In this plein air intensive, students will learn a way to interpret the complex world of foliage in their own art, and be able to freely sketch nature from life. Although seemingly random, the way that nature grows is balanced and harmonious. Students will observe the beauty of Idlewild intently and translate nature into their investigative sketches. On the second day of the intensive, students will make painting studies that deepen their understanding of what they are learning and observing. Please dress appropriate for the class as you will be outside in the elements and bring plenty of water. 

You will meet Dasha in Idlewild Park at the California building.

*Note: Dasha Derevianko is a visiting artist from the Rhode Island School of Design. 

Saturday and Sunday, June 13 and 14
9:30 am – 1:30 pm

Instructor: Dash Derevianko
Age: Adult (16+) | All Levels

Supply List: Show confirmation email at Nevada Fine Arts for a 10% discount. Instructor will provide a line sketch of the subject and a color reference photo of the subject.

• Brushes: Large soft filbert/round/mop brush, medium flat/filbert brush, detail brush
• Recommended brands: Winsor and Newton watercolor travel palette, Winsor and newton artist gouache, Holbein Acrylic Gouache
• Colors: Sap Green, Cerulean blue, Cadmium yellow, Cadmium red, raw/burnt sienna, alizarin crimson/quinacridone magenta.
• Paper/sketchbooks: At least 300gsm paper. Strathmore or Arches are great options, around 5×7″ to 8×10″
• Pallet paper or small tin/plastic pallet for mixing paint
• Sunblock
• Waterbottle for drinking
• Cup and water for cleaning brushes
• Appropriate attire as you’ll be outside

Join us for a fun and festive clay-making adventure! In this hands-on class kids ages 7-11 will learn fundamental hand building techniques including pinch pots, coil building, and basic sculpture to create unique themed masterpieces. Students will craft ornaments, festive lanterns, and more, exploring their creativity while gaining skills in working with clay. All materials are provided- just bring your imagination.

Mondays, June 1 and 8
5:30 – 7:30 pm

Instructor: Emily Reid
Ages: 7 – 11 | All Levels

Does your child dream of fantasy worlds, or love sharing tales of their experiences? Introduce them to creative writing through a hands-on summer camp workshop! 

Students age 12 – 15 will get hands-on experience in trying out a variety of different creative writing styles ranging from non-fiction prose to sci-fi, fantasy, and poetry. This workshop is designed to encourage creativity and inspiration from every part of the world, and to introduce writing as a free-form art rather than a structured assignment. Students can learn about their own understanding of the world, as well as understand the perspectives of others through storytelling, reading, and authorship. All supplies and a mid-camp snack will be provided. 

Monday – Friday, August 3 – 7
1 – 4 pm

Instructor: Em Tomeo
Age: 12 – 15 | All Levels

Does your child dream of fantasy worlds, or love sharing tales of their experiences? Introduce them to creative writing through a hands-on summer camp workshop! 

Students age 12 – 15 will get hands-on experience in trying out a variety of different creative writing styles ranging from non-fiction prose to sci-fi, fantasy, and poetry. This workshop is designed to encourage creativity and inspiration from every part of the world, and to introduce writing as a free-form art rather than a structured assignment. Students can learn about their own understanding of the world, as well as understand the perspectives of others through storytelling, reading, and authorship. All supplies and a mid-camp snack will be provided. 

Monday – Friday, July 6 – 10
1 – 4 pm

Instructor: Em Tomeo
Age: 12 – 15 | All Levels

Does your child dream of fantasy worlds, or love sharing tales of their experiences? Introduce them to creative writing through a hands-on summer camp workshop! 

Students age 12 – 15 will get hands-on experience in trying out a variety of different creative writing styles ranging from non-fiction prose to sci-fi, fantasy, and poetry. This workshop is designed to encourage creativity and inspiration from every part of the world, and to introduce writing as a free-form art rather than a structured assignment. Students can learn about their own understanding of the world, as well as understand the perspectives of others through storytelling, reading, and authorship. All supplies and a mid-camp snack will be provided. 

Monday – Friday, June 15 – 19
1 – 4 pm

Instructor: Em Tomeo
Age: 12 – 15 | All Levels

Working in oil or acrylic paint, students will explore value divisions in landscapes and the basics of brush sketching and massing. With these skills students will learn how to relate color to value and will gain a better understanding of identifying spatial cues in a landscape. Using foundational skills students can then explore under-painting, glazing and dry-brushing techniques.

Saturday & Sunday, June 13 and 14
9 am – 2 pm

Instructor: Daniel Helzer
Ages: Adult (16+) | All Levels

• Supply list: Show email confirmation at Nevada Fine Arts for a 10% discount.

  • 5 – 7 Canvas Boards 16×12 or smaller
  • Palette Knife
  • Palette
  • Paper Towels
  • Selection of bristle brushes (small, med and large)
  • Assortment of brushes.
  • Palette knife, paper towels and a few canvas boards, 8×10 or bigger.

  Paint Colors:

  • Cobalt Blue
  • Ultramarine Blue
  • Alizarin Crimson
  • Black
  • Cadmium Red Light
  • Cadmium Yellow or Hansa Yellow
  • Burnt Sienna
  • Titanium White

  For Oils: Gamsol, turpentine or walnut oil for use as a brush medium or cleaner.

Join us to explore how to paint vibrant and expressive sunsets using watercolor. Focusing on a primarily wet-in-wet approach, students will learn essential techniques such as creating smooth gradated washes, lifting pigment to form clouds, displacing color for dynamic effects, reserving whites, and painting sunsets alla prima. You’ll also practice adding landscape elements like palm trees, Joshua trees, and other natural forms.

For best results, 100% cotton watercolor paper is highly recommended when working with wet-in-wet techniques.

Mondays, August 10 – 24 
4 – 8 pm

Instructor: Iva Neveux
Ages: Adult (16+)  | All Levels:

Supply List: Show email confirmation at Nevada Fine Arts for a 10% discount.

•  Watercolor pallet including your preferred reds, yellows, blues including indigo and earths including burnt sienna & burnt umber
• Cool Orange, such as Pyrrol Orange by Daniel Smith or Windsor Orange Red Shade by Winsor Newton or any orange made of PO73
• A variety of watercolor brushes including a 1” or 1.5” flat and a #6 or # 8 round brushes, a rigger brush #2 or #3
•  Pad of Arches cold press 140 lb watercolor sheets (9”x12” or larger), other 100% cotton brands will also work (Daler Rowney, Bee Paper, Winsor Newton)
•  Plastic board to maintain moisture in the sheet
•  Graphite or mechanical pencil
• Kneaded eraser
• Spray bottle with water
• At least one of the following: 1) Masking fluid, 2) Masking tape & small button or coin (penny or dime), 3) Round/Dot stickers
• Tracing paper (optional)
• Exacto knife (optional)
• Roll of paper towels (optional)
• Two plastic water containers (optional)

Join us to explore how to paint vibrant and expressive sunsets using watercolor. Focusing on a primarily wet-in-wet approach, students will learn essential techniques such as creating smooth gradated washes, lifting pigment to form clouds, displacing color for dynamic effects, reserving whites, and painting sunsets alla prima. You’ll also practice adding landscape elements like palm trees, Joshua trees, and other natural forms.

For best results, 100% cotton watercolor paper is highly recommended when working with wet-in-wet techniques.

Mondays, July 20 and 27
4:30 – 8:30 pm

Instructor: Iva Neveux
Ages: Adult (16+)  | All Levels:

Supply List: Show email confirmation at Nevada Fine Arts for a 10% discount.

•  Watercolor pallet including your preferred reds, yellows, blues including indigo and earths including burnt sienna & burnt umber
• Cool Orange, such as Pyrrol Orange by Daniel Smith or Windsor Orange Red Shade by Winsor Newton or any orange made of PO73
• A variety of watercolor brushes including a 1” or 1.5” flat and a #6 or # 8 round brushes, a rigger brush #2 or #3
•  Pad of Arches cold press 140 lb watercolor sheets (9”x12” or larger), other 100% cotton brands will also work (Daler Rowney, Bee Paper, Winsor Newton)
•  Plastic board to maintain moisture in the sheet
•  Graphite or mechanical pencil
• Kneaded eraser
• Spray bottle with water
• At least one of the following: 1) Masking fluid, 2) Masking tape & small button or coin (penny or dime), 3) Round/Dot stickers
• Tracing paper (optional)
• Exacto knife (optional)
• Roll of paper towels (optional)
• Two plastic water containers (optional)

In this Open Studio, students have the freedom to explore their creativity and paint any subject matter in their preferred watercolor style. Whether you want to continue working on a current piece or start something entirely new, this relaxed yet focused studio session offers the perfect setting.
Throughout the four-hour class, the instructor will provide individualized guidance, offering feedback, techniques, and tips tailored to each student’s goals. For those who come without a specific idea in mind, the instructor will have a variety of inspiring subjects available to paint.
This open studio is ideal for watercolorists who wish to develop their personal style, receive expert support, and enjoy the shared artistic atmosphere of painting within a creative community.

Monday June 8
4 – 8 pm

Instructor: Iva Neveux
Age: Adult (16+) | All Levels

Supplies: Show email confirmation at Nevada Fine Arts for a 10% discount. 

• Please bring all the supplies you need to continue and/or complete your painting such as:
• Paints
• Brushes
• 100% cotton watercolor sheets
• Palette
• Masking fluid
• Masking tape
• Soft eraser
• Mechanical pencil
• Paper towels

Join this dynamic watercolor class to master the art of painting lightning. Students will learn to preserve fine details with masking fluid and bring stormy skies to life using a wet-in-wet technique. Capture the drama of flashing light against atmospheric clouds in an engaging, hands-on session.

Monday, June 1 
4 – 8 pm

Instructor: Iva Neveux
Age: Adult (16+) | All Levels

Supply List: Show email confirmation at Nevada Fine Arts for a 10% discount.

•    Watercolor pallet including your preferred reds, yellows, blues including indigo and earths including burnt sienna 
•    Watercolor brushes including 1” flat or larger, #6 and #10 round and a rigger brush 
•    A few 100% cotton watercolor sheets, cold press, 140 lb (9”x12” or larger) such as Arches, Fabriano Artistico, Daler Rowney, Bee, or Winsor Newton
•    Graphite or mechanical pencil
•    Kneaded eraser
•    Tracing paper
•    Spray bottle with water
•    Masking fluid such as P?b?o drawing gum
•    Creative Mark Scrubber Watercolor Brush #2 (optional)
•    Rubber cement to remove the masking fluid (optional)
•    Color shaper or ruling pen to apply masking fluid (optional)
•    Exacto knife (optional)
•    Roll of paper towels (optional)
•    Two plastic containers for water (optional)