Art Gems: Apr 8 - The Thin and the Thick of it with Dennis Brown Dennis will demonstrate the process of building multiple layers on a painting. Participants will they explore this process by developing a painting with assistance from Dennis. They will go home with many new ideas and...

Art Gems: Mar 11 - Flower Power - Watercolour with Carla Flegel You will explore the beginning watercolor skills that will give you a good start on managing the water in watercolor.  We will paint some pretty spring flowers to practice your new skills.  All supplies are included, and no...

Art Bites – Wow Watercolour with Carla FlegelSun  May 5, 1-3pm WOW Watercolor” is a 2-hour opportunity to explore what watercolor is all about. All supplies and tracing patterns included; no previous painting experience needed.  You will create a simple painting to take home that will remind you just what...

Art Bites – WOW Watercolour with Carla FlegelSun  May 5, 10am-12pm WOW Watercolor” is a 2-hour opportunity to explore what watercolor is all about. All supplies and tracing patterns included; no previous painting experience needed.  You will create a simple painting to take home that will remind you just what...

Art Bites – Watercolour Pencil Art Journaling with Merrilyn LaursenSun  Apr 28, 1-3pm The class will receive a revised 5-page handout covering supplies needed to continue, planning a page layout and lettering suggestions, both simple and more elaborate. There will be time for using the pencils and designing a practice...

Art Bites – Oil Pastel Fantasy with Deborah NicolSun  Apr 28, 10am-12pm Oil pastel is a painting and drawing medium in a stick!  Explore this soft and blendable pastel to easily create vibrant and colourful images. All supplies included in this class. About the Instructor:  Deborah Nicol works primarily in Acrylics....

Art Bites – Exploring Alcohol Ink with Mary UngerSun  Apr 21, 1-3pm In this session you will create with colourful alcohol ink using various tools and techniques while making free flow abstract designs. All supplies included in this class. About the Instructor:  Mary Unger was raised on the east coast of...

Art Bites – Needle Felting with Darrell GiraldeauSun  Apr 21, 10am-12pm This Art Bites class will provide an introduction to needle felting. Students will have the opportunity to use wool to create a small garden scene. Once completed embroidery can be added for additional detail. Examples of this will be shared...

Art Bites – Coloured Pencil Creations with Carol Ann OwersSun  Apr14, 1-3 pm   Coloured pencils allow the artist to work with a drawing tool that has control and precision. You can work lightly for a soft look or with many layers and achieve the effect of oil paint. All...

Art Bites – Palette Knife Painting with Deborah NicolSun  Apr 14, 10am-12pm A fun and creative session, using palette knife techniques and acrylics to create rich images by ‘smearing and scraping’ your paint (rather than paint brush methods), on your canvas. All materials provided for this class. About the Instructor:  Deborah...

Art Bites – Mosaics with Debra HagenSun  Mar 17, 10am-12pm This Art Bites class will provide an introduction to the world of contemporary mosaic art. Students will have the opportunity to use a variety of materials to create a small mosaic of their own. All supplies and tools provided. About...

Art Bites – Mosaics with Debra HagenSun  Mar 24, 10am-12pm This Art Bites class will provide an introduction to the world of contemporary mosaic art. Students will have the opportunity to use a variety of materials to create a small mosaic of their own.  All supplies and tools provided. About...

Art Bites – Folk Art Painting with Mary UngerSun  Mar 17, 1-3pm Folk Art expresses the lives and feelings of ordinary people in communities.  Learn to tell a story in simple pictures and designs using acrylic paint on canvas. All supplies included in this class. About the Instructor:  Mary Unger was...

Art Bites – Intricate Mandalas with Judi MalcolmSun  Mar 17, 10am-12pm With gentle mindful guidance, learn how to create a circle of beautiful patterns that speak to your heart and soul. If you can draw a flower petal or a leaf, you can draw a mandala! All supplies included in...

Art Bites – Pet Portraits in Watercolour with Carla FlegelSun  Mar 10, 1-3pm You will need to send in a very clear photo of your pet at least 2 weeks PRIOR to your class. This will be the photo we will prepare, and you will be using to create your painting.  You...

Art Bites – Abstract Adventures with Deborah NicolSun  Mar 10, 10am-12pm A brilliant session creating movement, form and design using bold acrylic paint colours and abstract techniques. All supplies included in this class. About the Instructor:  Deborah Nicol works primarily in Acrylics. She started her artistic endeavors with pencil portraits, quickly...

Art Bites – The Magic of Ink Resist with Gordon WilsonSun  Mar 3, 1-3pm Ink Resist Drawing is one of the most fun methods of drawing which uses few materials and leaves the final result somewhat of a surprise during the final stage. The materials are basic; watercolour paper, gouache,...

Art Bites – The Magic of Ink Resist with Gordon WilsonSun  Mar 3, 10am-12pm Ink Resist Drawing is one of the most fun methods of drawing which uses few materials and leaves the final result somewhat of a surprise during the final stage. The materials are basic; watercolour paper, gouache,...

Art Bites – Slow Stitch with Margie DavidsonSun Feb 25, 1-3pm Learn how hand stitching can be a relaxing, creative, mindful art practice and how it connects to the “slow movement” culture. All materials provided for this class. About the Instructor:  Margie Davidson is a quilt artist and surface designer. She...

Art Bites – Northern Lights Splendour with Adina BarugoloSun Feb 25, 10am-12pm In this class, Adina Barugolo will guide you through this mixed media collage class using brilliant acrylics and colourful ribbons of paper to recreate the glorious Northern Lights as they reflect over the water and the islands that...

Art Bites – Block Printing on Fabric with Margie DavidsonSun Feb 18, 1-3pm This class will include information about printmaking as an art form and a hands-on experience of blockprinting on cloth with textile paint.  All materials provided for this class. About the Instructor:  Margie Davidson is a quilt artist and...

Art Bites – Soft Pastel Inspirations with Lucy WallaceSun Feb 18, 10am-12pm Learn the beauty of layering soft pastels to create rich shimmering colours in this intro to Pastels class with instructor Lucy Wallace. All materials provided for this class. About the Instructor:  Lucy works primarily in soft pastels. She...

Art Bites – Dramatic Drawing with Carol Ann OwersSun Feb 11, 1-3pm What is dramatic drawing, and how can a simple subject become more powerful and exciting? In this class, Carol Ann will show you several ways to incorporate drama into a drawing.  By manipulating colour, angles, exaggeration, angles, and colour, and careful...

Art Bites – Gouache with Gordon WilsonSun Feb 4, 1-3pm A relatively obscure medium known mostly to commercial illustrators, gouache is becoming more popular due to its flexibility and forgiving nature.  Gouache is similar to watercolour, but it is opaque instead of transparent. This allows the artist to create a...

Art Bites – Carving a Lino Block with Margie DavidsonSun Feb 11, 10am-12pm This class will include information about printmaking as an art form and a hands-on experience of blockprinting on cloth with textile paint.  All materials provided for this class. About the Instructor:  Margie Davidson is a quilt artist and...

Art Bites – Gouache with Gordon WilsonSun Feb 4, 10am-12pm A relatively obscure medium known mostly to commercial illustrators, gouache is becoming more popular due to its flexibility and forgiving nature.  Gouache is similar to watercolour, but it is opaque instead of transparent. This allows the artist to create a...

Art Gems: May 6 and 13 - The Art of the Horse with Joan Larson (2 part class) A step-by-step process from the initial drawing to creating a pastel painting of the horse.  NOTE:  This is a 2-day class running consecutive Mondays. Part 1 (May 6): “Getting It Right at the...

Art Gems: Mar 18 - Botanical Dye Workshop Dye Techniques with Bonnie Lefebre Natural Botanical Dye Workshop Dye Techniques - Immersion and Resist ART GEM @ The MAC in Parksville Experience the magic of natural colour at the Natural Dye Workshop featuring Immersion and Resist Techniques to create your own...

Art Gems: Mar 25 - Mosaics Using Smalti with Debra Hagen Discover the possibilities for creating beautiful mosaics using smalti (coloured glass),  a traditional tesserae that has been used for thousands of years. In this class you will have the opportunity to work with both Italian and Mexican smalti to...

Art Gems: Sat May 25 - Keeping It Simple - Painting Workshop with Tom Shardlow Painting can be one of the most difficult and complex of undertakings. There are many rules, all of which can be broken. However, keeping it simple can cut through the confusion and produce rewarding results....

Art Gems: Apr 29 - Alla Prima Oils with Margery Blom Alla Prima is an Italian phrase that translates to ‘At first Attempt’, meaning a painting is completed in one sitting. Many famous artists like Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet and Richard Schmid were masters in the art of Alla...

Art Gems: Mar 4 - Introduction to Acrylics with Susan Schaefer Have you ever wanted to try acrylic paints but didn’t know where to start? Then this course is for you! Working with a new medium can be somewhat intimidating.  In this class Susan will discuss everything you need to know...

Painting Oceans, Rivers, Lakes, Ponds and Puddles with OilsInstructor: Margery Blom Unfolding the mysteries of painting a variety of water sources with oil paints.This workshop will guide you through the secrets of painting water with focus on reflections, transparencies, light and colour, all while creating depth and shallows.Open to all...

Art Gems: Feb 12 – Fashion Divas Painting Workshop with Patt Scrivener Have you always wanted to paint the figure but feel intimidated? Patt will show you her step-by-step process to create a striking painting based on a magazine model. We will create two 4x12” paintings with acrylic paint while learning...

Tue Dec 5 - 4:00-5:30 pm  About our InstructorDAN LAROCQUE is an Apple Certified MAC technician.  Dan’s been the mid-island’s premier Apple specialist since 2008. Maximum number of participants: 12

Art Bites – Slow-Stitch with Margie DavidsonSun Nov 26, 1-3PM Learn how handstitching can be a relaxing, creative, mindful art practice and how it connects to the “slow movement” culture. All materials provided for this class. About the Instructor:  Margie Davidson is a quilt artist and surface designer. She enjoys painting,...

Art Bites – Palette Knife Painting with Deborah NicolSun Nov 26, 10AM-12PM A fun and creative session, using palette knife techniques and acrylics to create rich images by ‘smearing and scraping’ your paint (rather than paint brush methods), on your canvas. All materials provided for this class. About the Instructor: Deborah...

Monday Art Gems - Acrylic Painting with Limited Palette with Gordon WilsonNov 27 10AM-2PM There are so many colours out there, how do I choose?  Using a limited colour palette can actually make it easier to start a painting.  In this class we’ll start with two colours plus white to...

Art Bites – Needle Felt a Gnome with Darrell GiraldeauSun Dec 3, 1-3PM This Art Bites class will provide an introduction to needle felting. Students will have the opportunity to use wool and create a 3-dimensional personalized gnome All materials provided for this class. About the Instructor:  Darrell Giraldeau is...

Monday Art Gems - Watercolour Journaling with Carla FlegelDec 4 10AM-2PM Watercolour journaling captures experiences, and memories that are important to you in a book. It is your story. You choose what you want to focus on. Watercolour journalling is a merging of words, images and experiences as art onto...

Art Bites – Watercolours on Black Paper  with Carol Ann OwersSun Dec 10, 10AM-12PM Unlike regular white paper, Black watercolour paper is a game changer, inspiring new ways to use bold, opaque and metallic watercolour for vivid and dramatic effects. All materials provided for this class. About the Instructor:  Carol Ann...

Art Bites – Watercolours on Black Paper with Carol Ann OwersSun Dec 10, 1-3PM Unlike regular white paper, Black watercolour paper is a game changer, inspiring new ways to use bold, opaque and metallic watercolour for vivid and dramatic effects. All materials provided for this class. About the Instructor:  Carol Ann...

Monday Art Gems - Block Printing on Silk Scarves with Margie DavidsonDec 11 10AM-2PM Join Margie on this one day workshop and block print on a silk scarf. Participants can expect information on how to plan out a design to fit the scarf using registration, pattern and grid. Some experience...