We offer one-, two- and three-day workshops in painting, ceramics, weaving and more.
Find out more about our 2024/2025 beginner and advanced workshops for children and adults running during the Fall (Sep-Dec), Winter (Jan-Mar) and Spring (Apr-Jun) sessions.
Workshops for Children (ages 17 and under)
Fall: Holiday Clay Magic
4 – 12 years | Two or Three Days
Celebrate the holidays by creating fun and festive decorations and gifts made of clay to share with your friends and family. Projects will be fired and finished with beautiful glazes or vibrant paints to brighten the holidays for years to come! Teacher: Noelle Horrocks
4 – 7 years
29668 • M • Nov 24 – Dec 8 • 3:45 PM – 4:30 PM • $46.50
29673 • TU • Dec 2 – Dec 16 • 3:45 PM – 4:30 PM • $46.50
5 – 7 years
29670 • M • Nov 24 – Dec 8 • 4:45 PM – 5:30 PM • $46.50
29675 • TU • Dec 2 – Dec 16 • 4:45 PM – 5:30 PM • $46.50
8 – 12 years
29672 • M • Nov 24 – Dec 8 • 5:45 PM – 6:45 PM • $46.50
29676 • TU • Dec 2 – Dec 16 • 5:45 PM – 6:45 PM • $46.50
Workshops for Adults (ages 18+)
Fall
Throw a Balanced Cylinder – All Levels
Three Days
This weekend workshop is suitable for students of all levels, whether you have never touched clay or are an experienced student looking to refine your wheel throwing skills. Gain confidence and get comfortable working independently on the wheel through practice. Learn the foundational steps of creating pots on the wheel: how to wedge clay, center, as well as to pull and shape a balanced cylinder. For those with previous throwing experience, the skills you develop here will lay the groundwork for any future pottery aspirations. Clay is included, bring your own pottery tools if you have them. This workshop is process-based; no pots will be fired or finished. Teacher: Clive Tucker
29598 • F, SA, SU • Sep 5 – Sep 7 • F: 6:00-9:00 PM | SA & SU: 1:00-4:00 PM • $125.50
Drawing Pet Portraits for Beginners
One Day
Draw your pet by learning how to capture their proportions, fur, eyes and unique character of your furry friend. Learning to use shading techniques will bring your portrait to life! Supplies included. Teacher: Rebecca Blair
29874 • SA • Nov 1 • 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM • $40.00
Mixed Media Painting: Sugar Skull
One Day
Get inspired by the fascinating Day of the Dead celebration and create a one-of-a-kind Sugar Skull painting. You will experiment with wet and dry mediums and learn to incorporate festive symbols, colours, patterns and textures into your artwork that are characteristic of this ancestral Latin American tradition. Supplies included. Teacher: Clarissa Banos
Mixed Media Holiday Cards
One Day
Join us for a festive holiday card-making workshop designed just for adults! Enjoy a joyful, creative escape from the holiday rush while learning the art of mixed media to create beautiful, personalized holiday cards for your loved ones. This workshop is perfect for beginners and seasoned makers. Supplies included—just bring your imagination! Teacher: Matin Komeili
29861 • SA • Nov 22 • 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM • $38.00
Basketry: Round Pin Cushion Basket
One Day
Weave a round wicker basket to create a useful pin cushion for your sewing notions. You will learn a variety of basket weaving techniques including plain weave, twining, three rod wale and adding a border. Supplies included. This workshop is suitable for all levels. Teacher: Kristen Conboy
29701 • SA • Nov 22 • 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM • $66.00
Holiday Dishes & Decorations – Beginner – FULL
Two Days
Interested in creating with clay or are you early in your pottery journey? Join us for festive fun in this introductory clay workshop. Learn handbuilding techniques to make a bowl or plate as well as ornaments. Then, decorate your creations with underglazes and dipping glaze. Projects will be fired and you will receive an email from Place des Arts when your pieces are ready for pick up approximately one week after the last class. Supplies included. Teacher: Noelle Horrocks
29678 • TH • Dec 4 – Dec 11 • 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM • $86.50
Festive Felting
One Day
Get into the holiday spirit and join us for a hands-on workshop creating beautiful, felted holiday ornaments and goodies like Christmas balls and a potholder. Explore a variety of wet felting techniques and acquire the skills necessary to create finished pieces. Felting is quick and fun way to make one-of-a-kind gifts. Supplies included. Teacher: Catherine Dumaine
Winter
Throw a Balanced Cylinder – All Levels
Three Days
This weekend workshop is suitable for students of all levels, whether you have never touched clay or are an experienced student looking to refine your wheel throwing skills. Gain confidence and get comfortable working independently on the wheel through practice. Learn the foundational steps of creating pots on the wheel: how to wedge clay, center, as well as to pull and shape a balanced cylinder. For those with previous throwing experience, the skills you develop here will lay the groundwork for any future pottery aspirations. Clay is included, bring your own pottery tools if you have them. This workshop is process-based; no pots will be fired or finished. Teacher: Clive Tucker
29599 • F, SA, SU • Jan 9 – Jan 11 • F: 6:00-9:00 PM | SA & SU: 1:00-4:00 PM • $125.50
Graphic Novel Fundamentals
Three Days
Learn how to plan a dynamic and engaging comic page by exploring comic storytelling, panel layouts and illustrative composition within panels. By the end of this workshop, you will create a compelling 1-page black and white comic. This workshop is suitable for artists looking to make their first comic and experienced artists looking to improve their sequential storytelling skills! Supplies included. Teacher: Kathleen Gros
Watercolour Painting Exploration
Two Days
Explore basic and foundational techniques to get started on your adventures in watercolours. Learn about wet into wet and wet into dry painting, controlling colours and edges, how to use masking fluid and salt in your artwork and more! Supplies not included, please refer to the supply list for this class. Teacher: Cara Bain
29751 • SA • Jan 24 – Jan 31 • 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM • $53.00
Thrown & Handbuilt Teapots – Intermediate
Two Days
In this two-day workshop, explore the technical and design considerations of creating a teapot. You will learn both wheel-throwing and handbuilding techniques for creating the components of your teapot and how to assemble bodies, lids, spouts and handles into satisfying and functional compositions. This workshop is suitable for students with handbuilding and/or wheel throwing experience, it is not for beginners. Bisque firing of your teapot is included, please refer to the supply list for additional supplies needed for this workshop. Teacher: Fredi Rahn
29610 • SA • Jan 24 – Jan 31 • 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM • $81.50
Drawing Portraits for Beginners
One Day
Explore the basics of drawing portraits! Learn tips on how to draw the proportions of a face, then apply these techniques to individual people and bring your portraits to life with shading. Supplies included. Teacher: Rebecca Blair
Spring
Throw a Balanced Cylinder – All Levels
Three Days
This weekend workshop is suitable for students of all levels, whether you have never touched clay or you are an experienced student looking to refine your wheel throwing skills. Gain confidence and get comfortable working independently on the wheel through practice. Learn the foundational steps of creating pots on the wheel: how to wedge clay, center, pull and shape a balanced cylinder. For those with previous throwing experience, the skills you develop here will lay the groundwork for any future pottery aspirations. Clay is included. This workshop is process-based; no pots will be fired or finished. Teacher: Clive Tucker
29600 • F, SA, SU • Mar 27 – Mar 29 • F: 6:00-9:00 PM | SA & SU: 1:00-4:00 PM • $125.50
Basketry: Square Spring Basket
One Day
Celebrate spring by weaving a colourful, square basket! You will learn the basics of plain weaving using flat cane to create a 6-inch by 6-inch basket with a finished edge with the option of adding a handle to your basket. Supplies included. This workshop is suitable for all levels. Teacher: Kristen Conboy
29702 • SA • Apr 18 • 9:15 AM – 3:15 PM • $99.00
Working with Templates – Experienced Students
Three Days
In this weekend handbuilding workshop, learn to manipulate, trim and adjust cardboard cut-out templates and patterns to construct three-dimensional clay forms such as bottles, teapots, jugs, vases and asymmetrical shapes. This workshop is suitable for students with some handbuilding experience: it is not for beginners. Some supplies included, please refer to the supply list for this workshop. This workshop is process-based; no projects will be fired or finished. Teacher: Laura Vanderlinde
29611 • F, SA, SU • Apr 24 – Apr 26 • F: 5:00-8:30 PM | SA & SU: 1:00-4:30 PM • $135.75
Gold Leaf & Floral Painting
Two Days
Explore the fusion of delicate florals and opulent gold leaf. Whether working in oils or acrylics, learn to create stunning botanical masterpieces that harmonize the elegance of flowers with the luxurious touch of gold. Elevate your artistic repertoire with techniques that capture nature’s beauty in an enchanting way. Some supplies included, please refer to the supply list for supplies needed for your class. Teacher: Cara Bain
29750 • SA • May 23 – May 30 • 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM • $70.50
Spring Vases and Flowerpots – Beginner
Two Days
This fun, introductory workshop offers beginners the opportunity to discover basic pottery skills with spectacular results. Learn handbuilding techniques to create cylinder vases and fabulous flower vessels. Then, decorate your creations with underglazes and dipping glaze. Projects will be fired and you will receive an email from Place des Arts when your pieces are ready for pick-up approximately two weeks after the last class. Supplies included. Teacher: Noelle Horrocks