Two wildly fun, life-changing days with very cool people and intriguing dialogue offer life-altering insights and deep music listening from Bach to Rock. Explore how six human behavior patterns (archetypes) –the Victim, Wanderer, Warrior, Caregiver, Innocent, and Magician–aim to run your life’s show. Discover how to choose music to positively direct that show to the […]
About Rajiv Mohabir: Rajiv holds a BA from the University of Florida in religious studies, an MSEd in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Long Island University, Brooklyn, and an MFA in poetry and literary translation from Queens College, CUNY where he was Editor in Chief of Ozone Park Literary Journal. While in […]
Want to learn how to draw enticing pieces? Join us for this workshop all about perspective! Learn the basics of value, shape, line, and form. Through various exercises, students will develop a set of perspective and basic drawing skills to create depth in any art piece. Artists with some drawing experience are welcome to join […]
Nature is a gold mine of inspiration – what better way to explore its countless variations than by painting the seasons? The winter landscape lends itself to cool shadows and warm sunlit reflections. In this workshop, we will use a limited palette to simplify color mixing and create a harmonious painting. Attention will be given […]
Explore new and creative collage processes! Work with paint, pastels, inks sprays, and learn how to design with image transfers on a variety of surfaces such as tea bags, rice paper, glassine, deli papers, and more. With a variety of techniques, you will be able to create fabric paper and other prepared papers, either painted […]
Step into the darkroom to explore silver-process black-and-white photography. You will learn how to process film and make handcrafted gelatin-silver prints from your negatives while gaining a better understanding of light, exposure, composition, and camera techniques. Expand your creativity and make each assignment a challenge to your artistic vision! Ages 16-Adult. Instructor: Richard Rinker
Develop drawing skills and cultivate daily creative practice by sketching from life. Learn to loosen your hand, frame your composition, and capture simple moments to create a cohesive body of work (and perhaps a lifelong habit)! We will use simple, portable materials that make it easy to incorporate drawing into your everyday routine. You’ll leave […]
This course is a fun way to learn new drawing skills and how to train your eyes to really see. There is no “can’t” in this introduction to drawing course – only “I can!” You will be guided on how to render an object, bringing depth into your work. Explore how to use color and source of […]
Level 0 – This class is for the true beginner with no prior experience in the medium. Want to tap into your creative side with people of all ages? Want some healing crystals and calming energy in your home? Let’s honor the history of dream catchers while adding a modern twist with pops of color, […]
This spring break intensive workshop is for teens that want to try watercolor! They will learn basic watercolor skills including the basics of value, line, shape, form, perspective, and color. They will also explore how to assemble their own materials in the future to be able to paint anywhere. Everyone will have enough practice and […]
Built around a beautiful exercise created by the poet Ross Gay, this workshop brings people into meaningful conversation with each other through a series of “lyrical questions,” open-ended questions about our own lives. The session will conclude with an improvised gift exchange. Lyrical Gifts is offered in partnership between the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center […]
Celebrate creativity at the FAC's Bemis School of Art! Bring someone special or come alone and make new friends. You don’t have to bring any supplies, just come prepared for artistic festivities guided by Bemis instructors and your love of fun. You’ll have the opportunity to experience more than one painting activity. One free drink […]
In this class, we will bring the line work of drawing and the luminosity of watercolor together in this addictive technique. We will practice layering sections of color to represent shapes or draw first and drop in paint. Or try the experimental approach by throwing paint randomly and allowing it to speak to you. Matched […]
Figure drawing is one of the basic skills all artists should have. I have developed a formula to teach drawing the human body that ensures most people are successful after just a few lessons. The first step is the stickman, then we look at the fundamental areas of bulk in the body, and finally, there […]
Let’s make art from nature! We will learn to use materials found in our surrounding mountains. Anything from flowers, mud, grass, twigs, honeycombs, and so much more! You will make three projects over three different sessions: nature explosions, assemblage, and printmaking. We will use our hands and get messy as we find inspiration in the […]
Are you ready to get answers to your burning questions and add new hacks to your throwing process? Discover how to throw a plate from a slab, pull a handle from a mug, or split your rims and alter your forms. Add details by stamping and carving your pots or add a foot ring or […]
Are you ready to meet your new best friend Gelli plate? The Gelli plate is an incredibly playful and intuitive tool for creating art. If you have never done any form of printmaking before or think you don’t have a creative bone in your body, then this is a fun and easy way to loosen […]
Are you ready to meet your new best friend, the Gelli plate? The Gelli plate is an incredibly playful and intuitive tool for creating art. If you have never done any form of printmaking before or think you don’t have a creative bone in your body, then this is a fun and effortless way to […]
Do you want to learn how to work better with clay and develop more advanced techniques? Then, this is the class for you! This course is open to intermediate and advanced level students. You will learn new techniques to create more advanced forms. You will also have the chance to pursue handbuilding, sculptural work, and/or […]
Add some dimension, texture, and depth to your ceramic surfaces using these stylistic methods in slip, underglazes, and cone 5 glazes. In this workshop, you will learn to build some forms that will act as canvases to play with different surfaces and application techniques on a live wet clay form and later, a bisque form. […]
Once dried, gourd shells are hard and thick like wood and are easy to paint, decorate, and are weatherproof. All participants will create at least one indoor/outdoor art piece using a dried gourd. There is a material fee of $8 due to the instructor on the first day of class to purchase a gourd. All other supplies […]
Please join us for a lesson on the history and tradition of Mexican metal embossing or “repujado.” “Repujado,” also known as embossing metal, is the art of working in metallic foil to give volume and relief to a decorative design. You will learn how to emboss and deboss on tooling aluminum and create your own […]
Please join us for a lesson on the history and tradition of Mexican metal embossing or “repujado.” “Repujado,” also known as embossing metal, is the art of working in metallic foil to give volume and relief to a decorative design. You will learn how to emboss and deboss on tooling aluminum and create your own […]
Whatever your artistic interest and whatever your age or skill level, we have classes to drive your passions at the Fine Arts Center’s Bemis School of Art. Explore! Public registration begins Aug. 28. Browse classes
Taos’ light, color, and culture have inspired modern artists for over 125 years to create inspirational and memorable paintings. Taos is especially stunning in the autumn with glorious textures and colors. Professional artist and instructor Martha Mans will concentrate on watercolor and gouache painting with a special small presentation about how she creates her casein […]
Announcing Mindful Music: Series Two with Molly Lord, Creator of Tuned-In Productions and your facilitator. Edie Carey, National award-winning, soulful contemporary/folk singer songwriter Hazel Miller, Colorado Hall of Fame music icon; deemed “The Aretha Franklin of Colorado” Jorma Kaukonen, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend with Jefferson Airplane, and highly respected interpreter of American roots music, blues […]
Portrait drawing can seem like a challenging skill to learn since every face is unique and filled with detail but in this course, you will learn how to draw portraits down to the finer details! The instructor will guide you through each stage of drawing from proportion, structure, and how to draw facial features by […]
This class will emphasize speed and accuracy in your drawings including how to start drawings faster. Students will be pushed on speed earlier in the class and then can relax into a longer drawing in the second half of the class. No laid-back, leisurely drawing in this class. Standing is required to get an accurate […]
In this class we will learn the fundamentals of creating successful compositions with acrylic paint on canvas as the medium. The class will focus on two projects for each student consisting of medium canvases. How to start, and how to finish a painting will be covered as well as accuracy and detailing. Subject matter will […]
Join us for this class using natural dyes where you will get an introduction to the fundamentals of using natural plants and natural plant extracts to color fabric. We will explore how different types of fabrics are mordanted and how different weaves take the dye, and you will walk away with the beginnings of a […]
Join this class to create whimsical, functional, and decorative items that will bring joy to your home or garden. We will learn and improvise on basic handbuilding skills to create shapes, eyes, and other expressive features to bring personality to our mugs, bowls, garden sculptures, and more. In this class, you will explore various glazing […]
This course is aimed toward beginners but creatives working in other mediums who want to learn something new about this frequently overlooked art form. Through demonstration and hands-on creating, students will learn the variety in which pastels, papers, and tools combine to create the most colorful artworks imaginable. Level 0 – This class is for […]
Do you have a favorite pet? Is the zoo your favorite place to visit? In this class you will learn multiple techniques to bring those furry friends to life! We will explore the grid scale technique to help you confidently draw complex shapes more simply. We will then practice skills to explore the charcoal medium […]
In this two-hour class, you’ll develop skills using an edged pen for calligraphy. You’ll learn to write in Italic calligraphy, along with an introduction to other historic book hands. We’ll harness a combination of design awareness, craft skills, and rhythmic vitality to create beautiful writing. Level A – All levels welcome. Adults
You will explore the process of creating multiples of a single clay object through foundational techniques in clay slip casting and plaster mold-making. You will have an opportunity to create your own object from clay and will learn to mix and pour plaster to fabricate a functional and reusable one-part mold. We will spend ample […]
Get down and dirty with this introduction to immersion-dyeing class using acid and fiber reactive dyes. Students will learn the basics of how to color fabric and skeins using a dye bath. Color is free and loose while learning the step-by-step method of safely using synthetic dyes. This class is good for weavers, knitters, crocheters, […]
You’ve used your micro torch to make a ring or pendant, now we’ll learn how to create a simple round or oval bezel on a ring and set the stone! Please note that students need to wear eye protection (eyeglasses work), closedtoe shoes, no loose sleeves, and long hair must be tied back. There will […]
You will process your own traditional black and white film and learn to make handcrafted silver-gelatin prints in the darkroom. You will learn advanced techniques such as split-filter printing, Sabattier printing, and combination printing to challenge your creativity and bring ideas to new heights. We will work to nurture your creativity, giving you an opportunity […]
