Winter Watercolor Class

A six-session course in beginning watercolor techniques, “Finding Your Way With Watercolor” will be offered at the Appalachian Arts Center and taught by Ellen Elmes during January and February in 2016. The class will engage participants in applying basic skills and techniques of the transparent watercolor medium, as well as basic principles of color mixing. Demonstrations by the instructor and subsequent hands-on exercises rendered by students will focus on such watercolor applications as flat and graded washes, wet-on-wet under paintings, glazing, masking, texturing, and lifting.

Six consecutive classes will meet at Appalachian Arts Center on Tuesdays, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, with the first meeting being held on January 12, 2016, and the last class wrapping up the course on February16 th. If inclement weather occurs on any class days, we will cancel the class if SWCC cancels afternoon and/or evening classes accordingly. Missed classes due to weather will be made-up by extending class meetings at the end of the established six-week period until we have completed six two-hour classes.

The fee for the six classes is $75.00 per participant. The class is free for veterans. A list of suggested materials to purchase for the class can be obtained through the Arts Center, or the participant can pay an additional $30.00 to receive six 11”x15” pieces of watercolor paper, one flat wash brush and one round brush, and paint colors squeezed out onto foam palettes for paint needed for class exercises.

The suggested minimum age for student participants is 16-years-old; however, younger middle or high school students can attend along with a participating adult. All students will be given group and individual guidance by the instructor, Ellen Elmes, who has taught watercolor classes for 20 years at SWCC and workshops in the Appalachian region for 35+ years. She has exhibited and sold her work extensively in the Mid-Atlantic states as well as internationally in Aberdeen, Scotland.

To reserve a spot in the class, please contact the Arts Center at 276-596-9188 to pay via credit card, or stop by the Center to pay with cash or check.

Appalachian Arts Center, a part of Southwest Virginia Community College is located on Route 19 in the ‘Old Archie Helton Store’ – 2.5 miles south of Claypool Hill.