2025 Season
Offering a wide variety of fine arts and fine craft programming taught by professional artists.
Including several Master-Artist-led workshops in a variety of mediums.
BIG ARTS workshops are grounded in four decades of history. In fact, BIG ARTS was created by a handful of resident artists who gathered to support one another and to contribute to the community’s artistic vibrancy. They believed BIG ARTS should celebrate the artist in all all of us, and that vision remains to this day. What has evolved with time is a rich tapestry of arts and fine craft workshops by seasoned instructors.
“NATURE WALK”
Artist-Instructor: Gisela Damandl
Two-day workshop. Monday & Tuesday, January 6 & 7 2025 from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM. If you like using your imagination, this class is for you! You will be able to choose from a large variety of materials to weave your pine needle basket.
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THE FREEDOM OF ACRYLICS
Master Artist-Instructor: Jane Slivka
BIG ARTS Sanibel
900 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel, FL, United States
Two-day workshop. Monday & Tuesday, January 6 & 7, 2025 from 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM. In this workshop, students will experience the freedom of acrylics. Jane demonstrates how to paint with ease and confidence and how to enjoy acrylic paint to its fullest. She encourages the connection of the artist and their art to flow openly without reservation.
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PASTE PAPER SKETCHBOOKS
Artist-Instructor: ZAN LOMBARDO
5-day class. Monday, January 6 – Friday, January 10, 2025 from 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM. Students will design, cut, fold, and sew their own hardcover sketchbooks. These handmade sketchbooks are portable studios for artists. Beautiful visual journals!
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GLASS FUSING
Artist-Instructor: Petra Kaiser
4-session class. Wednesdays, January 8, 15, 22, 29, 2025 from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. This class will combine beginning and advanced students. The procedures and techniques to be taught will include compatibility and testing, basic fusing techniques, annealing, and slumping.
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GLASS FUSING
Artist-Instructor: Petra Kaiser
4-session class. Thursdays, January 9, 16, 23, 30, 2025 from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. This class will combine beginning and advanced students. The procedures and techniques to be taught will include compatibility and testing, basic fusing techniques, annealing, and slumping.
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MOSAIC MANIA
Artist-Instructor: Nancy Mayhew
6-session class. Fridays, January 10, 17, 24, 31, February 7, 14, 2025 from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Learn how to create beautiful, unique mosaic pieces in this fun workshop. Each participant will make a small mosaic picture.
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CAPTURING THE BEAUTY OF NATURE IN WATERCOLOR
Master Artist-Instructor: Christine Reichow
Two-day workshop. Monday & Tuesday, January 13 & 14 from 9:30 AM – 2:30 PM. Welcome Intermediate & Advanced Painters. Have you wondered how artists paint vibrant yet translucent watercolor flowers? If so, this is the class for you! Each artist will be given a floral image to transfer to their watercolor paper.
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REPRESENTING THE HUMAN FORM -
FIGURE & PORTRAIT
Artist-Instructor: Mary Klunk
Two-day class. Monday & Tuesday, January 13 & 14, 2025 from 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM. Beginners, as well as experienced students, are welcome in this 2-day workshop. Students will work with a live model developing techniques to represent the human form in portrait and figure study.
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ALCOHOL INK ARTISTRY
Artist-Instructor: June Lanza
Two-day class. Monday & Tuesday, January 13 & 14, 2025 from 10:00AM to 2:00PM. Grab a smock and dive into the fun and beginner-friendly world of alcohol-ink mixed-media art, no experience required! During this two-part workshop, you will learn about a popular solvent-based dye called alcohol ink and get a taste of its many exciting functions.
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SILK PAINTING
Artist-Instructor: Deborah Zwetsch
One-day class. Wednesday, January 15, 2025 from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Deborah will inspire students with examples of textiles from all over the world, using natural images for textile design and her own creations. You will learn many techniques for the application of dye on silk including using a brush.
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TAPE IT UP: Mixed Media Sculpting
Artist-Instructor: Jeff Ocasio
One-day class. Wednesday, January 15, 2025 from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. This class welcomes artists of all levels, from beginners eager to explore their artistic abilities to experienced artists seeking to embrace a playful and whimsical artistic approach where they will learn the basics of sculpting with masking tape.
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EXPLORING ACRYLIC PAINTING
Artist-Instructor: Sunny Krchmar
Two-day class. Thursday & Friday, January 16 & 17, 2025 from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Learn basic techniques of acrylic painting through a variety of exercises using both brushes and knives. Under Sunny’s guidance, students work at their own pace using reference material provided by the instructor. New and returning students are welcome!
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