it comes to color mixing and tonal values? 

- Do you struggle with composition and creating a focal point?
- Do you have difficulty controlling your brush strokes and the paint?
- Or maybe you just don't know how to get started or what to paint?

If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, then this is the workshop for you!

Join instructor Lauren Adams for an afternoon of learning about the foundations of this versatile, fast-drying, non-toxic medium. No experience necessary!

INSTRUCTOR BIO:

A Southern artist and native of rural middle Georgia, Lauren Adams has explored and experimented with painting and drawing most of her life. Inspired by her southern roots and the natural world, her work runs the gamut from figurative, to landscape and beyond.  Adams holds an MFA in painting from the Savannah College of Art & Design. And in addition to her studio practice, she currently teaches adult painting classes in a wide variety of media at various arts centers in Georgia. Adams’ work can be found in many private and public collections throughout the Southeast, including the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and the Historical Society of Sandersville, GA.

CLICK THE RED TEXT BELOW FOR MORE INFO OR TO REGISTER.

- Do you lack confidence in your watercolor skills?
- Are you overworking your paintings?

- Do you struggle with color mixing and tonal values? 
- Do you have difficulty controlling your brush strokes?
- You don't know how to control the wetness of watercolors on the paper?
- What about water-to-paint ratios?
- Or maybe you just don't know how to get started or what to paint?

If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, then this is the workshop for you!

Join instructor  Lauren Adams for an afternoon of learning about the foundations of this incredible medium. No experience necessary!

INSTRUCTOR BIO:

 A Southern artist and native of rural middle Georgia, Lauren Adams has explored and experimented with painting and drawing most of her life. Inspired by her southern roots and the natural world, her work runs the gamut from figurative, to landscape and beyond.  Adams holds an MFA in painting from the Savannah College of Art & Design. And in addition to her studio practice, she currently teaches adult painting classes in a wide variety of media at various arts centers in Georgia.  Adams’ work can be found in many private and public collections throughout the Southeast, including the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and the Historical Society of Sandersville, GA.

CLICK THE RED TEXT BELOW FOR MORE INFO OR TO REGISTER.

“Lucky Charms"  This workshop invites 7-11 year-olds to design their own gold link charm necklaces, drawing inspiration from trendy brands like Oak and Luna and Foundrae.  Participants will choose charms that hold personal significance, creating unique necklaces that reflect their individual stories and connections. Additionally, the class includes crafting lucky charms candy skewers or boards, adding an element of fun and a touch of luck to the creative process. More than just a jewelry-making session, this workshop is an opportunity for fashion-forward fun! 

INSTRUCTOR BIO

LAUREN COHEN’S “ALWAYS PRETTY BUSY!” Lauren is on a mission to engage Sandy Springs’ next generation with the arts through a collection of dynamic workshops. From the art of movement and cooking to digital creation, her goal is to showcase the broad spectrum of creative expression. She strives to ignite excitement about the arts within our community and to make art and the arts center an integral, vibrant part of our neighborhood’s daily life.

 

CLICK ONE OF THE RED TEXT DATES BELOW FOR MORE INFO OR TO REGISTER.  THESE ARE TWO SEPARATE, ONE-DAY CLASSES.