Scottsdale Artists’ School offers weekly classes and workshops for everyone from the absolute beginner to the professional artist. The School’s programs are taught by working, professional artists who are also experienced instructors.
We are constantly working to update our programs daily. We invite you to check back frequently so that you don’t miss out on any of our exciting new workshops and classes.
Upcoming
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Costume Open Studios
Apr 17 - Jun 26, 2026 Students have the opportunity to work on their own with a model in Open Studio sessions, which are offered several times a week. Costume Open Studio consists of a model... Read more -
Lessons in Abstractions
Suzie Black I Local I Acrylic or Oil Apr 17 - 18, 2026 This two-day workshop will create an atmosphere where students will loosen up and have fun while they’re learning! Gain confidence in abstract painting by using strong composition structures and learn... Read more -
Nude Long Pose Open Studios
Apr 18 - Jun 27, 2026 Students have the opportunity to work on their own with a model in Open Studio sessions, which are offered several times a week. April 18 | Register April 25 |... Read more -
Portrait Open Studios
Apr 18 - Jun 28, 2026 Students have the opportunity to work on their own with a model in Open Studio sessions, which are offered several times a week. April 18 | Register April 25 |... Read more
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Mini Mosaic Magnet
Young Adult Apr 18, 2026 Program Description In this workshop we will make beautiful tiny mosaics. We will offer a few different types of bases to mosaic upon with an assortment of mosaic tiles, shells,... Read more -
Dramatic Light in Pastel
Corey Pitkin I Online I Pastel Apr 18 - May 2, 2026 Program Description Online on Zoom | 3 Saturdays Apr 18, 25 and May 2 2026 | 10am-1pm Arizona Time (*always on Mountain Standard Time) | recording will be available for... Read more -
Introduction to Figure Drawing
Edward Sprafkin I Local I Drawing Apr 18, 2026 Discover the fundamentals of figure drawing in a one-day workshop designed for beginners and for those with some experience with gesture drawing. Students will learn essential techniques for capturing the... Read more -
Luminous Portraits: Impastos and Glazes
Gustavo Ramos | Workshop | Oil Apr 20 - 22, 2026 What is it that gives a masterful oil painting its jewel-like quality, mysterious luster, and lasting freshness? The extensive properties of oil paint have enabled the creation of iconic portraits... Read more
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The Figure in its Environment
Margaret Dyer | Workshop | Pastel or Oil Apr 20 - 23, 2026 Margaret's step-by-step method will help the student simplify the complicated. Students will explore drawing, composition, anatomy, proportion, value, color and medium application. Emphasis will be on the model's relationship to... Read more -
Flesh Tones
Tina Garrett I Workshop I Oil Apr 20 - 24, 2026 Program Description ARC Living Master, Tina Garrett shares with her students the practical methods she uses in her award-winning portraiture to help artists make the best paintings they’ve ever made.... Read more -
Painting Wildlife in Oils
Dustin Van Wechel | Online | Oil Apr 23 - May 7, 2026 ONLINE on Zoom | 10am-1pm Arizona Time (*always on Mountain Standard Time) | April 23rd, 30th and May 7th, 2026 -- 3 Thursdays | recording will be available for 2... Read more -
Painting with Acrylic with Mike Hernandez
Mike Hernandez | Workshop | Acrylic Apr 23 - 25, 2026 A strong understanding of natural color and lighting is an important asset to any painter. Among the challenges of outdoor painting, desert scenes tend to be some of the most... Read more
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Loose Realism: Painting the Still Life
Sarah Sedwick I Workshop I Oil or Acrylic Apr 23 - 25, 2026 Paint more loosely and confidently during this workshop with Oregon artist Sarah Sedwick! Take a step-by-step approach to alla prima oil painting, from black-and-white studies to brilliant color. Build a... Read more -
Monet For A Day
Ellen Wagener I Local I Pastel Apr 24, 2026 This class will focus on painting water, reflections, clouds and trees in the color saturated IMPRESSIONISTIC style of CLAUDE MONET. I will provide small sheets of sanded pastel paper for... Read more -
Family Workshop - Costume Masks
Youth I Fun Zone I All Ages Apr 25, 2026 Program Description Create your own costume mask in this fun art workshop. We will draw, paint, and add decorative materials to create a one of a kind wearable work of... Read more -
Realistic Art
Youth I Ages 11-16 Apr 25 - May 2, 2026 Program Description Enhance your studio practices such as proportion, technique, and color theory in this skill-building class. Instructor will guide students through the stages of creating realistic art: concept sketching,... Read more
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Abstraction/Representation Maturity of Painting
Brighton Demerest-Smith I Local I Oil Apr 25 - May 16, 2026 Demerest-Smith (MFA) has a wealth of experience including 10 solo shows of his large-scale nature-based paintings. This class will bridge the gap between representation, design, and abstraction in a hands-on... Read more -
Bringing Life to Painting from Photographs
Timothy Rees | Workshop | Oil Apr 27 - 30, 2026 Overcome the flat, stiff, colorless look associated with painting from a photograph. Join award winning artist Timothy Rees as he presents the concepts and a process to overcome the negative... Read more -
Basics of Mixed Media
Andrew Denman I Workshop I Mixed Media Apr 27 - 30, 2026 During the pandemic, artist Andrew Denman paid the bills by selling quick, mixed media studies of birds and animals on social media. These intimate and improvisational pieces proved wildly popular,... Read more -
Painting the Landscape: From Sketch to Finish
John MacDonald I Workshop I Oil Apr 27 - 30, 2026 This studio workshop will focus on two aspects of painting: the painting process and the five basic components which comprise every painting. The process will begin with choosing reference (sketches... Read more
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What Watercolors Can Do
Cindy Baron I Workshop | Watercolor Apr 28 - May 1, 2026 This four-day workshop is loaded with enthusiasm and energy. The workshop In this course Cindy will introduce students to the world of watercolors and the beautiful paintings artists can create.... Read more -
The Foundation of Portrait Sculpture
Alex Manzanares I Local I Water-Based-Clay May 4 - 7, 2026 Sculptor Alex Manzanares offers instruction in classical portrait sculpture, drawing from his extensive studies in Florence and Rome. Over the course of four days, students will create a three-quarter life-size... Read more -
Big Cat Intensive
Guy Combes | Workshop | Oil May 4 - 8, 2026 Endangered big cats of the world have always held a particular fascination for Guy Combes, and in this workshop, he returns to share his interest in painting them. Having grown... Read more -
Harmony and the Landscape
Cindy Baron I Workshop I Oil May 4 - 7, 2026 This workshop is designed to show how to take a tonal painting and build layers of color and harmonize in an unusual approach to creating successful paintings. There will be... Read more
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Gesture Open Studios
May 6 - Jun 3, 2026 Students have the opportunity to work on their own with a model in Open Studio sessions which are offered several times a week. Gesture Open Studio consists of a nude... Read more -
Birds in Sculpture
Sandy Scott | Workshop | Oil Based Clay May 11 - 15, 2026 The class begins with a discussion of bird anatomy, comparative anatomy, the principles of aerodynamics, the importance of drawing and assembling shapes, and how to achieve the illusion of movement... Read more -
Painting the Figure from Photographs
Ted Nuttall | Workshop | Watercolor May 11 - 15, 2026 Although painting a person in watercolor may seem daunting, it is every bit as approachable as creating a still life or landscape. Ted Nuttall will demonstrate the techniques and instill... Read more -
Plein Air Painters of America
Kathleen Dunphy | Eric Jacobsen | Chris Morel | Michael Obermeyer I Off-site Workshop I Oil May 18 - 22, 2026 Join the Plein Air Painters of America (PAPA) for a rare opportunity to paint in “Dixon Country” alongside four of PAPA’s Signature Members. This biannual destination workshop, offered through Scottsdale... Read more
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The Contemporary Pop Art Still Life
John Schieffer I Local I Oil May 18 - 21, 2026 In this class you will be shown the design techniques and approach to photography to create a new and contemporary still life. You will learn what makes a good still... Read more -
The Intuitive Mindset
Stan Kurth I Local I Watercolor, Gouache, Ink May 18 - 20, 2026 In this workshop, you'll become acquainted with the intuitive painting mindset. In her book Mindset, Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck proposes that human qualities are not fixed—they can be cultivated. People... Read more -
Watercolor Portraits from Life
Annette Smith | Workshop | Watercolor May 19 - 21, 2026 In this three-day class Annette will share with students her method of painting expressive watercolor portraits from a live model. Each morning will begin with a demo starting with the... Read more -
Abstracting the Landscape: Traditional and Contemporary
Chris Groves I Workshop I Oil May 19 - 22, 2026 This class will merge the knowledge of the fundamentals of classical landscape painting as a foundation, combined with the understanding of the basic principles and elements of abstraction in order... Read more
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Integrating Fundamentals with Experimentation
Anton Nowels I Local I Oil May 26 - 29, 2026 Discover how artist Anton Nowels integrates color and design with chance to create more engaging work. Expressive painting begins with a solid foundation. Students will design individual palettes and apply... Read more -
Wild About Summer
Youth Camp I Ages 9-14 May 26 - 29, 2026 Explore the wild wonders of summer through art! Imagine animals, trips, travels, adventures, and all the possibilities for filling up summertime days! Each session incorporates 2D Art mediums such as... Read more -
Fun Summer Art
Youth Camp I Ages 6-8 May 26 - 29, 2026 Kick off the summer with a splash in this rollicking, roving, artistic adventure! Each session incorporates 2D Art mediums such as drawing, painting, watercolor, mixed media, as well as 3D... Read more -
An Approach to Figure Painting
Joseph Todorovitch | Workshop | Oil May 26 - 29, 2026 In this workshop, students will paint a figure from life over the course of four days, and discuss choices for choosing the pose, composition, color harmony, lighting, pacing, and bringing... Read more
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Dragonville
Youth Camp I Ages 6-8 Jun 1 - 5, 2026 Program Description Come to the village of art and adventure filled with fun and fantastical stories, creatures, costumes and trinkets! Each session incorporates 2D Art mediums such as drawing, painting,... Read more -
Ren Fest World
High School Workshop Jun 1 - 5, 2026 Program Description Step into a realm where world and story collide! Revel in the Renaissance and practice your best realistic art skills. Push your creative skills to the limit. Learn... Read more -
Dragon Stories
Youth Camp i Ages 9-14 Jun 1 - 5, 2026 Program Description Imagine a world of your own creation while learning and practicing your realistic artist skills. Enjoy a studio class filled with the best of both worlds of imagination... Read more -
Exploring Realism & Color
High School Workshop Jun 8 - 12, 2026 Program Description Explore the wild and realistic colors of nature while enhancing your artistic skills such as observation, design, concept development and color theory. This class will include demos, individual... Read more
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Color Wild & Realistic
Youth Camp I Ages 9-14 Jun 8 - 12, 2026 Program Description Explore the wild and realistic colors of nature while enhancing your artistic skills such as observation, design, concept development and color theory. Each session incorporates 2D Art mediums... Read more -
Cuckoo Color
Youth Camp I Ages 6-8 Jun 8 - 12, 2026 Program Description Jump into pools of color while creating colorfully cuckoo art! Explore color in nature that seems absolutely cuckoo ... but it's real! Blue frogs, red skies, orange mountains!... Read more -
Extended Studies: Studio Painting & Drawing
Michael Little | Local | Painting & Drawing Jun 8 - Aug 17, 2026 Program Description This is an observationally based course designed to reinforce and develop skills beyond basic drawing and painting. Students will work with a variety of subjects: still-life, portrait and... Read more -
Extended Studies with Jerry Salinas
Jerry Salinas | Local | Oil Jun 9 - Aug 4, 2026 Program Description Students will be introduced to a full palette of colors which they will use to paint portraits, figures and still life. Students will experiment with their palette to... Read more
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Music, Food & Culture
High School Workshop Jun 15 - 19, 2026 Come and be inspired by food, fun and culture! Great gardens and cuisine, music and dance, lands and people find realistic and creative expression as we build artistic skills in... Read more -
Lunchbox
Youth Camp I Ages 6-8 Jun 15 - 19, 2026 Program Description Sandwiches are super, but what do elephants eat? How do dolphins dine? What do monkeys munch? If a lizard had a lunchbox with all his favorite foods, what... Read more -
Food, Fun, & Culture
Youth Campl I Ages 9-14 Jun 15 - 19, 2026 Program Description Come and be inspired by food, fun and culture! Great gardens and cuisine, music and dance, lands and people find realistic and creative expression as we build artistic... Read more -
Touristy Travel Favorites
Youth Camp | Ages 9-14 Jun 22 - 26, 2026 Program Description Entertaining and educational, touristy places are a fun way to celebrate fashion, fun, characters and cultures. Explore, imagine and invent the icons and activities that make a place... Read more
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Playgound City:
Youth Camp I Ages 6-8 Jun 22 - 26, 2026 Program Description Surround yourself in playground fun as we create art with fun, sun, sand, and splash in mind! Each session incorporates 2D Art mediums such as drawing, painting, watercolor,... Read more -
The Pop Art Still Life
John Schieffer I Local I Oil Jun 22 - 23, 2026 Program Description In this class you will be shown the design techniques and approach to photography to create a new and contemporary still life. You will learn what makes a... Read more -
Plein Air Painting in Boulder, Colorado
Mark Boedges I Off-Site I Workshop I Oil Jun 22 - 26, 2026 Join Mark for a five-day intensive plein air workshop in the beautiful Rocky Mountains outside of Boulder, Colorado. Mark will take his students high into the mountains, just west of... Read more -
Beginning Oil Pastel
Scott Turner I Local I Oil Pastel Jun 26, 2026 Program Description Oil pastels are probably the most misunderstood and underappreciated medium. Many artists, when asked about oil pastels, think of a mixture of oil paint and soft pastels. The... Read more
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Riverside
Youth Camp I Ages 9-14 Jul 6 - 10, 2026 Program Description Explore the folklore, wildlife, pastimes and people as we create art about riverside life and wildlife. Each session incorporates 2D Art mediums such as drawing, painting, watercolor, mixed... Read more -
Creekside
Youth Camp | Ages 6-8 Camp Jul 6 - 10, 2026 Program Description Explore the animals and plants of creekside life and let the dragonflies, racoons, rocks and trees dabble in creating babbling brooks of art. Each session incorporates 2D Art... Read more -
Studio Practice: Approach Oils with Confidence
Mike Garcia | Local | Oil Jul 9 - 30, 2026 This class is designed for those who may be comfortable in their foundation training in oil painting but feel they need help to pinpoint opportunities for growth. In the first... Read more -
Realistic Life of Horses
High School Workshop Jul 13 - 17, 2026 Program Description Ride the train to the west as we explore the life and times of horses and their people, their surroundings and endless adventures. Learn basics of horse anatomy... Read more
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World of Horses
Youth Camp I Ages 6-8 Camp Jul 13 - 17, 2026 Program Description Board the stagecoach to fun as we giddyup to the world of the ranch. Farms and pies, riding and roping, animals, people and ponies will star in art... Read more -
Horses of the West
Youth Camp I Ages 9-14 Jul 13 - 17, 2026 Program Description Ride the train to the west as we explore the life and times of horses and their people, their surroundings and endless adventures. Learn basics of horse anatomy... Read more -
Landscape Painting Fundamentals
Paul Steele I Local I Oil or Acrylic Jul 15 - 17, 2026 Beginners and experienced painters will have fun and learn a lot in this ‘Fundamentals of Landscape Painting’ workshop. It’s all about seeing like a painter, through direct observation we see... Read more -
Realistic Art
Young Camp I Ages 9-14 Jul 20 - 24, 2026 Program Description Enhance your studio practices such as proportion, technique, and color theory in this skill-building class. Instructor will guide students through the stages of creating realistic art: concept sketching,... Read more
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Circus Fun
Youth Camp I Ages 6-8 Jul 20 - 24, 2026 Program Description All is fun and colorful at the circus! Food, fans, rides and animals will fill the days with art projects to ride and roll with. Each session incorporates... Read more -
Realistic Style
High School Workshop Jul 20 - 24, 2026 Program Description Enhance your studio practices such as proportion, technique, and color theory in this skill-building class. Instructor will guide students through the stages of creating realistic art: concept sketching,... Read more -
Plein Air Painting in Beartooth Pass, Montana
Mitch Baird | Off-Site I Workshop | Oil Jul 27 - 31, 2026 Beartooth Pass is known as the Alps of Montana because of its luscious flowering meadows, rugged rock, weathered pine, and 950+ alpine lakes!! The high alpine views make for great... Read more -
Storytellers
Youth Camp I : Ages 9-14 Jul 27 - 31, 2026 Program Description Enhance imagination, creativity and artistic technical skills through the craft of storytelling. From ancient and simple cave painting, scribes, bards, to the more modern graphic art, animation, film... Read more
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Storybook Land
Youth Camp I Ages 6-8 Jul 27 - 31, 2026 Program Description Jump into pages of fun, silliness, make-believe and laughter as we create art and tell tall tales! Each session incorporates 2D Art mediums such as drawing, painting, watercolor,... Read more -
Storytellers & Art
High School Workshop Jul 27 - 31, 2026 Program Description Enhance your creativity and artistic technical skills through the craft of storytelling. From ancient and simple cave painting, scribes, bards, to the more modern graphic art, animation, film... Read more -
Forest & Sea - Plein Air Along the Oregon Coast
Judd Mercer | Off-site Workshop | All Mediums Jul 27 - 31, 2026 Do you want to learn how to capture the spirit of every place you visit? Here’s your chance. Spend four days near the idyllic town of Astoria, Oregon (2 hours... Read more -
Pals & Pets
Youth Camp I Ages 6-8 Aug 3 - 7, 2026 Program Description Cool and breezy, summer's easy! Find fun and playful art as we explore favorites of friends, animals, hobbies, foodies and more! Each session incorporates 2D Art mediums such... Read more
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Friendships
Youth Camp I Ages 9-14 Aug 3 - 7, 2026 Program Description Find fun and creativity as we explore how friendships inspire art that transcends barriers. Each session incorporates 2D Art mediums such as drawing, painting, watercolor, mixed media, as... Read more -
The Contemporary Pop Art Still Life
John Schieffer I Local I Oil Aug 5 - 7, 2026 Program Description In this class you will be shown the design techniques and approach to photography to create a new and contemporary still life. You will learn what makes a... Read more -
Luminous Portraits: Impastos and Glazes
Gustavo Ramos | Local I Oil Aug 10 - 12, 2026 What is it that gives a masterful oil painting its jewel-like quality, mysterious luster, and lasting freshness? The extensive properties of oil paint have enabled the creation of iconic portraits... Read more -
Studio Practice: Approach Oils with Confidence
Mike Garcia I Local I Oil Sep 3 - 24, 2026 This class is designed for those who may be comfortable in their foundation training in oil painting but feel they need help to pinpoint growth opportunities. In the first week,... Read more
