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Workshops

CAM Workshops for Artists of All Levels

One and two day classes in creative writing, art appreciation, and all visual art media.

Workshop

Capturing the Moment: Photography + Photo Editing

Learn to capture and enhance stunning photos in this two-day immersive photography workshop. Day one focuses on essential skills for shooting at the beautiful gardens of the New Hanover County Arboretum, where you’ll learn to master light, depth of field, and composition. Day two dives into refining and editing your photos using Adobe Lightroom. This course covers the full photography process, from the click of the shutter to the polished final image.
Date/Time:
Saturday and Sunday, April 25 & 26, 10am-12pm and 10am-1pm
Skill Level:
Adult: All Levels
Admission:
CAM Member $92 / Not-yet-member $115
Instructor:
Evin Bryson and Alan Cradick
Supplies:

Adobe Lightroom subscription ($11.99/month) or 14-day free trial
Any digital device - camera/smart phone/tablet
Laptop capable of supporting Adobe software
Mouse and mousepad

Register
Bryson's clicked photo
Adult

Raku

Day-long raku firing on our Pancoe porch. Witness the transformation in a Raku kiln, where it is rapidly cooled in combustible materials to create unique crackle and metallic effects. Each student may bring up to 3 glazed pots, each no larger than 8" wide x 10" tall. No platters or large bowls.  Please note that the raku process creates work that is not food safe.

Pots should be bisqued and glazed prior to the workshop.

Please wear safety precautions like wearing natural fiber, long-sleeved clothing, and closed-toe shoes.

Date/Time:
Saturday, April 25, 10am-3pm
Skill Level:
Adult: All Levels
Admission:
CAM Member $55 / Not-yet-member $60
Instructor:
Shannon Gehen and Brian Evans
Supplies:
Bring your own pre-glazed pieces glazed with Raku-specific glaze. There will be bisque-fired pieces to glaze available for purchase through the instructor.
Register
Pottery being fired in a raku kiln
Adult

Paint Like the Masters: Wayne Thiebaud – 2 spots left

Let’s paint pie! And cakes! This one-day intensive explores America’s modern expressionist’s beautiful mastery of color, shape and line in still life painting. We’ll look at capturing light, color temperature contrasts, his use of “halation” to create Impressionist color vibrations. With demos, handouts and plenty of guided techniques, dessert never looked so good! You’re preferred painting medium, instructor will demo in acrylic and watercolor. Basic beginner painting foundation required.
Date/Time:
Sunday, April 26, 10am-4pm
Skill Level:
Adult: Intermediate
Admission:
CAM Member $112 / Not-yet-member $140
Instructor:
Kirah Van Sickle
Supplies:

Basic set of colors in preferred medium including the following: Titanium White, Cad Yellow Medium, Cadmium Red Medium, Quinacridone Magenta, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean, Burnt Umber.
Variety of flat style (wash) brushes and filberts in 1/4, 1/2 and 1" widths- synthetic for acrylic or oil; if using watercolor, #8, #10 and #12 rounds with 1/4” and 3/4” flat wash brushes.
Preferred palette pad or mixing tray for watercolor
8-12 Canvas panels (8 x 8", 8 x 10," 12 x 12" or 11 x 14" are good options; or canvas pad that can be taped off.
*9 x 12" 140# cold press watercolor pad for watercolor or acrylic
Artist tape
Apron/smock
Sketchbook for notes and quick sketches
Sketch pen
Paper Towels
Water cup or odorless terpenoid for oil painters

Register
Colorful paintings and cupcakes on a pastel background
Workshop

Printing With Plants

The smallest and most delicate of plant life can take on a magnitude of impact when inked and printed! Experiment with cuttings from your garden and CAM grounds to both spotlight and combine to push scale and composition. Print on both fabric and papers with block inks and stamp pads.
Date/Time:
Saturday, May 2, 10am-4pm
Skill Level:
Adult: All Levels
Admission:
CAM Member $100 / Not-yet-member $125
Instructor:
Donna Moore
Supplies:
$20 supply fee (payable to the instructor) covers printmaking supplies and papers. Bring cuttings - blossoms, leaves, roots - to use as subject matter. Can bring articles of clothing or kitchen/bath towels to create textile design (natural fibers such as cotton, linen, bamboo, etc).
Register
Pink-toned print featuring stylized leaves
Adult

Breakfast with the Birds

South End at Wrightsville Beach has a wonderful rookery for Black Skimmers and Turns who return every year and put on quite a show! By getting there early, we will be able to watch and snap the birds bringing breakfast back to their nests. Participants will enjoy a great view of the feeding and interactions of these animals while keeping their distance and learning about ongoing conservation efforts. This workshop is for intermediate photographers, and the only special equipment needed is a medium telephoto lens.
Date/Time:
Saturday and Sunday, May 2 & 3, 10am-12pm, 12-2pm
Skill Level:
Adult: Intermediate
Admission:
CAM Member $56 / Not-yet-member $70
Instructor:
Alan Cradick
Supplies:
Bring any digital device, smart phone, tablet or digital camera, and medium telephoto lens.
Register
Several birds wading and feeding along a shoreline
Workshop

Paint Like Frida Kahlo – full, please call to join waitlist

Step into the colorful world of Frida Kahlo! In this workshop we will explore her life, artistic process, and signature style: bold colors, rich symbolism, and deeply personal storytelling. Learn the techniques behind her expressive portraits and discover how she transformed self-portraiture into powerful narrative art. Then you’ll bring her approach to life by creating your own portrait inspired by her unique style of personal storytelling.
Date/Time:
Saturday, May 9th, 10am-4pm
Skill Level:
Adult: All Levels
Admission:
CAM Member $100 / Not-yet-member $125
Instructor:
Evin Bryson
Supplies:

Oil or acrylic paint (include at least red, yellow, blue, black and white), brushes, palette knife, palette (paper or glass), paper towels, sketchbook, one canvas (8x10 or larger)
If using oil paint: odorless mineral spirits, linseed or walnut oil (small bottle), jar/container with lid

Image: Frida Kahlo (Mexican, 1907–1954), Untitled [Self-portrait with thorn necklace and hummingbird], 1940. Oil on canvas mounted to board. Nickolas Muray Collection of Mexican Art, 66.6 © 2020 Banco de México Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico, D.F. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Register
Portrait-inspired painting of Frida Kahlo
Workshop

Oil Painting for the Scaredy Cat – full, please call to join waitlist

Don't be afraid, give oil painting a try! Learn the basics of oil painting and have fun doing it. This workshop will give you a foundation of confidence you can take into your future oil painting classes.
Date/Time:
Saturday, May 16, 10am-4pm
Skill Level:
Adult: Beginner
Admission:
CAM Member $100 / Not-yet-member $125
Instructor:
Amy Gibson
Supplies:
$5 supply fee payable to instructor; all supplies provided by the instructor.
Register
Oil painting of pears on easel
Workshop

Miniature Watercolor Workshop – full, please call to join waitlist

Learn to paint small! We will be painting small 4" x 5" watercolor paintings, using whiskey to dip our brushes into instead of water. This is a relaxing atmosphere filled with creativity and inspiration, covering the basics of watercolor and color theory while experimenting with whiskey as our solvent.
Date/Time:
Sunday, May 17, 10am-4pm
Skill Level:
Adult: Beginner
Admission:
CAM Member $100 / Not-yet-member $125
Instructor:
Amy Gibson
Supplies:

Any small watercolor set. example Sennelier French Artists' Travel Watercolor Set, 8 Count, or Winsor & Newton Cotman Water Colour Sketchers' Pocket Box 1
Watercolor paper block any size - cold press 140lbs - Arches, or Stonehenge
Whiskey is provided by instructor

Register
Watercolor painting of a meadow with yellow flowers
Bryson's clicked photo
Workshop

Capturing the Moment: Photography + Photo Editing

Learn to capture and enhance stunning photos in this two-day immersive photography workshop. Day one focuses on essential skills for shooting at the beautiful gardens of the New Hanover County Arboretum, where you’ll learn to master light, depth of field, and composition. Day two dives into refining and editing your photos using Adobe Lightroom. This course covers the full photography process, from the click of the shutter to the polished final image.
Date/Time:
Saturday and Sunday, April 25 & 26, 10am-12pm and 10am-1pm
Skill Level:
Adult: All Levels
Admission:
CAM Member $92 / Not-yet-member $115
Instructor:
Evin Bryson and Alan Cradick
Supplies:

Adobe Lightroom subscription ($11.99/month) or 14-day free trial
Any digital device - camera/smart phone/tablet
Laptop capable of supporting Adobe software
Mouse and mousepad

Register
Pottery being fired in a raku kiln
Adult

Raku

Day-long raku firing on our Pancoe porch. Witness the transformation in a Raku kiln, where it is rapidly cooled in combustible materials to create unique crackle and metallic effects. Each student may bring up to 3 glazed pots, each no larger than 8" wide x 10" tall. No platters or large bowls.  Please note that the raku process creates work that is not food safe.

Pots should be bisqued and glazed prior to the workshop.

Please wear safety precautions like wearing natural fiber, long-sleeved clothing, and closed-toe shoes.

Date/Time:
Saturday, April 25, 10am-3pm
Skill Level:
Adult: All Levels
Admission:
CAM Member $55 / Not-yet-member $60
Instructor:
Shannon Gehen and Brian Evans
Supplies:
Bring your own pre-glazed pieces glazed with Raku-specific glaze. There will be bisque-fired pieces to glaze available for purchase through the instructor.
Register
Colorful paintings and cupcakes on a pastel background
Adult

Paint Like the Masters: Wayne Thiebaud – 2 spots left

Let’s paint pie! And cakes! This one-day intensive explores America’s modern expressionist’s beautiful mastery of color, shape and line in still life painting. We’ll look at capturing light, color temperature contrasts, his use of “halation” to create Impressionist color vibrations. With demos, handouts and plenty of guided techniques, dessert never looked so good! You’re preferred painting medium, instructor will demo in acrylic and watercolor. Basic beginner painting foundation required.
Date/Time:
Sunday, April 26, 10am-4pm
Skill Level:
Adult: Intermediate
Admission:
CAM Member $112 / Not-yet-member $140
Instructor:
Kirah Van Sickle
Supplies:

Basic set of colors in preferred medium including the following: Titanium White, Cad Yellow Medium, Cadmium Red Medium, Quinacridone Magenta, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean, Burnt Umber.
Variety of flat style (wash) brushes and filberts in 1/4, 1/2 and 1" widths- synthetic for acrylic or oil; if using watercolor, #8, #10 and #12 rounds with 1/4” and 3/4” flat wash brushes.
Preferred palette pad or mixing tray for watercolor
8-12 Canvas panels (8 x 8", 8 x 10," 12 x 12" or 11 x 14" are good options; or canvas pad that can be taped off.
*9 x 12" 140# cold press watercolor pad for watercolor or acrylic
Artist tape
Apron/smock
Sketchbook for notes and quick sketches
Sketch pen
Paper Towels
Water cup or odorless terpenoid for oil painters

Register
Pink-toned print featuring stylized leaves
Workshop

Printing With Plants

The smallest and most delicate of plant life can take on a magnitude of impact when inked and printed! Experiment with cuttings from your garden and CAM grounds to both spotlight and combine to push scale and composition. Print on both fabric and papers with block inks and stamp pads.
Date/Time:
Saturday, May 2, 10am-4pm
Skill Level:
Adult: All Levels
Admission:
CAM Member $100 / Not-yet-member $125
Instructor:
Donna Moore
Supplies:
$20 supply fee (payable to the instructor) covers printmaking supplies and papers. Bring cuttings - blossoms, leaves, roots - to use as subject matter. Can bring articles of clothing or kitchen/bath towels to create textile design (natural fibers such as cotton, linen, bamboo, etc).
Register
Several birds wading and feeding along a shoreline
Adult

Breakfast with the Birds

South End at Wrightsville Beach has a wonderful rookery for Black Skimmers and Turns who return every year and put on quite a show! By getting there early, we will be able to watch and snap the birds bringing breakfast back to their nests. Participants will enjoy a great view of the feeding and interactions of these animals while keeping their distance and learning about ongoing conservation efforts. This workshop is for intermediate photographers, and the only special equipment needed is a medium telephoto lens.
Date/Time:
Saturday and Sunday, May 2 & 3, 10am-12pm, 12-2pm
Skill Level:
Adult: Intermediate
Admission:
CAM Member $56 / Not-yet-member $70
Instructor:
Alan Cradick
Supplies:
Bring any digital device, smart phone, tablet or digital camera, and medium telephoto lens.
Register
Portrait-inspired painting of Frida Kahlo
Workshop

Paint Like Frida Kahlo – full, please call to join waitlist

Step into the colorful world of Frida Kahlo! In this workshop we will explore her life, artistic process, and signature style: bold colors, rich symbolism, and deeply personal storytelling. Learn the techniques behind her expressive portraits and discover how she transformed self-portraiture into powerful narrative art. Then you’ll bring her approach to life by creating your own portrait inspired by her unique style of personal storytelling.
Date/Time:
Saturday, May 9th, 10am-4pm
Skill Level:
Adult: All Levels
Admission:
CAM Member $100 / Not-yet-member $125
Instructor:
Evin Bryson
Supplies:

Oil or acrylic paint (include at least red, yellow, blue, black and white), brushes, palette knife, palette (paper or glass), paper towels, sketchbook, one canvas (8x10 or larger)
If using oil paint: odorless mineral spirits, linseed or walnut oil (small bottle), jar/container with lid

Image: Frida Kahlo (Mexican, 1907–1954), Untitled [Self-portrait with thorn necklace and hummingbird], 1940. Oil on canvas mounted to board. Nickolas Muray Collection of Mexican Art, 66.6 © 2020 Banco de México Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico, D.F. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Register
Oil painting of pears on easel
Workshop

Oil Painting for the Scaredy Cat – full, please call to join waitlist

Don't be afraid, give oil painting a try! Learn the basics of oil painting and have fun doing it. This workshop will give you a foundation of confidence you can take into your future oil painting classes.
Date/Time:
Saturday, May 16, 10am-4pm
Skill Level:
Adult: Beginner
Admission:
CAM Member $100 / Not-yet-member $125
Instructor:
Amy Gibson
Supplies:
$5 supply fee payable to instructor; all supplies provided by the instructor.
Register
Watercolor painting of a meadow with yellow flowers
Workshop

Miniature Watercolor Workshop – full, please call to join waitlist

Learn to paint small! We will be painting small 4" x 5" watercolor paintings, using whiskey to dip our brushes into instead of water. This is a relaxing atmosphere filled with creativity and inspiration, covering the basics of watercolor and color theory while experimenting with whiskey as our solvent.
Date/Time:
Sunday, May 17, 10am-4pm
Skill Level:
Adult: Beginner
Admission:
CAM Member $100 / Not-yet-member $125
Instructor:
Amy Gibson
Supplies:

Any small watercolor set. example Sennelier French Artists' Travel Watercolor Set, 8 Count, or Winsor & Newton Cotman Water Colour Sketchers' Pocket Box 1
Watercolor paper block any size - cold press 140lbs - Arches, or Stonehenge
Whiskey is provided by instructor

Register

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