Current Classes
Watercolor for
Absolute Beginners
Feb. - April 2025
If you resolved to “get more creative” this year, here’s a good place to start.
Choose from the following classes:
* Absolute Beginner 5-week classes
(both in the Studio and on Zoom)
* Intermediate 4-week classes (Studio and Zoom)
One-Topic 3-week classes on various subjects (Studio and Zoom)
1-Day Beginner Workshops in the Studio
Drop-In classes, 1 pm on selected Thursdays
Drop-In classes, 3 pm on most Saturdays, starting Mar. 8
Individual instruction (Studio and Zoom)
Kids’ After-School Classes
Current class dates and descriptions, plus full details, are below. If you find a date error, kindly let me know.
Have questions? Want to sign up?
Just email me!
A LIST of 3-Weeks-One-Topic Classes follows the Beginner Class description. Each one-topic class is given two or three times a year.
ABSOLUTE BEGINNER
Basics Class
SATURDAY STUDIO: April 12, 12 noon - 2:30 pm
THURSDAY STUDIO: Mar. 20, 1 - 3:30 pm
ZOOM: dates to come
The 5-Week Absolute Beginner Class covers all the basic watercolor techniques with simple exercises. You’ll learn water control, paint consistencies, color mixing, creating highlights and shadows, and differences in working on wet and dry paper...while creating simple fruits, flowers, foliage, and a landscape. Lots of individual help and demos.
You'll receive an email recap of each session, with video and tutorial suggestions for homework —which is encouraged, but NEVER mandatory.
We'll work from some of these ideas on my Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/zoom-wk1-beginner-basics/
CLASS TIMES and DATES:
SATURDAY Noon STUDIO: April 12 noon
Fee: $285 . Complete Materials Kit: $70
via Zelle, cash, or Venmo
Dates: Saturday, April 12, 19, 26, May 3, 10
Time: 12 noon - 2:30 pm Saturdays
THURSDAY 1 pm STUDIO: Mar 20, 1 pm
Afternoons, March 20, 27, April 3, 10, 17
Time: 1 pm - 3:30 pm Thursdays
WEDNESDAYS on ZOOM: Please email me if you are interested in a Zoom Beginner class. Time: 6 -8 pm
INTERMEDIATE Class
STUDIO: Saturdays, Mar. 15, 22, 29, and April 5, 12 noon - 2:30
An identical Intermediate class is offered on Thursdays, April 24, May 1, 8, 15, 22, 1 - 3:30 pm
The 4-Week INTERMEDIATE CLASS is given only once or twice a year. Open to those who completed the Beginner class, or have previous experience. You’ll learn some new techniques and master the old ones, (water control and color mixing), producing four 9x12” paintings. You’ll create a mountain landscape with a dramatic stormy sky, complex white flowers, a still life with transparent glass, and an urban landscape. Lots of individual help and demos.
Intermediate class Fee:
4 sessions: $235 . Complete Materials Kit: $70
via Zelle, cash, or Vemno
Dates: above
Times: 12 noon - 2:30 pm Saturdays,
and 1 - 3:30 pm Thursdays
DROP-IN CLASSES
Five THURSDAYS: 1 pm - 3:30 pm on
Feb. 13, 20, 27, March 6, 13. SATURDAYS: starting March 8, 3 pm - 5:30 pm
In a Drop-In class, you can come to one, two, three, or all sessions, paying as you go, $45 per session. You will get an invitation OR cancellation email a few days before class.
Everyone paints his or her own image, and everyone gets individual help. I do a demo of different subject matter in class, based on your suggestions; you can paint along or do your own thing with guidance.
Saturday Drop-in Classes take place most Saturdays, starting March 8; Thursday Drop-in classes take place for four to six weeks between the Thursday Beginner classes. Just email me and ask to be put on either the Saturday and/or Thursday Drop In list. (No obligation, of course. Just reply and confirm to the weekly email if you plan to attend.)
Fee: $45 per session, pay as you go, cash or Zelle or Venmo
Dates: Thursday afternoons, 1 pm-3:30 pm, Feb. 13, 20, 27, March 6, 13.
Saturday Drop-ins meet starting March 8 from 3 pm - 5:30 pm
Again, I will always send an invitation OR cancellation email to you a few days before class.
ANIMAL PORTRAITS
dates to come
Trace and paint your own pet, or paint a gift for a friend…cats, dogs, parrots, elephants, dinosaurs, whatever you like! You’ll learn techniques for painting realistic eyes, fur, stripes, hides, and so on. One of my fave classes to teach.
Examples: https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/wcanimals/
Fee: $160 for 3 in-person STUDIO sessions, via cash, Zelle or Venmo.
Time: Tuesdays, Feb. 4, 11, 18 from 6 – 8:30 pm
URBAN LANDSCAPE
Tues, February 25, 6 pm
Currently full
New York City streets have no end of drama: Some images will be detailed, some impressionist, some layered, in both dark monochrome and colorful palettes. Images to trace will be sent before class. Some examples:
https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/wclandscape-urban/
NOTE DATE CHANGE:
Dates: Tuesdays, Feb. 25, March 4, March 11
Time: 6 till 8:30 pm in the Studio
Fee: $160 for 3 in-person sessions, via cash, Zelle or Venmo.
IMPRESSIONIST FLOWERS
& BOUQUETS
dates to come
We’ll do simple and complex flowers and arrangements, reviewing and learning new floral techniques. Suitable for those who have completed the basic Absolute beginner Class, or who are just starting in watercolor.
Examples: https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/wcfl-impressionist-bouquets/
Fee: $125
Time: 6 to 8 pm
Dates: Wednesday, Feb. 5, 12, and 19
ABSTRACT LANDSCAPE
Tues. evenings, dates to come
Start small to learn how easy it is to create compelling, colorful landscapes with only minimal detail. We’ll work on half-sheets of paper, wet and dry, using watercolor, and experimenting with acrylic inks and dry pigment if you like. All it takes is a little courage and washable clothing!
Examples: https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/wc-zoom-landscape/abstract-landscape/
Fee: $160 for 3 in-person sessions, via cash, Zelle or Venmo.
Time: Tuesdays, STUDIO, Jan. 7, 14, 21 from 6 to 8:30 pm
ONE-DAY
BEGINNER Workshop
Spring 2025, Date to come
Introduce yourself to watercolor in just one day, with lots of demos and individual attention. We’ll paint simple flowers, fruits, foliage, and clouds in a simple landscape.
Examples: https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/zoom-wk1-beginner-basics/
Date: STUDIO, Sunday, October 6
Time: 11 am–4:30 pm with 45 minutes for lunch (lots of nearby places to get lunch, or bring your own)
Fee: $140 via cash, Zelle, Venmo. To use a credit card, I can send you a PayPal invoice. (Apologies: PP now adds a $10 surcharge for invoices.)
..
KIDS’ ART CLASSES
Email: artykidsart@gmail.com
My colleague Norma Greenwood offers after-school classes all year, and some summer classes, for kids Pre-K to 3rd grade (I teach only students age 16 and older.)
She’s a NY State certified teacher and professional artist in my Union Square building. Please email her directly for current classes dates and details:
Email: artykidsart@gmail.com
TREES and FORESTS
Three Tuesdays, Dates to come
Review the basics and learn new techniques for lush foliage and trunks, in all seasons and styles both realistic and impressionist. We’ll create individual trees and forest landscapes, and possibly use trees to frame simple buildings.
Fee: $160 for 3 STUDIO session, via cash, Zelle or Venmo.
Time: Dates to come
UNDERPAINTINGS
CREATING DRAMA AND MYSTERY
Three Tuesdays, Dates to come
If you want to move away from tight, controlled paintings with hard edges everywhere…learn to create underpaintings on wet or damp paper for the unpredictable, translucent effects watercolor is famous for. Negative painting heightens the drama.
We’ll start with simple still life and landscape, using this technique that you can then apply when painting from your own photographs.
Examples: https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/wcwet-paper-examples/
Fee: $155 for 3 in-person sessions, via cash, Zelle or Venmo.
Time: Tuesdays, STUDIO, dates to come, from 6-8:30 pm
PEOPLE PORTRAITS
Three Tuesdays, dates to come
Want to create a portrait of your friend or family member? Once you learn the simple basics of facial proportions, creating a portrait becomes far easier. You’ll learn to measure and sketch a random imaginary face, then practice painting features and layering washes. I’ll create a simplified tracing from the photo you’ll send me, and you’ll trace and paint your friend/family member in class.
Examples: https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/wc-zoom-portraits/
Fee: $160 for 3 in-person STUDIO sessions, via cash, Zelle or Venmo.
Time: Dates to come, Tuesdays, 6 – 8:30 pm
BIRDS and MORE BIRDS
Three Tuesdays at 6, Dates to come
You’ll never run out of birds to paint — hummingbirds, parrots, crows, vultures, pterodactyls -- let me know if you have any favorites! We'll learn techniques to easily create their colorful feathers and beady little eyes. Some examples:
https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/wcanim-birds-butterflies/
Fee: $160 for 3 in-person sessions, via cash, Zelle or Venmo.
Time: Tuesdays, 6-8:30 pm, dates to come
COLOR THEORY II
GOING DEEPER
Three Tuesdays, Dates to come
Color affects our surrounding and our emotions; understanding color theory and classic color schemes/palettes is fascinating even if you don’t paint, and essential if you do. We’ll explore color harmonies via painting several simple exercises and landscapes in various color schemes.
Examples:
Date: STUDIO, Nov. 26, Dec. 3, 10
Fee: $160 for 3 in-person sessions, via cash, Zelle or Venmo.
Time: Tuesdays, STUDIO Dates to come
ONE-DAY WORKSHOPS
VALENTINE CARDS 2026
Studio Workshop
Paint your own greeting cards for Valentines Day, for your friends, sweetheart, husband, kids! You can also focus on birthdays or whatever you like. Lots of examples will be provided (or bring your own ideas), along with individual help using salt and spatter techniques for texture. I’m always happy to write a few words in calligraphy for you.
You can photograph your paintings and send them to VistaPrint.com or Moo.com — they will create beautiful, professionally printed cards for you.
Plenty of examples here: Examples: https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/wcholidayvalentines/
Fee: $145
Time: 11 to 4:15-ish pm
HOLIDAY CARDS
One Sunday in the Studio, and
Two Wednesdays on Zoom, Nov. 2025
Paint your own greeting cards for Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s, plus birthdays or whatever you like. Lots of examples will be provided (or use your own ideas), along with using salt and spatter techniques for snow.
You can photograph your paintings and send them to VistaPrint.com or Moo.com — they will create beautiful, professionally printed cards for you in time for the holidays.
Examples: https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/wcholidaywinter/
Fee: $90
Time: 6 to 8 pm
Dates: to come