Beginning the Pastel Painting with “Roadmaps”
Instructors: Hana Hanleigh
This 2-day workshop will focus on beginning a pastel landscape painting with either a hard pastel plus alcohol wash or a watercolor underpainting. This allows the artist to complete the painting with strokes that achieve a much more looser style to their painting. We will choose subjects from a variety of pictures that I provide. This workshop will focus on the landscape with dramatic skies and how that sky is portrayed in water. This workshop is for beginner or intermediate pastel painters.
All my life I ‘knew’ I could paint. I just waited a long time to actually do it. I started when I was 65, taking a plein-air workshop for the complete beginning artist in Taos, NM and the rest is history. I fell in love with painting and continued taking workshops and studying with anyone I could find. I lived in Santa Fe at the time so art was everywhere you turned from the World Famous Canyon Road Art District, the Railyard District and teachers everywhere. I started with oil, plein-air and moved on to pastels and acrylics.
Over the years I took workshops with Albert Handell, Anita Louise-West, Barbara Jaenicke, Stephanie Birdsall and Robert Burridge. I did online workshops with David Kessler, John Lacey and Karen Margulis. I read books and watched videos and YouTubes. I went plein-air painting every chance I got. One of my favorite places to paint is Ghost Ranch of Georgia O’Keefe fame.
I would go to galleries to study art. I even lived a block from Canyon Road in Santa Fe and would look into all the gallery windows on my morning walk, studying, studying. I went to many openings for artists and did a total immersion in the Santa Fe Art World. I read books, practiced and asked questions. I even worked for seven years in a Native American art school, the Institute of American Indian Arts, immersing myself in the style and in the art museum of Indian art.
Many artists I talked to and studied with said “put in the time and you will turn into a really fine artist.’ I really took that to heart as much as I could while working full-time. It wasn’t until I moved to Green Valley and retired that I could spend the hours needed.
I now realize that you do have to put in the time. Paint, paint, paint, even if you get duds some of the time. I love the landscape but I also love abstracts so now I divide my time between the two styles. Now, I have an opportunity to teach pastel painting and I look forward to sharing my love of the world of pastels with my students.
Dates: November 3 – 4, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (bring a sack lunch.
Location: Theater Lobby at CPAC
Fee: Includes Lux archival pastel paper, boards, tape, brushes, and some watercolors: $270, Early Bird Special $245 if paid in full by October 6, 2026
Registration Cut-off Date: October 27, 2026
Supply List: Will be available soon.
Click here to review CPAC’s registration procedure.
Click here to register on-line.
Bold Brush!
Textural Abstraction & Acrylic Application
Instructors: Tonja Sell
This class is for beginning to advanced students who are interested in boldly exploring mixed media acrylic techniques and texture on a large format. In this workshop, you will learn to add interest and life to your acrylic work.
We’ll explore many different acrylic mediums and their potential applications to create exciting, textural, interesting abstract paintings. We will combine acrylic mediums while exploring ways to incorporate elements of form, pattern & strong design. Students may choose to treat these as underpaintings, adding elements of realism to them or allow them to remain abstract. This is a high energy, fun, experimental class.
Tonja is a native of Northwestern Wisconsin and third generation artist. She left home for the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design in 1986 and studied fine arts, drawing and illustration. For almost 30 years she has been exploring different mediums including painting and drawing in almost every media, ceramic sculpture, wet-felting, jewelry and more.
Tonja has been represented by galleries across the country and her work is in multiple private collections internationally. Some of her public work includes murals for the Carnegie Foundation, the Minnesota Discovery Center and public sculpture in the City of Duluth. View works by Tonja at https://www.doartworx.com/.
Dates: November 30 and December 1, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (bring a sack lunch).
Location: Theater Lobby at CPAC
Fee: $300, Early Bird Special $270 if paid in full by November 2, 2026
Registration Cut-off Date: November 23, 2026
Click here to review CPAC’s registration procedure.
Click here to view supply list.
Click here to register on-line.
Mastering Values & Edges: Painting Light, Reflections, and Transparency in Pastels
Instructors: Sonsoles (Sunny) Shack
In art, we often say, “Values do all the work, but color gets all the credit!”. Indeed, values and edges are essential for depicting three-dimensional subjects on a two-dimensional surface. The accurate representation of lights and shadows is key to creating compelling and successful paintings. Sonsoles will provide a daily demonstration to illustrate the techniques and concepts explored in class. She will also discuss the importance of finding the right balance between a loose, impressionistic approach and more realistic rendering in each painting. Participants will complete one or more paintings each day while receiving plenty of individualized guidance and applying these concepts and techniques to their own work. We will primarily use traditional pastel sticks, though PanPastels are also welcome. If you’re new to PanPastels, you’ll have the opportunity to try them during the workshop. Handouts and reference photos will be provided.
Sonsoles grew up within a family of artists in Madrid, Spain, and started drawing from an early age. She has been drawing and painting for 40+years, been an art instructor for 17 years. She has taught workshops at the Mountain Artists Guild (Prescott, AZ), the Southern Arizona Artists Guild (Tucson, AZ), the Quail Creek Fine Arts Club (Green Valley, AZ), the Community Performance and Arts Center or CPAC (Green Valley, AZ) and the Tubac School of Fine Arts (Tubac, AZ). She also teaches private classes.
She is an artist fascinated with portraiture of people and animals, and the depiction of light and dramatic contrast. She has shown her paintings in several galleries, including Ben’s Fine Art Gallery, the Mountain Artist Guild Gallery, the Phippen Art Museum in Prescott AZ, the Southern Arizona Artists Guild (SAAG) in Tucson, the Tubac Center of the Arts, Global Arts Gallery in Patagonia AZ, and The Cactus Wren Art Gallery in Tubac AZ.
Her art education includes classes at the University of Maryland, the Montpelier Arts Center (Maryland), and the Scottsdale Artists School (Arizona). She studied with renown instructors like Amery Bohling, Phil Beck, James Coulter, Robert Goldman, Ray Roberts, Peggi Kroll-Roberts, David Harlan, Cody DeLong, Barbara Mulleneaux, and Chris Saper.
She has received awards from the Portrait Artists of Arizona, the Best & Brightest show at the Scottsdale Artist School, the Mountain Artist Guild and the Community Performance and Arts Center. Her artwork has been selected three times as the FAV15 or jury’s favorite 15% of the entries in the September 2024, November 2024 and January 2026 of the BoldBrush international painting competition (FASO).
Dates: January 25 – 26, 2027
Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (bring a sack lunch)
Location: Theater Lobby at CPAC
Fee:: $220, Early Bird Special $200 if paid in full by December 30, 2026
Registration Cut-off Date: January 18, 2027
Click here to review CPAC’s registration procedure.
Supply List: Will be available soon.
Click here to register on-line.
Assemblage Art Workshop
Instructors: Jimmy Descant
Jimmy will provide blanks of wood to build on, tools, wire, nails, glue, a big pile of raw materials to work with; and encourages the ‘artist participants’ to scour their environments and personal pieces to bring to the workshop to add to the whole of the projects! Jimmy will demonstrate simple techniques of attachment of found objects to garner confidence and creativity. This workshop is suitable for beginners as well as experienced assemblage artists. Come join the fun and camaraderie.
As a Severe ReConstructivist, Jimmy sees in the parts found at thrift stores and flea markets his image of what craftsmen put into their anonymous vision and expression of their part in creating the Golden Age of American manufacturing. There is no welding in his work; it’s all cold connections. He find parts that have never seen each other that mesh naturally and form his style in a clean professional fit.
He sees in his found parts, the faces and trails of the Native as well as the newcomer cowboy’s affect, and has worked his talents and art into political commentary, merging the past and future into something astounding to the viewer, and to the universe. Recycling is a major key and the finding of raw materials is the hunt and instinct, of which he is a professional in acquiring the vintage and beautiful in out of the way places.
In 2010, Jimmy started doing live assemblage art performances in response to the economic meltdown. He then went on to write and perform larger shows with and without casts, all unrehearsed for in the moment inspirations of the American greatness and failures. His work is a contemporary commentary using parts of the past to send messages about the present and future. To view videos of Jimmy performances visit https://www.deluxerocketships.com/newartfolder/newart.html.
Dates: February 22 -23, 2027
Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Location: Stage Set Room at CPAC
Fee:Includes all supplies provided by Jimmy: $155, Early Bird Special $130 if paid in full by January 25, 2027
Registration Cut-off Date: February 15, 2027
Supply List: Bring any special pieces to include in your assemblage.
Click here to review CPAC’s registration procedure.
Click here to register on-line.
Color Choices for Painting Success
Instructors: Roberta Rogers
This workshop will encourage students to experiment with various color combinations for a more creative and successful expression. Landscapes will be considered for subjects, but students may choose their favorite theme.
Various color combinations can change the way we creatively express any subject. The opportunity to examine color triads will take away the “mud” and give students secrets for success without fear!
Roberta Rogers hold a Master’s Degree in Art From California State University at Fresno A third generation watercolorist, Rogers has specialized in water color landscapes and historic architecture of the Southwest. Her work is recognized by its’ sparkling color, attention to detail and interesting views of subject matter.
The artist taught Watercolor for 25 years at Coconino Community College in Flagstaff before moving to Tubac where she has taught for the Tubac Center for the Arts and Tubac School of Fine Arts. Currently showing at Tubac Arts and Gifts at 30 Tubac Road and exhibiting at various outdoor shows such at the Tubac Festival of Fine Art and Art in the Park-July 4th in Flagstaff are shows! Best of Show in Arizona Aqueous Competition for 2019 for “Red Hots.” View works by Roberta at https://www.robertarogerswatercolors.com/.
Dates: March 30 – 31 2027
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM (bring a sack lunch).
Location: Theater Lobby at CPAC
Fee:$300, Early Bird Special $270 if paid in full by March 2, 2027
Registration Cut-off Date: March 23, 2027
Supply List: Will be available soon.
Click here to review CPAC’s registration procedure.
Click here to register on-line.
Creative Collages!
Produced with Personalize Stamps and Stencils
Instructors: Susan Ettl
In this two day workshop, students will learn to create two kinds of stencils and different types of stamps. Using these customized tools will help each person develop distinct papers to produce collages based upon personalized motifs and/or images. In addition to acrylic paint, students will experiment with inks, sprays inks, mica powders, Stabilo pencils, gel pens, and Posca pens using a variety of tools such as brayers, catalyst wedges, silicone shapers, household items and more. Susan will present some exciting exercises to get students’ creative juices flowing. Susan will also reveal many secrets of collage, the rule of differences, and how to use amazing papers in your work. Composition, patterns, textures, marks, and color will be covered to aid each student to express their inner artist in many ways to create dynamic work. Students will then create a series of collages, while learning some easy design principles and formats. This workshop is suitable for beginners as well as experienced artists. Come join the fun and camaraderie.
Susan Ettl is an artist and instructor who creates vibrant collages and paintings, which focus on the interplay of color and texture produced by layering paints and paper. Her work has a primordial essence which speaks of an eternal universality influenced by her travels in Europe, Mexico, and Central America. Susan has taught art workshops for both adults and children. She encourages her students to create their own images to use in their work. She continues her art education by studying with local, national and international instructors. The courses she took in 2021 have inspired her process to be more joyful and intuitive. View works by Susan at https://www.instagram.com/SusanEttlArt/.
Dates: April 13 – 14, 2027
Time: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM (bring a sack lunch).
Location: Theater Lobby at CPAC
Fee:Includes Special Supplies (Some supplies for making stamps and stencils, Sumie ink, spray inks, mica powders, specialty papers, and more): $315, Early Bird Special $285 if paid in full by March 16, 2027
Registration Cut-off Date: April 6, 2027
Supply List: Will be available soon.
Click here to review CPAC’s registration procedure.
Click here to register on-line.