Instructor: Shawn Kreuger

Beginner - Intermediate
4 Week Class
Tuesdays 6:00pm-9:00pm
September 2nd - 23rd
Class Maximum: 14 Students

Materials are included in all of our classes.

Explore the quiet beauty of nature through the subtle and expressive approach of Tonalism. In this class, painter Shawn Krueger will guide students in developing landscape paintings that emphasize mood, harmony, and atmosphere.

Working from reference, memory, and imagination, students will learn to simplify form, control values, and build compositions with a limited palette—drawing inspiration from American Tonalist painters like George Inness and Charles Warren Eaton. This course is especially suited for those looking to deepen their understanding of tonal relationships and poetic landscape interpretation.

Instructor: Leah Morrison

Beginner - Intermediate
4 Week Class
Wednesdays 5:30pm-8:30pm
September 3rd - 24th
Class Maximum: 14 Students

Materials are included in all of our classes.

Join painter Leah Morrison for painting outdoors around Grand Rapids public parks. This class focuses on trying to capture elements of landscape and light effect during twilight hours. Students are encouraged to capture effect and atmosphere in a range of quick sketches and one or two finished pieces.

Instructor: Alec Zemper

Beginner - Advanced
4 Week Class
Wednesdays 6:00pm-9:00pm
September 3rd - 24th
Class Maximum: 12 Students

Materials are included in all of our classes.

Join us in learning the classical method of drawing the nude figure in this intensive four-week course. Participants will work with a single, sustained pose throughout the duration of the class, honing their skills in accurate observation, proportion, and rendering.

Using charcoal, students will explore foundational techniques such as block-ins, measuring, and the careful study of light and shadow to achieve a lifelike drawing, typically pushing far beyond what we believe we are capable of.

Instructor: Alec Zemper

Beginner - Advanced
4 Week Class
Thursdays 6:00pm-9:00pm
September 4th - 25th
Class Maximum: 12 Students

Materials are included in all of our classes.

This course introduces students to indirect painting methods, where form, light, and atmosphere are built up gradually through a series of transparent and opaque layers of oil paint.

Students will begin with a tonal underpainting (grisaille or imprimatura) and progress through stages of glazing and scumbling to achieve luminous depth, subtle transitions, and refined form. Emphasis will be placed on value structure, edge control, and the properties of traditional mediums.

Rooted in Renaissance and Baroque painting practices, this class is ideal for students seeking a disciplined, historically grounded approach to oil painting.

Instructor: Madison Memering

Beginners through Advanced
Weekend Immersive
Saturday & Sunday 10:00am - 4:00pm (One hour lunch break)
September 13th & 14th
Class Maximum: 14 students

All materials are included in all of our classes

In this single weekend immersive, students will study different native Michigan butterflies & moths. More than 8 species of Lepidoptera will be made available to observe & illustrate from.

Species include: Luna moth, Polyphemus moth, Spicebush swallowtail butterfly, monarch butterfly, & more! Led by artist Madison Memering, the class will focus on observational drawing, watercolor techniques, and pen and ink practices.

This class is designed for nature loving artists along with curious beginners. We invite you to slow down, observe closely, and develop your skills while considering the small things that make up the natural world around us.

Instructor: Alec Zemper

Beginners & Intermediates
Weekend Immersive
Saturday & Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm (1 hour lunch break)
September 20th & 21st
Class Maximum: 14 Students

Materials are included in all of our classes.

Focusing on a non-toxic method of painting in oils, this class is designed as an immersive in-depth primer for oil painting and its materials and process. If you are interested in painting but do not know where to start, or you have some experience and are looking to improve your foundational skills, this is the class to take. Students will be completing 3-4 paintings in this class.

Instructor: Caroline Hahn

Beginner - Intermediate
Weekend Immersive
Saturday & Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm (1 hour lunch break)
September 27th & 28th
Class Maximum: 14 Students

Materials are included in all of our classes.

This weekend immersive workshop introduces students to the foundational techniques of acrylic painting, with a focus on layering and expressive brushwork. Students will explore how to build up their paintings through transparent and opaque layers, experimenting with texture and mark-making to create dynamic and personal works of art.

Instructor: Leah Morrison

Beginner - Intermediate
4 Week Class
Tuesdays 6:00pm-9:00pm
October 7th - 28th
Class Maximum: 14 Students

Materials are included in all of our classes.

Learn the essential techniques of watercolor painting in this class designed for beginners and those looking to strengthen their foundational skills. Students will explore brush control, washes, layering, and color mixing while painting studies from natural subjects. Emphasis will be placed on building confidence, understanding the unique properties of watercolor, and developing a clear, controlled approach to the medium.

Instructor: Alec Zemper

Beginners - Advanced
4 Week Class
Thursdays 1:00pm-4:00pm
October 9th - 30th
Class Maximum: 12 Students

Materials are included in all of our classes.

This class focuses on the classical approach to painting the human figure in oil, working directly from the live nude model. Students will study proportion, anatomy, and the construction of form through careful observation, beginning with block-ins and value organization before moving into color relationships and flesh tones. Emphasis will be placed on understanding light, creating a sense of volume, and developing a strong, cohesive composition. Instruction will include demonstrations and guidance on both direct and indirect painting techniques.

Instructor: Alec Zemper

Beginners & Intermediates
4 Week Class
Wednesdays 6:00am - 9:00pm
October 8th - 29th
Class Maximum: 14 Students

Materials are included in all of our classes.

Drawing and mark making is the foundation for all of the visual arts. In this class, students will explore essential topics, including materials, line quality, value, form, light + shadow, and measuring techniques. Whether you’re new to drawing or have some experience, this class offers a strong foundation to build upon for drawing, painting, and even sculpture. Over the course of the program, students will complete 4–5 drawings.

Instructor: Madison Memering

Beginners - Advanced
3 Week Class
Sundays 12:00pm - 4:00pm
October 12th - 26th
Class Maximum: 14 students

All materials are included in all of our classes

In this field-based illustration course, students will visit Western Michigan parks and trails to study and document native Michigan forest fungi. Led by artist Madison Memering, the class will focus on observational drawing, watercolor techniques, and pen and ink practices. This class is designed for nature loving artists along with curious beginners. We invites you to slow down, observe closely, and develop your skills while considering the small things that make up the natural world around us.

Instructor: Mary Jane Ward

Beginners - Advanced
Weekend Immersive
Saturday & Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm
October 18th & 19th
Class Maximum: 14 students

All of our classes include all materials.

Join painter Mary Jane Ward for a day of immersive plein air painting as we capture the rich colors and shifting light of the autumn landscape. Working on location, students will learn techniques for simplifying complex scenes, mixing harmonious seasonal palettes, and building dynamic compositions directly from observation. This workshop is designed for painters of all experience levels looking to deepen their connection to nature while developing confidence and sensitivity in outdoor painting.

*Students will be provided with pochade (painting) boxes and all necessary materials, will meet at Ghosthouse, and are welcome to carpool if they choose.