In Person Workshops
Hands-On Learning Experiences
Interactive & Immersive
Our team of passionate and kind educators specializes in creating hands-on, interactive classes that inspire creativity and collaboration. With a welcoming approach, they ensure every participant feels engaged, supported, and empowered to learn.
Expert Led Sessions
Learn from guest artists, industry professionals, and skilled instructors who bring unique insights and hands-on expertise to every workshop.
Unique Settings
Step outside the traditional workspace and experience the benefits of learning in refreshing environments. From parks and libraries to creative studio spaces, we offer a variety of inspiring locations across the Bay Area to enhance focus, creativity, and team connection.
Upcoming In Person Workshops:
The Fundamentals of Drawing
In this four-week series, you will build drawing skills in an easy, step-by-step process. No stress, no judgement, just joy! Each class ends with an exercise you will be proud to share. The classes are based on Caroline Mustard’s book The Joy of Drawing: A Beginner’s Manual. Everyone is welcome, from beginners on up. All materials provided!
Monet in Italy Workshop (In-person)
Friday, March 20, 1 PM - 4 PM at the Atherton Arts Foundation Studio, Holbrook Palmer Park in Atherton, CA.
Travel to Italy with Claude Monet, who visited in 1884 and again in 1908. Learn about the trials and tribulations he faced trying to capture the light, and how he overcame them with a series of stunning paintings from both trips. After a brief lecture, we will paint together using these masterpieces as our inspiration. All materials are included.
Then join us on Wednesday, March 25, at San Francisco’s Legion of Honor and view the paintings for yourself. Meetup is free to participants, but purchase your own tickets for Caroline’s guided tour at 11 am.
The Fundamentals of Drawing
In this four-week series, you will build drawing skills in an easy, step-by-step process. No stress, no judgement, just joy! Each class ends with an exercise you will be proud to share. The classes are based on Caroline Mustard’s book The Joy of Drawing: A Beginner’s Manual. Everyone is welcome, from beginners on up. All materials provided!
The Fundamentals of Drawing
In this four-week series, you will build drawing skills in an easy, step-by-step process. No stress, no judgement, just joy! Each class ends with an exercise you will be proud to share. The classes are based on Caroline Mustard’s book The Joy of Drawing: A Beginner’s Manual. Everyone is welcome, from beginners on up. All materials provided!
Drawing California Wildlife at The Foster Museum
We’re excited to invite you to a special 4-week drawing series at The Foster Museum in Palo Alto, CA, led by acclaimed instructor Agnes Wong.
Learn how to draw wildlife indigenous to California, from the grizzly bear on the flag of California to the cougar in its mountain lair. Each class will introduce new animals and build skills using graphite, colored pencils, pen and ink, and watercolor. You will master the ability to draw wild animals as well as your own pets!
Expect to learn the following over the four-week series:
Week One: Review your drawing basics and draw your first wild animal using graphite.
Week Two: Use colored pencil to draw a different animal and
learn to use a grid drawing technique that enables drawing your animal any size, bigger or smaller than the original.Week Three: With pen and ink, draw an animal in its native environment.
Week Four: In this final class of the series, use watercolor to draw and paint a wild
animal in its natural habitat.
All materials and animal images are provided, and students may also bring their own. We welcome the use of watercolors, pastels, and colored pencils to add color to your drawings if you wish.
Dates/Time:
February 18, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
February 25, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
March 4, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
March 11, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Link to register:
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/8f745fc3/?appointmentTypeIds[]=88299577
The Fundamentals of Drawing
In this four-week series, you will build drawing skills in an easy, step-by-step process. No stress, no judgement, just joy! Each class ends with an exercise you will be proud to share. The classes are based on Caroline Mustard’s book The Joy of Drawing: A Beginner’s Manual. Everyone is welcome, from beginners on up. All materials provided!
Drawing California Wildlife at The Foster Museum
We’re excited to invite you to a special 4-week drawing series at The Foster Museum in Palo Alto, CA, led by acclaimed instructor Agnes Wong.
Learn how to draw wildlife indigenous to California, from the grizzly bear on the flag of California to the cougar in its mountain lair. Each class will introduce new animals and build skills using graphite, colored pencils, pen and ink, and watercolor. You will master the ability to draw wild animals as well as your own pets!
Expect to learn the following over the four-week series:
Week One: Review your drawing basics and draw your first wild animal using graphite.
Week Two: Use colored pencil to draw a different animal and
learn to use a grid drawing technique that enables drawing your animal any size, bigger or smaller than the original.Week Three: With pen and ink, draw an animal in its native environment.
Week Four: In this final class of the series, use watercolor to draw and paint a wild
animal in its natural habitat.
All materials and animal images are provided, and students may also bring their own. We welcome the use of watercolors, pastels, and colored pencils to add color to your drawings if you wish.
Dates/Time:
February 18, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
February 25, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
March 4, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
March 11, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Link to register:
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/8f745fc3/?appointmentTypeIds[]=88299577
Drawing California Wildlife at The Foster Museum
We’re excited to invite you to a special 4-week drawing series at The Foster Museum in Palo Alto, CA, led by acclaimed instructor Agnes Wong.
Learn how to draw wildlife indigenous to California, from the grizzly bear on the flag of California to the cougar in its mountain lair. Each class will introduce new animals and build skills using graphite, colored pencils, pen and ink, and watercolor. You will master the ability to draw wild animals as well as your own pets!
Expect to learn the following over the four-week series:
Week One: Review your drawing basics and draw your first wild animal using graphite.
Week Two: Use colored pencil to draw a different animal and
learn to use a grid drawing technique that enables drawing your animal any size, bigger or smaller than the original.Week Three: With pen and ink, draw an animal in its native environment.
Week Four: In this final class of the series, use watercolor to draw and paint a wild
animal in its natural habitat.
All materials and animal images are provided, and students may also bring their own. We welcome the use of watercolors, pastels, and colored pencils to add color to your drawings if you wish.
Dates/Time:
February 18, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
February 25, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
March 4, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
March 11, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Link to register:
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/8f745fc3/?appointmentTypeIds[]=88299577
Drawing California Wildlife at The Foster Museum
We’re excited to invite you to a special 4-week drawing series at The Foster Museum in Palo Alto, CA, led by acclaimed instructor Agnes Wong.
Learn how to draw wildlife indigenous to California, from the grizzly bear on the flag of California to the cougar in its mountain lair. Each class will introduce new animals and build skills using graphite, colored pencils, pen and ink, and watercolor. You will master the ability to draw wild animals as well as your own pets!
Expect to learn the following over the four-week series:
Week One: Review your drawing basics and draw your first wild animal using graphite.
Week Two: Use colored pencil to draw a different animal and
learn to use a grid drawing technique that enables drawing your animal any size, bigger or smaller than the original.Week Three: With pen and ink, draw an animal in its native environment.
Week Four: In this final class of the series, use watercolor to draw and paint a wild
animal in its natural habitat.
All materials and animal images are provided, and students may also bring their own. We welcome the use of watercolors, pastels, and colored pencils to add color to your drawings if you wish.
Dates/Time:
February 18, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
February 25, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
March 4, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
March 11, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Link to register:
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/8f745fc3/?appointmentTypeIds[]=88299577
Monet's Winter Workshop & Tea
A new Learn From The Masters workshop at the Atherton Arts Foundation studio in Holbrook Palmer Park, Atherton, CA. Here you will learn about Monet’s paintings of winter scenes - the colors he used and how he created the sensation of light upon snow. All materials are provided along with a special English tea party.
Learn from The Masters: Hockey Landscapes
In Person Workshop about David Hockney Landscapes.
Learn from The Masters" Matisse Cut-Outs
Join us on Friday, September 26, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm at the Atherton Arts Foundation Studio in Holbrook Palmer Park, Atherton, CA, for the next in out Learn from The Masters Series where we will explore the world of Henri Matisse Cut-Outs Learn about the final period in his artistic career when he created his seminal paper cut-outs. We provide all the materials so you can create your own cut-outs inspired by Matisse in the final section of the workshop.
Monthly Sketch Meet-up at Stanford’s Cantor Museum
Join us for our August Sketch Meetup at the Stanford Campus outside the Cantor Museum. Wednesday, August 27, from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm. Make it a day out and meet us at 11:00 am in front of the museum so we can visit it and eat lunch in the cafe! Fee: $25
LEARN FROM THE MASTERS: RUTH ASAWA FLOWERS
Pen & Watercolor: Join us on Friday, August 15 from 1-4pm at the Atherton Arts Foundation Studio in Holbrook Palmer Park, Atherton, CA. Learn from Ruth Asawa’s drawings and paintings of nature and flowers using pen and watercolor. Asawa loved drawing nature in all its forms in her Noe Valley garden in San Francisco. From the outset of her artistic career she was fascinated by the patterns in nature which in turn inspired her seminal sculptures.
Landscape Drawing for Beginners (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)
Hosted by the Foster Museum in Palo Alto, which houses the watercolors of internationally acclaimed British artist and explorer, Tony Foster, the operative word for this introductory landscape drawing series is JOY sure to be a component of each class.
No prior experience is needed, just a willing and interested heart! Artist Tony Foster begins his en plein air painting process by drawing on paper and completes it with watercolor. For many artists, drawing landscapes is an important first step or, often, the end point!
In this four-week series of 2-hour workshops, you will be introduced to the basic skills needed to draw landscapes from photographs, other artworks, and "en plein air" (in the open air).
In the final class, we will put it all together with an outdoor sketch walk at nearby Baylands Nature Preserve.
All materials are provided, though you may bring your own. We welcome the use of watercolors, pastels, and colored pencils to add color to your drawings if you wish.
Landscape Drawing for Beginners (Copy) (Copy)
Hosted by the Foster Museum in Palo Alto, which houses the watercolors of internationally acclaimed British artist and explorer, Tony Foster, the operative word for this introductory landscape drawing series is JOY sure to be a component of each class.
No prior experience is needed, just a willing and interested heart! Artist Tony Foster begins his en plein air painting process by drawing on paper and completes it with watercolor. For many artists, drawing landscapes is an important first step or, often, the end point!
In this four-week series of 2-hour workshops, you will be introduced to the basic skills needed to draw landscapes from photographs, other artworks, and "en plein air" (in the open air).
In the final class, we will put it all together with an outdoor sketch walk at nearby Baylands Nature Preserve.
All materials are provided, though you may bring your own. We welcome the use of watercolors, pastels, and colored pencils to add color to your drawings if you wish.
Landscape Drawing for Beginners (Copy)
Hosted by the Foster Museum in Palo Alto, which houses the watercolors of internationally acclaimed British artist and explorer, Tony Foster, the operative word for this introductory landscape drawing series is JOY sure to be a component of each class.
No prior experience is needed, just a willing and interested heart! Artist Tony Foster begins his en plein air painting process by drawing on paper and completes it with watercolor. For many artists, drawing landscapes is an important first step or, often, the end point!
In this four-week series of 2-hour workshops, you will be introduced to the basic skills needed to draw landscapes from photographs, other artworks, and "en plein air" (in the open air).
In the final class, we will put it all together with an outdoor sketch walk at nearby Baylands Nature Preserve.
All materials are provided, though you may bring your own. We welcome the use of watercolors, pastels, and colored pencils to add color to your drawings if you wish.
Landscape Drawing for Beginners
Hosted by the Foster Museum in Palo Alto, which houses the watercolors of internationally acclaimed British artist and explorer, Tony Foster, the operative word for this introductory landscape drawing series is JOY sure to be a component of each class.
No prior experience is needed, just a willing and interested heart! Artist Tony Foster begins his en plein air painting process by drawing on paper and completes it with watercolor. For many artists, drawing landscapes is an important first step or, often, the end point!
In this four-week series of 2-hour workshops, you will be introduced to the basic skills needed to draw landscapes from photographs, other artworks, and "en plein air" (in the open air).
In the final class, we will put it all together with an outdoor sketch walk at nearby Baylands Nature Preserve.
All materials are provided, though you may bring your own. We welcome the use of watercolors, pastels, and colored pencils to add color to your drawings if you wish.
Sketching Meetup
Meet us at the Yerba Buena Art Center park where we will sketch the huge colorful statues of Mexican spirit animals! It’s right over the street from SF Moma where we can meet for lunch and look at some of the wonderful art ahead of sketching if you like. (The museum is closed on Wednesday which is why we moved the usual date) If you are coming from the Peninsula you there is parking at SF Moma. If you prefer not to drive you can take Caltrain and walk along Townsend to vatch the 45 bus which puts you out directly by the museum and after sketching will take you back directly to the station. When you arrive wander over to meet us in the park or catch us at the cafe on the 5th floor of SM Moma. Free to all and bring your friends.
Learn From The Masters: Thiebaud
IN-PERSON WORKSHOP
Date: Friday, June 20th, 1:00-4:00pm PST
Location: Atherton Arts Foundation Studio, Holbrook Palmer Park, 150 Watkins Ave, Atherton, CA 94027
We end the four-part series celebrating the amazing landscapes by Wayne Thiebaud who lives and teaches in Davis and Sacramento, CA. His use of flat shapes and attention to colors at the edges are themes throughout his work. Learn about his artistic process.
In this workshop, you will learn about his process, influences, and growth as an artist, and then we will execute paintings from his own work and/or from your own based on what you learned. All materials are provided. We use acrylic paint, but you are welcome to bring your own watercolors or oils if you wish!
Monthly Sketch Club
Join us at our monthly Sketch Club meetup at the Allied Arts Guild gardens in Menlo Park for a few hours of sketching and painting in this lovely environment! No charge, and bring your friends. Donations welcomed.
Monthly Sketch Club
Join The Joy of Drawing Community for our monthly Sketch Club, held in person on the last Wednesday of each month. We will meet at various Bay Area Peninsula locations for outdoor and urban sketching and community building!
Learn from Diebenkorn
IN-PERSON WORKSHOP
Date: Friday, March 28th, 1:00-4:00pm PST
Location: Atherton Arts Foundation Studio, Holbrook Palmer Park, 150 Watkins Ave, Atherton, CA 94027
Originally from San Francisco and educated at Stanford, Richard Diebenkorn has made a name for himself as an abstract expressionist painter but turned back to more representational painting in the mid-1950s, especially landscapes. Learn about his approach to abstracting shapes, forms, and use of color.
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