Art Classes for Adults

Parent Q&A

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  • I am hoping to reignite an art practice and am interested in taking a textile workshop or class to learn fabric applique, bojagi, or natural botanical-based fabric dying. I'm also up for meet ups with other parents with similar interests to swap ideas/ skills/ or just talking about balancing parenthood and creative pursuits! 

    Look into Richmond Art Center.

    I think the Richmond Art Center is a go-to spot for textile arts and classes. Fall classes starting soon!

    I haven't been to this place in Oakland yet, but follow them on social media. Looks like something you'd be into! https://www.makeshiftcenter.com/

    I started getting the Richmond Art Center newsletter and their classes look great! You might try asking one of the textile instructors about these specific techniques.  I am interested in a meet up like that about creativity too!  But for me it's going to have to wait until 2024.  https://richmondartcenter.org/class-catalog/adults/

  • Adult Drawing Class?

    Jan 13, 2023

    Hi, 

    I'm looking for an in-person drawing class (for me!) in the El Cerrito - Albany - Berkeley - Richmond area. I'd love a figure drawing class but most of what I'm seeing out there are groups that meet without instruction. 
    Anyone have recommendations for an adult drawing class that they like? Thanks!!
     

    I haven’t taken a course at the Richmond Art Center, but I know they offer various art classes for adults. There’s also the UC Berkeley Art Studio, though a lot of the classes they offer are in the day time to accommodate student schedules.

    Community colleges used to offer figure drawing and still life drawing courses such as City College in San Francisco and Laney in Oakland. Very affordable and a good place to start. 

    A while back I took classes with Deborah Harris. I'm not sure she is still teaching but she was WONDERFUL. She held classes for adults and had wonderful models to pose for us.
    https://www.deborah-harris.com/

  • Hello! I am looking for a fine art painting instructor for an adult. This would preferably be in the realism style. The painting teacher would need to teach drawing because this person is a beginner. A private instructor is preferred but would also be open to class recommendations in or around Berkeley or Oakland. Thank you, Gently

    CCAC has some classes open to the public.  Calif College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland.

RE:

Piedmont Adult School offers a great watercolor class taught by Wendy Soneson, and most of the people I met there are in your age range give or take a few years.

Archived Q&A and Reviews


Questions Related Pages

Adult art classes during the week near Rockridge?

Aug 2013

I'm leaving my full time job to work per diem so that I can spend more time with the family and enjoy life more. With this new found time I'm thinking about maybe even developing a hobby...Does anyone know of drawing (or painting or ceramic or some other visual art) class during the M-F work week that I can take while my daughter is in preschool? Ideally close to the Rockridge area. in search of happiness


Check out Studio One Art Ceenter. Lot's of classes, great folks. ruth
Wonderful woman teaches on Claremont near College, various classes, look at her website www.lisabruce.com. Pat
Studio One Art Center located in the heart of the Temescal neighborhood offers various art classes for adults during the daytime hours (usually 9:30 am - 12:30 pm). This is a community art center operated by the City of Oakland, Office of Parks & Recreation. Most classes are 8 weeks in duration; 3 hours per class; once a week. New classes start in September. Contact Studio One Art Center at 597 5027 for details or stop by to see the facility: 365 - 45th Street Oakland, CA. 94609 (next to the Temescal Pool)
Hi Studio One near Rockridge area has a variety of classes. Check out:http://studiooneartcenter.wix.com/studio-one-art-center-website

Also Blue Door Beads on Piedmont Avenue has jewelry related classes that look really fun: http://www.bluedoorbeads.com/classes

California College of Art on Broadway offers ''extenstion'' classes for personal development (you do not need to be a student to enroll in these classes) http://www.cca.edu/academics/extension

Happy Art Making Jenn


Art for parents!

Feb 2010

I'm looking for a creative outlet for myself and my husband. We are parents and artists. We need a place to go to express ourselves in order to keep sane! We aren't interested in therapy (got that covered!), just an outlet to create, move, play music... preferably all at the same time! Any suggestions?


Hello- For adult visual courses, I recommend continuing ed courses at California College of the Arts, San Francisco Art Institute or the Berkeley Extension program. Most meet weekly and run 10-12 weeks, less than a semester.

Berkeley City College also has a wide variety of courses, but the intensity of the schedule (twice a week) may be more than what you're looking for. Good luck! Barry


I've taken or looked into a bunch of art/craft workshops in Berkeley which may satisfy your artsy side (all can be googled and there are others too):
  -Scrapbook Territory (4th Street): scrapbooking, collage -Kate Weese's The Workshop (by Monterey Market): watercolors, felting -ASUC Studio on campus: ceramics, art, photography -Castle in the Air (4th Street): various paper and modeling -Knit One One Studio (Adeline): knitting, crocheting, etc -classes at yarn stores -StoneMountain Daughters (Shattuck): sewing -Spun Sugar: candy, cakes and cookies -Brushstrokes Studio: painting pottery + mosaics 
There are also more and more online classes for journaling, scrapbooking, collaging, and more. Have fun. artsy wannabe

Drawing or water color classes

March 2009

I am looking for drawing or water color painting instructions for adults held on the weekend or in the evening - Class or Lessons is fine. Prefer Berkeley, Albany. El Cerrito, or Orinda locations. ap


Contact Patrice Stone. She teaches in various locations (UCB, Pinole, her home studio, etc). She has contact information on her website, patricestone.com! I have a Patrice Stone original in my house!
My husband took water color painting classes from Wendy Yoshimura in Oakland. It was an all adult class, mostly women over 50, but everyone was welcome. Wendy is a lovely woman, and a fabulous painter. You can find out more at wendyyoshimura.com. artist's wife

I want to learn collage

June 2003

Due to some stressful events in my life, and to a \\223messy play\\224 art class I\\222ve been attending with my two-year-old son, I\\222ve suddenly found myself really wanting to be able to use paint and collage techniques as a mode of expression. The problem is \\255 I haven't a clue how to do this! I\\222ve always considered myself a total non-artist. I don't want to take water-color or oil-painting classes to learn how to paint landscapes or still lifes (I'm much more fond of abstract stuff and mixed media); what I do want to learn is the properties of various paints and papers, as well as something about color and form (e.g. how to \\223balance\\224 an abstract painting or collage). I\\222ve seen the posts on the web site, and most seem to relate to basic watercolor or oil painting or drawing, which is not what I want. Can anyone recommend a place where I could take classes, or an art teacher I might talk to, who would give individual or group lessons to adults? Karen

Recommendations received:

  • Art Gym (2)
  • Richmond Art Center
  • Studio One

    Other Recommendations


    Another place to check out is Kala in North Berkeley. They offer collage classes, paper making classes, printmaking classes. They have a website too, Kala.org. If you have never made a print before, I highly recommend it. It's soooo much fun. Start out with mono printing, and go anywhere from there!! Papermaking is a very viseral experience. You really get your hands into it (literally). You can add leaves, flowers, etc. to make texture and abstract composition.
    I've taken two one-day workshops in collage, and really enjoyed and learned from them both. One was with Ann Baldwin, who leads workshops througout the Bay Area. Her website is: www.annbaldwin.com The other was in San Francisco with a newer artist, Aondrea Maynard. Her email is: aondream at yahoo.com These workshops inspired me to buy materials and make several collages. It's been a great creative outlet. Enjoy!! Debbie Hope this helps! beth

    Painting and Drawing

    Sept 1999

    I would like to take up painting, and am looking for any recommendations of good classes for a beginner. I'd prefer to stay in the Oakland/Berkeley area, but would consider something farther afield. I have virtually no experience with painting and feel like I need a comprehensive introduction to it. I'm also really interested in mural painting, though I think that may be a more advanced discipline. Anyway, I'd love to hear what others have done. Diana

    Recommendations received:

  • Studio One
    Other recommendations:

    I have had very good experiences at Vista College, which is part of the Peralta Community College District. I have taken beginning and intermediate drawing, beginning painting (with acrylic paint), and am currently taking life drawing.

    They have a website (http://www.peralta.cc.ca.us/) and offer a class schedule there or at their main campus on Milvia Street at Addison in downtown Berkeley. Many of the Vista art classes are held on the U.C. campus, with some during the day and others in the evening. The cost is negligible for California residents; I think $5 a unit plus materials. Other Peralta locations include Laney College and Merritt College in Oakland. At least one of them offers painting with oils. Though, I've never taken classes at either of those sites.

    Classes have already started for this semester (late August). You might see if you can add? Or consider them for the future.
    Good luck! Robert


    I have had some wonderful painting classes through the local Peralta Colleges. Vista, in particular, has good introductory art classes. The classes are often held on the Cal campus or elsewhere in Berk. or Oakland. These classes are very inexpensive, and the teachers have been great. Laney has a good art dept., but the students there tend to be more college-age and, perhaps, already more experienced. At Vista, many of the students are adults who already have degrees and just want to learn, rather than get class credit. Linda

    9/99
    I would like to whole-heartedly recommend a painter who teaches out of her studio in Emeryville. She's exhibited internationally and has taught for years. She's funny and full of enthusiam for painting and would be a delight to study with. Here's a little blurb I asked her to send me to post here. Her e-mail address is lulu AT lmi.net.

    PAINTING AND DRAWING CLASSES with M. Louise Stanley How anxious is your muse? Do you have a distant memory of art classes you loved years ago but don't know how to get back there on your own? We will experiment with three water based media: watercolor, gouache(opaque watercolor) and acrylic. Beginners are encouraged to try watercolor as its a good stepping stone to other media. Gouache is a good transition from transparent watercolor to more viscous mediums such as acrylic and oil. Classes are ongoing / entry at any time. You may pay for one introductory class ($35.) before committing to a session of 6 ($210.)or 8 ($280.)classes. Classes are small, 3-5 students / emphasis will be based on individual needs. Louise's studio is a 3-ring circus full of props,knick knack's, and reference materials, a conducive atmosphere for the production of masterpieces. Classes:Sat. 10am - 1pm; Wed. 7 - 10pm. Call Louise at (510)658-8468 for more information.


    From: Linda (3/99)

    Check out the Peralta Colleges, esp. Vista. They have some great classes, great instructors, and they're CHEAP. Laney has some good facilities. Vista uses facilities at other schools or locations. Vista caters more to people who are not looking for degrees in art, just want to take classes.