Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

Paint your Pet all day classes!

a few of the participants

This past Saturday we held our popular  "Paint your Pet class twice! Once from 10-noon and the afternoon session from 1-3. The results were stunning!

The animals painted ranged from dogs to cats to polar bears and wolves...and it doesn't get much more diverse than that!

Max's beautiful work!

Lauren's green eyed wonder!

Two more classes next week include Dec 20 "Paint like Picaso"  
from 7-9 (an art and wine class) and Dec 21 "Cardinal in the Snow"!    (Feel free to BYOB to this one!) Cider and coffee available.

Video-Painting Mountain Sunsets!

Ready to see a fun, fast YouTube video of Steve painting  our Mountain Sunset painting for a class? Click here!

RED HOT Chili peppers painting class!

Whether you think of beautiful red and green chili peppers as southwest cuisine or Christmas tidings, come join us for an ART and WINE class at the Twisted Vine in downtown Wake Forest on Dec 13 from 7-9 pm!

Painting Sunsets over water

Painting Sunsets over water results!

This group of student's expertise ranged from "I haven't painted since 1990" to "I've taken a few classes." But my oh my, look what they created!

Using acrylic paints and under the direction of owners/instructors Steve Filarsky and Theresa Brown...well, the results speak for themselves.

No one outgrows "Show and Tell!"

How to paint Children in the SNOW!

A table of hard at work painters!

 Well no two ways about it-Painting children in the snow is fun! The topic was fun, the wine and coffee were great and several of the participants were moms with their adult daughters!

How fun is that? We will offer the same class again after the New Year.

One set of mom and daughter

Another set of mom and daughter!

A "learn to draw" tip from us!

coffee cup

We have all kinds of tips and techniques when it comes to showing people how to paint a subject but the one thing we hear a lot of is someone telling us that "they don't know how to draw."  Well, we also have some tips on learning to draw that are simple, effective, inexpensive and only require........consistency!

All you need is a pencil and a small 5 x 7 (or smaller) sketchpad that you can carry around with you. At least 4 times a week, set something simple, like a coffee cup, salt shaker, bottle...one object only-by a strong light. The light can be a lamp or a window but you want the light to cast a  shadow. And sketch what you see.

Sign and date the sketch.  30 days later, go back and draw the same thing. Wait till you see the difference! Practice really does make perfect!

tube of paint

Amazing SNOW class!

A group ranging in ages from 7 to into their 50's all sat and painted their snow scenes and what a pleasure their creativity was!

Although we had one major painting to work from, each student added their own twist-a hard thing to do at first!
The results, from snow covered tobacco barns to Christmas cottages,  speak for themselves!

Painting Snow Scenes!

Snow-ah, there's something about a cold, muffled winter day with 16 inches of snow blanketing the ground........well maybe 2-3 inches..... :-).

Depending on your viewpoint and where you live, snow covered buildings and scenes are a popular subject matter! And what better way to embrace it than in a beautiful, picturesque scene that you have painted yourself? 
Our class, "Painting Snow Scenes" for tonight  from 6-8 pm is full but don't worry-we will offer another soon!

You are right! Snow is not all white!

Loved how this turned out!

Abstract cats and Thanksgiving Harvest CLASS

Abstract Cats!

Abstract cats and design were the topics for the after school class on Tuesday.

What a great job they did! 
Students have just an hour to design and then create their version of an abstract cat and the results were exciting!

Thanksgiving harvest

Our next image is what we will be painting tonight in our 6-8 class, "Thanksgiving Harvest!"

  A few spots left! All ages, all abilities! Sign up at: http://www.artstudentacademy.com/Thanksgiving-Harvest-Bowl.html

Paint Your Pet fundraiser!

What fun we had on Saturday Nov 5 at the Orange County Animal Services facility with our participants painting their pets!

And to see a short video clip check here:

Paint Your Pet at Orange County Animal Services

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-xzPsq4ZsA

"Through the Garden Gate" Students Rock!

 A series of images from our "Through the Garden Gate" class! So much fun as none of the students thought, at first, they could paint Steve's display painting!

This class was held at the Twisted Vine Wine Shop in Wake Forest.

Remember-we can come to you!

Questions about our classes? Just contact us!

Steve teaching the class

Rebecca was happy

Cindy relaxed and had a great time!

Karen never thought she could do this!

I am SO pleased!

Ok, You're right, it looks good!

Allan zipped right through his painting!

"Through the Garden Gate" painting class Nov 1

Through the Garden Gate (copyright SFilarsky)

We keep raising the bar in your artistic performance! 

Who would not want to paint this lovely image of a garden entrance?

Join us Tuesday evening, Nov 1 from 7-9 at the Twisted Vine Wine Shop and experience what art and relaxation are all about!

A painting for yourself or as a gift for someone special!

Register online today!

1 day 2 classes-amazing results!

Field of Pumpkins class October 29, 2011

 "Field of Pumpkins" was a delightful class that had participants scurrying into the warmth of the Wake Forest Frame Shop from the cold, pelting rain that dampened Saturday morning!

All ages created beautiful, realistic pumpkins from our painting and even examined a real pumpkin to get the feel of the shape and ridges. The results speak for themselves.

This morning class ran from 10-12:00 and we worked in acrylic paint.

Colors of Fall class, October 29

The afternoon class, from 1:00-3:00, "Colors of Fall" was also a big hit! Working from our original painting, students embraced the bright colors of fall and their amazing paintings of a  maple tree by a lake were stunning!

Our students rock! We raise the bar on your creativity!

Painting Sunflowers in Acrylics

"Field of Sunflowers class Oct 26

What a great time we had in our "Painting Sunflowers" class. We like to think we raise the bar in our classes and the results of these intrepid painters proves just that!
Sometimes you just have to go for it and they did! Wonderful job by all.

Painting Halloween

 

After school class creating Halloween Tote Bags

Nothing is more creative than giving kids paint, a fabric bag and a few ideas about Halloween and letting them run with it!  
The Tuesday class did just that (both age groups) and loved the idea of creating their own "trick or treat" bags or just something cool to put stuff in!

Results from the Red Door class

It was a lot of fun!  I never knew I could actually paint.  :)

 A beautiful setting, friends, a few glasses of wine, a paintbrush and canvas and......beautiful results from all of our participants in the "Red Door" class last night at the Twisted Vine!  Melody said it best with  ".....I never knew I could actually paint!"

Join us! We raise the bar in group art lessons!

A few of the students painting "the Red Door" at the Twisted Vine location!

Steve was the instructor. Join us tonight (October 26) at the Wake Forest Art and Frame shop to paint "Fields of Sunflowers!"

So what are we painting at our class at the Twisted Vine Wine Shop in Wake Forest this Tuesday night, October 25 from 7-9 pm?   How about this beautiful "RED DOOR" in acrylic paint? Join us!

The RED DOOR!

All supplies included as usual for this fun class! You may purchase wine by the glass or the bottle if you'd like from the sommelier and follow along with Steve while he shows you how to create a painting just like this! All ages-all abilities!

Interior of the Twisted Vine location!

Oct 19 Watercolor class-an evening of fun!

We had a great time at our Watercolor class last night! The full house consisted of all ages and friends came with friends and a mom came with her son...... and frankly, no one says it better than someone who was there! Read our client's comments about our class in this link

http://allthingsquilty.blogspot.com/2011/10/watercolor-painting-class.html

Drawing Exercises

Success

Colors of fall

Drawing from life

The after school classes have been hard at work learning to see, really see, their subjects! After drawing their subjects today...and what else, pumpkins, they then enjoyed working the same subjects in pastels! Are they good or what?

working on the subjects

Welcome AmazonLocal students!

Welcome new students! We can't wait to see you in our classes and to share with you the ways and means to open up a whole new world of art! For those who have just joined us through the AmazonLocal promotion,  visit our website, fill out the form with your voucher number, then scroll down to see what our next classes are! Regardless of what location you signed up for, YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR ANY SINGLE CLASS AT EITHER LOCATION in Wake Forest! That's right. You are not confined to just one or the other. We want you to select a class that you feel would interest you. We have plenty of them scheduled :-)

 The joy of what  we do is that we're not limited to  just one age or one group of students. Our students are every age, every ability and they all have one thing in common.... They want to paint. 

Now we know that all parents encourage their children to explore new avenues and abilities and they would not dream of labeling their offspring as "un-artistic." But you would be amazed at how many adults believe that they "have no artistic abilities whatsoever" so we love to prove them wrong!

   We will see you at one of our classes!

Painting from life with oils!

 Steve's students spent 4 hours on October 8 painting from life! The beauty of a still life is that it is real, 3 dimensional and a challenge to those used to painting from photos.
The paintings with the coffee cup are a few examples of what our more experienced students created and they were ecstatic with their results!

 This landscape was a quick oil study created in the final 45 minutes of the class!

Of course the fancy French name is "plein air" painting (plane air) which is "from life" and for the artist new to this time honored technique, the feeling of accomplishment is priceless!

The "old Porch" in oils!

Oil Painting Class!

October 8th will be a unique class for all of those who have asked us to show them how to paint in oils!

Steve will show you how to work on a simple still life (from life!) and a landscape at our Franklinton Studio. This special 4 hour class is the same investment as if you purchased 2 of our 2 hour ones at $45.00 so if oils are what you want to know then this class is for you!

Please bring whatever oils you may have (most of our inquiries have been because they DO have the supplies!) but we will have  supplies as well!