Painting and Drawing: Adult Art Classes

The Centre for Women is running adult art classes in painting and drawing through December 13, with sessions on Thursdays from 10:45 AM to 2:15 PM and Sundays from 11:45 AM to 3:15 PM. It's a drop-in setup, so you can pick the day that fits your schedule and keep coming back as long as the series runs.

Artist Denise Riebe leads the class, and she describes her approach as encouraging and structured. That's the part that makes it work for a lot of people: it's not just a free-for-all where you're left to your own devices. She guides the group through the actual building blocks of art—composition, color theory, value, and design—the kind of things that usually feel like a mystery until someone breaks them down. If you've ever looked at a painting and wondered why the colors worked or why the layout felt right, that's exactly what you'll be digging into here.

One of the best things about the class is that you get to choose your medium. You can stick to graphite and colored pencils if you prefer working on paper, or move into acrylics and oil paints if you're looking to get into painting. Since you're working with those fundamentals—composition, color, value—the principles apply regardless of what you're using. You can spend a few weeks with pencils and then switch to acrylics without having to start over from scratch.

It's open to both new and experienced artists, so you don't need a portfolio to get started. If you've never picked up a brush, it's a low-pressure way to learn the basics; if you've been drawing for years, it's a good place to tighten up your technique. Each class is $20, and you can find the Centre for Women at 305 S Hyde Park Ave in Tampa.