Penn Studio School Reviews -

Creative Approach to Still-Life Painting (Online Course) Spring 2026 w/ Susan Ashworth

“Loved to see how Susan creates her unique compositions, her layering technique, and color choices - have always admired her work! Her assignments allowed us to experiment and explore our own ideas. Just really liked her approach to learning & teaching, very fun!”

- Deb W.

Still Life: Exploring Art through Observation (Online Course) Spring 2026 w/ Yuval Yosifov

“Super pleased. Her lecture is soo structured and thoughtful. I learned a lot of new artists even though i studied with a JSS guy already. Her crit is really strong. Not ‘everything is awesome’. It was very constructive and she pushed me further. Not something I expected from a workshop. You can tell she cares.

- Stephanie M.

“Yuval is so prepared & interesting each week - I’ve learned in depth technique with Masters’ examples, opening the door to explore and experiment with every course! She challenges and encourages each student, creating demos and assignments that build skills and open eyes! Her critiques are so on target and insightful - and motivating. Developed and taught at a college level, Yuval is offering me the opportunity to attend the art school, that I could only dream of. Yuval Yosifov truly cares about her students - she’s a First Class Instructor, a real gem!”

- Deb W.

Seeing in Shapes (Online Course) Winter 2026 w/ Edmond Praybe

“Well designed presentation to meet the purpose of each clause in a thoughtful insightful, and encouraging manner. I also appreciate that he presents ideas that motivate each artists creative ideas to promote growth in our own work. Class very successful. I have always left this instructors classes very satisfied with presentation and appreciation of what I learn.”

- Adele E.

Exploring Underpainting for Pastel Painting (Online Course) Winter 2026 w/ Susan Woolgar

“A very successful course, she moved at a perfect pace, she gave everyone equal attention whether there or not there, she showed how to finish and mount which is so important and most she made it sound easy and it helped us do our best. ”

- Penny H.

“I was originally drawn to Susan‘s classes because I loved her art so much on Instagram. And then I discovered she was also an amazing teacher and I loved her little tricks and tips on how to free yourself up in abstraction and how to prepare underpaintings. She has completely sold me on underpainting now and I’ll probably never buy pastel paper again as now I know how to make my own. There are so many things that work well in her classes. The reason I took this class twice - because I took it the year before as well- is because you always learn new things from the way she does stuff each time, but also from her individual feedback on students’ work. I not only learned from what she said about mine, but I also learned what she said about others. Pure gold to me- I am not exaggerating. . I feel like I have grown as an artist since I’ve started taking her classes.She is just a treasure house of ideas and skill and knowledge and she is always kind. She’s a unique combination of kind and very specifically constructive.”

- Annette M.

Inspirations (Online Course) Winter 2023 w/ James Bland (January 18 to February 22)

“This is the second Penn Studio class that I’ve taken with James Bland and they both were phenomenal. I carry the kernels of knowledge that James imparts during his classes and continue to ponder long after the class has ended. I feel very honored to have spent the time with James “in his studio” and watch his approach and methods. This last class was so interesting to hear the range of his influences and what he thinks about when developing a painting. I am grateful that he was so generous to share his thinking. I also appreciate the talent and input of the other participants. It was a great group of artists. Thank you to Penn Studio School of Art for making it all possible. If you offer another class with James, I will be the first to sign up.”

- Carol H

Color for Painters (Online Workshop) Winter 2023 w/ Al Gury (January 17 to January 31)

“Al’s lectures were packed with information – practical tips for painters and a fascinating overview of painting through the centuries. The exercises he gave were challenging and worthwhile. His critiques demonstrated his experience coaching students at all levels of experience. I hope that more of Al’s classes will be included in future on-line courses.”
- Marilyn R.

“This short class was packed full of information. Al was attentive to student questions and evaluated our work on Padlet. I would love to see more classes like this from Al, especially contemporary landscape painting.”
- Patricia T.

Capturing the Essence of Flowers (Online Workshop) Winter 2023 w/ Bhavani Krishnan (January 13 to January 27)

“I was not able to attend any of the classes online, but I thought they were excellent. I still have only done one of the exercises – black and white. I
appreciated Bhavani’s response to me. She is an excellent instructor – she combines her scientist’s mind which attends to details in materials and an
understanding of how colors work together, with a lovely free style that is accurate yet loose.”
- Sally H.

“Bhavani’s class was fantastic!! She did such a wonderful job breaking down and sharing her process in a clear, concise way. She was patient, encouraging and gave good feedback on our homework. I really enjoyed his class very very much! I’m even going to frame one of the pieces I did along with her demo. ( and I ve never had something at the end of workshop I wanted to frame! ) Love her painting style, generous sharing of information and her preparedness and organization for class. Very helpful homework as well!”
- Peggy A.

“Bhavani created a very comprehensive workshop with a great deal of helpful information on the essential fundamentals of painting flowers. Her lectures were thorough and organized and touched on every aspect of creating a flower-themed
painting. I loved watching her demos! The simplification process in painting is sometimes not a natural inclination, but she carefully demonstrated that “less is more”. I really enjoyed this workshop. Thank you!”
- Amy I.

“Bhavani’s instructions are done with great clarity. She led us in a sequential manner, first telling us and showing us examples of our topic of the day, followed by her demonstration. I’m looking forward to more lessons from Bhavani. She really helped me!”
- Claudia S.

Renaissance Techniques for Contemporary Use (Online Course) w/ Peter Beeson (November 7 to November 28)

“I loved this course and consider myself privileged to have had the opportunity of spending so much time with Peter Beeson. I learnt a huge amount and will definitely change the way I work for example by embracing accidents and endeavouring to work more loosely but also by spending time preparing my panels and considering which methods and materials to use for grounds/priming etc. I will certainly no longer be buying primed boards etc but will do it all myself in future.”
- Catherine M.

Color Blocking with Acrylic Paint (Online Course) w/ Amy Erickson (November 6 to November 27)

“This was a great course. I came away from it eager to apply the different techniques we've explored to my own practice, and I've even used some collaging to help me figure out some personal paintings outside of the course. I also appreciated that we were exposed to artists and art styles I typically wouldn't have sought out on my own. This course was totally worth the time and money spent too.”
- Amber B.

A Course in Gouache (Online Workshop) w/ Patti Vincent (October 25 to November 15)

“An excellent course. It started from the basics of using gouache, and moved into progressively more challenging areas. I appreciated the emphasis on composition and value studies. The instructor was very patient and did a good job in motivating and inspiring the students. Highly recommended to those starting out in this medium.”
- Arthur D.

“Patti was terrific. Had a very clear and doable workplan, and was very encouraging with her critiques, even as she detailed where improvement could be made. She fostered a great atmosphere in the class and did a few very helpful demos to convey the skills and approaches she wanted us to learn and practice. I would definitely take a class with her again and it’s wonderful to have an instructor wants you to succeed and takes the time to answer specific questions.”
- Ellen R.

Understanding Color for the Watercolorist (Online Course) w/ Charlene Freeman (September 7 to October 26)

“This was an extremely thorough class. It gave me a framework, almost a step by step process, to understanding color and how to explore making colors. The class notes that were shared with us afterwards were generous in their detail and information. I appreciate the longer classes and this class gave us so much that we could work on what we’ve learned for years. Charlene and Joe Podlesnik made a wonderful team. Thank you!”
- Sue M.

“This course deepened by knowledge of color. I appreciated Charlene’s talents as an artist as well as a teacher. I liked the method of instruction (lecture, video, demonstration, and practice). I have enrolled in future online courses where Charlene is the instructor. Recommendation - continue to offer this as an 8 week course but also consider eight micro-learning workshops, 1 day 2 hour sessions where artists get to select. Thank you again for offering this type of class.”
–Joni D.

“Charlene is an excellent instructor! I learned so much about the nature of color in her class and how to mix colors. Her homework assignments were easy to do and helped me more thoroughly understand the concepts she was teaching. She also reinforced her live instruction with instructional videos which I found to be very helpful. 10 out of 10!”
- Stephanie S.

“I am an artist working in multiple media, and have long wanted an in-depth color class. This one, using watercolor, made mixing fast and easy.
The 8-week length was probably about right. Since it takes a bit to become comfortable with a teacher’s teaching style, classes that are four weeks or less are often too short to really be helpful (especially because the last class often in “the end,” with no additional work happening beyond that).
Charlene was an outstanding teacher, with the material clearly organized. Seeing the entire syllabus at first was helpful, so that way we knew what topics were coming up. Charlene was also very attentive to student work. No complaints whatsoever about the instruction.
I felt that this class gave me the tools to continue color study on my own, and the class was fairly priced.”

- Joanne M.

Inside Out Painting (Online Course) w/ Billie Bourgeois (September 1 to October 20)

“This was a wonderful class! Billie was really a delight and extremely knowledgeable. She had a ton of really great, and original, ideas on how to get past being self-conscious about out work, and to be more free when we paint – my never-ending goal. She was also very free and generous with sharing information. Her critiques were spot-on, in my opinion, and I think she left every student feeling good about their work. So not only did I learn a great deal but it was a lot of fun! Also, the exercises/demos, and support of all her students gave me the inspiration I needed to be painting much more than I had been. I would love to take another class with Billie!”
- Caroline K.

“This was a wonderful course! Billie is an accomplished artist and teacher who generously guides students of all levels into her way of working: a friendly mix of drawing, printing, collage, and painting that provides a welcome path into the deeper challenges of artmaking. I learned and grew so much through this course. I was genuinely surprised by the quality of work I produced each week. Each one was an adventure, and I was able to give myself fully to the ups and downs, the successes and failures, of the creative process. It was a source of much discovery and joy. Seeing the growth of other students (through Padlet) was so inspiring, too. Such fascinating creative leaps! And Billie’s astute critiques helped our work deepen. I saw this in my own work and witnessed it in the work of others. All in all, a terrific course with a very gifted artist and teacher. Thank you!”
- Loretta C.

“LOVED IT! The content taught was stimulating and inspiring. The pacing of the course was “spot on”. Having the live sessions were great to be able to interact and receive immediate feedback. The inclusion of the recordings to go back to and review was extremely helpful.”
- Mary H.

Building your Watercolor Confidence (Online Workshop) w/ Mike Kowalski (October 4 to October 18)

“I found the workshop very inspiring. Mike Kowalski explained his process really well – it was great to watch him while he was working - and was just an incredibly likeable artist to listen to. He introduced some watercolour artists I’d never heard of before and it was great to see how open and undogamatic his approach is. He was especially generous with his time when reviewing the exercises we submitted. The only thing I feel is that it would have helped to have more sessions – maybe there could be ones focusing exclusively on the figure or landscape. All in all, wonderful class – Many thanks!”
- Nikola I.

“The 3 three-hour sessions were from beginning to end filled with many ideas and examples that I found informative and inspiring . To absorb it all it’s great to be able to look back on the sessions. It has given me many practical ideas I now am aware of in my own art practice. Thank you Allison and Emily to make this so accessible. Kind regards.”
- Anna S.

Observational and Abstract Painting Workshop (Online) w/ Yuval Yosifov (September 2 to September 16)

“I’ve discovered Yuval’s art not long ago and it mesmerized me immediately. Thanks to Penn Studio of Art for arranging this workshop and opportunity to join the classes online from different country. Yuval shared lots of useful information about her painting technique and art in general. We had very small group and all participants received a lot of attention. The best part that all of us got to paint few studies supervised by Yuval on every step of our practice. Starting from setting up the still life, selecting colours and followed by many advices regarding painting process. Also I really liked how convenient the whole thing organised. It was very easy to share photos of our works with the teacher and receive feedback. We could rewatch the recordings afterwards too. In the future I’ll definitely keep an eye on the next workshops by Penn Studio of Art.”
- Elena K.

Fleeting Moments - Captured in Oil from Daily Life Workshop (Online) w/ Mel Williamson (August 19 - September 2)

“This course was very helpful for me. The Instructor was very organized and presented the workshop in a very clear way developing each aspect further
after each session. I would definitely take another course with this Instructor. Excellent job. Excellent subject matter. Learned a lot.”
- Cathy A.

Still Life in Collage Workshop (Online) w/ Rotem Amizur (June 9 - June 23)

“This was a wonderful, fun workshop. Not only did we learn helpful methods for construction and insightful concepts for bringing light and color into a collage, but also Rotem beautifully communicated the joyfulness of collage making.”
- Pamela R.

Bringing The Outdoors In: Creating Expressive Landscapes in The Studio Workshop (Online) w/ Eric Jacobsen (June 9 - June 23)

“Excellent class. The class was a balanced mix of discussion, viewing master artists work, and watching Eric demo and the emphasis was on how to make a painting, not how to copy a reference. Eric is a joy to watch paint, and he is very capable of sharing his thought process as he moves through a painting. Eric is generous with knowledge, and is happy to answer whatever questions one has.”
- Rhonda C.

“Eric is organized, sensitive to student needs and preferences, patient, respectful of the differing levels of students and knows his stuff. I love the mix of theory, examples, discussion and demonstration that he presents. Most importantly to me, he’s rare in that he teaches a modern expressionistic representational landscape style that I prefer above any other. I’ve taken six workshops from Eric and he just gets better as both an instructor and an artist. That’s saying a lot since I’ve been taking his workshops for about 10 years.”
- Jolyn W.

Perceptual Color, Light and Form Workshop (Online) w/ David Baird (June 6 - 20)

“David is an exceptional young painter and teacher. He demonstrates his method very effectively but in warm and practical manner. His critiques are quite empathetic and provide a real path forward for one’s work. I highly recommend him.”
- Lawrence Q.

“The course in general was very good, the resources put by the PSS were efficient and easy to use, the instructor was very good and with a high level of knowledge you could ask all type of questions related to the topic of painting and David tried to answer in the best possible way and patiently. I thought the level of the workshop was very high and this enabled you to learn a lot in a short period of time. In general very good, what I have learned will be very valuable for my work and I hope to do another course in the Penn Studio School.”
- Andrés G.

Making Pastel Landscape Workshop (Online) w/ Peter Beeson (June 6 - June 20)

“I thought it was a very, very good workshop. I learned a lot of course, but what was remarkable is that Peter Beeson revealed how he saw what he paints while teaching us about colors, how to make pastels, what tools and implements to use. And it did not stop there. He connected the act of seeing and painting with life, opening up possibilities and challenges. I look forward to reviewing each of the classes—glad that on-line makes that possible. I am in my studio as much as possible trying to paint with renewed insight into what I want to do. Thank you. Do let me know about other classes.”
- Irene C.

“Peter's "Pastel Making Class was fabulous fun! I've been recommending it to other artists. Totally enjoyed it start to finish and learned so much, even though I've been making my own paints for some time now.”
- Cleta G.

“Well-structured workshop. Access to the artist was fantastic. I really appreciated how real conversations developed between the attendees and the artist. So much information and insight shared. I’m more focused and motivated. I learned a lot.”
- Heidi K.

Abstracting Landscape: By Construction & Deconstruction Workshop (Online) w/ Mashiul Chowdhury (June 18 & 19)

“I really enjoyed Mashiul’s class, he is very engaged, helps students see what works in their paintings and gives constructive ideas. Thanks so much for the opportunity to find classes on zoom, record and review topics if you can’t attend or need to hear it again.”
- Janice B.

Discovering Still-Life Painting Workshop (Online) w/ Vadim Suvorov (June 4 - June 18)

“Vadim is one my favorite painters and I couldn’t believe my luck when I saw Penn Studio was hosting an online workshop for him. I thought Vadim’s workshop was fabulous. His instruction was organized and clear and it left me with ideas how I can change my work methods. The technology and the translation both went smoothly.”
- Janice K.

Atmospheric Landscape Painting Workshop (Online) w/ Riley Doyle (June 3 to June 17)

“Riley was a generous and super informative teacher. I learnt so much and am itching to get started on some trees. I also loved the standard of the artists taking the course, I believe this shows the caliber of Penn Studio School’s stable of quality artists. And of course he saved the best demo til last and did that while he had covid. What a professional. Thank you again for providing a great learning experience for me. I never want to stop learning.”
- Nicola J.

“Riley presented great tips and information in a way that was easy to remember and to put into practice, and I feel my work will improve much more quickly now! I appreciate the amount of examples, his painting demos and also his demonstrated feedback on each of our weekly assignments. It was a great class and I’m looking forward to taking a lot more with Penn Studio!”
- Bethany H.

Gouache Portrait Painting class (Online) w/ Gil Robles, Spring 2022” (April 2 - May 21)

“The class was structured to progressively build skills: we started with drawing, moved to a black and white palette, then a limited color palette and finally an open palette. Gil taught primarily through painting demonstrations during which he’d describe his thought process and we were able to ask questions (he was also responsive to emails). About half way through the course, he provided feedback on student work using videos in which he digitally made corrections and suggested areas for improvement. This was the most valuable to me because I was introduced to some new (to me) concepts which I think are already starting to help. I’m happy I took the course; I got a lot out of it.”
- J. W.

Linocut Printmaking Course, Beginner to Advanced (Online) 2022 w/ Aliene de Souza Howell (March 29 - May 3)

“Aliene packs her class with relevance. Loads of knowledge and great advice. Skills, history, technique, personalized attention. Some of the best still life arrangements anywhere!”
- Heather H.

The Painted Portrait: Image and Surface (Online), with Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco (April 6 - April 27)

“A great class! Ilaria is so generous with her knowledge and expertise, sharing all the tips and lessons she has learned along the way. Her particular approach to painting is fascinating, both exacting and freeing. She explains her approach thoroughly and encourages her students wherever they are with their painting. She is a superb, warm, generous and talented teacher and painter.”
- Jane M.

"This class was amazing! Ilaria was honest and helpful with critiques, and watching her videos (from an actual commission!) was invaluable. She didn’t just discuss the typical aspects of how to paint a portrait, but also talked about specifics like working from photos, reflected light, background space, and more."
- Jennifer J.

“I found the course of great interest. Ilaria’s painting is rich and meaningful, the lessons guided us in this significant approach to the work of art. Each part of the pictorial process was explained with a wealth of details and examples. I highly recommend it.”
- Valentina S.

Still Life Drawing (Online) w/ Edmond Praybe, Spring 2022 (April 5 - April 26)

“I enjoyed Ed Praybe’s still life drawing course. He’s a great teacher who leaves you with many concrete ideas. It’s one of the best art classes I’ve taken. Thank you, Penn Studio School, for creating such a great platform for artists to share their ideas. Looking forward to doing other courses in the future.”

- Tim D.

Lemons, Workshop (Online) w/ Lucy MacGillis (April 5 - April 19)

“In her Lemons Workshop, Lucy MacGillis’ transported the class on a fascinating journey to understand the history of the lemon and the color yellow in painting. She demonstrated color mixing techniques with earth colors and a palette knife from her studio in Umbria, Italy. The class was a wonderful balance of lecture, demonstration, group discussions and reviews of class drawings and paintings. I hope to attend future classes by Lucy.”
- Carol H.

Composition, Color and Light, using Gouache - Workshop (Online) with Mike Hernandez (March 28 - April 11)

“This was an excellent course. Mike provided a lot of useful information in very understandable lessons. This class came along just as I was noticing that my paintings needed more attention to design and composition. The composition segment was particularly helpful for me.”
- Nancy Z.

Painting the Interior Workshop (Online) with Peter Van Dyck (March 18, 19, 20)

“Peter is a truly excellent teacher and this workshop was fantastic. Peter is deeply thoughtful about and strongly grounded in his philosophy of painting and drawing, and he conveyed this, along with his passion for the subject matter throughout the workshop. He covered an extensive amount of information with thorough presentations and pre-recorded demos but still managed to allow students time to jump in and start applying what he was teaching in their own drawings and paintings. Including time for group critiques starting on the first day was really helpful, and provided a nice offset to the steady stream of new information being taught. Peter has a talent for adjusting his coaching style to the individual level of each student while being very positive and enthusiastic in his critiques, which is highly motivating.”
- Kimberly H.

“I watched the class recordings after the class since I could not attend the class live due to work (I have no time for practice at the moment, but in my head I am still painting). Therefor I also did not participate in the class exercises of drawing an interior space. But here is what I learned from listening to the lecture: There is a lot I found very helpful in the way he explains the perception and painting process – not to speak of his sense of humor which is very enjoyable. I took lots of notes while reviewing the recording so I can refer to those when I get back to painting later in the year. • Interesting to see how he paints the surrounding rather than a small section of the space – his shift to include space we only see by turning our head. • I especially found it helpful how he explained in various ways the need to shift the attention from object contours to light and shadow shapes/groups when setting up a painting. • Also seeing the way he encourages the repeated finding, but also obliterating of forms in the long painting process. It is the direction I like to go more into myself. • It is helpful to understand the care one should take in calibrating the values to one another in an interior room. I think I easily make objects too dark/too light, when it seems more important to paint the overall space and walls in the right value and contrast way before working on any objects. So much to digest, and then practice. His work is so beautiful and inspiring! Thank you Peter and Emily for letting me participate!”
- Christine S.

Image to Abstract Workshop (Online) w/ Mark Daniel Nelson (February 4 - 18)

“Having just completed Mark Daniel Nelson’s course “Image To Abstract, part 1”, I am left with total excitement for my own painting practice! Mark is an excellent teacher. He is able to express concepts with clarity and engagement. Mark’s feedback is thoughtful and always of value. Thanks Mark and Penn Studio School for this great experience!”
- Jan H.

“I learned a lot in this workshop, especially different ways to approach subject matter. The scaled approach to image to abstract was a helpful way to see the process and it also helped in finding where you fit in and what your goal is. The feedback videos using procreate were also very helpful in that they show actual methods in analyzing your image and helped find interesting ways, that you probably would not have found yourself, to see your image. The “mental maps” of how to approach an image that we have learned and have become comfortable with, are strong and hard to recognize, until an instructor like Mark shows you a different way.”
- Mary F.

“Mark Daniel Nelson’s class has really given me inspiration to paint again! He offers a unique approach to painting, in a very encouraging and positive way. As a successful professional artist Mark guides us through a very intelligent path that is informed by all his experiences and knowledge. Also, his personality and humour make the classes so enjoyable. Five stars for this workshop! Thank you!”
- Kathy B.

“Excellent at a cohesive explanation of the concepts he was asking us to try in class. The critic time was invaluable and the small critic videos were an unexpected surprise and added so much value to the workshop. It is because of the quality of the workshop that I signed up for Image to Abstract Workshop II (for spring).”
- Sharla R.

Animal Watercolor Class (Online) w/ Gillian Cavoto (January 18 - February 8)

“I really enjoyed the Penn Studio School of Art Animal Watercolor Painting Class led by Gillian Cavoto. Gillian did a fabulous time teaching this watercolor class, with an extensive demo, some art history, as well as class critique’s, and you-tube videos. The videos are sent in email with links that can be watched at off-class hours. The classes were also recorded so as you can review them again as well. It was good to get away from the usual still life, landscapes, or portraiture classes, and try something different. Highly recommend trying this class to move your watercolor skills along.”
- Clement D.

Slowed-Down Still-Life Painting class (Online) w/ Michael Weller (January 12 - February 2)

“Thoroughly enjoyed Michael’s class. His process is interesting and beneficial when trying to ‘slow down’ your painting. Using a limited palette was challenging but provided great information on how to develop colors and show unity. Michael’s class is a great resource for those of us who paint fast but want to slow down. Through his exercises, he encourages you to take the time to measure, do interesting placement, mix colors and compare those colors to like items, put down a few stokes – paint for 20 minutes then rest and start another or multiple paintings. I highly recommend Michael’s class for painters who want to slow down their process and create interesting paintings.”
- Jean C.

“Michael has an intriguing approach to painting. It was very interesting and inspiring to watch him paint and participate in conversation with him. Michael was always prepared and allowed a lot of time to devote to viewing and discussing each painter’s work. No one wanted the workshop to end!”
- Maria K.

Planning a Painting using a Value Map/ the Notan (Online) with Kraig Kiedrowski (January 11-February 1)

“Kraig's class was extremely interesting, fun, informative, and very helpful in a very personalized way. He has skill, knowledge and experience and is generous about sharing. It was really fun to listen to his thoughts and stories as he did his demos. He also made a big effort to ensure that we were actually painting and not just auditing. His critiques were thoughtful and instructive. I would definitely look forward to participating in his class again.”
- Audrey B.

How I Paint: Interaction, Idea, and Process Workshop (Online) w/ Patrick Lee (Jan 27, 28, 29 & 30)

“Thanks so much to you and Patrick for this amazing workshop opportunity. Although I’ve been painting professionally for years I always enjoy watching the painting process by artists I admire. I’ve learned that although I’ve attended lots of in person workshops I have really loved the zoom workshops because you can play it over again and it is amazing how each time you look you find you learn something new. I appreciated the fact that after I asked to see the mixing area he immediately did so. I was interested in how he was mixing and how much was on the tip of the palette knife because I normally think of the palette knife as thicker paint. Very helpful to see. I don’t know what it is about Pennsylvania but it seems every time an artist catches my eye that’s where they are from. I feel like the light is similar to a cabin we have in Northern Michigan and the landscapes seem to evoke a kind of melancholy. It started with a workshop with Stuart Shils and continued with several instructors from the Penn Studio School of Art. Definitely some good karma where you are. Please thank Patrick for the amazing opportunity.”
- Liz W.

“I really loved this. It was completely engaging and so worth it. I appreciate Patrick's confidence, mastery, and humility, and the way he acknowledged participants' ideas and contributions with comments posted to Padlet. This is only the second time I have signed up for an online art workshop. Based on this, I would do it again. Patrick presented a way of working that has inspired me. He did this without making anyone else's or any student's way of approaching painting wrong; he just presented another option to pick up and use if it seemed helpful. I have nothing negative to say about it, and have recommended Penn School and this particular workshop (should It be repeated) to my classmates at the Community Arts Program at Munson-Williams Proctor School of Art in Utica, NY. I also appreciate Emily's moderation of the event and making it all seamless and easy. Thank you both very much and I wish you continued success.”
- Julie H.

“Thank you so much for arrangement this Workshop. It was a great opportunity for us to participate virtually from another state. Everything was great, and thank you from Patrick to shared his knowledge generously.”
- Behnaz L.

“This was just what I was looking for to start to loosen up my painting, stimulate some new ideas and get excited about. I really appreciated being able to watch stroke by stroke decision making and adjustments. Patrick is a candid and generous instructor and wonderful artist. Thanks to Emily for her excellent moderation. I would definitely take another workshop with Patrick and with the Penn Studio School.”
- Karen M.

“Patrick is such a generous instructor, answering all sorts of questions and checking in during the class demo. It was mostly a demo class which was a little unexpected, but it made a lot of sense given the subject matter. What I really learned was how he solves problems he encounters when painting which was super useful. It is easy to think that seasoned artists like Patrick don’t struggle during the process and thus that we should not. So, seeing the full approach of a painting helped provide context for my own struggles. I think the class would have been more energized and engaging if we had been encouraged to ask questions directly to Patrick by unmuting. I always have it work that way in other online classes and much prefer it. The problem with doing it through chat is that things often felt like an exchange between Emily and Patrick rather than being a full class participation. I got the sense early on that we were not to ask questions directly so if that was not the intent it would be good to make the point early on. All in all I am glad I took the class and learned a lot!”
- Anne-Marie V.

Redefining the Portrait Workshop (Online) w/ Amy Scherer (January 13, 20, 27)

“The workshop was a good chance to reflect on ones personal style of and motivation for painting and offered a great possibility to watch Amy work and get feedback from her. I would have liked to be able to talk to her face to face, meaning a more variable camera work. I think more structure for the course would be helpful, too. I thought that three hours was actually too long and a bit tiring for an online class. That also may have been due to CET time.”
- Margit B.

CASEIN PAINTING (Online) class w/ Scott Gellatly (January 6 – 27)

“I had never seen any casein art classes and this workshop satisfied my curiosity and makes me want to learn more. Scott is an excellent teacher. I enjoyed Scott’s enthusiasm for the versatility of casein, and I liked his teaching style, his painting demos and color mixing demos. Scott talked about different white values, and now I see them all over the place. Starting and completing a different painting every week was a way for Scott to teach different concepts and this made the workshop interesting.”
- Mary B.

“I enjoyed the class very much but it was different than I expected. My previous classes online we had time to paint and get feed back and demos were sent in email. We also looked at different artists work during class. That being said I really enjoyed the different format. I miss seeing other artists work in presentation but the use of Padlet did let me see class work and get feed back. All in all I am very satisfied with the class. I also loved working in Casein and am looking forward to good weather to try plein air.”
- Susan N.

Introduction to Sanguine: The Portrait in Red Chalk Workshop (Online) w/ Wendy Wagner (January 11 - January 25)

“Wendy is a tremendous artist and superb teacher. She organizes her classes to give students the optimal amount of information, demonstration, drawing time and critique. Her demos are excellent - she explains her approach clearly as she draws and invites all questions – and her critiques are detailed and thoughtful. She is always encouraging and positive – a joy to learn from.”
- Jane M.

“I loved Wendy’s class! She covered so many tips and skills in such a short time. I absolutely feel like I’ve grown as an artist. The straight line approach and blocking in made a huge difference. Thank you so much!”
- Jennifer A.

“The course was very useful to me. Wendy presented the course material with structure and knowledge. She was able to convey this easily and with interest. The format of critique and technique was well laid out with a balance of time of each of them. It was also very helpful to have the class recorded for review/rereview. I would have preferred a clearer communication on what was expected of me for ‘homework’, as I was not too sure after the first lesson as to what to do. I will look for future classes with this Instructor.”
- Cathy A.

Finding the Light: The Inspired Still-Life Workshop (Online) w/ Scott Conary (January 21 to January 23)

“So happy that I was able to join (even tho I couldn’t fully participate). Scott had more lectures / slideshows than I was expecting but I really loved that. So many thoughts about other work and what he loves in art, what makes art good. ReLly love his philosophy. The connection between the eggs and his awareness of his daughter’s fragility was simply stunning and heartbreaking/ warming. It was so amazing to hear his thoughts on that. Loved seeing demos too! Got say I was in love w the two lamb chops! Looked so raw (no pun intended) and real and was super informative to see his approach in real time. (I’ll attempt to demo too - have done before). Anyhow, overall just really enjoyed it and only wish I had been home to participate more fully.”
- Mel W.

I’m an even bigger fan of his work now.“I enjoyed Scott’s workshop. As an experienced, working painter with little traditional painting education I was surprised by how much I learned. Painted value studies, composition sketches, color nomenclature and form building techniques were presented, and in my case, expanded my knowledge and skills. More than that, Scott began the workshop with the word ‘kindness’. This set a tone that continued throughout the workshop. Being kind to oneself as you try new things and kind to other painters by recognizing everyone at the class has a different painting background. Scott continually modeled ‘kindness’ in his slideshows and banter. Kindness by poking fun at himself and by presenting a wide variety of artists in his slideshows, pointing out again and again the many different styles exceptional painters have. His deep knowledge of painting and painters makes him an exceptional instructor. Oh - and his demonstrations were also excellent. He showed us all of the steps he takes - setting up the still life, composition sketches, beginning the painting, working and re-working the painting, and bringing it to a place he was happy with. It was a gift to watch him work.”
- Shawn D.

”Scott was always prepared and present. The workshop was an amazing art experience which included thorough and interesting slide presentations of both historic and contemporary artists as well as Scott painting live, discussion and focused student work evaluations. He really brought out the best in everyone and had us working, working, working - with incredible results. Mostly, Scott was incredibly generous with his knowledge, experience and time. His commitment to creativity is contagious and inspiring. Thank you to Scott and a big thank to [Penn Studio School] for all you do. You are always considerate of your teachers and students. This weekend was a gift.”
- Maria K.

“Scott’s workshop was really interesting and informative. He was very generous with his time and shared so much over the course of a weekend - his slideshows were epic! It was a nice size, friendly group and great to be able to share our work on Padlet so we could receive feedback from Scott and the other participants. I’d highly recommend taking a course with Scott.”
- Laura J.

3-Day Watercolor Workshop (online) w/ Abigail Dudley (November 5 to November 7)

“I am not totally unfamiliar with using watercolors, but Abigail’s workshop was my first formal learning experience of this technique. It was very exciting to be immersed in the three-day workshop in such an intense way: after enjoying the daily lecture about watercolors of older and more recent masters, we were given assignments based on the major topics of the day, working all together at a very concentrated rhythm till the end of the class. Next day we got a thorough critique of our works and answers to our questions. I deeply appreciated the teaching both in its quality and in the trusting request for a committed response from us students, for our attentive presence, always pushing us forward in our investigation and creativity. Having this ’push’ had a surprisingly liberating effect at the moments of practicing. I hope to have the opportunity to participate in another class with Abigail again.”
- Gretel H.

“I found this workshop very helpful on several levels and I have to thank Abigail for her constant presence and input.
First of all the workshop gave me my first opportunity to begin to explore not just watercolours but painting in general since childhood. The step by step approach helped me to reconnect with the medium particularly the inspirational slides of paintings by other artists including Abbey herself. Secondly, the painting activities on all three days were well organized and managed in a step by step approach that was quite challenging but gave emphasis to certain very important aspects of watercolour painting such as contrast between light and dark, uniformity and form within the whole, but at the same time didn’t give us participants too much time to be over cautious and perfectionist in our approach!
Finally, the very sensitive feedback was very generous, encouraging and never dismissive of our efforts.
I would certainly be interested in participating in another such workshop by Abby in the future.”
- Geraint D.

How I Paint: Interaction, Idea, and Process Workshop (online) w/ Patrick Lee (November 5, 6 and 7)

“This was a great workshop and entirely what the title says. Patrick took us through his process, shared with us many of his thoughts about how to generate the idea for a painting, how to approach painting as a creative process in general, and how he constructs a painting. His demos showed us how he paints and gave me ideas I can apply to my own work. Patrick is a gifted teacher – warm, friendly, knowledgeable, encouraging – and his critiques were kind and constructive. He was also just fun to be with for a few days.”
- Curtis G.

Gouache Painting Workshop (online) w/ Ellina Chetverikova (November 5, 6 and 7)

“I am not a fan of zoom meetings, but as I live in Scotland, your youtube sessions have been a good way to have a chance to receive this learning. Ellina had prepared everything very precisely, I really appreciated the props, that could be printed and the in vivo practice where we can see her working. I am still practicing, and I hope to improve. I will go back and again to your youtube sessions.”
- Natalie S.

Expressive Human Figure Drawing Class (online) w/ Mashiul Chowdhury (October 30 to November 20 )

“I really enjoyed having class with Mashiul as he encourages interactive engagement in his teaching ,so you don’t get lost in understanding if the basic concepts of composition and structure. You can apply these components by understanding anatomy, gesture, volume, tonality, and perspective He starts by getting to know everyone in class, building their comfort level should others be more advanced. Mashiul treats everyone equally, providing feedback in what is working for them, and where to go from there. If you work on his exercises you will be more successful, however he recognizes struggles and simplifies things. I find he increased my ability to observe what is happening in my paintings and drawings and to trust my spontaneity and build from there. He reinforces it can be a suggestion and that can be more interesting than a finished product.”
- Janice B.

Gouache Portrait Painting class (online) w/ Gil Robles (September 11 - October 30)

“I learned a lot from this class. The instructor had clear goals for each class and planned a clear progression of skills throughout the course. The demos were very instructive and Gil offered thorough, individual feedback during the week between classes. He was very encouraging to all students during class.”
- Devora R.

“So far I have only dared to make quick sketches to draw faces. I didn't know where to start, how to arrange it. Usually a face came out. But there was a lack of detail and expression. Nose, mouth, eyes - everything looked like it had been drawn seperately and put together later. From you, Gil, I learned how to create a face as a whole, how to model it on paper. That‘s a thing I can work with. But I also learned something else: There are so many things in my life. I live with a lot of people and they have a lot of problems. And they tend to plan my day. I need to prioritize my own things as they do their own. I have to make plans of my own and prevent them from devoting all of my time to their plans. And that's a good lesson you taught. Because I didn't finish the course. It's my fault. And if I don't change that - it will lead me astray and possibly even prevent me from my purpose. It's the first time I've realized that I have to see myself as an artist in order to become one. The course that I didn't finish and still learned a lot more than I expected. I'm very grateful. You Gil, you are such a good teacher - and you, Emily, you laid the foundation for the course and with it, gave me the opportunity to grow. In many ways. I'm very happy about it. And I know what I want to work on - in my art and in my life. This course was a complete success.”
- Claudia R.

Still Life Painting Class (online) w/ Edmond Praybe (October 6 - 27)

“As I'm sure you will hear many times from other participants in this class, Edmond Praybe, Instructor of Still Life with Edmond Praybe is an outstanding teacher and this was an exceptional class, particularly given that it was in a Zoom format. Edmond is not only knowledgeable and skilled as a painter, he is unusually good at explaining what he's doing, and breaking complex processes into manageable, smaller components so that all kinds of students can benefit from and understand the approaches he suggests. He is patient, kind and incisive when addressing student queries and quite helpful in finding methods to assist individual challenges. The assigned exercises were highly effective and his comments on padlet were thoughtful and very prompt. I highly recommend this class.”
- Alice Mcgowan

“As a big fan of Ed’s paintings (I’m lucky enough to have one hanging in my home) I was very excited to attend one of his classes on still life. It did not disappoint, he’s just as brilliant at teaching as he is at painting. His class moves beyond fundamental aspects taught in many classes and focuses on creating complex compositions and interesting surfaces by using materials in unique and practical ways. Each class has a combination of Q&A, slide show/lecture and live demos that drives home specific topics that are explored through weekly assignments. He is very active in providing detailed feedback to everyone throughout the week via easy to use message boards and clearly has a passion for both his craft and teaching. Can’t recommend his class highly enough!”
- Scott D.

“Excellent! I learned so much. I enjoyed the Padlet format. It was helpful to see the work of other students and Edmond's feedback to them. My only regret is that I could not copy and paste his comments. I had to handwrite them in a noteback. These comments were essential; not just what he said to me, but to everyone else as well.

The zoom format was great. His demos were great and the weekly assignments very helpful. I would suggest to him to perhaps start with the more easy assignment…the color matching and 3 simple objects. Then go to the lesson on primier coup with letting it dry, then very few adjustments. Then go to the instruction on composition, since this was the most complicated assignment and a more culminating type experience. Because he led with this, (and it was quite motivating and inspirational) I was not able to erase all that info and my choices for the next assignment was way too complicated.

I do believe this course was challenging, gave me food for thought and a chance to rethink how I paint; all signs of an excellent teacher. His comments and feedback to each student were spot on, specific, encouraging and presented in a questioning type format. I really liked that. I love his work. I love how he taught. I feel like this class was a great opportunity for me to learn from a master teacher without having to spend the time and money to travel. Just fantastic. thank you, Emily, for staying on top of things and streamlining the whole process.

Another brief thought...perhaps offer an add-on purchase where students can present independent work over the course of the next month for more feedback and another group zoom highlighting one work from each participant. This could provide further closure on the learning...”
- Catherine S.

“I'm glad I took the class. I like classes that are a little more studio and a little less demo, but it was really good to get insight into Ed's process. It was time well spent. One criticism is that I think 4 weeks/Zoom/Demo may just be too short a time/wrong format to really get any group dynamic going - and thus there's really something missing from this way of doing an art class. It's great that these online classes give people access to instructors they maybe can't get in their own cities, but I'd have liked to have seen people's work in the class, heard Ed talk about it, etc. …the class was time well spent.”
- John R.

Painting in the Garden class (remote) w/ Lynne Campbell (September 8 to October 13)

“I am an old hand, so to speak, at taking art classes, albeit newer to online learning. So imagine my wonder at having my work considered, carefully, thoughtfully, in detail, through its stages of evolution throughout every class session--all via text. For the first time, I had an instructor who guided me to consider the needs of the painting over depicting the light and color that I was seeing but not quite grasping in paint. We covered a lot of visual terrain over 6 weeks, with each class building on the former. The experience was a huge pleasure. And my painting is livelier for it.”
- Alex K.

Expressive Still Life Painting: In Oil (online) w/ Clyde Steadman (September 14 to October 12)

“Taking Clyde’s class has been a positive experience for me. I have learnt so much. Half of the classes I took were recorded zoom as the timing was tricky for me. This worked quite well because it meant I could be part of the class. However it’s always going to be frustrating to not be able to answer questions or more importantly ask questions. I know this could be done retrospectively but some times that moment has gone. Clyde’s demo and lesson classes were so very interesting and Clyde is so knowledgeable. Comparing masters work with contemporary artists taught me so much. I think the favorite classes were learning about Wayne Thiebaud and watching Clyde adapt his expressive style of painting to Wayne Thiebaud’s big shapes was fascinating to watch and learn. Plus I was itching to get started on my own versions. In his final class Clyde showed us his jigsaw style which again I felt so privileged to watch him paint and create in this way.”
- Nicola J.

“Clyde Steadman is a serious and thoughtful painter, and he brings those qualities to his painting classes. He does excellent demos of the concepts he teaches and talks through why he is doing what he is doing to make the painting work. He is also upfront about making mistakes, then shows how he fixes them. His demos are incredibly helpful, and he gives thorough critiques of everyone’s work. Clyde is an excellent teacher and is generous with his time.”
- Kate G.

Relief-Printmaking Workshop (online) w/ Tabitha Whitley (October 9 & 10)

“I really enjoyed Tabitha's energy, knowledge and recommendations for making the most of lino-cut relief efforts. She was super organized, clear with recommendations and had good responses to questions lobbed at her. She also planned the time we had together well, which I really appreciate. I really liked that she showed examples of other artists' work in addition to her own prints - only wished she showed some work and artists from the past, not just contemporary - always good to see evolution of styles. Tabitha made it a fun and worthwhile six hours and so happy to have a great print at the end of the workshop - really felt like she was right there with us as we tackled our chosen designs and helped us through some challenges with excellent advice and encouragement.”
- Ellen R.

Outdoor Landscape Painting workshop (in-person) w/ Randall Graham (September 18 & 19)

“Randy's workshop was terrific in every way! He is an exceptionally good instructor, clear, attentive, knowledgeable, relaxed and fun. I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop, and we were really lucky with the weather. I'd be interested in doing another workshop in beautiful Valley Forge during the fall colors.”
- Ann L.

Landscape Painting workshop (in-person) w/ Roger Chavez (September 11 and 12)

”Roger brings more than one tool in his approach to teaching. His critiques of student’s work are sensitive and always encouraging, and his knowledge of the history of materials and techniques opened a whole dimension of the craft of painting that I was not previously aware of. There is always a wealth of information to be gained both from formal lectures but also informal conversations. I am personally grateful to Roger for keeping my practice alive by pointing out new possibilities and vistas in the world of painting.”
- Richard R.

Drawing Into Color Class (online) w/ Edmond Praybe (August 5 to August 26)

“I’ve participated in several online art classes, most of which have ended up being just paint-alongs. Drawing into Color has a clear thought-provoking lesson each week that is both fun and challenging to practice. For those who submit their work, Mr. Praybe provides critiques that are both encouraging and specific, and is receptive to all questions. I enjoyed the class so much, and I think it is a class suitable for all levels of drawing experience.”
- Margaret (Peggy) T.

“This class was wonderfully inspiring. Ed Praybe is as good a teacher as he is an artist. His calm way of presenting art samples from other artists and himself while illuminating his teaching points in his commentary is clear and helpful. Watching his in class demonstrations then, make the teaching very practical by combining the theory with the practice. He has a vast knowledge of past and contemporary paintings and drawings which he brings into his teaching. I definitely recommend his classes!”
- Christine S.

“I really enjoyed learning from Ed. He introduced process and artist that i was not familiar with. the presentation and demos was a pleasure to watch and I learned so much on how to navigate watercolor painting and drawing. I would be very keen to participate in another session with Edmond.”
- Hyo S.

“Drawing Into Color felt like a full semester class packed into four weeks. Eye-opening lectures followed by hour-long demonstration that bordered on magical. It always amazes me when a class, an assignment, pulls work out of me that I did not anticipate. Between the lectures and the demos, Ed quietly rearranged my drawing assumptions. He inculcated a sense of drawing as exploration of space and intention as well as the familiar questions of color, value, line. Drawing Into Color changed the questions I bring to the page. One more general observation: I really appreciate working on-line. For all it’s glitches, it bridges physical distance. Recordings allow for time-shift as well as review. Plus a shy person like me can work in private before sharing. On-line is not better or worse, just different, and I’m grateful for this chance to study with Penn Studio teachers.”
- Linda B.

“I was familiar with Ed Praybe’s work from Facebook, where we have been friends for some time. I thoroughly enjoyed this Workshop, and found it both technically challenging and enriching. My main purpose in attending was not to learn how to draw, because I have been drawing for decades as an Architect and Designer. I sometimes prefer to reset my thinking and do things in a way I’m not accustomed to. Edmond gave us all great insight into his way of thinking and working, which I really appreciate. He has a calm, patient way of approaching his subject, and is not judgmental toward the work of the participants. I learned a lot about the style of his drawing and painting, which is quite different from what I do habitually. It was great to do things in a new way. I would definitely recommend his workshop to others.”
- Steven E.

“This was a great class! Ed did a masterful job of fitting a lot of concepts and commentary into a 4-week class. While I’m sure this is a challenge for instructors, this length seems to be just the “sweet spot” for learning new ideas that help to further art practice. The course delivered this with a specific approach to drawing and color that could be easily understood in class and tried outside of class. It was very helpful to see examples of the concepts, as well. Demos were fascinating – with narration that showed us how Ed was thinking as he worked.

“Ed’s postings on Padlet were detailed, personalized, thoughtful, and encouraging. This method is appropriate for a wide range of student skills, and best, its flexible and personalized – allowing the student to ask questions pertaining to individual problems and questions. Whereas pressure to finish is sometimes good in a timed Zoom class, freedom to explore and post later with ongoing commentary was wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed the class and appreciated the way Ed used Padlet. It was fun to read the ongoing comments from week to week allowing me to really think about the ideas in-between classes.

“This class will definitely inform my work as I develop it.”
- Nancy Z.

“This was a fabulous class for me. I admire Ed’s work so much, now his style of teaching. The class really opened new vistas for me. I love to draw, and learned how to make my style a bit different and interesting. Then the color work was mind blowing. The mixing of the different media is fantastic.”
- Louise B.

Portrait and Figure Painting Class (online) w/ James Bland (July 6, 13, 27 and August 3)

“I enjoyed the class with James Bland. I liked watching him paint a head, or figure and hearing/seeing how he analyzes, or feels, color was great. Color is so difficult in figures and portraits. There is a freshness and openness to his work which I wanted to learn from – even if I often will go into more detail with figures myself, either by request from a commissioner, or from my own decision. James feedback was helpful, and again, listening to his thinking while painting was very fascinating. I overall liked the class.”
- Christine S.

Simplified Forms: Methods for Oil Painting w/ Tracy Everly
(July 7 to July 28)

“Tracy is a wealth of knowledge about painting and has many organization schemas that allow her to share her knowledge generously. I am a new artist and so my ability to consume the vastness of information offered is quite limited. Despite this I felt she made learning quite enticing. Perhaps with continued painting my knowledge and experience level will change and I will recover information she’s shared, learning how to apply it to improve my work. I’m greatful that we discussed the common perceptions that we go through while our work is in progresses. Apparently the sense that our work is ugly or falls short of our expectations is not uncommon. Where Tracy’s multiple decades of experience painting gives her skills to resolve disappointment I will need to work on this for some time to come. Thankfully the payoff demonstrated could be quite significant.”
- Randi B.