The Visual Arts Department at the Ashtabula Arts Center offers education for all ages and experience levels, as well as year-round opportunities for artists to showcase their work and network with other artists. The accessibility of our Visual Arts programming is a priority, and classes, workshops, and community art events are offered both on site at the Arts Center and as outreach throughout Ashtabula County. Our facilities include an art studio, clay studio, and gallery. In addition to classes and workshops, individual instruction is available in multiple art forms. Artists and art students also have opportunities to be part of our 13th Street and Straw Hat production teams, helping to create set pieces and projections.
Paint & Sip on Canvas
for teens/adults
with Solita Jones
7-9 p.m.
$24 workshop fee, $8 materials fee
Create an 11×14 acrylic painting. Bring a friend and have fun creating easy canvas art. Feel free to bring wine or snacks.
Sept 29: Stars & Flowers
Oct 27: Glam Witch Hat
Nov 17: Pumpkin Patch
Dec 15: Merry Little Gnome
Retro Ceramic Trees
with Tracey Kuntz
for teens and adults
limit of 8 students
Tuesday, Nov 11 or
Tuesday, Nov 18
5-7 p.m.
$42 workshop fee, $15 mat fee
Gingerbread Man Storytime & Cookie Decorating
for ages 3 & up/adults
with Kassie Rice
December 2, 5-7 p.m.
$30 workshop fee, $5 materials fee
limit of 10 students
Kids & families can enjoy a reading of The Gingerbread Man (who might just stop by for a visit!) while decorating their very own gingerbread people cookies!
Needle Felting
with Nancy Nelson-Brotz
for teens & adults
Tuesdays, 7:30-9 p.m
$20 workshop fee, $11 materials fee
limit of 8 students
Dec 2: Snowman in Cookie Cutter Ornament (beginner)
Dec 9: Winter Fox 2 d beginner
Dec 16: Melted Snowman Ornament 3D (beginner)
Jan 20: Goldfish 3D (beginner)
Jan 27: Sheep 3D relief (beginner)
Feb 3: 3D Valentine Mouse (beginner)
Feb 10: 2D Winterwoods Fiber Painting (beginner)
Feb 17: 3D Frog with Acorn Hat (beginner)
Feb 24: 2D Orchid Fiber Painting (intermediate)
Mar 3: 3D Cute Bat (beginner
Ornament Workshop
with Pam Amy
for teens/ adults
Dec 3
7-9 p.m.
$22 workshop fee, $5 materials fee
Join us for an informal 2- hour stitch-in with Christmas cookies and cocoa. We will create an ornament using the English paper piecing technique.
Watercolor Christmas Cards
with Rebecca Ollikainen
teens/adults
Dec 6, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
$14 workshop fee
Ice & Sip Cookie Decorating
for ages 6 & up, adults
with Kassie Rice
December 9, 4-6 p.m.
$40 workshop fee, $15 materials fee
limit of 10 students
Sip some delicious cocoa while decorating holiday cookies. Sign up with friends and family to make it even more festive!
Fashion Styling and Dressing for You! 2-week workshop
with Rachel Drees
for teens/adults
2 weeks: Dec 6 & 13
noon-2 p.m.
$62 class fee
Students may want to bring a folder or notebook
Students will learn the difference between fashion and personal style. Learn the foundational styling techniques, to work with your body type, color analysis and fabric suitability, clothing sustainability and versatility, and how to tell a story with your style!
Students will define their style in words and create a visual representation. Each will participate in a style challenge for the second day of the workshop.
Sip & Create: Holiday Ornaments Workshop
with Kacie Keefe and Bex together!
December 13
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
$77 class fee
limit of 15 students
Join us for a merry and creative day at our Sip & Create: Holiday Ornament Workshop! This isn’t your average paint-and-sip — we’re trading in canvases for 3D crafting. Spend a cozy Saturday sipping wine, nibbling on festive treats, and crafting your very own handmade holiday ornaments perfect for personalizing your tree or gifting to someone special. In this 4-hour guided workshop, you’ll get all materials needed to create some unique ornaments, light bites and seasonal snacks will be served. Come enjoy this festive December workshop with an atmosphere filled with music, laughter, and cheer. Bring your friends, your holiday spirit, and get ready to craft something magical. No experience needed. Please bring your choice of libations.
Ice Candles
with Nancy Nelson-Brotz
for all ages
Dec 15, 5-5:45 p.m.
$17 workshop fee
Cake and Cocoa: Cake Decorating Workshop
for ages 16 and up, or 8 and up with an adult
with Kassie Rice
December 15, 4-6 p.m.
$55 workshop fee, $15 class fee
Enjoy some delicious cocoa while decorating a personal cake. Sign up with friends and see who can create the sweetest design!
limit of 10 students
Jeff Koons-Style Reindeer
with Nancy Nelson-Brotz
for grades 6-8
Dec 15, 6-6:45p.m.
$17 workshop fee
Snowman Votive
with Nancy Nelson-Brotz
for teens/adults
Saturday Dec 20, 11a.m.-noon
$27 workshop fee
Canvas and Cocoa
with Solita Jones
for teens/adults
7-9 p.m.
$22 workshop fee, $8 materials fee
Create an 11×14 acrylic painting. Bring a friend and have fun creating easy canvas art. Solita will walk you through step by step. Feel free to bring wine or snacks.
Dec 15: Christmas Gnome
Jan 26: Winter Moon
Feb 23: Northern Lights
Handmade Pie Plate
with Erica Ledford
teen/adult
Dec 18
6-8 p.m.
$42 workshop fee, $10 firing/materials fee
limit of 9 students
Glaze a handmade pie plate just in time for holiday baking! Add color, contrast, and detail to make it a showstopper on the dessert table.
Cork Christmas Tree
with Nancy Nelson-Brotz
for all ages
Dec 20, 12:15-1:15 p.m.
$27 workshop fee
Alcohol Ink Ornaments (2)
with Nancy Nelson-Brotz
for teens/adults
Dec 20, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
$27 workshop fee
Candy Cane Oil Pastel
with Nancy Nelson-Brotz
for elementary and middle school students
Dec 22, 5-5:45 p.m.
$17 workshop fee
Op Art Snowman
with Nancy Nelson-Brotz
Dec 22, 6-6:45 p.m.
for grades 6-8
$17 workshop fee
Sandra Silberzweig-Style Elf
with Nancy Nelson-Brotz
Dec 22, 7-7:45 p.m.
for elementary and middle school students
$17 workshop fee
Glaze a Cozy Soup Bowl
with Erica Ledford
Jan 26, 6-7:30 p.m.
$32 workship fee,
$8 materials/firing fee
limit of 9 students
Warm up with an evening of glaze and color. Participants will decorate wheel-thrown stoneware bowls, choosing from a variety of glaze combinations and finishes to create one-of-a-kind soup bowls.
Retro Valentine-Themed Trees
with Tracey Kuntz
for teens/adults
Feb 3, 7-9 p.m.
limit of 9 students
$42 workshop fee, $17 materials fee
Glaze a Drippy Hand-Thrown Mug
with Erica Ledford
February 23, 6-7:30 p.m.
limit of 9 students
$37 workshop fee, $8 materials fee
limit of 9 students
Explore the art of glazing with melty flux! You’ll learn how to create a beautiful, drippy effect, letting the glaze flow and settle into unique, organic patterns. Each mug will be a true work of art that’s as functional as it is beautiful.
Block Printing
with Dresden Thornweaver
for ages 10 and up
Feb 26, 5-7pm
$32 workshop fee,
$20 materials fee
This is a beginner-friendly intro to block printing with easy to carve blocks and a simple, one-color design.
Discover block printing for the first time — or again! Beginners and experienced welcome. Block printing is a technique where designs are carved onto a block, covered in ink or dye, and stamped onto fabric or paper.
This ancient art form originated in China and has been used for centuries to create patterns on textiles, apparel, and home furnishings.
Tote bags will be supplied for fabric printing.
Encaustic Printmaking
with Sandy Shellenberger
Feb 28, 12:30-3 p.m.
$42 workshop fee, $25 materials fee
With encaustic monotype, pigmented wax is applied directly to a temperature-controlled metal plate by painting or pouring it onto the plate, or more commonly, drawing on it with encaustic in solid stick form. The molten paint can then be manipulated with brushes and other tools to refine the image.
