Artist-Led
Workshops
Guided by renowned artists and industry experts who bring their mastery to each session, our exclusive workshops offer a unique blend of skill refinement and artistic discovery for passionate individuals seeking a deeper exploration of their creative potential.
About Deb Krakow
Debra Krakow is an artist, artisan and architect. She and her husband left Montreal 30 years ago to put down roots on Wolfe Island and have never looked back. Embracing rural life motivates Debra to learn traditional homesteading skills: home building, farming and gardening, quilting and knitting, weaving and pottery. The family farm, woods and fields provide endless subject matter for her paintings. Debra has developed her artistic practice through explorations in drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, fibre arts and ceramics. She’s had solo shows in Montreal, Toronto, Kingston and New York State, and her work is held in private collections throughout North America and beyond. Debra has given painting workshops for artists’ associations and colleges throughout Ontario. She is represented by Koyman Galleries in Ottawa and is a member of the Kingston Potters Guild, the Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners and the Wolfe Island Gallery.
Contemporary
Interiors (Part #2)
With Debra Krakow
We spend a lot of our time indoors, often within view of a window. The spaces in our homes mean so much to us, yet we don't often paint them. The mood of our interiors changes with the quality of light & view from our windows. Is it bright & sunny out? Or dark & dusky? Are there high-rises across the street, or can you see the ocean? In this workshop, we’ll take a fresh look at interiors & still lifes, experimenting with ways of abstracting & loosening up multiple viewpoints, flattening perspective, playing with pattern & colour, scribbling & outlining — all the things a traditional arts education taught us not to do! Debra will provide daily demonstrations & lots of individual attention.
Date(s): Tuesday, January 21st and 28th, 2025
Timing: 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: Hosted Virtually On Zoom
Fees: $75.00 (Member Pricing), $95.00 (Non-Member Pricing)
Artists of all skill levels are welcome to join!
Material List
AcrylicPpaints: heavy body, soft body or fluids – whatever you have. For beginners, a starter set should include red, yellow, blue, green, black and white. Intermediate and advanced artists will want a full range of colours, including a warmer and cooler version of each of the primaries (red, yellow, blue) as well as white.
Optional: secondary colours (greens, oranges, purples), black, browns, off-whites, greys. Titanium white in a larger format than your other colours.
Mediums: acrylic polymer medium, gel or fluid. Your choice of gloss, semi-gloss or matte.
Supports: A sketchbook or several sheets of drawing paper, a pencil and an eraser. For one or two paintings on watercolour paper, canvas, canvas board, or hardboard, approx. 16 x 20”, 20 x 20” or larger. Flat brushes in a range of sizes from 1” to 3”, preferably synthetic.
Optional: A few smaller round or flat brushes for lines and details. A palette knife for mixing paint and any other tools you have on hand for creating texture and moving paint around (e.g., silicone wedges, scrapers, toothbrushes, combs, old credit cards, brayers, small paint rollers). A pad of disposable palette paper or an alternative for mixing paint. Container for water. Paper towel, Optional: interior photos, sketches, props or other source material for inspiration
Workshop Is Now Full.
Drink 'N Ink
With Jean Miller
Come and learn the technique of moving alcohol ink on tile. If you have never tried this medium before, you will see how easy it is to create your own wall art or charcuterie plate. All supplies are provided, as well as a non-alcoholic drink & snack.
No experience necessary
Supply fee paid to the instructor: $10.00
Date(s): Friday, March 14th, 2025
Timing: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Location: Quest Art School + Gallery
Fees: $45.00 (Member Pricing), $55.00 (Non-Member Pricing)
About Jean Miller
Jean has worked with many different mediums and
appreciates the versatility it allows her in arts and crafts.
She has led classes for Community Living, Alzheimer's Society, and Quest for Drama and has worked with Seniors.
Jean currently volunteers with Community Theatre to
create props for various productions, and she finds her vast experience working with different materials to be invaluable.
Create A Happy Bird
With Ingi Gould
Join professional artist Ingi Gould to create your own whimsical Bird! Let your creativity take flight by making a unique work of art! Each participant will create a unique bird. The material will be pre-sewn but participants will stuff, paint and decorate their bird. Each bird will have its own stand, which can also be decorated.
Materials are provided, but if you have your own acrylics &/or markers, you are encouraged to bring colours you may want to use along with your own brushes.
Date(s): Friday, March 28th, 2024
Timing: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Location: Quest Art School + Gallery
Fees: $45.00 (Member Pricing), $55.00 (Non-Member Pricing)
About Ingi Gould
Ingi Gould is a Fabric Artist who uses cotton to make original designs that she sculpts, hand paints and glazes to create whimsical friends. It was her training as an actress that took her to Stratford and other theatrical venues where exposure to wonderful costumes, props and sets gave Ingi the impetus to design and create her own work. She continues to participate in many shows & group exhibitions. Ingi is included in 2 books: ‘Grandmother Power’ by Paula Gianturco & ‘Behind the Seams’ by Marilyn Brooks.
Drink 'N Ink
With Jean Miller
Come and learn the technique of moving alcohol ink on glass. If you have never tried this medium before, you will see how easy it is to create your own indoor/outdoor lantern and matching vase. All supplies are provided, as well as a non-alcoholic drink and snack.
No experience is necessary.
Supply fee paid to the instructor: $10.00
Date(s): Friday, April 11th, 2024
Timing: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Location: Quest Art School + Gallery
Fees: $45.00 (Member Pricing), $55.00 (Non-Member Pricing)
About Jean Miller
Jean has worked with many different mediums and
appreciates the versatility it allows her in arts and crafts.
She has led classes for Community Living, Alzheimer's Society, and Quest for Drama and has worked with Seniors.
Jean currently volunteers with Community Theatre to
create props for various productions, and she finds her vast experience working with different materials to be invaluable.
Create A Mosaic
With Anastasiia Sakhaltieva
Immerse yourself in the magical world of mosaic by creating with your own hands a beautiful, functional coaster that’s perfect for your home or as a thoughtful gift! You will learn the basics of the mosaic technique, working with materials such as glass, glue, and grout on a base. This workshop is perfect for beginners and anyone who loves creativity and wants to explore the art of mosaics. In a relaxed atmosphere, you’ll craft a unique piece that will bring joy for years to come.
A material fee of $20 is to be paid to the instructor.
Date(s): Friday, April 4th, 2025
Timing: 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Location: Quest Art School + Gallery
Fees: $65.00 (Member Pricing), $75.00 (Non-Member Pricing)
About Anastasiia Sakhaltuieva
Anastasiia Sakhaltuieva, is a mosaic artist with over 20 years of experience. She began her mosaic journey during her studies at the Academy of Arts, Kyiv, Ukraine. She has taught and exhibited her work in the Ukraine, Armenia and Belgium.
Drawing Meets Painting
With Holly Archer
This class dives into the relationship between drawing and painting, focusing on how they complement and enhance each other. Learn to combine detailed line work with bold, expressive brushstrokes to create artwork that feels both precise and fluid. Perfect for artists interested in exploring the strengths of both mediums.
Material List:
Watercolour paper, one canvas, set of drawing pencils, at least 3 (1 B, 1 HB, 1 H), eraser, masking fluid, assorted brushes, assorted paints (fluid preferred) or inks & paper towel.
$5 material fee for use of watercolour ground, pastels & charcoal (optional if you have your own)
Date(s): Saturday, April 26th, 2025
Timing: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Location: Quest Art School + Gallery
Fees: $120.00 (Member Pricing), $140.00 (Non-Member Pricing)
About Holly Archer
Holly Archer is a Canadian artist from the shores of Georgian Bay, working primarily in acrylic, ink and charcoal. Negative space, unfinished moments, and the weight of what is not explicitly depicted play an important role in her work. In many of Archer's pieces, humour and spontaneity are wielded as tools, unearthing an optimistic tone amidst more nuanced themes, including: environmental conservation, equity, mental health, and women's rights. She is known for her dynamic mark-making, as well as her focus on life in the Canadian wild.
In addition to her studio work, Archer is a new presence in the public art realm, bringing her unique application of form and scale to the public arena. Archer is committed to using art in public spaces to reconnect communities and strengthen our bond to our natural environment. Archer’s work offers striking scale, contrasting textures, and interactive components, designed to challenge the viewer, encouraging them to question their individual role in society.
About Diana Meng (Ivers)
Diana is a self-taught mixed-media collage artist with a passion for botanicals and bright colours. She is happiest in her studio, experimenting with all mediums and working on new techniques. Her work is most authentic when she stops thinking about what she wants to make and just lets intuition be her guide.
My Secret Garden
Floral Collage
With Diana Meng (Ivers)
In this workshop, Diana will lead you through her process of creating colourful papers using watercolours, along with other mixed media (pencils, inks, acrylics). You will paint, draw, drip and mark-make your way to creating vibrant papers. Letting go and playing with materials is encouraged! Once dried, these unique papers will be cut into fun, quirky shapes and used to create fantastical, botanical collages. Diana will explain her cutting method and substrate background ideas and show you how to piece your cut-up shapes into a botanical composition. Once all the pieces are glued into place, you finish your two botanical creations with added fun details.
Date(s): Saturday, May 10th, 2025
Timing: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Location: Quest Art School + Gallery
Fees: $120.00 (Member Pricing), $140.00 (Non-Member Pricing)
Material List:
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For the substrate, a few sheets of 9x12 watercolour paper (suggest Canson XL 140 lb)
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For our painted collage papers, 10 sheets, 12x18 sketchbook paper (suggest Tru-Ray construction paper) OR 8.5x11 printer paper.
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Watercolours (any colours), brushes (multiple sizes and shapes), black & white gesso
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Black ‘Stabilo All’ pencil, plus any other water-soluble pencils/crayons you like, #2 pencil (preferred HB), Micron pens #8, scissors (small – 2” blade, to cut little pieces), glue stick (preferred UHU), water container, spray bottle, paper towels
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Two Needle-nose-tipped 30cc bottles used with gesso/paint to create textured finishing details
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Brayer or old credit card for collaging. Recommended: Baby wipes to clean glue off fingers
Optional:
Different papers for painting: music sheets, book pages, old ledger pages, vintage letters, etc. Any other mark-making supplies: tempera paint sticks, Posca (or other) acrylic markers, watercolour inks, acrylic inks, and acrylic paints (craft paints are fine). The sky is the limit. Curved/angle-tip tweezers are helpful for moving around small collage papers but are not necessary.
To save having to order a large quantity, when you only need a small amount, Diana can supply a package of the red, highlighted items for $30 fee.