Tuesday Afternoons Are for Coaching Sessions for Guild Members
Jenni Long
The SaddleBrooke Fine Arts Guild is offering instructor-facilitated workshops for students who want a follow–up from classes. These sessions will be for students who have completed a beginner class in the medium and want to improve their skills. Students will work on their own projects and will need their own supplies. The coach will be there to guide you when you need assistance. The first Tuesday of each month will be for oil painting, the second Tuesday will be for watercolor, and the third Tuesday will feature pastel. Drawing will be added on the fourth Tuesday when an instructor becomes available. You will need to pre-register on the website and pay a $10 fee for each session.
I participated in the first one for oil with coach Becky Easton, which was held last month. I had a great time and learned a lot. These coaching sessions are fun, informative, and a good way to improve your art!
Winter Art Classes
Tracy Nelson
Winter is a great time to take up a new hobby or to improve your artistic skills. Many new classes have been added on our event calendar for artists of all levels. Visit the SaddleBrooke Fine Arts Guild’s website at www.saddlebrookefinearts.org for convenient online registration and payment. All classes are located in the Topaz Room at the Arts & Crafts Center adjacent to MountainView Country Club. Membership in the SaddleBrooke Fine Arts Guild is only $25 per year and includes many benefits and activities. Guild members also enjoy a discount on class fees. Visit the Topaz Room display case to see art from our featured members and teachers.
Let’s Learn Scratchboard, by Karen Brungardt. 1 to 4 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 3. Scratchboard is an interesting way to do art. You’ll learn to use instruments to remove what you don’t want from the board to create the picture. When it’s done, you’ll learn how to colorize it! You’ll get the scratchboard, pigments, and instruments to use in class from the instructor.
Cactus Scene Using Alcohol Inks, by Theresa Poalucci. 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Dec. 6. This is a great class for beginners. The outlines of the cactus will already be drawn onto Yupo paper, so all you have to do is add the color using alcohol inks—a medium which gives surprising results. Students can pick their color combinations. All supplies are included, including a 9- by 12-inch white mat to place your 8- by 10-inch drawing in. Alcohol inks dry right away, so you will be able to take home your finished piece and frame it immediately. It is suggested you use rubber gloves, which will be provided, and to wear old clothes or bring an apron.
Beginning Pastel, by Delys Nast. 1 to 4 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 17. Pastel gives a beautiful, soft texture to any canvas/paper with a myriad of colors available through blending and creative techniques. From artists like Degas to Toulouse-Lautrec and even Picasso, this medium has enjoyed a long history. In this class we will explore some of the options and techniques in pastel used for creating landscapes, portraits, and abstracts. If you previously took the Art Sampler class, this will take the exploration of using pastels in art further and give you more detail and experience with pastels. Materials will be provided.
It’s Never Too Late: Book Study Facilitated, by Deb Kresnicka. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Thursdays, Jan. 8 through March 26, 2026. A 12-week course for anyone who wishes to expand his/her creativity. This study is not meant only for declared artists but is aimed at everyone who is transitioning into another part of life. Your memoir will unfurl over the entire 12 weeks using just four basic tools and tasks. Each week will cover these tools and tasks and will include discussions of one chapter of the book and of your life.
Beginning Drawing, by Jeanine Colini. 1 to 4 p.m., Wednesdays, Jan. 21 through Feb. 11, 2026. This four-part series of beginner classes is designed for the novice with little to no drawing experience. We will start with an explanation of basic supplies and explore fundamental drawing techniques: drawing in line, shading methods, use of simple shapes, perspective, proportion, and composition. In this class you will acquire basic drawing skills that you can put to use in your creative projects. It will also prepare you for more advanced drawing instruction.
Birch, by Renee Pearson
Enjoy an Art Sampler Class on December 4
Jenni Long
Calling all beginning or exploring artists! The SaddleBrooke Fine Arts Guild is pleased to announce another opportunity to take part in its next Art Sampler class on Thursday, Dec. 4, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Topaz Room in the Arts & Crafts Center at MountainView Country Club. The class time includes one hour for lunch on your own.
Art Sampler classes are offered several times a year, and there’s always a waiting list! That’s because it’s so much fun to experiment with a variety of mediums and artistic effects such as scratchboard, drawing, watercolor, pastel, collage, and alcohol ink. Best of all, you’ll receive personalized help from experienced artists who are standing by every step of the way.
Join us—especially if you think you don’t have any artistic talent. This is a comfortable, relaxed, and fun environment with no pressure to perform. This class is uniquely designed for those who think they can’t become an artist. It’s also a great way for practicing artists to explore other mediums without investing in new supplies. And you’ll take home a variety of completed projects to share with friends and family.
To register and pay for the class, visit the Event Calendar on the guild’s website at www.saddlebrookefinearts.org. The fee is just $25 per person, which includes all supplies. If you have any questions, contact Karen Brungardt at kekb67@gmail.com.