Art Classes

NOTICE: Due to family responsibilities, I have no classes scheduled for 2023 at this time.

I have been teaching art to adults and children over a period of several decades. Classes are available in different media: oils, watercolours, pastels and mixed media. No previous experience is necessary. Full refunds for cancelled classes.

Painting Flora in Oils

Oil paint is wonderfully versatile and forgiving, long regarded as the most prestigious medium. It retains its freshly-painted colours when dry, remains lustrous, and can be corrected easily as it stays wet for a longer time than other paints. Fiona Craig attempts to make learning oil painting easy and enjoyable.

Testimonials

"I attended Fiona Craig's weekly oil painting class over a period of several years. I was a beginner with no previous art training. Fiona gave me a great start and helped me develop my own style. Fiona made the lessons very interesting and enjoyable and she was a very patient teacher. She made me love art so much I am still painting. I would highly recommend Fiona Craig’s art lessons." Filiz Yavuz .

"I enjoyed Fiona Craig's [5-day, Grafton, NSW, 2018] workshop. I learned a lot and her gentle way of teaching was great. There was great camaraderie among most participants and we all gained lots of useful tips, techniques and knowledge of the process of oil painting." Sigrid P.

"My first time attending {an art school in] Grafton, NSW was when I signed up for the April 2018 class with Fiona Craig. "Vibrant Flowers in Oils" was a wonderful art experience and so very productive. Fiona is an excellent tutor and thankfully I have now learned some new tips with using oil paints. Fiona made the whole painting process easy with step by step demonstrations and she is a very competent communicator. She had us producing gorgeous vibrant floral images within the time span of the five day workshop. I'm very positive that I would be happy to attend another workshop with Fiona and I can recommend her as a tutor." Kathryn L. Wright

"Fiona Craig has been an inspiration to me as she has helped me greatly with my artistic passion. She has taught me the components of different colours, how to apply brushwork, and how to work on different compositions. She has taught me various techniques that have broadened my horizons further. I am grateful for all that she has done for me." Muzeyyen Kopuz

"I was a student of Fiona Craig's for several years. She helped me grow from not even knowing how to blend colours to the position of what I am now capable of. She is extremely calm when teaching, and always catered to my novice level. Fiona's style allows her to portray what she sees in a unique way to make her audience appreciate her Art from a different perspective. I'm grateful to her in everything she has taught me." Mine Sengel

”I took the All Day Workshop this past Sunday [Painting Vibrant Flora in Oils, Evanston Art Center, August 18, 2019] with Fiona Craig. What a great class! Fiona is a very talented artist, very organized, and gave us step-by-step instructions in floral oil painting. I highly recommend this class for all levels of artists. We had a fun group and we so enjoyed our teacher. Looking forward to being able to join another of her classes. Thank you.” Janet F.

Mixed Media: Watercolour and Soft Pastels

Soft pastels (dry pastels, not oil pastels) are experiencing a resurgence of popularity. This is no surprise, as their soft, velvety texture reflects the light at different angles, creating a uniquely appealing effect. Fiona Craig's classes explore ways of making marks, blocking in, and layering to build up richly colouful and textured works of art. in pastels alone, or in combination with other media such as watercolours.

Testimonials

“I came to Fiona Craig’s mixed media class at the Evanston Art Center with some experience in pastel painting and [little] exposure to watercolor painting. In her class, I received ‘hands on’ personal instruction at my points of greatest need, as did other students. After only 15 - 18 hours of class time, I am excited at the new possibilities available to me, and look forward to another class with her.”

James D. McHolland, age 83, semi-retired.

“I took Fiona Craig’s mixed media class at Evanston Art Center, and highly recommend it!”

Kelley H, Evanston, IL

"Before taking a class with Fiona Craig at the Evanston Art Center, I had zero experience in painting or drawing. By the third session I had produced a watercolor/pastel winter scene I was actually proud of! Through demonstration and supportive one-on-one guidance, Fiona gently encourages her students to realize their visions. She is so skilled in mixed media, florals and landscapes, she can convey the process in a way that a rank-newbie (like me) can understand. Fiona's given me confidence to continue to learn and experiment with art. I recommend her class wholeheartedly."

Lori G, Wilmette, IL