Upcoming events

Switch to Calendar View

• Evelyn Bernal: Using Your Intuition in Watercolor - 6 week class (Intermediate-Advanced)

  • Start
    21 Mar 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM
  • End
    25 Apr 2025
  •  
    1:00 PM
  • Location
    Rhode Island Watercolor Society Classroom
  • Spaces left
    2
  • Registered
    9 registrants

  Registration is closed

  
  

  Using Your Intuition in Watercolor
  Instructor: Evelyn Bernal
  Date and Time: Fridays, March 21st- April 25th, 10am -1pm
  Location: RIWS Classroom

  Class Description: 

  In this class we will use our intuitions to guide the creative process and make unique compositions. We will blend subject matter using wet on wet techniques to create pieces with a narrative, or that go beyond your typical landscape or still life and surprise and intrigue the viewer. There will be a focus on astronomy and adding stars and planets to your pieces. 

  Definition: Wet on wet painting is wet paint applied onto wet paint, so that the colors will spread into one another producing soft edges and blending. 
  

  SUPPLY LIST: Evelyn_Supply_List.pdf

   

  

  
  

  Show details
• Think Spring - A Watercolor Celebration of Spring with Susan Stranz: 5-WEEK CLASS

  • Start
    29 Mar 2025
  •  
    9:30 AM
  • End
    26 Apr 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM
  • Location
    Rhode Island Watercolor Society Classroom
  • Spaces left
    0
  • Registered
    11 registrants

  
  

  Think Spring - A Watercolor Celebration of Spring with Susan Stranz
  5-Week Class

  Instructor: Susan Stranz BIO
  Date/Time: Saturdays, NEW DATES!! March 29th - April 26th 9:30am-12pm
  Location: RIWS Classroom (Lower Level Gallery)

  DESCRIPTION: 

  Let the fresh colors of Spring inspire a series of landscape and botanical paintings. Join Susan as she guides you through color mixing, compositional decisions, and a variety of watercolor techniques to capture the beauty of springtime. There will be demonstrations from drawing the subject, to class exercises and all the steps needed to create the finished painting. Paint springtime bulbs, budding trees and thawing marshes as they welcome Spring…..

  This class is suitable for advanced beginner and beyond.

  MATERIALS LIST
  

  JOIN NOW AND SAVE! Members get a discount on all classes & workshops

  

  

  

  
  

  Show details
• Watercolor for Beginners - Susan Stranz: 5-WEEK CLASS

  • Start
    29 Mar 2025
  •  
    1:00 PM
  • End
    26 Apr 2025
  •  
    3:30 PM
  • Location
    Rhode Island Watercolor Society Classroom
  • Spaces left
    0
  • Registered
    9 registrants

  
  

  Watercolor for Beginners - Susan Stranz
  5-Week Class

  Instructor: Susan Stranz BIO
  Date/Time: Saturdays, NEW DATES!! March 29th - April 26th 1pm-3:30pm 
  Location: RIWS Classroom (Lower Level Gallery)

  DESCRIPTION: 

  Join Susan as she teaches you all about the process of creating a watercolor painting. With over 20 years of painting and teaching experience, Susan will guide you through the complete process at a pace comfortable for beginning watercolor painters. You will learn about the materials, the basic fundamental techniques, and how to develop a good composition. Instruction will also include basic color theory and color mixing to create beautiful and cohesive paintings. Small class size will ensure individual attention for all.

  MATERIALS LIST
  

  JOIN NOW AND SAVE! Members get a discount on all classes & workshops

    

  

  
  

  Show details
• Betsey MacDonald: Water, Water, Everywhere! - 4 Week Watercolor class (Intermediate-Advanced)

  • Start
    03 Apr 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM
  • End
    24 Apr 2025
  •  
    1:00 PM
  • Location
    Rhode Island Watercolor Society Classroom
  • Spaces left
    0
  • Registered
    15 registrants

  Join waitlist

  
  

  Water, Water, Everywhere! - 4 Week Watercolor class
  Intermediate-Advanced

  Instructor: Betsey MacDonald
  Date and Time: Thursdays April 3rd - 24th, 10am - 1pm
  Location: RIWS Classroom (Lower Level Gallery)

  Class Description: As Rhode Islanders, we live in the ocean state which also has hundreds of fresh water ponds and lakes. So, water abounds! In fact, the Rhode Island Watercolor Society is on the beautiful Slater Pond! We see the sky and clouds reflected in the water every day. We see boats, buildings, trees, people and animals with either squiggly watery or perfect mirror images beneath them all the time. I’ve been studying reflections for a few years now and in an attempt to better understand what happens in the water, this is what I’ve chosen to paint and I love it! It’s as if the water allows for a realistic image above and an abstraction below. In this class, we’ll learn about how these reflections are created, what conditions affect their appearance and how we can better paint them. A mood and sense of the environment is created by water and we’ll strive for depicting that mood in our paintings. In the process of painting water and subjects in water, we’ll also learn about choosing paints and papers, color mixing, using washes, layering and other watercolor techniques

  Course Objectives

  • Learn to really see and paint water
  • Acquire skills with a variety of watercolor painting techniques
  • Learn about clean color mixing and layering
  • Become comfortable with watercolor experimentation
  • Develop an appreciation of watercolor accidents and how they can be useful
  • Creatively paint from our own photos
  • Observe, critique and discuss student work and master watercolors
  • Transfer photos to paper in several ways
  • Determine which photos may be a useful reference

  Materials student will need to provide: Watercolor set(an inexpensive tray is fine but a set of tubes with palette is great, too), variety of brushes, masking fluid, watercolor block or pad(at least 140 lb, 8x 10, 12 x 16, 16 x 20 or a few sheets with a gator foam board for stapling or some other support or 300 lb paper which doesn’t need mounting , hot or cold press or even rough can work, jar or two for water, spray bottle, sponge or two, #2 pencil or mechanical pencil, paper towel. If possible, several printed 8 x 10 photos taken by the student of water, ocean, river, pond, objects reflected in the water, waves, waterfall but I’ll have some as well

  Materials provided by instructor: I will bring my own supplies to share for experimenting and some photos as well

  Betsey MacDonald Bio

  

  
  

  

  Show details
• The Art of Painting with Alcohol Ink Workshop with Mary Wojciechowski: 1-Day Workshop: Beginner/Intermediate

  • When
    09 May 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    Rhode Island Watercolor Society Classroom
  • Spaces left
    6
  • Registered
    6 registrants

  Register

  
  

  The Art of Painting with Alcohol Ink

  Beginner-Intermediate 
  Instructor: Mary Wojciechowski
  Date/Time: Friday, May 9th, 10am-3pm
  Location: RIWS Classroom
  Materials Fee: $7

  Alcohol inks, highly pigmented and quick drying, differ from other fluid mediums as they flow, intermingle and create distinctive textures, often with unexpected results. One of the benefits of painting with alcohol inks is the opportunity to begin with an abstract composition and then, as the alcohol evaporates and the ink pools, to see the possibility of adding realistic elements.

  THE ART OF PAINTING WITH ALCOHOL INKS Beginners/Intermediate is designed for all levels of experience. Instruction will be divided to accommodate all, introducing beginners to strategies in working with this exciting medium and, for those with experience, designed to build upon their prior experience. Students may also learn more advanced techniques in painting with this medium and will have an opportunity to work in a larger format, if desired.

  During the five-hour workshop students will explore the unique qualities of alcohol ink and how it may be used for flowing abstracted works with the addition of representational elements. Attention to design and color will be emphasized and opportunities to create florals or landscapes using brushwork will be included for those who wish. Class time will be divided between demonstrations of the unique possibilities in painting with this medium and time for personal exploration., experimentation with a sense of creative playfulness is encouraged.

  Materials student will need to provide: A paint shirt or apron

  Materials Fee (This is collected by the instructor): $7

  

  
  

  

  
  

  Show details
• Drypoint Etching Course: A Type of Intaglio Printmaking with Lisa Granata: 6-WEEK CLASS - All Levels Welcome!

  • Start
    21 May 2025
  •  
    1:00 PM
  • End
    25 Jun 2025
  •  
    4:00 PM
  • Location
    Rhode Island Watercolor Society Classroom
  • Spaces left
    12
  • Registered
    Be the first

  Register

  
  

  Drypoint Etching Course: A Type of Intaglio Printmaking
  6-Week Class

  Instructor: Lisa Granata 
  Date/Time: Wednesdays, May 21st - June 25th, 1pm-4pm
  Location: RIWS Classroom (Lower Level Gallery)

  DESCRIPTION: 

  Explore the art of drypoint printmaking, a captivating intaglio technique known for its ability to create sharp, detailed lines with velvety, textured edges. In this hands-on class, participants will learn the fundamentals of plate-making and experiment with simple drypoint tools to etch into a plastic plate. Using a sharp etching tool, you’ll scratch your design into the surface, creating grooves (burrs) that will hold ink.

  Once the plate is ready, soy-based Akua inks are applied, filling the incised lines. The plate is then carefully pressed onto damp paper, transferring the ink from the plate onto the paper’s surface. The result is a beautiful, richly detailed print with unique textures that showcase the artist’s work.

  Throughout the class, students will learn the basics of drypoint techniques and tools, gain hands-on experience in ink application and plate preparation. Students will create a small etching to practice the process, produce a larger, more detailed print, and print a limited edition of numbered etchings while exploring varied editions for unique artistic effects.

  Whether you enjoy drawing or have a passion for scratchboard art, drypoint printmaking offers an exciting opportunity to deepen your artistic practice and experiment with new techniques.

  * No prior relief printmaking experience needed

  MATERIALS LIST
  

  Lisa Granata (Instructor) Bio

  Lisa Granata holds Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in General Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art. She has a Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting from Cranbrook Academy of Art and a year’s study in Florence Italy at Studio Arts Center International.

  Lisa lectures and instructs studio art courses at Lasell University. She teaches Studio Art classes at the Attleboro Arts Museum School to students of all ages and serves on the collections and exhibitions committee.

  Lisa enjoys presenting lectures, demonstrations, and workshops throughout southern New England. Her art exhibition record includes galleries and museums on the east coast in the mid-west and in Italy.

  

   

  
  

  Show details
• WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP with Lorraine Watry, NWS, AWA - 3-Day Workshop

  • Start
    30 May 2025
  •  
    9:00 AM
  • End
    01 Jun 2025
  •  
    4:00 PM
  • Location
    Rhode Island Watercolor Society Classroom
  • Spaces left
    15
  • Registered
    5 registrants

  Register

  
  

  Watercolor Workshop with Lorraine Watry, NWS, AWA
  3-Day Workshop
  Advanced Beginner/Intermediate

  Instructor: Lorraine Watry, NWS, AWA www.lorrainewatrystudio.com
  Date and Time: Friday - Sunday, May 30 - June 1, 9am to 4pm each day, including a one hour lunchbreak.
  Location: RIWS Classroom

  Workshop Description: 

  This watercolor class will focus on painting two Anna’s Hummingbirds and Cuphea flowers, with a bonus project of painting a glass inkwell. (Examples above, unique composition just for RIWS to be demo-ed in class). Students will work along with Lorraine as she walks you through the steps of her painting process. Learn and use techniques like wet-on-wet, softening edges, layering, hard and soft edges, and more. Lorraine will demonstrate steps in the process and share lots of tips and tricks along the way. 

  Lorraine will be creating a unique composition just for this workshop and we will provide registrants with the photo and drawing ahead of time via email.

  About Lorraine Watry: A native of Colorado, Lorraine is a signature member and the current president of the National Watercolor Society; she is also a signature member of American Women Artists, Rocky Mountain National Watercolor Society, and Colorado Watercolor Society. In addition, she is a juried member of the International Guild of Realism and the Society of Animal Artists. She is well known for her paintings of birds, still lifes and waterscapes, often including beautiful renderings of reflections and refractions.

  A watercolor instructor since 1999, teaching both across the US and online, as well as a Master Artist mentor with Mastrius, Lorraine has written articles for the International Artist Magazine and appeared in The Artist Magazine and Pratique des Arts. Her multi award-winning paintings have been recognized on both the national and international stage, as well as published in the “Best of Watercolor: Splash 14, 20, 23, 24”. Her watercolors are represented by Hunter Wolff Gallery in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

  

  
  

  
  

  Show details
• Portraits in Watercolor with Jackie Dorsey, NWS, AWS - 2-Day Workshop

  • Start
    04 Sep 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM
  • End
    05 Sep 2025
  •  
    4:00 PM
  • Location
    Rhode Island Watercolor Society Classroom
  • Spaces left
    15
  • Registered
    1 registrant

  Register

  
  

  Portraits in Watercolor with Jackie Dorsey, NWS, AWS
  2-Day Workshop
  Advanced Beginner/Intermediate

  Instructor: Jackie Dorsey www.jackiedorseyart.com
  Date and Time: Thursday & Friday September 4th & 5th, 10am-4pm each day, with time for a lunch break
  Location: RIWS Classroom

  Workshop Description: 

  Explore the fundamentals of the watercolor portrait in this two-day workshop with award winning artist Jackie Dorsey AWS, NWS. Known for achieving both the spirit and the likeness of her subjects, Jackie will illustrate how to create a strong underpainting, and then build dimension and realism through layering. Learn how create smooth transitions and soft edges, and use color and value to create dimension within the face. Students will have the option of working from their own drawings or working from a photo and outline which will be made available upon registration (recommended for beginners). A supply list and a paper stretching guide will also be provided to all students upon registration. Portfolio reviews will be available to interested students.

  Jackie will be in Providence for all of September and October, and is available for small group or private lessons on many aspects of watercolor painting, but also on photography, and on editing photographic references for painting with free online software.

  

  

  

  
  

  Show details
• Painting Impressions with Watercolor with Keiko Tanabe, NWS, AWS - 3-Day Workshop

  • Start
    14 Nov 2025
  •  
    9:30 AM
  • End
    16 Nov 2025
  •  
    4:00 PM
  • Location
    Rhode Island Watercolor Society Classroom
  • Spaces left
    19
  • Registered
    1 registrant

  Register

  
  

  Painting Impressions with Watercolor with Keiko Tanabe, NWS, AWS
  3-Day Workshop
  Advanced Beginner/Intermediate

  Instructor: Keiko Tanabe, NWS, AWS www.ktanabefineart.com
  Date and Time: Friday - Sunday, November 14th - 16th, 9:30am to 4pm each day, 30-min to 1 hour lunchbreak.
  Location: RIWS Classroom

  Workshop Description: 

  Do you paint everything that your eyes see? In this class, you will start seeing things differently and learn how to turn reality into a captivating, impressionistic image. The goal is to capture the essence of the subject that conveys a certain mood and atmosphere. Keiko will show you how to take the initial inspiration, through the simplification process, to an expressive painting that is strong in composition and content.

  The introduction focuses on the fundamentals including getting to know our materials and seeing things with an artist’s eye. The areas of topic covered in this workshop include: a preliminary drawing and composition, a variety of watercolor techniques in paint application and brush handling, what makes a good design, understanding of relationship of dark and light values, planning & intuition, and how to edit complex visual information.

  Keiko does a daily demonstration with helpful tips and insights. Reference photos will be provided. There will be plenty of one-on-one guidance/critique and a question-and-answer session on a daily basis.

  Recommended Experience: All levels (basic knowledge & some previous experiences strongly recommended to benefit from this workshop)

  Keiko will be creating a unique composition just for this workshop and we will provide registrants with the photo and drawing ahead of time via email.

  
  

  About Keiko Tanabe: Keiko Tanabe, AWS, NWS, AIS, LPAPA. Often working en plein air, her atmospheric watercolors perfectly capture a sense of time and place. Through her use of color, textures, and signature brushwork, Keiko’s landscapes and cityscapes, beautifully convey both the exotic and the simple scenes of the many places she travels. Never attending art school, Keiko took only one drawing class to learn basic technical skills before she started painting in 2005. One year later, after learning basic drawing and watercolor painting skills at a local community school in San Diego, Keiko decided to paint full-time. From then on, she intensely taught herself to be fluent in watercolor painting, just as one would do to master a foreign language. Her subjects include landscape, cityscape, waterscape and interior scenes, which will be demonstrated in the workshop, using representational and impressionistic compositions. Since 2011, Keiko has completed successfully numerous workshops and live demonstrations around the world. She has 4 DVDs and several books of her art and has been featured in many art magazines.

  

   

   

  Show details