A SEASON OF SMALL THINGS: TINY ART CARDS + TAG: 1-DAY WORKSHOP Details →
Welcome to my Artful Workshops!
I’m so glad you’ve found your way here.
Join me for no-pressure hands-on workshops that go beyond technique. Together we’ll explore color, shape, line, and texture through gel plate printmaking, cut paper, collage, and mixed media. You’ll experiment, leave inspired, and take fresh ideas straight into your own practice.
Painters, watercolorists, mixed-media artists, and total beginners alike all walk away with something to take home.
Take a look around. Browse by category or date, and find the workshop that feels like the next step in your creative journey.
"Really fun! I had an amazing time and learned a lot. She is a great great teacher. I would definitely recommend giving this a try. You don't need to be an artist. You just need to have a sense of adventure." – Hope
"I really loved Paula's class. It meets the needs of beginners and those trying to fine-tune and level up their artistic skills. She is a true professional, and I loved exploring mono printing and collage." – Jennifer
"Paula is a true master of her craft and also does a terrific job teaching it to her students. The class was fun, very informative and I felt like I learned so much while experiencing the process of this amazing medium. " – Kim
"With Paula Fontana's guidance and enthusiasm you can find that creative spark be it designing a collage or layering paint and pastels. I did and can't wait to do much more !" – Bonnie
“I’ve taken two printmaking classes at the Creative Arts School. Paula is a great instructor—fun, clear, and encouraging! You learn a lot and leave with art you’re proud of. Highly recommend for anyone who loves to create.” – Chris
SPECIAL GEL PRINTING 1-DAY WORKSHOP
A SEASON OF SMALL THINGS: TINY ART CARDS, ADVENT CALENDAR + TAGS
Join me as we create a collection of one-of-a-kind prints sized for gift tags, tiny art cards, and mindful holiday keepsakes. We’ll layer color, shape, texture, and pattern, then turn our prints into small finished pieces with optional handwritten prompts, notes, or seasonal messages.
Use your set for holiday gifts, a mindful Advent calendar, the 12 Days of Christmas, Hanukkah, place cards, or simply as tiny pieces of art to share. No pressure, all play—and every print will be completely unique.
Beginner-friendly and designed for ages 13+, this is a great workshop to enjoy with family, friends, or someone special. No art experience is needed—just come ready to make, experiment, and spend a little creative time together during the holiday season. Perfect for teens and adults, couples, parent-and-teen pairs, families, and small groups looking for a relaxed seasonal activity. / All supplies included.
PRINTMAKING WITHOUT THE PRESS
Abstract Art, Reimagined Through Printmaking
Think printmaking means heavy presses and big equipment? Think again. Gel plate printmaking is a newer, accessible process that falls under the art form of monoprinting—where every pull is a one-of-a-kind work. Unlike traditional printmaking that produces multiples, monoprints can never be repeated, making each piece singular and original.
With a lightweight plate, acrylic paint, and just a few tools, we’ll strip things back to the essentials of abstract art: color, shape, texture, line, and form. Every time you step up to the plate, the result is different. It’s playful, unpredictable, and perfect for loosening up your creative muscles. Beginners and seasoned artists alike find it both exciting and therapeutic—the process quickly becomes a dance, where each layer responds to the one before it.
You’ll leave with a stack of original monoprints that can stand on their own as artworks or become rich material for mixed media and collage (like in my cut paper collage workshop). Want to see what’s possible? Check out the student showcase video below for highlights from past classes.
If you’re just starting out, join Artful Printmaking for Beginners: Getting Started With Gel Plates—a welcoming 3-hour workshop that covers the basics. Or, if you’ve tried gel plate before and want to push further, explore Artful Printmaking Intermediate: Beyond the Basics—a flexible short session designed to deepen your skills. / All supplies provided.
Want to know the secret to creativity—just show up!
Just start. Drop the expectations—and just play. That’s it. No pressure, no perfection, just a chance to see where color, line, and texture take you.
These works are past students in action: turning simple tools and paint into bold, original statements.
CUT-PAPER PAINTING COLLAGE
Everyday Objects, Elevated Through Collage
In this four-week class, we'll meet for three hours each week to explore the art of turning painted paper into original artwork. From bold abstracts to expressive, representational pieces, start by creating your own richly textured papers, then cut, tear, arrange and layer them into finished compositions inspired by everyday objects, simplified forms and imaginative shapes. Play with color, shape and composition as you experiment, follow unexpected ideas and discover new possibilities in working with paper. You'll leave with completed artwork and a fresh approach to collage.
LANDSCAPE W/GEL PLATE
Expressive + Brushless Landscapes — An Artful Printmaking Workshop
No heavy press, no brushes—just gel plates and a brayer. In this 4-hour workshop, we’ll create soft, layered prints that capture the shifting colors of the landscape—misty mornings, glowing sunsets, and quiet horizons.
Beginner-friendly and relaxed, this playful, intuitive process invites you to loosen up and let each layer of color guide the next. Perfect for painters, printmakers, or anyone curious to reimagine landscapes with a softer, more expressive touch. / All supplies provided.
3 HOUR PAINT-INS
Life Studies / Figure Drawing
Join me for Life Studies, a twice-monthly paint-in hosted by the Gold Coast Watercolor Society. I'll be facilitating these relaxed, three-hour sessions where artists of all experience levels come together to draw, sketch or paint directly from a live model.
It's a chance to loosen up, train your eye to capture movement and proportion, and build confidence in your work—all while creating alongside other artists.
Explore gesture drawings, anatomical studies and longer poses. Whether your style is realistic or abstract, bring your pencils, charcoal, pastels, watercolors, acrylics or whatever you enjoy working with.
All skill levels, styles and mediums welcome! Come whenever your schedule allows. No need to attend every session.
PAINTING
ABSTRACTED: FIGURES + FORMS
In this four-week class, we’ll meet for three hours each week to explore ways to break free from realism and reinvent the figure through shape, color and imagination. Start with loose sketches, then develop imagined portraits, figures and still-life-inspired compositions using acrylic on paper, canvas and wood panels. Play with exaggerated shapes, simplified forms and expressive color to create character and mood. Work with a limited palette, then build layers with glazes and washes. Experiment, take creative risks and follow unexpected ideas as you develop your own style and point of view.