Upcoming Classes and Events
How to Make Great Photos with Your iPhone Camera
Sunday, February 23, 2025; 12:00pm – 4:00pm
$85 p/student (min. 8)
Learn how to make (not take) great photos to enjoy, create memories, and capture those life moments. All iPhones are welcome (android phones are also welcome, but we demonstrate with an iPhone). It does not have to be the latest rendition and all levels of photographical experience are welcome!!! We will discuss, and demonstrate:
The settings, filters, exposure, focus, shutter speeds, lenses (yes you do have lens choices on the phone camera), panoramas, macro and close ups, portraits, and videos. All will be presented with an eye towards creativity and compositional power and considerations.
Join us in discovering and mastering the potential of your iPhone Camera!
About the Instructors: As a husband-and-wife team, Susan and Neil Silverman have been “captured” with photography for over 25 years – teaching, leading workshops and working professionally in many venues. They have taught for the Kelby Photo Conferences, Gualala Arts Center, Santa Rosa Junior College, Pacific Northwest Art School, Point Reyes Field Institute, Great American Photography Workshop (GAPW), and Better Photo, as well as many photo clubs and organizations. Their work has been published both nationally and internationally. Sharing knowledge, experiences and camaraderie is as important as “getting the shot.”
Feb Session: Life Drawing Meet-Up
Mondays, February 3 -24, 2025; 6 - 9pm
$25 p/session or 4 Weeks $100
Painting/Drawing Room
Pre-signup guarantees entry, drop-ins are on a first come basis.
Live model on site, no instructor
Bring your own supplies
Ages 16+
Intro to Wheel Throwing
Fridays, February 28 - April 4, 2025 (6 sessions)
5pm - 7:30pm
$205 + $45 clay fee
Maximum 10 students
There will be an initial demo on throwing and trimming, and you will also receive one-on-one guidance.
The class will end with learning to attach a handle to a cup and glazing the cup with your chosen colors.
The instructor will clear glaze your pieces once they have been bisqued at the studio.
Come prepared to get messy and have fun!
About the Instructor: James Thomson has been a ceramics studio facilitator with Sebastopol Center of the Arts for over 5 years. He holds a BA from San Jose State University and has taken classes with Laney Junior College, Santa Rosa Junior College, Richmond Art Center. He enjoys sharing his acquired skills with those who are interested in broadening their relationship with clay. James approaches his classes with a friendly and encouraging attitude. When James is not in the studio, he is out in nature, hiking, and contributing to community through his art.
Saturday Watercolors: 3/1-3/8 2025
Saturdays, March 1 - 8, 2025; 1:30pm-3:30pm TIME CHANGE: 10am-12pm
2 SESSIONS FOR $80 + $20 Materials Fee
Located in the Painting/Drawing Studio at SebArts.
The watercolor class will focus on skill and technique development: wash, color mixing, texture, and line.
Beginning painters will practice developing a strong foundation.
Advanced painters will benefit from new approaches to the basics and sharpened skills.
Discussion will focus on the elements of visual art: light, form, color, and texture.
About the Instructor: Lynn Zachreson studied art at the University of Minnesota and San Jose State University—Painting, Printmaking: BA Fine Art. She has experience teaching all ages: Watercolor painting skills, 30+ years, Watercolor figure painting 20+ years, and Fine Art Basics with Mixed Media 20+ years. Lynn enjoys spending her time painting, teaching, long distance hiking, and gardening.
Gel Plate Printing
Sunday, March 2, 2025; 11am -3pm
Fee: $105 + $10 materials fee
Ages 16 and up
Learn to create beautiful designs on paper by printing with a gel plate and acrylic paint. Mixed media artist Catherine Cruz will teach you the basic skills for using this fun tool from printing textural backgrounds, to layering colors, and using stencils and other applications.
You will take home lots of prints that can be used for designing collage, mixed media art or greeting cards. This class is suitable for anyone wanting to learn this unique mono printing style and perfect for beginners.
All materials are provided: Gel plate, brayer roller, acrylic paint, stencils, mark-making tools, paper.
About the instructor: Catherine Cruz is a French-American artist, whose work is informed by textures and patterns created by the passing of time and the effects of the natural elements on the built environment. She has taught collage and mixed media workshops in the Bay Area and France since 2019, and this is her third year at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts. Her background is in interior design and green building certification. She works from her home studio in Sebastopol, and participates in Art Trails Open Studios. You may contact Catherine Cruz at beyouartstudio@gmail.com Check out Catherine's other classes here: https://www.sebarts.org/visual-arts-classes
Poetry Challenge: Abstraction through Form
Sunday, March 2, 2025; 1 - 3pm
Sliding Scale: $20-$25
While poetic forms impose a certain amount of constraint upon the writer, they can also lead to greater abstraction. In this class, we will experiment with a short-form of the sestina called the questina. The questina form was devised by Sonoma County Poet Laureate Dave Seter while attending the Napa Valley Writers’ Conference.
The questina is patterned after the sestina, but with four end-words instead of six. The four words must appear in each stanza, ordered in a specific pattern. Ezra Pound is said to have described the sestina as “a thin sheet of flame, folding and infolding upon itself.” The same flame-like intensity may be achieved in the questina form by choosing end-words that are in tension with one another.
In the first thirty minutes of the class the instructor will discuss the idea of abstraction through form in poetry. He will then cover the rules governing the questina form and share examples from his own work. For the following thirty minutes, participants will work with the form with the goal of completing one or more draft questinas. In the final sixty minutes, participants will be given the opportunity to share and discuss their work.
About the Instructor: Dave Seter is a poet, essayist, and author of the poetry collections Don’t Sing to Me of Electric Fences (Cherry Grove Collections, 2021) and Night Duty (Main Street Rag, 2010). His poems have won the KNOCK Ecolit Prize and placed third in the William Matthews competition. He is the recipient of two Pushcart nominations. He has been an Affiliate Artist at the Headlands Center for the Arts, and has served on the Board of Directors of Marin Poetry Center. He earned his undergraduate degree in civil engineering from Princeton University and his graduate degree in humanities from Dominican University of California. He has previously been a guest instructor and panelist at the Dominican University of California Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing Program. He has been named Sonoma County Poet Laureate 2024-2026.
Foundational Acrylic Painting Techniques
Mondays, March 3 - 24, 2025; 10:30am-12:30pm (4 weeks)
$125 + $25 Materials fee
Gain confidence in the art of acrylic painting by learning foundational techniques through getting to know tools and surfaces. Experiment with various types of acrylic mediums, how to use different types of brushes, palette knives and spatulas and learn how to create a variety of marks.
Try different surfaces like wood, masonite, canvas, fabric, watercolor paper and cardboard and learn how to prepare your surface with gesso. Learn how to thin your paint and glaze and how to thicken your paint to create dimensional textured paintings. We will also learn about the composition of your work and look at many artists and break down the elements of composition in painting.
About the Instructor: Amanda Rose Hopkins received her B.F.A from UC Santa Cruz with a concentration in painting and environmental art. Locally she has creatively taught children at Sunridge and REACH Charter schools. She spent 5 months studying under artist Kaveri Singh and Thangka painters from Nepal and Sikkim at the Sarnath International Nyingma Institute in India. Her work is currently focused on highlighting the sensuous texture and environmental importance of the kelp forests. You can view her work at https://artofnature.me/
After School Ceramics Session 2: Mar - Apr 2025
Tuesdays, March 4 - April 8, 2025 (No class Mar 18-20 Spring Break) (5 Weeks)
Drop Off: 3:15-3:30pm / Class Time: 3:30-5:30pm / Pickup 5:30-5:45pm
Registration Price: $230 + $10 clay fee (All sales final, no refunds) Snacks will be provided
Ceramics for children ages 7-12 who love hands-on experiences and creative process, this exciting class offers the perfect opportunity to explore the world of clay.
Students will learn the fundamentals of handbuilding techniques such as pinch pots, slab formation and coil building, creating functional and sculptural forms, along with a chance at wheel throwing, all while using recycled clay.
In addition to clay formation we will delve into surface treatment of the texturing of wet clay, along with decorative glazing techniques.
The goal is to inspire confidence in young artists, empowering them to bring their creative ideas to life within this wonderfully satisfying and expressive medium!
About the Instructor: Following the path of Practice, Passion and Play, Meryl Juniper, holds a BFA from San Francisco Art institute. Her 6 decades of Visual Art, Dance and Musical Expressions, intertwine within 5 decades of MultiMedia Master Arts Education and Collaborative Art Installation Projects. Meryl is a longtime Local Artist, spearheading art programs and teaching within them at Oak Grove Elementary, Willowside Middle along with Sally Briggs at Apple Blossom Elementary and positions at Bodega Bay and Tomales Elementary Schools. In addition, Meryl held a 20 year run of Arts Education here at Center for the Arts in past decades. She ignites and delicately encourages a supportive environment where artistic expression and hands-on inspired creative process thrives! You can view her work at https://www.meryljuniper.com/
Poetic Medicine: An Instrument for Healing
Tuesdays, March 4, 11, 18, 2025; 4:30-6pm
3 Weeks for $30 or 1 session for $15
The practice of “poem making” offers a means to express the metaphors and meaning of the joys and suffering we experience in ourselves and bear witness to in others. Poetry can be a salve for the heart and soul. It is a way of speaking what is true in our hearts and is often difficult to access without a creative spark. You do not have to be a "poet" or even a "writer" to allow words and feelings to pour through your pen.
Redwing Keyssar has been leading "poetic medicine" sessions through her work in Palliative Care at UCSF for the past 5 years. Her work has created an international community of people who, by listening to and writing poetry together, have healed wounds of grief and loss, helped "wounded healers," and provided resiliency to move forward on our life paths.
Writing poetry in community is a bit like attending a meditation retreat. The instruction for most beginners when learning to meditate is to simply bring oneself back to the breath, each time the mind wanders. In poem-making, the instruction is to bring oneself back to the heart and along with a deep breath, see if one can open a little bit wider. When we witness each other in this process, in a circle of open-heartedness, something magical happens!
We encourage registration for all three sessions to establish a strong and safe creative community. We are all poets!
About the Instructor: Judith Redwing Keyssar, RN has traversed an amazing 35+ year journey in the healing arts/healthcare. Redwing is an educator, end-of-life doula, author, poet, song-writer, ceremonialist, national presenter and frequent contributor to public issues about Palliative and End of Life Care. Redwing is currently the Director of Education at the MERI Center for Education in Palliative Care at UCSF/Mt. Zion. Her professional career includes being the Clinical Director at Zen Hospice Project and the Director of Palliative Care and Nursing at Jewish Family and Children’s Services from 2004-2018. She is a founder and adjunct faculty member of the California State University Shiley/Haynes Institute of Palliative Care, and has taught courses at OLLI at Sonoma State. Redwing is the author of an award-winning book, “Last Acts of Kindness; Lessons for the Living from the Bedsides of the Dying” and is the recipient of numerous awards in the field of Palliative Care. After studying with John Fox at the Institute for Poetic Medicine, her passion for using poetry as a healing modality has led to the development of a successful international program in Poetic Medicine, through her work at the UCSF MERI Center. Learn more about her here: https://redwingkeyssar.com/
Watercolor Wednesdays: 3/5-3/26 2025
Wednesdays, March 5 - 26, 2025; 10AM - 12PM
4 SESSIONS FOR $170+ $30 Materials Fee
Located in the Painting/Drawing Studio at SebArts
The watercolor class will focus on skill and technique development: wash, color mixing, texture, and line.
Beginning painters will practice developing a strong foundation.
Advanced painters will benefit from new approaches to the basics and sharpened skills.
Discussion will focus on the elements of visual art: light, form, color, and texture.
About the Instructor: Lynn Zachreson studied art at the University of Minnesota and San Jose State University—Painting, Printmaking: BA Fine Art. She has experience teaching all ages: Watercolor painting skills, 30+ years, Watercolor figure painting 20+ years, and Fine Art Basics with Mixed Media 20+ years. Lynn enjoys spending her time painting, teaching, long distance hiking, and gardening.
After School Eco-Art Mixed Media Session 2: Mar - Apr 2025
Wednesdays, March 5 - April 9, 2025 (No class Mar 18-20 Spring Break) (5 weeks)
Drop Off: 3:00-3:15pm / Class Time: 3:15-5:15pm / Pickup 5:15-5:30pm
Registration Price: $200 (All sales final, no refunds) Snacks will be provided
Children ages 7-12 will explore recycled art which incorporates their natural desire for individuality through self-expression in various artistic media, including acrylic painting and sculpture.
In this class, they will engage in fun and empowering art forms like painting, drawing, collage, assemblage and sculpture that encourage them to connect with their inner selves. They will express their identity through recycled papier-mâché masks and create their own jewelry and accessories. Collage allows for exploration of the inner world with little pressure to create with perfection with self portraits which incorporate acrylic paint and pastel including creating hot glue gun sculptures from recycled materials.
The use of recycled materials will be highly emphasized and students will be inspired by learning about artists who incorporate trash and recycled materials into their art.
Participants will study self-portraits by artists like Picasso, Frida Kahlo and Hannah Hoch using their own photographs as references to create unique portraits.
(In session 3 we will design and create a collaborative mural with the prompt, “Visions for helping our planet” with acrylic paint.)
About the Instructor: Amanda Rose Hopkins received her B.F.A from UC Santa Cruz with a concentration in painting and environmental art. Locally she has creatively taught children at Sunridge and REACH Charter schools. She spent 5 months studying under artist Kaveri Singh and Thangka painters from Nepal and Sikkim at the Sarnath International Nyingma Institute in India. Her work is currently focused on highlighting the sensuous texture and environmental importance of the kelp forests. You can view her work at https://artofnature.me/
Creating Ceramic Garden Poles
Thursdays, March 6 - April 17, 2025 (7 weeks); 2 - 5pm
$210 +$45 clay fee (pre-registration required)
Using basic-level hand-building skills including pinching and working with slabs, participants will learn to create unique pieces of garden art. Students can explore applied textures and the use of colored slips and glazes to personalize each piece. Participants can expect to have fun while skill-building— leading to an elegant piece art.
About the Instructor: Maura Palmer has been a prolific creator for most of her life. She specializes in the use of color and texture on organic forms. Her approach to teaching is to guide students to produce a truly unique work of art that embodies a west coast appreciation of nature and free form design. Prior to working with clay and concrete, she operated her own garden design business for over two decades.
Painting with Soft Pastels: Mar 7-21, 2025
Fridays, March 7, 14, 21, 2025 10AM - 12PM
3 Sessions for $135+ $15 Materials Fee
Explore the vivid world of soft pastel with master pastelist, James R Reynolds. The class begins with a short demonstration and introduction to this vivid and flexible medium. Then students will begin a pastel painting of their own. The student is free to choose an image, but guidance will be available.
Students will get individual attention in a supportive, friendly and non-judgmental atmosphere.
Topics to be covered will include: Making a good start - underpainting using an alcohol wash, Simplifying color choices, Types of mark making, layering colors, blending
About the Instructor: James R Reynolds is a popular Sebastopol artist who works in a variety of traditional media, including pastel, oil, watercolor and sculpture. He started working in pastel over 20 years ago. James has conducted several weekend and day-long workshops and has taught students privately. He has demonstrated his pastel techniques to numerous Bay Area art groups. His pastel work has won numerous awards. James was initiated into the pastel medium when he attended his first week long plein aire painting workshop with renowned artist Richard McDaniel. That was such a solid beginning that over the next several years James attended Richard’s workshop three additional times. He also received private instruction from several other prominent local artists and enrolled in many helpful painting classes at the SRJC over a ten year period. For 17 years, James has helped to manage and maintain the Sebastopol Gallery, which he co-founded with 15 local artists. He participates in both of the annual Sebarts studio shows - Art at the Source and Art Trails.
Abstract Artist Panel
Sunday, March 9, 2025; 2 - 4pm
Sliding Scale: $5/$10/$15/$20 - RSVP to confirm your seat
(No one will be turned away for lack of funds)
Join us for an engaging discussion moderated by Cynthi Stefenoni with local abstract artists as they explore the creative processes, inspirations, and philosophies behind their work. This panel will delve into the complexities of abstract art, from the use of color and form to the ways in which abstraction communicates emotion and meaning.
Gain insight into how these artists push the boundaries of traditional representation and embrace the freedom of non-representational expression. Whether you're a seasoned art lover or a curious newcomer, this panel promises an enlightening conversation about the power of abstract art.
Panelists
Julia Nelson-Gal‘s work explores concepts around time, deterioration and human complexity, while observing the changing understanding of our world. Her abstract world work often includes repurposed materials, especially books, film, magazines and tools. In 2022, she built a large scale building at Burning Man covered in some 360 linear feet of abstract collage work made from 3000 repurpose books. Nelson-Gal received a MA and BA in Art History and Museum Studies at the University of Michigan and worked in Contemporary Art and Photography Departments at the Detroit Institute of Arts, The Art Institute of Chicago and SFMOMA. She has taught graduate Mixed Media Photography classes at the Academy of Art.
Gordon Studer’s earthy, confident abstracts are rooted in his discipline as an award-winning commercial illustrator, lending his work a strong, graphic cadence. The result speaks to liminal experience, interstitial time, and dreamscapes in deliberate forms in black atop a palette of ochre, sky blue, and crushed clays. Having studied fine art at Penn State, he went on to teach at the California College of the Arts, and enjoyed a 25 year career telling visual stories for Fortune 500 corporate clients and major media outlets. His background is evident as he applies an intentionality to his paintings, delivering on a specific narrative, inviting the viewer to a purposeful encounter. Based in Sausalito, California, he once experienced a bout of complete amnesia, allowing him to refresh his perception of the natural world and question concepts such as imagination, dream, and recollection.
Sige Weisman is an abstract artist, dancer, psychotherapist, mother and community tender. She works with collage and mixed media at her studio in Sebastopol, California. She received an Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Art History from Washington University School of Art. She was a Studio Artist and Arts Educator at Root Division, an arts incubator in San Francisco’s Mission District while pursuing a Masters Degree in Integral Counseling Psychology from the California Institute for Integral Studies. Focusing mostly on the healing arts as a therapist and owner of SF Women’s Therapy for the last twenty years, Sige returned to her studio practice in 2022 to find herself again after emerging from the cocoon of early motherhood. Sige fell in love with abstract art as a way to unwind her perfectionism and connect with the spontaneous joy of improvisational mark making. She approaches each piece with a beginners mind, holding an openness, eagerness, and lack of preconception, like an alluring dance with the unknown. Her visual language incorporates analogous color palettes and negative space in contrast with bold gestural marks used to express specific emotional landscapes. In her recent work she explores the process of “forgetting and remembering” by veiling layers of collage with a solid field of paint that is then sanded down to excavate a rich history of colors, textures and shapes. What emerges is a surprising interplay of concealing and revealing that speakes to her own inner way of relating with herself and the world.
Colored Pencil with Nina Antze: Mar 11, 2025
Tuesday, March 11, 2025; 10 AM - 1 PM
3 HR CLASS - $45
Painting/Drawing Studio (adjacent to ceramics studio)
These workshops are geared to the advanced, ongoing students who want in-person instruction and feedback on their colored pencil projects. Please consult the instructor before signing up, Nina Antze antze@pcquilt.com
Nina Antze is a botanical artist, quilt maker and teacher living in Sonoma County. She has a degree in Fine Art from San Francisco State University and has a Certificate in Botanical Illustration from the New York Botanical Gardens. Her paintings are part of the Filoli Florilegium and the Alcatraz Florilegium.
Handbuilding Wednesdays (Sliding Scale)
Wednesdays, March 12 - 26, 2025 (3 sessions)
1:30pm-4pm
This course is designed for new and returning students wishing to improve their clay hand-building skills and enjoy being a part of the Sebarts clay studio community.
Each session will start with a demonstration of a specific project related to functional pottery. Class time will also include unstructured time for students to explore special projects and consult with the instructor as needed. Sculptors are also encouraged to take this class.
Week 1: Pinch pots, coils, and texture.
Week 2: Slips, slabs, and slump Molds
Week 3: Glazing success strategies
The class fee includes firing/glazing, and 5 pounds of recycled clay. Students may purchase other clay for an additional fee online.
Thank you for selecting the “sliding scale” fee option that feels perfect for you. Your contributions help to make our community art center more inclusive.
About the Instructor: Alice Rathjen has over 40 years experience working with clay. She was a production potter for five years. The current focus of her “art” is the sheer pleasure of playful engagement and exploration of clay and not having to be productive. She enjoys throwing exquisite bowls, mugs and cups and seeing them go on adventures.
ART SHARE- Show & Tell: Abstract Style & Beyond
Wednesday, March 12, 2025; 3 - 5:30pm
Sliding Scale: $10/$15/$20
Artists welcome to a fun and friendly "show and tell."
This month’s theme is Abstract, however, you are not limited to this style. Bring ANY one of your masterpieces or something in-the-works to share. Our discussions will inspire and motivate the beginner to the expert.
Each artist has 10 minutes for discussion and input from attendees.
Max 12 attendees. RSVP required. Other artists and non-artists are welcome as "listeners."
Light refreshments will be served.
Moderated by Kim Winter, who holds an MFA from UC Santa Barbara and has lived in both Southern California and Spain. She is a member of the Visual Arts Team at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, where she also curates "The Stop Gallery." Kim has participated in the "Reverberations" shows as an artist and poet. She currently resides in Santa Rosa with their wife, Laura, and a variety of animals, including dogs, chickens, and sheep.
Abstract Collage and the Creative Process
Saturday, March 15, 2025; 11am-3pm
$105 + $10 materials fee
Ages 16 and up
Join French-American artist Catherine Cruz as she demonstrates her technique and explains what makes her layered collages so unique. Collage, from the French word coller meaning "to glue," is all about combining different materials to tell a visual story. In her art practice she has found paper and paint to be both simple and complex materials that can be manipulated in many ways. Her abstract collage pieces have multiple layers that are fused together to reveal texture and imagery. In this class you will learn which papers to select, how to combine them and how to apply them to a wood panel. She will guide you in creating a compelling abstract composition that tells your story.
What you’ll get from this workshop: Methods for sourcing interesting collage papers, Techniques for creating rich layered collages, Creative ways to loosen up & trust yourself, Strategies for refining your composition
Supplies provided: Wood panels, collage papers, brushes, acrylic medium.
You are highly encouraged to bring your own papers to personalize your artwork like ephemera, prints, old letters, books, decorative papers, tissue paper, etc. Note: glossy paper and magazines will not work well in this process and if you want to use photographs it’s best to make laser copies of them.
About the instructor: Catherine Cruz is a French-American artist, whose work is informed by textures and patterns created by the passing of time and the effects of the natural elements on the built environment. She has taught collage and mixed media workshops in the Bay Area and France since 2019, and this is her fourth year at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts. Her background is in interior design and green building certification. She works from her home studio in Sebastopol, and participates in Art Trails Open Studios. You may contact Catherine Cruz at beyouartstudio@gmail.com Check out Catherine's other classes here: https://www.sebarts.org/visual-arts-classes
Writers' Salon: Mar Session
Thursday, March 20, 2025; 3 - 5:30 pm
Join us at the Writers' Salon—a monthly in-person gathering for literary enthusiasts. Each person will have 5 minutes to read their work (any type of writing is welcome including prose, poetry, essay, etc.)
Enjoy sharing feedback and insight! Light refreshments will be served.
Max 10 attendees. RSVP required. No drop-ins
About the Facilitator: Linda Loveland-Ried is the author of two novels available on Amazon (Touch of Magenta and Something in Stone). Her stories, essays, and poems have been published in over 30 anthologies and magazines. Linda has two B.A.s from SSU, graduating cum laude. She lectures for SSU and Dominican Universities in the Osher Lifelong Learning program. As president of Redwood Writers for three years, a branch of the prestigious California Writers Club, she is a recipient of the Jack London Award. Several of Linda’s short plays have been presented by Readers Thater. She has directed community theater in Sonoma and Marin Counties for over 30 years, most recently “readings” of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milkwood and the Pulitzer Prize play Our Town. Linda professional career began as Associate Executive Director of United Way in Sonoma County. She then founded an insurance firm specializing in employee benefits, now managed by her daughter. You can see Linda’s figurative and abstract paintings, along with her writing, at her website: LindaLovelandReid.com
Documentary Poetry Challenge with Dave Seter
Sunday, March 30, 2025; 10am - 12pm
Sliding Scale: $20-$25
What is documentary poetry? Documentary poetry, as described by the Poetry Foundation, is usually written to shed light on an issue or injustice. The issue or injustice may be explored firsthand (if directly experienced by the poet) or secondhand (if experienced by someone other than the poet). Oral or written histories, news coverage, and other sources, may be used in providing context to the issue or injustice being written about. Poets from Muriel Rukeyser to Sonoma County’s own Iris Dunkle and Jodi Hottel have written powerful documentary poetry. As is the case with many subgenres of poetry, the definition of documentary poetry is constantly in flux, therefore workshop participants are encouraged to trust their own instincts instead of seeking to conform to any one style or approach.
In the first thirty minutes of the class the instructor will discuss the idea of documentary poetry. He will then share examples, from his own work and from the work of other poets. For the following thirty minutes, participants will work with the idea of documentary poetry with the goal of completing one or more draft questinas. In the final sixty minutes, participants will be given the opportunity to share and discuss their work.
About the Instructor: Dave Seter is a poet, essayist, and author of the poetry collections Don’t Sing to Me of Electric Fences (Cherry Grove Collections, 2021) and Night Duty (Main Street Rag, 2010). His poems have won the KNOCK Ecolit Prize and placed third in the William Matthews competition. He is the recipient of two Pushcart nominations. He has been an Affiliate Artist at the Headlands Center for the Arts, and has served on the Board of Directors of Marin Poetry Center. He earned his undergraduate degree in civil engineering from Princeton University and his graduate degree in humanities from Dominican University of California. He has previously been a guest instructor and panelist at the Dominican University of California Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing Program. He has been named Sonoma County Poet Laureate 2024-2026.
All About Texture! Acrylic Mixed Media Painting
Mondays, March 31, 2025 - Apr 28, 2025 (No class on the 21st) (4 weeks)
10:30am-12:30pm
$125 + $25 Materials fee
Join us in an open and creative space where we will explore and experiment with a variety of ways to create unique and interesting textures in your acrylic mixed media paintings. We will use a variety of acrylic mediums, fabric, ink, pastel, pencil, pens, rice paper, sand and more. Add depth and visual interested in your paintings with dimensional textures using materials like molding paste and sand.
Learn how to incorporate interesting collage materials like fabric, rice paper and vintage paper. One of the advantages of acrylic paint is its ability to be layered and to be easily combined with other mediums. We will learn how to use ink and layer with pens and oil pastels and how to blend with chalk pastels.
About the Instructor: Amanda Rose Hopkins received her B.F.A from UC Santa Cruz with a concentration in painting and environmental art. Locally she has creatively taught children at Sunridge and REACH Charter schools. She spent 5 months studying under artist Kaveri Singh and Thangka painters from Nepal and Sikkim at the Sarnath International Nyingma Institute in India. Her work is currently focused on highlighting the sensuous texture and environmental importance of the kelp forests. You can view her work at https://artofnature.me/
Watercolor Wednesdays: 4/2-4/16 2025
Wednesdays, April 2 - 16, 2025; 10AM - 12PM
3 SESSIONS FOR $130+ $30 Materials Fee
Located in the Painting/Drawing Studio at SebArts
The watercolor class will focus on skill and technique development: wash, color mixing, texture, and line.
Beginning painters will practice developing a strong foundation.
Advanced painters will benefit from new approaches to the basics and sharpened skills.
Discussion will focus on the elements of visual art: light, form, color, and texture.
About the Instructor: Lynn Zachreson studied art at the University of Minnesota and San Jose State University—Painting, Printmaking: BA Fine Art. She has experience teaching all ages: Watercolor painting skills, 30+ years, Watercolor figure painting 20+ years, and Fine Art Basics with Mixed Media 20+ years. Lynn enjoys spending her time painting, teaching, long distance hiking, and gardening.
Beginning Pottery & Beyond w/ Randy Snyder
(6 sessions) Thursdays, April 3 - May 8, 2025; 6:30pm - 9pm
$200 + Clay Fee: $45
Ages 16 and up
All levels welcome (beginner to advanced)
Come play with clay!! This is the prefect class to introduce you to most methods of working with clay.
The class will focus on the potters wheel and hand building techniques like slab, coil, and pinch to create cups bowls and other shapes to make our pottery projects.
We will finish, fire and glaze our project for you to enjoy for years to come.
This class is great for beginners and seasoned potters looking to bring it to next level.
About the Instructor: Randy Snyder got hooked on throwing pots while in high school and kept throwing them through his college years and part-time afterward, while trying various career avenues. He finally decided that the thing he loved to do was pottery and has been a full time artist and teacher for the last 30 years. Check out Randy’s work here: https://www.rakufiredpottery.com/
Saturday Watercolors: 4/5-4/12 2025
Saturdays, April 5 - 12, 2025; 1:30pm-3:30pm
2 SESSIONS FOR $80 + $20 Materials Fee
Located in the Painting/Drawing Studio at SebArts.
The watercolor class will focus on skill and technique development: wash, color mixing, texture, and line.
Beginning painters will practice developing a strong foundation.
Advanced painters will benefit from new approaches to the basics and sharpened skills.
Discussion will focus on the elements of visual art: light, form, color, and texture.
About the Instructor: Lynn Zachreson studied art at the University of Minnesota and San Jose State University—Painting, Printmaking: BA Fine Art. She has experience teaching all ages: Watercolor painting skills, 30+ years, Watercolor figure painting 20+ years, and Fine Art Basics with Mixed Media 20+ years. Lynn enjoys spending her time painting, teaching, long distance hiking, and gardening.
Gel Plate Printing
Sunday, April 5, 2025; 11am -3pm
Fee: $105 + $10 materials fee
Ages 16 and up
Learn to create beautiful designs on paper by printing with a gel plate and acrylic paint. Mixed media artist Catherine Cruz will teach you the basic skills for using this fun tool from printing textural backgrounds, to layering colors, and using stencils and other applications.
You will take home lots of prints that can be used for designing collage, mixed media art or greeting cards. This class is suitable for anyone wanting to learn this unique mono printing style and perfect for beginners.
All materials are provided: Gel plate, brayer roller, acrylic paint, stencils, mark-making tools, paper.
About the instructor: Catherine Cruz is a French-American artist, whose work is informed by textures and patterns created by the passing of time and the effects of the natural elements on the built environment. She has taught collage and mixed media workshops in the Bay Area and France since 2019, and this is her third year at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts. Her background is in interior design and green building certification. She works from her home studio in Sebastopol, and participates in Art Trails Open Studios. You may contact Catherine Cruz at beyouartstudio@gmail.com Check out Catherine's other classes here: https://www.sebarts.org/visual-arts-classes
Accessing the Flow State: Painting in the Zone with Acrylics and Pastel
Sunday, April 6, 2025; 12pm - 5:30pm
$85
Exercises that will help you drop into a state of doing without thoughts and critical analysis, where you are directly experiencing creative expression with painting and collage. Let us step into a child-like state and finger paint, let us free write and tap into our deepest yearnings and then create from this place. Play and experimentation is where invention and innovation are born.
Through courageous play, through quick, fun exercises we will access a state of flow and then create from that place. Learning how to access your own flow state is helpful not just in art making but in any creative pursuit- working on that book? Needing to solve challenging problems at work that require out of the box thinking? Step out of your judgemental mind and enter a space of openness and play.
About the Instructor: Amanda Rose Hopkins received her B.F.A from UC Santa Cruz with a concentration in painting and environmental art. Locally she has creatively taught children at Sunridge and REACH Charter schools. She spent 5 months studying under artist Kaveri Singh and Thangka painters from Nepal and Sikkim at the Sarnath International Nyingma Institute in India. Her work is currently focused on highlighting the sensuous texture and environmental importance of the kelp forests. You can view her work at https://artofnature.me/
Georgia O’Keeffe, Luscious Flowers Acrylic Workshop
Sunday, April 13, 2025; 12pm - 5:30pm
$85 + $25 Materials Fee
Sensual Lines, gorgeous curves, luscious colors; this and more comes to mind when I think of Georgia O’Keeffe. The quintessential artist who left society to live in the desert immersed in her work. O’Keeffe’s flowers are powerfully sensual, filled with softness yet with jarring lines and edges. How can we achieve this softness with acrylics? What inspired O’Keeffe? How can we get into her mind and create something similar?
O'Keeffe's flower paintings were a crucial step in the evolution of her work as a modernist painter. Ever since their inception, they have garnered both praise and disdain from critics who have pondered over the true meaning behind these flowers. (Adrienne Howell)
In this one day workshop we will look deeply at the evolution of Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings and create our own Georgia O'Keeffe inspired acrylic flowers. Fresh flowers and bones will be on display for your inspiration.
About the Instructor: Amanda Rose Hopkins received her B.F.A from UC Santa Cruz with a concentration in painting and environmental art. Locally she has creatively taught children at Sunridge and REACH Charter schools. She spent 5 months studying under artist Kaveri Singh and Thangka painters from Nepal and Sikkim at the Sarnath International Nyingma Institute in India. Her work is currently focused on highlighting the sensuous texture and environmental importance of the kelp forests. You can view her work at https://artofnature.me/
Recite Your Favorite Poem
Sunday, April 13, 2025; 2-4pm
Sliding Scale (includes ceramic mug): $35/$45/$55
A Benefit for SebArts Literary Arts Program: Read or Recite Your Favorite Poem
Join us for a heartwarming evening celebrating the power of poetry, benefiting SebArts’ Literary Arts Program. This special gathering invites friends, family, and neighbors to come together and share the poems that have touched their hearts.
Your ticket includes a beautifully handmade ceramic mug from our ceramic studio!
Our talented MC, Larry Robinson, a member of Rumi’s Caravan, along with co-host Dave Seter, the current SoCo Poet Laureate, will lead an inspiring evening filled with shared voices and meaningful connections. Participants are invited to submit a poem that speaks to them (not their own) and to share a brief reflection on its significance.
How to Participate: Submit your chosen poem by clicking HERE Call Opens Feb 1st, March 17 deadline for submission
Whether you’re a seasoned poet or a first-time reciter, this event is for everyone who appreciates the beauty of words. Come share your love for poetry and support a great cause! We can't wait to hear the poems that inspire you!
Light refreshments will be served. Let’s celebrate the art of poetry together!
Writers' Salon: Apr Session
Thursday, April 17, 2025; 3 - 5:30 pm
Join us at the Writers' Salon—a monthly in-person gathering for literary enthusiasts. Each person will have 5 minutes to read their work (any type of writing is welcome including prose, poetry, essay, etc.)
Enjoy sharing feedback and insight! Light refreshments will be served.
Max 10 attendees. RSVP required. No drop-ins
About the Facilitator: Linda Loveland-Ried is the author of two novels available on Amazon (Touch of Magenta and Something in Stone). Her stories, essays, and poems have been published in over 30 anthologies and magazines. Linda has two B.A.s from SSU, graduating cum laude. She lectures for SSU and Dominican Universities in the Osher Lifelong Learning program. As president of Redwood Writers for three years, a branch of the prestigious California Writers Club, she is a recipient of the Jack London Award. Several of Linda’s short plays have been presented by Readers Thater. She has directed community theater in Sonoma and Marin Counties for over 30 years, most recently “readings” of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milkwood and the Pulitzer Prize play Our Town. Linda professional career began as Associate Executive Director of United Way in Sonoma County. She then founded an insurance firm specializing in employee benefits, now managed by her daughter. You can see Linda’s figurative and abstract paintings, along with her writing, at her website: LindaLovelandReid.com
After School Ceramics Session 3: Apr - May 2025
Tuesdays, April 22 - May 20, 2025 (5 weeks)
Drop Off: 3:15-3:30pm / Class Time: 3:30-5:30pm / Pickup 5:30-5:45pm
Registration Price: $230 + $10 clay fee (All sales final, no refunds) Snacks will be provided
Ceramics for children ages 7-12 who love hands-on experiences and creative process, this exciting class offers the perfect opportunity to explore the world of clay.
Students will learn the fundamentals of handbuilding techniques such as pinch pots, slab formation and coil building, creating functional and sculptural forms, along with a chance at wheel throwing, all while using recycled clay.
In addition to clay formation we will delve into surface treatment of the texturing of wet clay, along with decorative glazing techniques.
The goal is to inspire confidence in young artists, empowering them to bring their creative ideas to life within this wonderfully satisfying and expressive medium!
About the Instructor: Following the path of Practice, Passion and Play, Meryl Juniper, holds a BFA from San Francisco Art institute. Her 6 decades of Visual Art, Dance and Musical Expressions, intertwine within 5 decades of MultiMedia Master Arts Education and Collaborative Art Installation Projects. Meryl is a longtime Local Artist, spearheading art programs and teaching within them at Oak Grove Elementary, Willowside Middle along with Sally Briggs at Apple Blossom Elementary and positions at Bodega Bay and Tomales Elementary Schools. In addition, Meryl held a 20 year run of Arts Education here at Center for the Arts in past decades. She ignites and delicately encourages a supportive environment where artistic expression and hands-on inspired creative process thrives! You can view her work at https://www.meryljuniper.com/
After School Eco-Art Mixed Media Session 3: Apr - May 2025
Wednesdays, April 23 - May 21, 2025 (5 weeks)
Drop Off: 3:00-3:15pm / Class Time: 3:15-5:15pm / Pickup 5:15-5:30pm
Registration Price: $200 (All sales final, no refunds) Snacks will be provided
Children ages 7-12 will explore recycled art which incorporates their natural desire for individuality through self-expression in various artistic media, including acrylic painting and sculpture.
In this class, they will engage in fun and empowering art forms like painting, drawing, collage, assemblage and sculpture that encourage them to connect with their inner selves. They will express their identity through recycled papier-mâché masks and create their own jewelry and accessories. Collage allows for exploration of the inner world with little pressure to create with perfection with self portraits which incorporate acrylic paint and pastel including creating hot glue gun sculptures from recycled materials.
The use of recycled materials will be highly emphasized and students will be inspired by learning about artists who incorporate trash and recycled materials into their art.
Participants will study self-portraits by artists like Picasso, Frida Kahlo and Hannah Hoch using their own photographs as references to create unique portraits.
(In session 3 we will design and create a collaborative mural with the prompt, “Visions for helping our planet” with acrylic paint.)
About the Instructor: Amanda Rose Hopkins received her B.F.A from UC Santa Cruz with a concentration in painting and environmental art. Locally she has creatively taught children at Sunridge and REACH Charter schools. She spent 5 months studying under artist Kaveri Singh and Thangka painters from Nepal and Sikkim at the Sarnath International Nyingma Institute in India. Her work is currently focused on highlighting the sensuous texture and environmental importance of the kelp forests. You can view her work at https://artofnature.me/
Intro to Wheel Throwing
Fridays, May 2 - June 6, 2025 (6 sessions); 5pm - 7:30pm
$205 + $45 clay fee
Maximum 10 students
There will be an initial demo on throwing and trimming, and you will also receive one-on-one guidance.
The class will end with learning to attach a handle to a cup and glazing the cup with your chosen colors.
The instructor will clear glaze your pieces once they have been bisqued at the studio.
Come prepared to get messy and have fun!
About the Instructor: James Thomson has been a ceramics studio facilitator with Sebastopol Center of the Arts for over 5 years. He holds a BA from San Jose State University and has taken classes with Laney Junior College, Santa Rosa Junior College, Richmond Art Center. He enjoys sharing his acquired skills with those who are interested in broadening their relationship with clay. James approaches his classes with a friendly and encouraging attitude. When James is not in the studio, he is out in nature, hiking, and contributing to community through his art.
Poetry Challenge: Interweaving Found Text
Sunday, May 4, 2025; 1 - 3pm
Sliding Scale: $20-$25
Modernist writers, including T.S. Eliot and Marianne Moore, experimented with incorporating found text into their poetry. The goal? To explore a subject through multiple perspectives and voices, thus adding dimension or depth to the subject. Incorporating other voices also places less emphasis on the “I” of authorship.
In the first thirty minutes of the class the instructor will cover the concept of found text and provide examples, from his own work and from the work of others, on how text may be interwoven into a poem. For the following thirty minutes, participants will work with their own found text and lines of poetry with the goal of completing one or more draft poems. In the final sixty minutes, participants will be given the opportunity to share and discuss their work.
Participants should bring newspaper articles, magazines, advertising brochures, nature guides, et cetera, in print or on a laptop computer or tablet, pertaining to the subgenre of poetry they typically write, from which to select found text to incorporate into their poems.
About the Instructor: Dave Seter is a poet, essayist, and author of the poetry collections Don’t Sing to Me of Electric Fences (Cherry Grove Collections, 2021) and Night Duty (Main Street Rag, 2010). His poems have won the KNOCK Ecolit Prize and placed third in the William Matthews competition. He is the recipient of two Pushcart nominations. He has been an Affiliate Artist at the Headlands Center for the Arts, and has served on the Board of Directors of Marin Poetry Center. He earned his undergraduate degree in civil engineering from Princeton University and his graduate degree in humanities from Dominican University of California. He has previously been a guest instructor and panelist at the Dominican University of California Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing Program. He has been named Sonoma County Poet Laureate 2024-2026.
Diving into Color: In Depth Color Mixing with Acrylics
Mondays, May 5 - 19, 2025 (4 weeks) 10:30am-12:30pm
$125 + $25 materials fee
Create a solid foundation for your art with an exploration of the inner workings of color.
MIX! Blend… POP, add depth and subtly to your artworks by working with the color wheel and exploring color interactions.
Learn techniques in color mixing, tints and shades, complementary colors and learn more about color interactions. This is a technical class approached with an attitude of freedom and experimentation. Color can lend feeling and vibrancy to your art and good use of color can distinguish a beginning artist from a master.
The beginning class will focus on the foundations of the color wheel and color mixing. The intermediate class will review the foundations and explore color relationships in a painter’s palette as well as the color interaction experiments of Josef Albers.
About the Instructor: Amanda Rose Hopkins received her B.F.A from UC Santa Cruz with a concentration in painting and environmental art. Locally she has creatively taught children at Sunridge and REACH Charter schools. She spent 5 months studying under artist Kaveri Singh and Thangka painters from Nepal and Sikkim at the Sarnath International Nyingma Institute in India. Her work is currently focused on highlighting the sensuous texture and environmental importance of the kelp forests. You can view her work at https://artofnature.me/For questions about the class contact Amanda at artistamandarose@gmail.com
Watercolor Wednesdays: 5/14-5/28 2025
Wednesdays, May 14 - 28, 2025; 10AM - 12PM
3 SESSIONS FOR $130+ $30 Materials Fee
Located in the Painting/Drawing Studio at SebArts
The watercolor class will focus on skill and technique development: wash, color mixing, texture, and line.
Beginning painters will practice developing a strong foundation.
Advanced painters will benefit from new approaches to the basics and sharpened skills.
Discussion will focus on the elements of visual art: light, form, color, and texture.
About the Instructor: Lynn Zachreson studied art at the University of Minnesota and San Jose State University—Painting, Printmaking: BA Fine Art. She has experience teaching all ages: Watercolor painting skills, 30+ years, Watercolor figure painting 20+ years, and Fine Art Basics with Mixed Media 20+ years. Lynn enjoys spending her time painting, teaching, long distance hiking, and gardening.
Beginning Pottery & Beyond w/ Randy Snyder
(6 sessions) Thursdays, May 15 - June 19, 2025; 6:30pm - 9pm
$200 + Clay Fee: $45
Ages 16 and up
All levels welcome (beginner to advanced)
Come play with clay!! This is the prefect class to introduce you to most methods of working with clay.
The class will focus on the potters wheel and hand building techniques like slab, coil, and pinch to create cups bowls and other shapes to make our pottery projects.
We will finish, fire and glaze our project for you to enjoy for years to come.
This class is great for beginners and seasoned potters looking to bring it to next level.
About the Instructor: Randy Snyder got hooked on throwing pots while in high school and kept throwing them through his college years and part-time afterward, while trying various career avenues. He finally decided that the thing he loved to do was pottery and has been a full time artist and teacher for the last 30 years. Check out Randy’s work here: https://www.rakufiredpottery.com/
Wheel Throwing - Level 2: May-Jun 2025
Sundays, May 18 - June 22, 2025; 5:30PM-8:30PM (5 weeks) (No class May 25)
$170 + $45 Clay Fee
Located in the Ceramics Studio at SebArts
Have you tried your hand at pottery in the past? Are you looking to dive back in after a long break or recently learned the basics of throwing on the wheel?
This class will continue to build your confidence in your throwing skills and teach techniques on creating functional ceramics that are a little less wabi-sabi and a little more polished and professional!
Attention to detail on throwing, trimming, and decorating techniques will be the main focus of this course. Expect to come away with pieces that you can be proud of within this 6-week course!
About the Instructor: Rachel Horton has taken numerous collegiate pottery clases and various workshops over the course of 10 years. She has been facilitating at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts for several years and has been a production potter for the past 3, selling her wares at various markets locally. Check out some of Rachel's work here: https://www.up-north-pottery.com/ or on her Instagram @upnorthpottery
Writers' Salon: May Session
Thursday, May 22, 2025; 3 - 5:30 pm
Join us at the Writers' Salon—a monthly in-person gathering for literary enthusiasts. Each person will have 5 minutes to read their work (any type of writing is welcome including prose, poetry, essay, etc.)
Enjoy sharing feedback and insight! Light refreshments will be served.
Max 10 attendees. RSVP required. No drop-ins
About the Facilitator: Linda Loveland-Ried is the author of two novels available on Amazon (Touch of Magenta and Something in Stone). Her stories, essays, and poems have been published in over 30 anthologies and magazines. Linda has two B.A.s from SSU, graduating cum laude. She lectures for SSU and Dominican Universities in the Osher Lifelong Learning program. As president of Redwood Writers for three years, a branch of the prestigious California Writers Club, she is a recipient of the Jack London Award. Several of Linda’s short plays have been presented by Readers Thater. She has directed community theater in Sonoma and Marin Counties for over 30 years, most recently “readings” of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milkwood and the Pulitzer Prize play Our Town. Linda professional career began as Associate Executive Director of United Way in Sonoma County. She then founded an insurance firm specializing in employee benefits, now managed by her daughter. You can see Linda’s figurative and abstract paintings, along with her writing, at her website: LindaLovelandReid.com
Design & Paint Your Own Mural with Dave Gordon
5 Weeks, Saturdays, June 7 - July 12, 2025 (No class July 5); 12:30pm - 4 pm
2 Students for $350; 3 Students for $525
This class asks participants to explore themes for their personal mural, creating a workable design, followed by prepping and painting.
We will reference murals from around the world and learn techniques and materials to insure a quality project.
Working with a minimum of two and a maximum of three collaborating students per each 4'x 8' plywood mural, we will refine our ideas, learn successful design concepts, and create images that make a statement in to the public.
Brush, spray can, and stencil mural styles are all welcome. At the conclusion of this class the completed murals will be displayed at the Sebastopol Center for Arts. The class is open to participants 14 years and up and families are welcome.
About the Instructor: Dave Gordon attended the San Francisco Arts Institute and UCLA, receiving a BA in Anthropology in 1980 while employed as illustrator for the Archaeological Survey. In I979, he studied painting at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Bourges, France. Then, left school and hitchhiked across Europe, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal, painting small murals. In 1983, he worked as an assistant to Terry Schoonhoven on his Los Angeles Olympics mural, and in 1984 was commissioned to paint an 8,400 square foot retaining wall on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, California. Since that time, Dave has designed and painted 60 site-specific murals throughout the USA, including 4 artworks for the Mural Arts Program in Philadelphia, and two walls inside the Visitors Center on Independence Mall. In 2003, he was invited to paint a mural during the Festival International des Arts Plastiques in Mahares, Tunisia. For the past several years, Gordon had the opportunity to work locally, producing murals in Sebastopol, Sonoma, Occidental and Boyes Hot Springs. Learn more about his work here: https://www.dsgordon.com/
Intro to Wheel Throwing
Fridays, June 20 - August 1, 2025 (No class July 4th) (6 sessions)
5pm - 7:30pm
$205 + $45 clay fee
Maximum 10 students
There will be an initial demo on throwing and trimming, and you will also receive one-on-one guidance.
The class will end with learning to attach a handle to a cup and glazing the cup with your chosen colors.
The instructor will clear glaze your pieces once they have been bisqued at the studio.
Come prepared to get messy and have fun!
About the Instructor: James Thomson has been a ceramics studio facilitator with Sebastopol Center of the Arts for over 5 years. He holds a BA from San Jose State University and has taken classes with Laney Junior College, Santa Rosa Junior College, Richmond Art Center. He enjoys sharing his acquired skills with those who are interested in broadening their relationship with clay. James approaches his classes with a friendly and encouraging attitude. When James is not in the studio, he is out in nature, hiking, and contributing to community through his art.
Beginning Pottery & Beyond w/ Randy Snyder
(6 sessions) Thursdays, June 26- August 7, 2025 (No class July 24); 6:30pm - 9pm
$200 + Clay Fee: $45
Ages 16 and up
All levels welcome (beginner to advanced)
Come play with clay!! This is the prefect class to introduce you to most methods of working with clay.
The class will focus on the potters wheel and hand building techniques like slab, coil, and pinch to create cups bowls and other shapes to make our pottery projects.
We will finish, fire and glaze our project for you to enjoy for years to come.
This class is great for beginners and seasoned potters looking to bring it to next level.
About the Instructor: Randy Snyder got hooked on throwing pots while in high school and kept throwing them through his college years and part-time afterward, while trying various career avenues. He finally decided that the thing he loved to do was pottery and has been a full time artist and teacher for the last 30 years. Check out Randy’s work here: https://www.rakufiredpottery.com/
Fabric-Wrapped Coil Baskets
Saturday, June 28, 2025, 1PM - 5PM
$100 + $20 Materials fee
We'll use gorgeous fabrics, yarns and strings to wrap around a cotton core and then coil it all into a beautiful basket.
Once the form is created, we'll add embellishments with beads, shells, tassels and other ornamentation to take it to the next level.
No basket-making or art experience is necessary to take this workshop, or to make fabulous pieces of art.
Perfect for beginning through advanced artists.
About the Instructor: Vicki is an experimental and innovative fiber artist and instructor, always finding new and unique ways to work with textiles and fibers. Through her creative process, she explores many ways to weave, layer, attach, coil, tie, knot, twist, build and develop her pieces so they are vibrant and engaging. She then shares all of her techniques with her students, supporting and inspiring them to fully engage in their own creative process of discovery and expression. Vicki teaches at art schools and retreats around the country, such as the Art & Soul Mixed Media Retreat, the Mendocino Art Center, North Country Studio Workshops and the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles. Vicki completed a 4-month residency with the Santa Cruz Recycled Art Program. She has exhibited and sold her work at galleries, businesses, health centers, restaurants, community centers, museums, and open studio events. You can learn more about Vicki here: https://www.vickiart.com/
Weave Your Own Wall Art
Sunday, July 13, 2025, 1PM - 5PM
$100 + $20 Materials fee
Learn many techniques to create exciting and unique mixed media weavings on a simple loom (supplied for you).
You'll learn many stitches to weave in yarn and fabric, and then add beads, jewelry parts and all sorts of fun embellishments to create a textured and lively piece.
You’ll also learn to make special tassels, pompoms, and fringes to add on to the body and edges of your weaving.
No weaving or art experience is necessary to take this workshop, or to make fabulous pieces of art. Perfect for beginning through advanced artists.
About the Instructor: Vicki is an experimental and innovative fiber artist and instructor, always finding new and unique ways to work with textiles and fibers. Through her creative process, she explores many ways to weave, layer, attach, coil, tie, knot, twist, build and develop her pieces so they are vibrant and engaging. She then shares all of her techniques with her students, supporting and inspiring them to fully engage in their own creative process of discovery and expression. Vicki teaches at art schools and retreats around the country, such as the Art & Soul Mixed Media Retreat, the Mendocino Art Center, North Country Studio Workshops and the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles. Vicki completed a 4-month residency with the Santa Cruz Recycled Art Program. She has exhibited and sold her work at galleries, businesses, health centers, restaurants, community centers, museums, and open studio events. You can learn more about Vicki here: https://www.vickiart.com/
Beginning Pottery & Beyond w/ Randy Snyder
(6 sessions) Thursdays, August 14- September 18 , 2025; 6:30pm - 9pm
$200 + Clay Fee: $45
Ages 16 and up
All levels welcome (beginner to advanced)
Come play with clay!! This is the prefect class to introduce you to most methods of working with clay.
The class will focus on the potters wheel and hand building techniques like slab, coil, and pinch to create cups bowls and other shapes to make our pottery projects.
We will finish, fire and glaze our project for you to enjoy for years to come.
This class is great for beginners and seasoned potters looking to bring it to next level.
About the Instructor: Randy Snyder got hooked on throwing pots while in high school and kept throwing them through his college years and part-time afterward, while trying various career avenues. He finally decided that the thing he loved to do was pottery and has been a full time artist and teacher for the last 30 years. Check out Randy’s work here: https://www.rakufiredpottery.com/
After School Music: Next Steps on Our Musical Journey
Thursdays, January 16 - February 20, 2025 (6 Weeks)
Drop off: 3:15-3:30pm / Class Time: 3:30-5:30pm / Pickup: 5:30 - 5:45pm
Single Day: $50 (All sales final, no refunds) Snacks will be provided
In collaboration with arts nonprofit and performance space The Lost Church (http://thelostchurch.org), this dynamic class invites students ages 7-12 to explore various aspects of music through hands-on experience, collaboration, and visits from members of the North Bay's talented and diverse community of working musicians.
Presented as a series of weekly explorations, some of the topics we will cover include guitar, electronic music, piano, brass, basic technique, and the cultural relevance of music. Participants are encouraged to bring their own instruments, but it is not necessary for the class. Our goal is for each student to widen our worldview and find personal inspiration through music-making and interaction with experienced musicians.
Feb 6: Bass and Melody: Guitar and Keyboard Skills: Chords and melody, Special Guest: KingLung on Lyrics and Hip Hop, Special Guest: Levi Miller on Hip-Hop - App Based Music Creation using iPad, Discovering Basslines
Feb 13: Song Structure, Songwriting: Rhythm Games, Special Guest: Donny Mederos on Bass Guitar, Music and Art - Visualizing the Parts of a Song, Special Guest: Erica Ambrin on the Craft of Songwriting , Guitar and Keyboard Skills
Feb 20: Next Steps on Our Musical Journey: Rhythm Games, Guitar and Keyboard Skills, Special Guest: Audio Angel on Performance, Building Progressions With Instruments of Our Choice, Special Guest: Arsel Perez on Accordion, Our Personal Music Journeys
About the Instructor: Josh Windmiller is a local musician, producer, and arts advocate with a Masters in Education from Sonoma State University. He has taught private music lessons and has led his band (The Crux) for 17 years, performing inventive shows at events and venues such as Gravenstein Apple Fair, Rivertown Revival, and the Great American Music Hall. Josh is also a co-founder of Santa Rosa's Lost Church theater, which hosts up and coming musicians and more in their intimate performance space.
Writers' Salon: Feb Session
Thursday, February 20, 2025; 3 - 5:30 pm
Join us at the Writers' Salon—a monthly in-person gathering for literary enthusiasts. Each person will have 5 minutes to read their work (any type of writing is welcome including prose, poetry, essay, etc.)
Enjoy sharing feedback and insight! Light refreshments will be served.
Max 10 attendees. RSVP required. No drop-ins
About the Facilitator: Linda Loveland-Ried is the author of two novels available on Amazon (Touch of Magenta and Something in Stone). Her stories, essays, and poems have been published in over 30 anthologies and magazines. Linda has two B.A.s from SSU, graduating cum laude. She lectures for SSU and Dominican Universities in the Osher Lifelong Learning program. As president of Redwood Writers for three years, a branch of the prestigious California Writers Club, she is a recipient of the Jack London Award. Several of Linda’s short plays have been presented by Readers Thater. She has directed community theater in Sonoma and Marin Counties for over 30 years, most recently “readings” of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milkwood and the Pulitzer Prize play Our Town. Linda professional career began as Associate Executive Director of United Way in Sonoma County. She then founded an insurance firm specializing in employee benefits, now managed by her daughter. You can see Linda’s figurative and abstract paintings, along with her writing, at her website: LindaLovelandReid.com
Feb Session: Life Drawing Meet-Up
Mondays, February 3 -24, 2025; 6 - 9pm
$25 p/session or 4 Weeks $100
Painting/Drawing Room
Pre-signup guarantees entry, drop-ins are on a first come basis.
Live model on site, no instructor
Bring your own supplies
Ages 16+
Abstract Collage Composition
Sunday, February 16, 2025; 11am - 3pm
$105 + $10 materials fee
Number of participants: 14 max.
Ages 16 and up
In this workshop, collage artist Catherine Cruz will focus on the basics of grid composition and how it can be used to create interesting abstract collages. This class is designed for people with no previous art experience as well as artists interested in exploring a new medium. Catherine can meet you wherever you are in your art practice and guide you. She will discuss how grids are used in design and show how many contemporary collage artists use a form of grid composition. Participants will have an opportunity to select papers, learn about the elements of composition, and practice several exercises for different types of composition. They will take home several abstract collages on paper.
Provided materials: Glue sticks, Scissors, Templates, Collage papers. Participants are welcome to bring their own collage papers if they want.
About the instructor: Catherine is a French-American artist, whose work is informed by textures and patterns created by the passing of time and the effects of the natural elements on the built environment. She has taught collage and mixed media workshops in the Bay Area and France since 2019, and this is her third year at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts. Her background is in interior design and green building certification. She works from her home studio in Sebastopol, and is a participant in Art Trails Open Studios. You may contact her at beyouartstudio@gmail.com Check out Catherine's other classes here: https://www.sebarts.org/visual-arts-classes
POSTPONED: Painting with Soft Pastels: Feb 14-28, 2025
Fridays, February 14, 21, 28, 2025 10AM - 12PM
POSTPONED TO:
FRIDAYS, FEB 21 - 28; 10AM-12PM & MAR 7, 1PM-3PM
3 Sessions for $135+ $15 Materials Fee
Explore the vivid world of soft pastel with master pastelist, James R Reynolds. The class begins with a short demonstration and introduction to this vivid and flexible medium. Then students will begin a pastel painting of their own. The student is free to choose an image, but guidance will be available.
Students will get individual attention in a supportive, friendly and non-judgmental atmosphere.
Topics to be covered will include: Making a good start - underpainting using an alcohol wash, Simplifying color choices, Types of mark making, layering colors, blending
About the Instructor: James R Reynolds is a popular Sebastopol artist who works in a variety of traditional media, including pastel, oil, watercolor and sculpture. He started working in pastel over 20 years ago. James has conducted several weekend and day-long workshops and has taught students privately. He has demonstrated his pastel techniques to numerous Bay Area art groups. His pastel work has won numerous awards. James was initiated into the pastel medium when he attended his first week long plein aire painting workshop with renowned artist Richard McDaniel. That was such a solid beginning that over the next several years James attended Richard’s workshop three additional times. He also received private instruction from several other prominent local artists and enrolled in many helpful painting classes at the SRJC over a ten year period. For 17 years, James has helped to manage and maintain the Sebastopol Gallery, which he co-founded with 15 local artists. He participates in both of the annual Sebarts studio shows - Art at the Source and Art Trails.
Beginning Pottery & Beyond w/ Randy Snyder
(6 sessions) Thursdays, February 13 - March 20 2025; 6:30pm - 9pm
$200 + Clay Fee: $45
Ages 16 and up
All levels welcome (beginner to advanced)
Come play with clay!! This is the prefect class to introduce you to most methods of working with clay.
The class will focus on the potters wheel and hand building techniques like slab, coil, and pinch to create cups bowls and other shapes to make our pottery projects.
We will finish, fire and glaze our project for you to enjoy for years to come.
This class is great for beginners and seasoned potters looking to bring it to next level.
About the Instructor: Randy Snyder got hooked on throwing pots while in high school and kept throwing them through his college years and part-time afterward, while trying various career avenues. He finally decided that the thing he loved to do was pottery and has been a full time artist and teacher for the last 30 years. Check out Randy’s work here: https://www.rakufiredpottery.com/
After School Music: Songwriting (Ages 7-12)
Thursdays, January 16 - February 20, 2025 (6 Weeks)
Drop off: 3:15-3:30pm / Class Time: 3:30-5:30pm / Pickup: 5:30 - 5:45pm
Single Day: $50 (All sales final, no refunds) Snacks will be provided
In collaboration with arts nonprofit and performance space The Lost Church (http://thelostchurch.org), this dynamic class invites students ages 7-12 to explore various aspects of music through hands-on experience, collaboration, and visits from members of the North Bay's talented and diverse community of working musicians.
Presented as a series of weekly explorations, some of the topics we will cover include guitar, electronic music, piano, brass, basic technique, and the cultural relevance of music. Participants are encouraged to bring their own instruments, but it is not necessary for the class. Our goal is for each student to widen our worldview and find personal inspiration through music-making and interaction with experienced musicians.
Feb 6: Bass and Melody: Guitar and Keyboard Skills: Chords and melody, Special Guest: KingLung on Lyrics and Hip Hop, Special Guest: Levi Miller on Hip-Hop - App Based Music Creation using iPad, Discovering Basslines
Feb 13: Song Structure, Songwriting: Rhythm Games, Special Guest: Donny Mederos on Bass Guitar, Music and Art - Visualizing the Parts of a Song, Special Guest: Erica Ambrin on the Craft of Songwriting , Guitar and Keyboard Skills
Feb 20: Next Steps on Our Musical Journey: Rhythm Games, Guitar and Keyboard Skills, Special Guest: Audio Angel on Performance, Building Progressions With Instruments of Our Choice, Special Guest: Arsel Perez on Accordion, Our Personal Music Journeys
About the Instructor: Josh Windmiller is a local musician, producer, and arts advocate with a Masters in Education from Sonoma State University. He has taught private music lessons and has led his band (The Crux) for 17 years, performing inventive shows at events and venues such as Gravenstein Apple Fair, Rivertown Revival, and the Great American Music Hall. Josh is also a co-founder of Santa Rosa's Lost Church theater, which hosts up and coming musicians and more in their intimate performance space.
Colored Pencil with Nina Antze: Feb 11, 2025
Tuesday, February 11, 2025; 10 AM - 1 PM
Painting/Drawing Studio (adjacent to ceramics studio)
These workshops are geared to the advanced, ongoing students who want in-person instruction and feedback on their colored pencil projects. Please consult the instructor before signing up, Nina Antze antze@pcquilt.com
Nina Antze is a botanical artist, quilt maker and teacher living in Sonoma County. She has a degree in Fine Art from San Francisco State University and has a Certificate in Botanical Illustration from the New York Botanical Gardens. Her paintings are part of the Filoli Florilegium and the Alcatraz Florilegium.
3 HR CLASS - $45
Feb Session: Life Drawing Meet-Up
Mondays, February 3 -24, 2025; 6 - 9pm
$25 p/session or 4 Weeks $100
Painting/Drawing Room
Pre-signup guarantees entry, drop-ins are on a first come basis.
Live model on site, no instructor
Bring your own supplies
Ages 16+
Pop-Up Valentines Day Cards
Sunday, February 9, 2025; 1 - 4pm
Class Fee: $60
In this unique class we will explore the foundations of pop up design and paper cutting while creating one of a kind pop up valentines for loved ones. Students will learn foundational “folds” for pop up elements and then create their own valentines. Students can personalize provided pop up design templates, or dream up their own imaginative way to use the folds they have learned to create their own pop up design for their cards.
With an introduction to paper cutting technique, students can expand on their designs and create something enchanting. Artists will have some multimedia options if they wish to adorn their pop up elements and card pages (such as watercolor, colored pencils, etc), or may opt to let the cut paper speak for itself.
In this one day worksop we will cover: the basic rules underlying pop up mechanics, beginning pop up “folds”, proper knife handling, foundational paper cutting skills, and the basics of pop up design. This class is suitable for artists of all skill levels. All materials included.
About the Instructor: Hannah Day received her BA in Visual Arts with an emphasis on drawing and printmaking from University of San Diego, then attended University of Hawaii at Manoa to receive her MFA in printmaking. Hannah’s etchings have been internationally shown and collected, but her personal practice also includes paper cutting, graphite, watercolor, mixed media, and murals. She have taught all ages and many formats (kids, teens, adults, college, private lessons, camps, etc) and many mediums. These days Hannah has been teaching primarily paper cutting but also enjoys teaching drawing, painting and printmaking.
Rumi's Caravan
Saturday, February 8, 2025; 7:00 PM
ALL TICKETS ARE WILL CALL, NO TICKETS AVAILABLE AT DOOR
Doors open: 6:15pm Showtime: 7pm
An Evening of Poetry and Music in the Ecstatic Tradition
Join us for Rumi's Caravan, a mesmerizing evening of poetry and music celebrating the ecstatic tradition. This benefit event will transport you into a realm of inspiration and creativity, featuring an incredible lineup of talented performers.
Kay Crista, Barry Spector, Maya Spector, Rebecca Evert, and Larry Robinson Share their heartfelt verses, drawing from the rich tapestry of Rumi’s wisdom and the ecstatic spirit of poetic expression.
Enhancing the evening, the soulful musical accompaniment by Jason Parmar and Arshad Seyed will elevate the atmosphere, weaving melodies that resonate with the rhythms of the heart.
Join us for this unforgettable night where art meets compassion, and be part of a community dedicated to supporting the arts. Your presence not only enriches the evening but also helps SebARTS continue to foster creativity and culture in our community.
Lavish attire is encouraged!
Saturday Watercolor Basics & Techniques: Feb 8-15, 2025
Saturdays, February 8 - 15, 2025; 1:30pm-3:30pm
2 SESSIONS FOR $80 + $20 Materials Fee
Located in the Painting/Drawing Studio at SebArts.
The watercolor class will focus on skill and technique development: wash, color mixing, texture, and line.
Beginning painters will practice developing a strong foundation.
Advanced painters will benefit from new approaches to the basics and sharpened skills.
Discussion will focus on the elements of visual art: light, form, color, and texture.
About the Instructor: Lynn Zachreson studied art at the University of Minnesota and San Jose State University—Painting, Printmaking: BA Fine Art. She has experience teaching all ages: Watercolor painting skills, 30+ years, Watercolor figure painting 20+ years, and Fine Art Basics with Mixed Media 20+ years. Lynn enjoys spending her time painting, teaching, long distance hiking, and gardening.
After School Music: Bass and Melody (Ages 7-12)
Thursdays, January 16 - February 20, 2025 (6 Weeks)
Drop off: 3:15-3:30pm / Class Time: 3:30-5:30pm / Pickup: 5:30 - 5:45pm
Single Day: $50 (All sales final, no refunds) Snacks will be provided
In collaboration with arts nonprofit and performance space The Lost Church (http://thelostchurch.org), this dynamic class invites students ages 7-12 to explore various aspects of music through hands-on experience, collaboration, and visits from members of the North Bay's talented and diverse community of working musicians.
Presented as a series of weekly explorations, some of the topics we will cover include guitar, electronic music, piano, brass, basic technique, and the cultural relevance of music. Participants are encouraged to bring their own instruments, but it is not necessary for the class. Our goal is for each student to widen our worldview and find personal inspiration through music-making and interaction with experienced musicians.
Feb 6: Bass and Melody: Guitar and Keyboard Skills: Chords and melody, Special Guest: KingLung on Lyrics and Hip Hop, Special Guest: Levi Miller on Hip-Hop - App Based Music Creation using iPad, Discovering Basslines
Feb 13: Song Structure, Songwriting: Rhythm Games, Special Guest: Donny Mederos on Bass Guitar, Music and Art - Visualizing the Parts of a Song, Special Guest: Erica Ambrin on the Craft of Songwriting , Guitar and Keyboard Skills
Feb 20: Next Steps on Our Musical Journey: Rhythm Games, Guitar and Keyboard Skills, Special Guest: Audio Angel on Performance, Building Progressions With Instruments of Our Choice, Special Guest: Arsel Perez on Accordion, Our Personal Music Journeys
About the Instructor: Josh Windmiller is a local musician, producer, and arts advocate with a Masters in Education from Sonoma State University. He has taught private music lessons and has led his band (The Crux) for 17 years, performing inventive shows at events and venues such as Gravenstein Apple Fair, Rivertown Revival, and the Great American Music Hall. Josh is also a co-founder of Santa Rosa's Lost Church theater, which hosts up and coming musicians and more in their intimate performance space.
Handbuilding Wednesdays (Sliding Scale)
Wednesdays, February 5 - 19, 2025 (3 sessions)
1:30pm-4pm
This course is designed for new and returning students wishing to improve their clay hand-building skills and enjoy being a part of the Sebarts clay studio community.
Each session will start with a demonstration of a specific project related to functional pottery. Class time will also include unstructured time for students to explore special projects and consult with the instructor as needed. Sculptors are also encouraged to take this class.
Week 1: Pinch pots, coils, and texture.
Week 2: Slips, slabs, and slump Molds
Week 3: Glazing success strategies
The class fee includes firing/glazing, and 5 pounds of recycled clay. Students may purchase other clay for an additional fee online.
Thank you for selecting the “sliding scale” fee option that feels perfect for you. Your contributions help to make our community art center more inclusive.
About the Instructor: Alice Rathjen has over 40 years experience working with clay. She was a production potter for five years. The current focus of her “art” is the sheer pleasure of playful engagement and exploration of clay and not having to be productive. She enjoys throwing exquisite bowls, mugs and cups and seeing them go on adventures.
Watercolor Wednesdays, Basics & Techniques: Feb 5-26, 2025
Wednesdays, February 5 - 26, 2025; 10AM - 12PM
4 SESSIONS FOR $170+ $30 Materials Fee
Located in the Painting/Drawing Studio at SebArts.
The watercolor class will focus on skill and technique development: wash, color mixing, texture, and line.
Beginning painters will practice developing a strong foundation.
Advanced painters will benefit from new approaches to the basics and sharpened skills.
Discussion will focus on the elements of visual art: light, form, color, and texture.
About the Instructor: Lynn Zachreson studied art at the University of Minnesota and San Jose State University—Painting, Printmaking: BA Fine Art. She has experience teaching all ages: Watercolor painting skills, 30+ years, Watercolor figure painting 20+ years, and Fine Art Basics with Mixed Media 20+ years. Lynn enjoys spending her time painting, teaching, long distance hiking, and gardening.
Feb Session: Life Drawing Meet-Up
Mondays, February 3 -24, 2025; 6 - 9pm
$25 p/session or 4 Weeks $100
Painting/Drawing Room
Pre-signup guarantees entry, drop-ins are on a first come basis.
Live model on site, no instructor
Bring your own supplies
Ages 16+
Paper Collage Valentines Day Cards
Saturday, February 1, 2025; 12pm-3:30pm
$40 + $10 Materials Fee
Create one of a kind cards by searching for treasure among troves of images, vintage magazine pages, fabric, peeled acrylic palette remnants, rice paper, origami and leaf skeletons. Let inspiration strike where it will by composing fun collage cards with loads of personality. These unique creations will be treasured by your friends and family.
This relaxing class will allow budding artists to create beautiful images without the need to perfect painting and drawing skills. The more advanced student can also expand their knowledge of the effects of various papers and how to add unexpected and unique collage elements to their work.
Collage can be a really fun way to quickly create delightful compositions and play with pictorial relationships. Get Inspired by viewing collage works that moved the art world and play with my diverse collection of papers ranging from rice paper, origami, to metallic papers and vintage images.
About the Instructor: Amanda Rose Hopkins received her B.F.A from UC Santa Cruz with a concentration in painting and environmental art. Locally she has creatively taught children at Sunridge and REACH Charter schools. She spent 5 months studying under artist Kaveri Singh and Thangka painters from Nepal and Sikkim at the Sarnath International Nyingma Institute in India. Her work is currently focused on highlighting the sensuous texture and environmental importance of the kelp forests. You can view her work at https://artofnature.me
After School Music: Rhythmic Styles (Ages 7-12)
Thursdays, January 16 - February 20, 2025 (6 Weeks)
Drop off: 3:15-3:30pm / Class Time: 3:30-5:30pm / Pickup: 5:30 - 5:45pm
Single Day: $50 (All sales final, no refunds) Snacks will be provided
In collaboration with arts nonprofit and performance space The Lost Church (http://thelostchurch.org), this dynamic class invites students ages 7-12 to explore various aspects of music through hands-on experience, collaboration, and visits from members of the North Bay's talented and diverse community of working musicians.
Presented as a series of weekly explorations, some of the topics we will cover include guitar, electronic music, piano, brass, basic technique, and the cultural relevance of music. Participants are encouraged to bring their own instruments, but it is not necessary for the class. Our goal is for each student to widen our worldview and find personal inspiration through music-making and interaction with experienced musicians.
Feb 6: Bass and Melody: Guitar and Keyboard Skills: Chords and melody, Special Guest: KingLung on Lyrics and Hip Hop, Special Guest: Levi Miller on Hip-Hop - App Based Music Creation using iPad, Discovering Basslines
Feb 13: Song Structure, Songwriting: Rhythm Games, Special Guest: Donny Mederos on Bass Guitar, Music and Art - Visualizing the Parts of a Song, Special Guest: Erica Ambrin on the Craft of Songwriting , Guitar and Keyboard Skills
Feb 20: Next Steps on Our Musical Journey: Rhythm Games, Guitar and Keyboard Skills, Special Guest: Audio Angel on Performance, Building Progressions With Instruments of Our Choice, Special Guest: Arsel Perez on Accordion, Our Personal Music Journeys
About the Instructor: Josh Windmiller is a local musician, producer, and arts advocate with a Masters in Education from Sonoma State University. He has taught private music lessons and has led his band (The Crux) for 17 years, performing inventive shows at events and venues such as Gravenstein Apple Fair, Rivertown Revival, and the Great American Music Hall. Josh is also a co-founder of Santa Rosa's Lost Church theater, which hosts up and coming musicians and more in their intimate performance space.
Jan Session: Life Drawing Meet-Up
Mondays, January 6 - 27, 2025; 6 - 9pm
$25 p/session or 4 Weeks $100
Painting/Drawing Room
Pre-signup guarantees entry, drop-ins are on a first come basis.
Live model on site, no instructor
Bring your own supplies
Ages 16+
Wheel Throwing - Level 2: Jan-Mar 2025
Sundays, January 26 - March 2, 2025; 5:30PM-8:30PM (6 weeks)
$200 + $45 Clay Fee
Located in the Ceramics Studio at SebArts
Have you tried your hand at pottery in the past? Are you looking to dive back in after a long break or recently learned the basics of throwing on the wheel?
This class will continue to build your confidence in your throwing skills and teach techniques on creating functional ceramics that are a little less wabi-sabi and a little more polished and professional!
Attention to detail on throwing, trimming, and decorating techniques will be the main focus of this course. Expect to come away with pieces that you can be proud of within this 6-week course!
About the Instructor: Rachel Horton has taken numerous collegiate pottery clases and various workshops over the course of 10 years. She has been facilitating at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts for several years and has been a production potter for the past 3, selling her wares at various markets locally. Check out some of Rachel's work here: https://www.up-north-pottery.com/ or on her Instagram @upnorthpottery
Printmaking Demonstration
Sunday, January 26, 2025; 3-4pm
RSVP required, Sliding Scale: $10/$15/$20
Join us for a demonstration on how to ink up an etching plate and pull a print using the SebArts’ etching press.
About the Instructor: Eileen is an abstract artist working in the mediums of printmaking, painting and drawing. She has earned a Bachelor of Arts in painting and drawing from UC Berkeley and a second Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in printmaking from Sonoma State University. She received her Master of Fine Arts degree from the California College of the Arts and is currently a lecturer in Art Studio at Sonoma State University, Napa Valley College and Santa Rosa Junior College. She has exhibited her work in Sonoma County and the greater San Francisco Bay area. In her spare time she can be found working in her studio, volunteering at the Sonoma Community Center printshop and teaching creative workshops. You may view her work here: https://eileenparentart.wixsite.com/mysite
Create Your Own Collage Papers!
Sunday, January 26, 2025; 11am - 3pm
$105 + $10 materials fee
Number of participants: 14 max.
Ages 16 and up
Join collage artist Catherine Cruz for one of her most popular workshops. For 2025 she has updated this class with new exercises that will free you to create unique designs. Instead of working on small individual sheets you’ll have a chance to paint on large sheets of paper using acrylic paint and a variety of mark making tools. Use this time and space to work big and make things you can’t create at home. Participate in this fun workshop and give yourself the freedom to explore and see what happens. You will take home many sheets of beautiful painted papers that you can use in your collages, artwork, or other design projects.
About the instructor: Catherine Cruz is a French-American artist, whose work is informed by textures and patterns created by the passing of time and the effects of the natural elements on the built environment. She has taught collage and mixed media workshops in the Bay Area and France since 2019, and this is her third year at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts. Her background is in interior design and green building certification. She works from her home studio in Sebastopol, and is a participant in Art Trails Open Studios. You may contact Catherine Cruz at beyouartstudio@gmail.com Check out Catherine's other classes here: https://www.sebarts.org/visual-arts-classes
SRS Youth Orchestra Concerto Showcase Recital
Friday, January 24, 2025; 7:30pm
ONLINE SALES CLOSED, LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR ( CREDIT CARD PREFERRED, CASH ACCEPTED)
ALL ONLINE TICKET SALES ARE WILL CALL
Prepare to be amazed by the next generation of musical talent. Watch as extraordinary young musicians from the Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Orchestra perform stunning solo works by iconic composers such as Mozart, Kabalevsky, Vivaldi, Rachmaninoff, Lee Actor, and more.
With the expert accompaniment of Bay Area pianist Miles Graber, this performance promises to be an unforgettable celebration of skill, passion, and musical excellence.
$25 General Admission
$15 Students
$5 Children under 10 yrs old
After School Music: Chords and Progressions (Ages 7-12)
Thursdays, January 16 - February 20, 2025 (6 Weeks)
Drop off: 3:15-3:30pm / Class Time: 3:30-5:30pm / Pickup: 5:30 - 5:45pm
Single Day: $50 (All sales final, no refunds) Snacks will be provided
In collaboration with arts nonprofit and performance space The Lost Church (http://thelostchurch.org), this dynamic class invites students ages 7-12 to explore various aspects of music through hands-on experience, collaboration, and visits from members of the North Bay's talented and diverse community of working musicians.
Presented as a series of weekly explorations, some of the topics we will cover include guitar, electronic music, piano, brass, basic technique, and the cultural relevance of music. Participants are encouraged to bring their own instruments, but it is not necessary for the class. Our goal is for each student to widen our worldview and find personal inspiration through music-making and interaction with experienced musicians.
Feb 6: Bass and Melody: Guitar and Keyboard Skills: Chords and melody, Special Guest: KingLung on Lyrics and Hip Hop, Special Guest: Levi Miller on Hip-Hop - App Based Music Creation using iPad, Discovering Basslines
Feb 13: Song Structure, Songwriting: Rhythm Games, Special Guest: Donny Mederos on Bass Guitar, Music and Art - Visualizing the Parts of a Song, Special Guest: Erica Ambrin on the Craft of Songwriting , Guitar and Keyboard Skills
Feb 20: Next Steps on Our Musical Journey: Rhythm Games, Guitar and Keyboard Skills, Special Guest: Audio Angel on Performance, Building Progressions With Instruments of Our Choice, Special Guest: Arsel Perez on Accordion, Our Personal Music Journeys
About the Instructor: Josh Windmiller is a local musician, producer, and arts advocate with a Masters in Education from Sonoma State University. He has taught private music lessons and has led his band (The Crux) for 17 years, performing inventive shows at events and venues such as Gravenstein Apple Fair, Rivertown Revival, and the Great American Music Hall. Josh is also a co-founder of Santa Rosa's Lost Church theater, which hosts up and coming musicians and more in their intimate performance space.