SPRING 2026 - ADULT ART CLASSES
Classes are open to all - Become a Glastonbury Arts member and take a discount on every class as a membership benefit.
Materials lists are included for each workshop and class.
Students are responsible for providing their own art supplies unless otherwise specified in the class or workshop description.
Serious teens are welcome to enroll in adult classes but must supply their own materials.
SKILL BUILDING IN OIL, Tuesdays, April 14 - May 19, 9:30 am to noon (6 weeks).
Discover the expressive possibilities of oil painting and gain insight into how a painting comes to life. Build a strong foundation in composition as you learn to create compelling focal points that guide the viewer’s eye. Delve into color theory, mastering the ability to mix a full range of hues from a limited palette, and explore how contrast and edges bring clarity and strength to your work. Through lively demonstrations and supportive, constructive critiques, you’ll develop both skill and confidence. This class offers a thoughtful, encouraging environment designed to support artistic growth for painters at any stage, from beginners to more experienced artists.
Fee: $205 | $195 for Glastonbury Arts Members |
Register for Skill Building in Oil |
Materials List
Instructor Katherine Simmons: In her work, Katherine seeks to capture a sense of place through thoughtful composition, luminous color, and harmonious relationships that convey visual poetry on canvas. Known for sensuous landscapes and confident brushwork, Kathy also paints still lifes and has recently explored abstraction as a means of expressing experience beyond realistic imagery. She holds a Fine Arts degree from the Massachusetts College of Art and has studied with Charles Sovek and Robert Scott Jackson. Her work has appeared in The Pastel Journal, American Artist, and Connecticut Magazine. www.KatherineSimmons.com
PASTELS FOR BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATES, Wednesdays, April 22 to May 13, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm (4 weeks).
This class is for both new and intermediate pastel painters. For beginners, the focus will be on starting your journey into the wonderful medium of pastels. You will learn about the materials, including hard and soft pastels, the wide array of papers from low to highly sanded, and time permitting, we will make handmade boards. Also covered will be underpainting, safety, gridding techniques and framing. The importance of building a solid foundation in pastel or any medium cannot be overstated. At the end of this class, you will have mastered the key elements of creating a strong pastel painting and have learned enough about the necessary materials to take the next step forward in your journey. For those students who are already familiar with pastels, the focus will be on revisiting the process of planning your painting from start to finish, learning new techniques and completing a painting (or paintings) with as much help as you would like from the instructor. At each session the instructor will do a short painting demonstration using both still life and reference photos. At the end of each class there will be a critique of each student’s work.
Fee: $180 | $170 for Glastonbury Arts Members |
Register for Pastels for Beginners & Intermediates |
Materials List
Instructor Susan Bosworth: Susan’s goal as an artist is to create colorful yet sensitive interpretations of landscapes, architecture, interiors, and figures. Working in an impressionistic realist style, she brings a bold, intuitive approach to her subject matter. Primarily a studio artist, she also enjoys painting en plein air during the warmer months alongside fellow local painters. Deeply engaged in the Connecticut arts community, Susan is an active member of the Connecticut Pastel Society, Academic Artists, Glastonbury Arts, Artists of Bolton, and the Tolland County Art Association www.SusanBosworth.com
WATERCOLOR EXPLORATIONS: Techniques & Creative Studies, Wednesdays, April 22 to May 13, 6:30 – 8:30 pm (4 weeks).
This class is perfect for painters with a bit of experience who are ready to loosen up, experiment, and grow. Through guided exercises and bite-sized studies, you’ll explore color harmony, water control, value, texture, and expressive mark-making—without the pressure of creating “finished” paintings. The emphasis is on process, play, and building confidence as you get to know the medium more deeply. Expect plenty of exploration, happy accidents, and creative discovery in a supportive, low-key environment. You’ll leave with stronger skills, fresh ideas, and new momentum for your watercolor practice. Basic familiarity with materials is recommended.
Fee: $175 | $165 for Glastonbury Arts Members | Register for Watercolor Explorations | Materials List
Instructor Jennifer Tully: An illustrator, craftsperson, and art educator, Jennifer brings a lifelong passion for creativity to both her studio and classroom. Her interest in the arts began early and led to a dual career as artist and educator. She earned a B.F.A. in illustration from the University of Connecticut School of Fine Arts, developing a strong foundation in art history and studio practice. She later completed graduate studies at Southern Connecticut State University, where she received K–12 certification in art education. As an educator, she strives to inspire students while fostering a lasting appreciation for art and aesthetics. Balancing teaching with personal creative work has been deeply fulfilling. Under a Halloween Moon is her first children’s book available on Amazon.com.
DRAWING STUDIO, Thursdays, April 9 – June 4, 2026, 6:00 to 8:00 pm (8 weeks - no class on May 7)
Explore drawing as a tool for self-expression and as a core building block of the art-making process! Over eight weeks this course will cover different components of drawing practice and how they're expressed: looking at various approaches and strengthening fundamentals that allow us to capture life within the confines of a piece of paper. Whether you've never picked up a pencil or have many years of practice, this class is designed to grow your skills as an artist.
Fee: $215 | $205 for Glastonbury Arts Members |
Register for Drawing Studio |
Materials List
Instructor Matt Becker: Matt is a ceramicist and illustrator drawn to color, gestural form, and the quiet magic of a successful glaze firing. He earned his MFA in Ceramics from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2021, where he explored the intersection of ceramics, sculpting, and illustrating practices. Matt teaches pottery at Mill Court Ceramics in Storrs, CT, and drawing at Glastonbury Arts. Across mediums, he trains the hand to follow the eye and encourages experimentation with curiosity and care. He offers patient, practical guidance, whether helping a student find balance at the wheel or clarity of visions on the page. www.MattBeckerArt.com
ADVENTURES IN ABSTRACTION, Fridays, April 17 – May 29, 2026, 9:30 am to 12:00 pm (6 weeks - no class on May 15). Abstraction evokes personal interpretation by abandoning realistic representation and engaging with art on a purely intuitive level rather than looking for a narrative. Learn key design principles as you bring your ideas to life using color, shape, line, and texture. Acrylics are perfect a perfect medium for abstraction – water-soluble, quick-drying, and versatile for vibrant washes or thick, textured layers. Gain practical skills for mixing paints, choosing brushes, and creating textures. Both beginners and experienced artists are welcomed to enroll.
Fee: $215 | $205 for Glastonbury Arts Members | Register in Adventures in Abstraction | Materials List
Instructor Nancy Cooke Bunnell: Nancy is a painter and educator who draws inspiration from a lifetime of close observation of color saturated flora, riverbeds, woodlands, and pastoral landscapes. Her work spans formal realism and energetically driven experimental abstraction and design. An award winning pastel and acrylic painter, Nancy is also a state certified art teacher with over 18 years of experience teaching students of all ages. She trained at Southern Connecticut State University, UConn, and Eastern Connecticut State University. Her pastels have earned top honors statewide, and her work has been shown on Canyon Road in New Mexico. www.NCBunnellStudio.com
PASTELS 101, Instructor Patricia Trapp, Saturday, March 14, 9:30 am to 3:00 pm (One day). Do you want to explore pastels but feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of materials and tools? This workshop is designed with you in mind. Learn the basics of pastel painting and be guided through the process of acquiring the materials and tools necessary to start you on your path to painting in pastels. We will cover such topics as types of various pastel sticks (hard and soft), pastel pencils, various pastel papers and other miscellaneous items you will find useful. See real materials samples, try out pastels under the instructor’s guidance, and take home a glossary handout for quick reference to start you on your pastel painting journey. If you have any soft pastels and pastel papers, bring them with you. Remember to bring a bag lunch and a beverage.
Fee: $125 | $120 for Glastonbury Arts members | Register for Pastels 101
INSTRUCTOR PATRICIA TRAPP: Patricia is an award-winning artist in both soft pastel and oil whose work has been exhibited in a range of juried shows and galleries. She is a member of several local art associations and is an Artist Member at Arts East of Vernon and Associate Artist at the Lyme Art Association. Patricia is a self taught artist who has honed her art making skills with classes and workshops with many well-known artists. Her inspiration comes from photographs of her travels abroad and throughout New England.
REGISTRATION: Register early to avoid disappointment. Classes and workshops won't run if the minimum number of students haven't registered one week before the start date. Classes and workshops are filled in the order received. Registrations will not be processed without payment. When you register, consider yourself confirmed: You will hear from us only if the schedule changes or the class is cancelled.
ATTENDANCE: There are no make-ups, refunds, or pro-rating of class/workshop fees. Students who cannot attend a class or workshop cannot substitute another person in their place.
CANCELLATION POLICY: In the event a course or workshop is cancelled by Glastonbury Arts (e.g. insufficient enrollments, teacher illness, severe weather, etc.), all fees will be refunded to students. If a registered student withdraws from a class or workshop, the student must notify Glastonbury Arts via email two full weeks prior to the start of the class or workshop in which case we will refund the student’s registration fee less a $35 administrative charge. No refunds will be made for voluntary withdrawals less than two full weeks before the start of a class or workshop.
INCLEMENT WEATHER: In the event that Glastonbury Public Schools are closed or delayed, Glastonbury Arts will be closed. Classes or workshops not held due to bad weather will be rescheduled based on teacher availability. In the event that a class or workshop cannot be rescheduled, please refer to our cancellation policy.
PHOTO WAIVER: Glastonbury Arts occasionally documents classes using photography for publicity purposes. Registration in a Glastonbury Arts class or workshop assumes permission by adult class participants to use such images for publicity unless the photographer is informed otherwise at the time the photographs are taken. Parents of students in classes for teens or children are asked to indicate their permission to photograph their children on the class registration form.