"Bringing Art to the People and People to the Arts"

Blue Ridge Arts Center

Enter your contact text

Upcoming Classes

Pre-registration is required three days before the start of the class, unless otherwise specified. You are not fully registered unless paid in full. Material fees are included in the price of the class unless otherwise specified.

Cancellations by the Art Center

Classes may be cancelled if enrollment does not meet minimums by the deadline date. Only those registered will be notified of cancellations. If Blue Ridge Art Center cancels a class, the student will have the option to transfer to another class or receive a 100% refund.

Cancellation by the Participant

We understand that life brings many surprises for us all and sometimes you will need to cancel your class reservation.

  • A refund is available if cancellation is made at least 3 days in advance.
  • No refunds will be made for “no shows” or if less than 3 days notice is provided.
  • Emergency cancellations will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Registration

Register online by clicking the links below. All registrations and payments must be made online in advance. Space will not be held for unpaid registrations.

UPCOMING CLASSES!

Our community’s health and well-being is paramount to us and we encourage you to do everything in your power to keep yourself and others safe. We encourage everyone who enters BRAC to wear a mask and we are limiting our class sizes to ensure there is ample room for social distancing. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

ANIMAL PORTRAITS

Date: Wednesday, October 20 (10am-4pm)
Cost: $80 ($70 BRAC Members)
Instructor: Donna O'Hara

Animal portraits can be challenging but with some tips added to your toolbox and some ideas in finding the important elements, you can achieve the best results. Join Donna in discovering techniques using the shapes, value, and color that add character to your precious pet, favorite farm critter, or wonderful wild thing!
Bring your own set up and materials if you are working in oil, acrylic, watercolors, or colored pencils. The focus of this workshop will be pastel , and pastels will be provided if you want to try them out, but the techniques will apply to all media. A great opportunity to work with an instructor well-versed in all painting methods and materials.

REGISTER NOW! Limit 8 students.

CIS STUDIO

Date: Monday, November 1 - Friday, November 5 (8am-8pm)
Cost: $110 ($100 BRAC Members)
Peer Support and Review

Come early, stay late, leave for lunch, bring a lunch--take a break for any appointments---But! ---you will have all day, every day for a week to paint with your friends as much as you wish. Bring a new canvas or work on a painting that has been problematic. Employ the medium you favor, choose your subject, and use whatever techniques you want to explore ----and paint, paint, paint! Peer support will help solve issues and fuel your creative energies. Bring your own materials.

REGISTER NOW! Limit 12 students.

SILK PAINTING

Date: Tuesday, November 2 (10am-2:30pm)
Cost: $65 ($55 BRAC Members)
Instructor: Beverly Walker

So many practical variations, so many beautiful uses. Come and learn the intricacies of painting on silk by applying brilliant, reactive dyes onto 100% silk, using resists to create design, adding salts and other reactives to achieve magical results. The perfect marriage of art and science! Create a Shibori fabric for a fashion item---think a small clutch, or a throw pillow----or an impressive wall decor. If you choose, you will have the opportunity to further embellish your masterpiece with decorative stitching in Beverly's next class, scheduled for November 10!
No previous experience necessary. Wear an old shirt. All materials provided by the instructor.

REGISTER NOW! Limit 8 students.

BOB ROSS METHOD: SKIES AND WATER

Date: Wednesday, November 3 (1-4pm)
Cost: $65 ($55 BRAC Members)
Instructor: Michelle Fowler

Once more Michelle is back with the ever-popular fail-proof Bob Ross method of painting landscapes in oil. Michelle makes the process non-stress and so much fun. This time she will guide you through finishing a big beautiful sky reflected in a body of water. You will be entirely enchanted and leave with a finished painting, eager for the next chance to paint with Michelle.

REGISTER NOW! Limit 8 students.

WATERCOLOR BASICS: TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

Date: Thursday, November 4 (10am-2pm)
Cost: $65 ($55 BRAC Members)
Instructor: Jill Rees

Jill Rees is new to teaching at Brac and is the watercolor instructor we have been waiting for! Her work is vibrant and has such depth of value, you will learn a whole new enthusiasm for your watercolor efforts. Bring your own source material, or Jill will have some photos for you to chose from. Still life, landscapes, figures and critters---what is your passion? Jill will review some of the basic techniques and washes, and then guide you through tips to achieve a new level of drama and light. Paper will be provided. Bring a lunch.

REGISTER NOW! Limit 8 students.

CLAY OPEN STUDIO

Date: Tuesdays, November 9, 16, 23, 30 (6-9pm)
Cost: $35/day ($30 BRAC Members) - discount for attending all 4 sessions
Instructor: Wendy Converse

Join us on Tuesday evenings to relax and get your hands dirty with clay. Open Studio is designed for people who have some experience working with clay and are ready to work on their own self-guided hand-building projects. All clay, glazes and a variety of tools will be provided. Instructor will be on hand to provide guidance for successful construction, provide ideas for new techniques to try and help you flesh out your individual projects. Work will be fired offsite and finishing (glazing, painting, etc.) can be done during another session or during special no-cost glaze session at the end of each month.

You can sign-up for a single session or save a little by signing up for a full month.

REGISTER NOW! Limit 8 students per session.

STITCHERY WITH PIZAZZ

Date: Wednesday, November 10 (10am-12:30pm)
Cost: $50 ($45 BRAC Members)
Instructor: Beverly Walker

Not your grandmother's embroidery, but a trendy approach to embellishing fabrics with an endless variety of stitching techniques. You do not need prior experience to create pockets, purses, designs for framing, pillows, and countless other imaginative items. So many possibilities for special gifts! Bring your silk painting if you enjoyed that class with Beverly, bring an item you'd like to personalize, or start a new project entirely.

REGISTER NOW! Limit 8 students.

BUILDING BIGGER USING COILS AND SLABS

Date: Wednesday, December 15 - Friday, December 17 (6-9pm)
Cost: $125 ($115 BRAC Members)
Instructor: Wendy Converse

Get inspired by our current show, "Bigger is Better", then get to work creating your own large scale ceramic sculpture. We will work with coils, slabs and molds to create unique works of art. Wendy will walk you through her creation techniques using examples and demonstrations. Then it's time to get busy as you design and create any form you'd like - functional or sculptural - up to 28" tall and 18" around. All clay and tools will be provided and finishing options will be discussed. If you have ever wanted to work big in clay, now's your chance! Some clay experience is helpful, but is not required.

REGISTER NOW! Limit 6 students.