Neilson Park Creative Centre: Courses
Post-Travel Art Incubator
Artists travel differently: they notice keenly, feel deeply. Things resonate long after the journey… But how to process it all? Through masterworks, group discussion and structured but open-ended exercises, this course helps you hone in on key aspects of your experience, and supports you in developing exciting new work. Thursdays, 9:30am-12:30pm, April 11 – May 30 (8 weeks) 
Register HERE or call 416-622-5294.

Painting, Plus...
Your basic painting skill set is the foundation for this adventure that will have you exploring unusual additions to your painting arsenal as we work with varied materials,  sources, and methods. With inspiring masterworks, discussion and plenty of artistic leeway, this course is guaranteed to get your creative juices flowing!
Thursdays, 1–4pm, April 11 – May 30 (8 weeks)
Register HERE or call 416-622-5294.

Neilson Park Creative Centre: Workshop
Assemblage
We FILL our world with stuff. Objects speak of our desires, hopes, fears, memories and follies. What better to construct art from?? Through masterworks, group discussion and structured but open-ended projects, this course helps you with all aspects — from artistic to prosaic — of making art from existing objects.Saturday and Sunday, April 27-28, 9:30am-4pm.
Register HERE or call 416-622-5294.

Abstraction 101
Reality is overrated! Learn to look at what interests you in ways that only you can. Through masterworks, group discussion, hands-on exercises, and most of all, plenty of fun — this course will expose you to new ways of working, seeing and thinking. Curious but unsure about abstraction? Start here!
Saturday and Sunday, May 25-26, 9:30am-4pm.
Register HERE or call 416-622-5294.

Collage: New Directions
4 full days of exploration with a balance of contemporary examples to inspire, exercises to get your motor running, and open-ended challenges —all in a collegial and supportive environment with individual attention and group discussion — with plenty of creative leeway to take things in the directions you find most compelling!
Monday to Thursday, June 10-13, 9:30am-4pm.
Register HERE or call 416-622-5294.

Visual Arts Mississauga: Courses
Introduction to Perspective
​Throw back the curtain on the expansive world of dramatic depth! Soaring skyscrapers, zooming vehicles, narrow streets and broad cityscapes, right down to still lifes and everyday objects that look convincingly 3D! Whatever you want to draw, a basic working knowledge of perspective will make it look RIGHT. We’ll learn the fundamentals of 1-, 2- and 3-point linear perspective and how they govern the sizing and placement of elements. Starting with basic geometric volumes, we’ll then apply that knowledge to creating convincing drawings of a host of subjects, with a quick look at how lighting adds further drama. Get ready to go dimensional! 
Tuesdays, 9am–12pm, April 2 –April 30 (5 weeks)
Register HERE or call 905-277-4313.

Essentials of Collage
Collage is both easier and more difficult than it looks! Learn the basics of creating successful collages though examples, discussion and plenty of hands-on exercises that will hone your eye for colour, value, composition and texture. We’ll also explore the innate collage strengths of juxtaposition, narrative and surprise.
Tuesdays, 1–4pm, April 2 –April 30 (5 weeks)
Register HERE or call 905-277-4313.

Creative Perspective
Pre-requisite: Introduction to Perspective or a working understanding of 1- and 2-point perspective
Building on your fundamental understanding of perspective, this course provides a framework to apply those principles to the kind of images you want to create! Each week we’ll take on a different perspective challenge, always with plenty of creative opportunities to make it your own. This time it’s personal!
Tuesdays, 9am–12pm, May 7 – June 4 (5 weeks)
Register HERE or call 905-277-4313.

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Adventures in Abstraction
An ongoing exploration into the realm of abstraction: what wonders may lie around the next artistic corners? Through examples, group discussion, hands-on exercises, and above all, plenty of fun — you’ll try many new ways of working, seeing and thinking. Let’s see how far this rabbit hole goes!
Tuesdays, 1–4pm, May 7 – June 4 (5 weeks)
Register HERE or call 905-277-4313.


AtreMbassy: Workshop
Art in Boxes
Ever since Joseph Cornell made his exquisite art in boxes in the 40s and 50s, putting collections of interesting objects into customized boxes has been a vital part of art-making for artists of all stripes. Whether to tell a story, create a shrine, show a collection, pique our curiosity or make us laugh — you can do it visually — in boxes! Kicking off with inspiring examples of artist’s boxes, we’ll then dive into making your very own based on your themes and interests. From box and contents selection to optimizing composition, right down to the attachment prosaics — we’ll cover everything you need to create your own fascinating boxed art. Come spend the day thinking inside the box! 
Friday April 12, 10am - 4pm 
Register HERE or call 416-998-5045.

Humber Valley Art Club (at Neilson Park)
Painting: The Rules and How to Break Them
Painting is rife with rules: a virtual torrent of shoulds and shouldn’ts. Yikes! While all artistic rules exist for a reason, none is absolute: art thrives on the unexpected, sublime solution that renders rules moot. Each day we’ll take on one of painting’s key tenets: after a brief lecture with inspiring masterwork examples, you’ll be challenged to create work harnessing the truth of the rule, and then, discerningly, break that same rule. Regardless of experience, this workshop will deepen your appreciation for why the rules exist in the first place, as well bolstering your creativity in pushing beyond them.
The best broken rule is an understood rule: Learn. Apply. Comprehend. Transcend!
Wednesdays, 10am–3:30pm, January 9 – January 30 (4 weeks)
Register HERE or call 416-621-8660.

Neilson Park Creative Centre: Courses
Collage and Mixed Media
This course is designed as an ongoing investigation into the nature and potential of this versatile, visceral medium. With inspiring examples by collage masters, individual and group discussion and plenty of set and open-ended exercises, we’ll delve into a variety of artistic ideas and issues through collage. 
Thursdays, 9:30am-12:30pm, January 24 – February 28 (6 weeks) 
Register HERE or call 416-622-5294.

Watercolour: Contemporary Approaches
Break out of the mold and use watercolour like you’ve never before! Through inspiring contemporary examples and open-ended creative challenges, explore and exploit watercolour’s strength, delicacy and versatility as a medium of NOW, not just yesteryear. Nary a barn or split rail fence in sight!
Thursdays, 1–4pm, January 24 – February 28 (6 weeks)
Register HERE or call 416-622-5294.

Neilson Park Creative Centre: Workshop
Art Alchemists
Get creative while giving your wallet a rest in this decidedly low-budget and hi-fun workshop. Through stimulating challenges, we’ll endeavor to transform everyday base materials into artistic gold with use of the most important artist’s materials of all: head, heart and hands.
Saturday and Sunday February 9-10, 9:30am-4pm.
Register HERE or call 416-622-5294.

Visual Arts Mississauga: Courses
Authentic Drawing (Try it You'll Like It)
Learn to draw with a variety of dry media such as graphite, conté and charcoal. Through carefully-scripted explorations, you’ll be nurtured and supported in finding just exactly what turns your artistic crank — and winding it up into full-blown wonderful! You bring an open mind, VAM supplies the rest! Materials Included!
Mondays, 1–4pm, January 7 – March 4  (8 weeks; no class February 18)
Register HERE or call 905-277-4313.

Abstraction: More Approaches
Forge a little further into the realm of abstraction, exploring what might lie around a few more artistic corners! Through examples, group discussion, hands-on exercises, and above all, plenty of fun — you’ll try many new ways of working, seeing and thinking. Let’s see how far this rabbit hole goes!
Mondays, 9am–12pm, February 4– March 4 (4 weeks; no class February 18)
Register HERE or call 905-277-4313.

Markham Group of Artists: Member's Day
Composition Pointers
Have you ever wondered why some paintings “work” better than others? Underpinning every successful piece of art is a successful application of composition: whether intentional, intuited, or by sheer luck. In this fast-paced and informative lecture, you’ll learn many key compositional principles and see examples of how they’ve been applied in masterworks old and new. Hands-on sketchbook exercises along the way will help you intentionally apply the principles. By increasing your knowledge and understanding of composition, you’ll strengthen the impact and visual sophistication of your work, and take it to the next level.
Saturday, February 2, 10:15am - 12pm  Varley Art Gallery
Details HERE.

Markham Group of Artists: Workshop
Art Alchemists
Get creative while giving your wallet a rest in this decidedly low-budget and hi-fun workshop. Through stimulating challenges, we’ll endeavor to transform everyday base materials into artistic gold with use of the most important artist’s materials of all: head, heart and hands.
February 16, 10am - 3pm
Details HERE.

Neilson Park Creative Centre: Courses
Composition and Colour: Introduction (CANCELLED)
This lively and informative course is designed to demystify composition and colour through explanation of principles, masterwork analysis and applied exercises. Increasing your knowledge and understanding of "C&C" will strengthen the impact and visual sophistication of your work, and take it to the next level.
Thursdays, 9:30am – 12:30pm, October 4 – November 1  (5 weeks)

​Register HERE or call 416-622-5294.

Composition and Colour: Advanced Studies
Intermediate/Advanced (This course requires a grounding in compositional principles and colour theory.)
An ongoing study into the formal aspects of image creation, this course is designed to expand your artistic toolbox. Sharpen your visual acuity and hone your painting chops as we go deeper on several key principles through analysis of inspiring masterworks, enlightening discussions and plenty of challenging hands-on exercises. 
Thursdays, 9:30am-12:30pm, November 15 – December 6  (4 weeks) 

Register HERE or call 416-622-5294.

Non-Objective Collage: The Power of Design
Working without imagery is both liberating and challenging: how do you make non-objective work work? By design! Through brief lectures and examples with plenty of hands-on, sharpen your design acumen while making collages harnessing many different composition and colour principles with this fresh and forgiving medium.
Thursdays, 1:00pm – 4:00pm, October 4 – November 1  (5 weeks)

Register HERE or call 416-622-5294.

The Art of the Stencil
Crisp edges, bold shapes, nuanced patterns, sharp letters! Repeat after me: This is insanely FUN!
Through set and open-ended exercises, this course will explore how to make your own custom stencils and their myriad creative uses. From precision alignments to free-form expressions — its all possible with stencils!
Thursdays, 1:00pm – 4:00pm, November 15 – December 6 (4 weeks)

Register HERE or call 416-622-5294.

Neilson Park Creative Centre: Workshop
Art Inside the Box
Popularized by Joseph Cornell’s exquisite creations, art in boxes has long been an artist’s favourite.
Whether telling a story, creating a shrine, piquing our curiosity or making us laugh — you can do it visually — in boxes! With lots of inspiring examples, prosaic how-to, personal attention and hands-on.
Saturday & Sunday October 13-14, 9:30am – 4:00pm

Register HERE or call 416-622-5294.

Visual Arts Mississauga: Courses
Try It You’ll Like It: Drawing for Absolute Beginners (CANCELLED)
ANYONE can learn to draw! Designed especially for people with NO drawing experience, this course will teach you basic skills and approaches with a variety of dry media including graphite,
chalk, conté and charcoal, all in a relaxed environment. You bring an open mind, we supply the rest! Materials included.
Mondays, 7:00pm – 10:00pm, October 1 – December 10 (no class October 8) (10 weeks)

Register HERE or call 905-277-4313.

Essentials of Collage (CANCELLED)
Collage is both easier and more difficult than it looks! Learn the basics of creating successful collages though examples, discussion and plenty of hands-on exercises that will hone your eye for colour, value, composition and texture. We’ll also explore the innate collage strengths of juxtaposition, narrative and surprise.
Tuesdays, 1:00pm – 4:00pm, October 2 – October 30 (5 weeks)

Register HERE or call 905-277-4313.

Essentials of Colour
Colour is all around us, but what IS colour? How does it work? This course will demystify basic colour theory and give you plenty of hands-on experience. Learn to use colour ideas intentionally, progressing beyond "straight-out-of-the-tube" colours towards mixing any colour you want with confidence.
Tuesdays, 9:00am – 12:00pm, November 13 – December 4 (4 weeks)

Register HERE or call 905-277-4313.

Beginning Abstraction
Drawing or painting what’s in front of you isn’t the end of the journey – its just the beginning! Through examples, group discussion, hands-on exercises, and above all, plenty of fun — you’ll try many new ways of working, seeing and thinking. If you’re curious but unsure about abstraction, start here!
Tuesdays, 1:00pm – 4:00pm, November 13 – December 4 (4 weeks)

Register HERE or call 905-277-4313.


Visual Arts Mississauga: Workshop
Magic Monday: Collage Jam
Join artist and instructor Kal Honey for an amped-up AM of creative collaging with magazines. Collage is today’s ultimate art form, letting you remix existing imagery to your own ends: beauty, humour, expression, subversion – or all of the above! All materials supplied, and the fun factor will be set firmly to high!
Monday November 26, 9am – 12pm

Register HERE or call 905-277-4313.