The Masterclass Series offers a chance to immerse yourself for a full day in the art of making with a guest professional artist. Each session provides an inside look at the artist’s creative process, techniques, and approach to their work. You’ll leave with a finished piece and new skills to bring into your own art practice.
August 9, 2026
Date: Sunday, August 9, 2026
Time: 9:30 – 4:30 PM
Location: FVAC Annex 8C at 8 Canal Court, Unit C, Avon, CT 06001, across from FVAC campus
Level: All levels
Materials: all included in tuition
Registration fee: $220
Members save 10% on tuition
Imagining your Pied-a-Terre: Painting Interiors with Sandy Welch
Step inside a world of beauty, light, and imagination. In this immersive full-day painting experience, you’ll create your own dream interior—whether it’s a sunlit Parisian apartment, a chic Manhattan escape, or a cozy room filled with personal treasures—working on a 24″ x 30″ canvas.
Inspired by artists like Pierre Bonnard, known for his intimate, color-filled interiors, we’ll explore how to bring warmth, mood, and life into your paintings. Through guided instruction, you’ll learn how to compose a room, play with color and pattern, and capture that magical sense of being there.
Come ready to imagine—you have the keys.
About the Artist
Sandy Welch brings a sense of magic and joy to her work, inspired by 25 years in the cosmetics industry. Known initially as “the shoe artist,” her portfolio has grown to include fashionable figures, vibrant gardens, lively beach scenes, and beautifully decorated cakes. Through her colorful, playful subjects, she invites viewers into a world of imagination and delight.
September 27, 2026
Date: Sunday, September 27, 2026
Time: 9:30 – 4:30 PM
Location: FVAC Annex 8C at 8 Canal Court, Unit C, Avon, CT 06001, across from FVAC campus
Level: All levels
Materials: all included in tuition
Registration fee: $180
Members save 10% on tuition
The Art of Insect Illustration in Colored Pencil with Kim Burris
Join certified natural sciences illustrator and our Studio artist, Kim Burris, for an engaging masterclass in colored pencil insect illustration, where participants will explore the intricate beauty of beetles, bees, moths, and other fascinating insects through enlarged, highly detailed renderings. This workshop introduces essential colored pencil techniques, including mark making, blending, layering, and burnishing, while developing an understanding of color relationships and tonal harmony. Using provided reference materials focused on Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera, participants will create and take home a beautifully detailed illustration celebrating one of nature’s most captivating creatures.
About the Artist
Kim Burris is a professional artist and illustrator with decades of experience in graphic design, decorative and mural painting, and botanical and wildlife art. After serving as Executive Director of the Hartford Consortium for Higher Education, she founded Surface Works in 2000, creating commissioned artwork for science and nature museums, corporate offices, residences, and hospitals nationwide. Kim works across a variety of media, with a special focus on colored pencil, watercolor, and oil painting.
General Schedule
AM Segment
9:30 AM Meet and Greet
Light Refreshment Provided
10:00 AM Morning Session with the Instructor Starts
Lunch Break
12:00 PM Lunch
Bring your own lunch (refrigerator available), or enjoy a variety of nearby local restaurants. Take a stroll around the grounds, and explore our galleries and artist studios.
PM Segment
1:00 PM Afternoon Session with the Instructor
4:00 – 4:30 PM – Finishing Time Available (without the Instructor)