The Café will be closed for remodel from Aug 12 through Sept 5, 2024. | Due to construction, Museum parking may be limited at the time of your visit. Look for additional parking in free or metered spaces along nearby streets.

Girls’ Night Out: Mixed Media Mailed Postcards

Thursday, June 25 / 5:30 – 8:30 pm

Bring some addresses of friends and family, a creative spirit, and we will do the rest! Playful, simple mixed media techniques will be demonstrated and a wide range of supplies and tools will be available. Type on the typewriter, collage vintage papers, stitch the edges, and create beautiful mixed media postcards, address them, and Jess will mail them for you. Postage included.

Supply List:

  • Addresses of Loved Ones
  • Any mixed media supplies you already own and love (stamps, inks, paints, pens, etc)
  • Any collage supplies you want to work with.
    (Optional; plenty will be supplied) 


Instructor: Jessica Weems
Ages: 15 and Up / All Levels

Introduction to Mixed Media

Tuesdays, June 30 – July 14 / 6 – 9 pm

Come spend some lazy summer evening exploring mixed media art. Week one will focus on surfaces and backgrounds. We will make some of our own custom surfaces to work on and explore different ways of adding transparent colors and pattern. Week two will focus on collage and transfer techniques to add images to the mix. Week three will focus on techniques that add details to our work, like stitching, the use of gel pens, and mica powders. Students may complete a piece each week focusing on different techniques or continue working on pieces throughout the three weeks.

Supply List: Any mixed media supplies you already own and love (stamps, inks, paints, pens, etc). Any collage supplies you want to work with. (Optional, plenty will be supplied)

Instructor: Jessica Weems
Ages: 15 and Up / All Levels

Encaustic & Plaster Weekend

Saturday and Sunday, July 18 and 19 / 10 am – 3 pm

This two-day workshop explores the marriage of two versatile mediums: plaster and wax. Plaster provides a porous and easy-to-manipulate surface to paint onto with hot wax. Students will each form a three-dimensional wire structure and cover it with plaster gauze the first day. Then we will add the wax the next day and complete the piece with texture, images, color, designs, or text to the object.

Supply List: Any wire cutters and small pliers you already own. Any scraping/carving tools you already own (I will have some too).

Instructor: Jessica Weems
Ages: 15 and Up / All Levels

Pouring Encaustic

Saturday, June 27 / 10 am – 4 pm

Pouring encaustic allows you to maximize the potential of the medium. Since encaustic is liquid when hot and durable, but still shapeable when cooled this technique allows artists to push the boundary between two- and three-dimensional art. Carving and embedding techniques will be explored as well as a wide range of color-adding techniques. Students will pour, finish and take home two small pieces.

Supply List: Any scraping/carving tools you already own (supply sill be provided if you do not have any). Any objects to embed, such as bones, rocks, gears, pottery pieces, nails, etc.

Instructor: Jessica Weems
Ages: 15 and Up / All Levels

Airbrush Techniques

Thursdays, May 14 – June 11 / 5:30 – 8 pm

Learn intensive airbrush techniques and create stylized or realistic artwork to enhance car exteriors, signs, and much more. Explore equipment, materials, paints, freehand application, color gradation, and rendering texture. A compressor, airbrushes, and paints will be supplied at no cost to students for use in the classroom. Enrollment is limited to eight students.

Supply List:
* indicates a brand name. These brands are recommended.

  • 1/2″ Masking Tape 
  • Pad of sketch paper around 12″ x 18″ 
  • 1 Black Sharpie marker 
  • 1 #11 X-acto* knife and Replacement blades 
  • Q-Tips* 
  • Paper towels 
  • Spray bottle 
  • Letramax* 2200 illustration board cold press, 5 or 6 boards 


The following items listed below are now optional for the students to have if they wish to practice outside the class which can be purchased at Nevada Fine Arts.

  • AIRBRUSH – it is very important not to skimp on the brush! Iwata* makes a great dual action entry level brush called the Eclipse. The De Vilbiss Dager is also a great entry level brush. I highly recommend them. I prefer the gravity feed for ease of cleaning. DO NOT BUY A SINGLE ACTION BRUSH! 
  • Airbrush hose 
  • Medea* Airbrush cleaner 
  • Medea* Super Lube 
  • 1 pack (12 sheets) of 9 x 12″ matte Frisket* film 
  • Golden* airbrush acrylics. We’ll use all the transparent colors as well as black and white. They come in great sets, make sure it’s transparent.

Instructor Notes: Our class will supply the air compressor and is sponsored by Iwata Medea. We will have airbrushes for all the students to use as well as com art paints, Medea frisket, airbrush cleaners, and super lube.

Instructor: Armando Serrano
Ages: Ages 15 and Up / All Levels

Creating Image Transfers

Thursday, August 20 / 6 – 9 pm

Create a variety of image transfers in this class where various methods will be taught. Using black and white as well as color photocopies, create image transfers on to paper, canvas, wood, and more using gel transfer and packing tape transfer methods.

Supply List:
Black and white toner-based photocopies and color photocopies* (must be toner ink, these cannot be printed on inkjet prints- they will not work) sketchbook, moleskin journal or other blank journal (any size – accordion books work great for this if you can fine them!) magazines with images you like (fashion, home decor, art are all great for this) small wood panels, raw canvas or other objects you might want to print on/decorate (wood/canvas/paper all work well). There will be a small selection of objects will be provided to choose from as well.

Instructor: Lisa Kurt
Ages: 15 and up / All levels

Creating Image Transfers

Thursday, May 14 / 6 – 9 pm 

Create a variety of image transfers in this class where various methods will be taught. Using black and white as well as color photocopies, create image transfers on to paper, canvas, wood, and more using gel transfer and packing tape transfer methods. 

Instructor: Lisa Kurt 

Ages: 15 and up / All Levels 

Required Supplies:

  • black and white toner-based photocopies and color photocopies* (must be toner ink, these cannot be printed on inkjet prints- they will not work) 
  • sketchbook, moleskin journal or other blank journal (any size – accordion books work great for this if you can fine them!)
  • magazines with images you like (fashion, home decor, art are all great for this) 
  • small wood panels, raw canvas or other objects you might want to print on/decorate (wood/canvas/paper all work well). There will be a small selection of objects will be provided to choose from as well.

Introduction to Boxmaking: Handmade Box with a Hinged Lid

Thursdays, April 16 – 30 / 5:30 – 8:30 pm

Make this handmade box for your most treasured mementos. Over the three sessions of class, students will be introduced to every aspect of hand boxmaking, including cutting and preparation of bookcloth, decorative paper and board; gluing and assembly; and techniques for scaling this structure and others to perfectly enclose a particular book or keepsake. Students will also be able to personalize their boxes. 

Instructor: Katherine Case 
Ages: 15+ / All levels 

Supply List:

  • Ruler
  • X-acto knife
  • Bone folder
  • 1″ glue brush
  • A clean cotton rag
  • Any decorative paper or collage elements you would like to incorporate into your box

Mixed Media Illustrations: Animal Basics

Tuesdays, February 3 – 17 / 6 – 9 pm

In this three-part workshop, learn basic drawing and multimedia techniques to create unique illustrations of animals such as birds, mammals, and sea life. We will look at a number of artists who incorporate animals into art and will learn a variety of mixed media techniques to produce a small series of artwork. Students will learn to draw animals, work with a variety of materials including decorative papers, photocopies, pencil, ink, wood, and more.

Instructor: Lisa Kurt

Ages: 15 and up / All levels

Required Supplies:

  • Sketchbook or sketchpad 8 x 10 to 11 x 14 in size with 65lb or heavier paper (multi-media sketchbooks will be great for this class) 
  • Drawing pencils- mechanical art/drafting good too
  • Eraser 
  • Fine point black ink pen (Sakura Pigma Microns (very fine- like a .1) are the best) 
  • Students are encouraged to bring additional paper (collage, and decorative), photocopies, or other items to use in their pieces.

Book Arts: Collage Adventure

Saturday, January 24 / 10:30 am – 4:30 pm

Great collage combines elements of both structure and free association. Using Katherine’s legendary paper collection and a collaging technique guaranteed to produce fabulous compositions, we will create an edition of collaborative handmade books. In this fun class, you’ll learn ways to both “banish your inner editor” releasing creative play, and then to reign it in, creating a balanced composition.

Instructor: Katherine Case

Ages: 15 and Up / All Levels

Required Supplies: 

  • pencil
  • ruler
  • x-acto knife
  • 1″ glue brush 
  • a selection of images, paper scraps, ephemera and other collage elements to incorporate into your compositions