Associated Artists of Winston-Salem, Inc. upcoming events

Impressionistic Florals in Pastel with Laurie Basham (04/18/2026)

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Learn to create beautiful floral still life paintings in pastel with Laurie Basham

In this workshop, students will create vibrant, impressionistic floral paintings in soft pastel using provided reference images. The emphasis will be on capturing mood, movement, and color rather than detailed realism. Through guided demonstrations, students will learn how to simplify floral forms, work with bold color choices, and use expressive mark-making to suggest light, depth, and energy.

We will focus on using strong value patterns, layering pastel for richness, and letting edges soften and blend naturally. Students will be encouraged to loosen their approach, trust intuitive color decisions, and embrace the spontaneity that pastel allows. Laurie will provide individual instruction throughout the session.

This workshop is appropriate for beginners with some basic drawing experience, as well as for intermediate artists looking to loosen their style and add more expression to their floral work. Students will leave with a finished painting and practical techniques they can continue to use in their own pastel practice.

All materials will be provided - an $8.00 materials fee is included in the registration price. If you already have pastels at home that you want to work with, feel free to bring them, but this is optional.

This class is offered at a drastically reduced price thanks to the generous funding from the Shallow Ford Foundation.

About the Instructor:

Inspired by travel and nature, Pastel artist Laurie Basham captures light and shadow in landscapes, figures, and still life. With a background in art education, she now dedicates herself as a full-time artist, earning awards and leading workshops. A signature member of the Piedmont Pastel Society, Maryland and Degas Pastel Societies. Active in Winston-Salem arts, showcased in Artfolios Gallery. Associate Member, Pastel Society of America.

Artist Meet Up (04/19/2026)

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Join us for our fun, informal artist meet-ups every third Sunday at Broad Branch Distillery from 2pm on.

Creating Dynamic Oil Paintings with Arlene Daniel (05/16/2026)

Sat, 16 May 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Tap into your own unique artistic voice through experimentation and curiosity in this oil painting workshop with Arlene Daniel

All levels welcome! In this oil painting workshop, we will discuss simplifying composition and different approaches to starting your painting to create stronger designs. We will learn to analyze the landscape and discuss the importance of squinting, value, and shape in creating your best work.

**Bring your own reference photos (ideally 8x10 images - one in color and a second in black and white). **

The instructor will provide all materials, paid for in part by the $20 materials fee included in your registration fee.

This class is offered at a drastically reduced price thanks to the generous funding from the Shallow Ford Foundation.

About the Instructor:

Arlene Daniel is a painter with over 30 years of experience working in oil, acrylic, pastel, and charcoal. Largely self-taught, she has also studied with several nationally recognized artists. These influences, along with years of dedicated practice, have helped shape her distinctive approach to painting.

Arlene’s work is rooted in a love for capturing light, atmosphere, and the subtle color relationships found in nature. She is particularly drawn to plein air painting, where working directly from life allows her to experience the joy of translating the fleeting qualities of light and color onto canvas.

Artist Meet Up (05/17/2026)

Sun, 17 May 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Join us for our fun, informal artist meet-ups every third Sunday at Broad Branch Distillery from 2pm on.

Watercolor Doodles: Playing with Watercolor With Elizabeth Sawyer Kelly (06/06/2026)

Sat, 06 Jun 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Learn to make unique watercolor doodles with Elizabeth Sawyer Kelly

Elizabeth is a watercolor painter who teaches at Sawtooth School of Art. Elizabeth is a member of Artworks Gallery on Trade Street in Winston-Salem. She is the former President of the Madison (Wisconsin) Watercolor Society and a former member of the Wisconsin Visual Artists.

Course Overview:

In this class, we will explore color mixing and easy doodling with watercolor. Topics covered will include complementary and analogous color schemes, creating drama through color choice, and the importance of value in constructing your doodles. We will work on using a three-layer approach to painting a watercolor.

Supply List:

Below is the list of the materials you should bring (none will be provided). If you already have tube watercolor paints (but not these colors), bring what you have. I recommend using the same paper I use, allowing you to do any of the techniques I demo. We will be tearing the paper into smaller pieces, so if you already have Arches cold-pressed 140-pound paper in a smaller size, bring that along.

Paper: One sheet (22 x 30) of 140-pound cold press Arches Watercolor Paper (or multiple smaller pieces that add up to the equivalent of this size)
Paint: Winsor and Newton Professional Watercolor Paint in tubes:
- Permanent Rose
- Aureolin (aka Cobalt Yellow)
- Cobalt Blue
- French Ultramarine Blue
- Burnt Sienna
- Indigo
- Indian Yellow or New Gamboge

Brushes: I use Silver Black Velvet Brushes. For this class, you will need a #2 and either a #8 or a rigger (if you already have watercolor brushes, bring a large and medium-size rounds that come to a good, sharp point.
Paint Palette: This can be a simple plastic plate - something with a rim that's not too small to hold and mix your paints.
1-inch wide masking tape (beige; not blue)
Paper towels and a cloth towel (I use a very old, very stained “bar mop” towel)
Kleenex
Water Holders (2)
Pencil (a standard #2B yellow pencil will be fine)
Kneaded eraser
Support boards to paint on (I use a plastic corrugated board that is about 24 inches by 16 inches)

***Tabletop easels will be available.

Artist Meet Up (08/16/2026)

Sun, 16 Aug 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Join us for our fun, informal artist meet-ups every third Sunday at Broad Branch Distillery from 2pm on.

Artist Meet Up (09/20/2026)

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Join us for our fun, informal artist meet-ups every third Sunday at Broad Branch Distillery from 2pm on.

Artist Meet Up (10/18/2026)

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Join us for our fun, informal artist meet-ups every third Sunday at Broad Branch Distillery from 2pm on.

Artist Meet Up (11/15/2026)

Sun, 15 Nov 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Join us for our fun, informal artist meet-ups every third Sunday at Broad Branch Distillery from 2pm on.