Online Class: White Roses in Soft Pastels (2 Parts)

In this 2-part class, take a journey to study the different ways Georgia O’Keeffe approached depicting white roses. 

Part 1 | Wednesday, May 6, 2026 from 5:00–7:00 PM MT

Part 2 | Wednesday, May 20, 2026 from 5:00–7:00 PM MT

Registering for this class will automatically enroll you in both sessions.

During the first session, participants will study O’Keeffe’s paintings and how she utilized line, value, and color in her compositions. Class will then shift to doing hands-on exercises with pastels that explore mark-making, tonal scales, and value studies. 

In the second session, participants will focus primarily on creating their own beautiful pastel rose painting! Starting with sketches, the class will create an underpainting using alcohol and will layer pastels and pastel pencils to build upon their artwork. 

Supplies Needed for this Class:

• Printouts of photos (to be sent before class) or the ability to display them on another device
• 3 Tombow greyscale markers: light, medium, and dark
• One piece of Bristol paper (smooth)
• A few of sheets of pastel paper: Strathmore 400 Series Pastel Pad
• Uart 12 x 16 Premium Mounted Board, #600
• Soft Pastels (Faber-Castell Creative Studio Soft Pastel Mini Sticks (1.25”) – 24 Vivid Colors)
• Conté à Paris Pastel Pencils with 6 Count Assorted Bright Colors
• White charcoal pencil
• Kneaded eraser
• Xacto knife
• HB graphite pencil for sketching
• Brush and cup for alcohol wash
• Mask (always wear for pastel work!)
• Paper towel for tapping off dust
• Winsor & Newton Artguard Barrier Cream or disposable gloves
• Fixative for the finished drawing
• Glassine Sheets

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This class is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. Children are welcome to participate alongside their adults.

This program will take place via the video conferencing app – ZOOM. Details for accessing the Zoom meeting will be with your receipt upon registering and again sent via email the day prior. Please register in advance in order to access the program.

Note that all program times are in Mountain Time.

About the Instructor:

Deborah Shea was born into a family of artists and grew up in San Francisco. At the age of 14, she attended a summer arts program with Ruth Asawa and created images for the Hyatt Fountain and UCSF Mural. Deborah received a BA in Studio Art & Design at UC Davis. She had a career for over 20 years as a creative director, designer, and illustrator before becoming a full-time fine artist in 2017. She has won numerous awards in juried and solo exhibitions, and has taught pastel classes at Filoli, the Pacific Art League, the Atherton Art Foundation, and in her studio at Art Bias. In 2023, she was selected as one of seven San Mateo County artists for a yearlong exhibition in the Chan Zuckerberg Community Center in Redwood City. Deborah is currently pursuing her MFA at the Academy of Art in San Francisco. She resides in Redwood City, California.

For more information about Deborah, please see her website or her Instagram page @debdsheastudios

Registration

This class is being offered on a sliding scale.

$25 minimal fee.

$45 covers the cost of the class.

$70 covers the cost of the class, plus a contribution to support educational programs.