Class Schedule July – December 2026

NEW! Introduction to the Perpetual Journal and Field Sketching | July 28 | IN-PERSON

Join renowned botanical artist and author Lara Call Gastinger to learn basic skills for drawing outside and keeping a field sketching journal, such as a perpetual journal! We will explore and draw in the gardens after learning how to breakdown the complexity of a plant, compose a page, use a pen, add watercolor, and make important observations.

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NEW! Alebrijes-Inspired Linoleum Printmaking and Collage | August 1, 8 | IN-PERSON

Alebrijes are brightly colored, fantastical creatures from Mexican folk art that often combine features from various animals—real and mythical—into a single, surreal form. Hosting their east coast debut, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens will have multiple larger-than-life alebrijes sculptures on display! In this artmaking workshop participants will create alebrijes-inspired drawings, and will use the linoleum relief printmaking process to carve and print their magical animal imagery! We will also use colorful patterned paper to create collages and incorporate the vibrant aesthetic that is characteristic of alebrijes. Finally, we will then linoleum print on top of these collages to bring the whole animal design to life!

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Meditative Botanical Drawing | August 15 | IN-PERSON

Channel your creativity and find your bliss in this workshop with local artist Dana DuMont. Use nature as your inspiration to design complex, imaginative images with repeated organic lines and shapes. Working with graphite, watercolor and colored pencils, you will create small works suitable for framing. This relaxing workshop will be held in a classroom with beautiful Garden views.

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Introduction to Alcohol Inks | September 9 | IN-PERSON

Alcohol inks are a relatively new fascination of painters and crafters. A vibrant, fast-drying medium, they are used to paint on non-porous surfaces such as glass, tile, or metal. The possibilities for experimentation are limitless. Experience the almost instantaneous magic of these inks on tile. Using florals and/or landscape views as inspiration, participants will create colorful, abstracted tiles.

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NEW! Fall Bouquet Paint Night | September 11 | IN-PERSON

Spend the evening at the Garden enjoying a light snack and drink while creating your very own floral painting under the step-by-step guidance of local Virginia artist and art educator Ellie Franklin. Perfect for an evening out with friends! Fee includes wine or infused water, cheese and crackers, and all materials.

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NEW! Altered Book Botanical Journals | September 15, 16 | IN-PERSON

Explore a variety of possibilities for creating a botanically-inspired altered book garden journal. We’ll choose color palettes, work with a range of materials, and cut, fold, collage, draw, and paint onto and into the covers and pages of our chosen books. Participants should bring at least one book to alter. Feel free to bring any images or materials to cut and add along with favorite media or cutting tools.

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Fall Writing in the Garden | September 26 | IN-PERSON

The garden in autumn is a magical place for writing. This class will feature a mix of modern plant science, philosophy, and creative writing – and how a deeper understanding of plant intelligence can inform how we think and write about our shared world. We’ll begin in the classroom with an interactive lesson and writing exercises before moving outside to explore with pen and paper. We’ll learn from specific plants but also take time for writing openly in beautiful autumnal garden spaces. This class is open to writers of all levels and genre interests.

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Abstracted Fall Landscapes and Still Lifes | September 30 | IN-PERSON

Celebrate the transition into autumn with a new creative experience. Create rich vignettes loaded with fall colors and layered shapes. You’ll start by viewing a variety of landscape and still life works for compositional ideas, then make multiple sketches before choosing one or two to fully develop. You’ll then work in the primary medium of colored pencil before adding beautiful embellishments with watercolor and drawing pens. Feel free to bring your own images for inspiration and come ready to experiment with color layering, patterns and textures.

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NEW! Scarecrow Making for the Modern Garden | October 3 | IN-PERSON

Celebrate the playful side of the fall garden in this creative, hands-on scarecrow workshop designed for adults. Once a practical tool for protecting crops, the scarecrow has evolved into a whimsical and expressive garden feature—and in this class, you’ll design one that reflects your own style. All basic materials will be provided, giving you a strong foundation to build your scarecrow. Participants are encouraged to bring their own clothing, accessories, or personal touches to make their creation truly unique.

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NEW! More Magic with Alcohol Inks | October 7, 14, 21 | IN-PERSON

Experience the almost instant magic, the infinite possibilities and surprises of alcohol inks over three class sessions. Inspired by the images and colors of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, participants will use a variety of techniques to create several small, painted tiles suitable for hanging and gifting. For those who have painted on tiles with Shelley previously: no two alcohol ink paintings are ever the same, and Shelley will have new tips and tricks! Painting expertise or experience with alcohol inks is not necessary.

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Painting Fall Leaves with Gouache | October 20 | IN-PERSON

Gouache (pronounced “goo-wash”) is a versatile water soluble paint that can be applied in opaque layers like acrylic paint, or thinned with water and applied in transparent layers like watercolor. The best part about this medium is that it can be “reawakened” with water to make adjustments or create smooth blends between colors. Gouache can be used on any absorbent surface, but works beautifully on thick watercolor paper. In this fall-centered one-day workshop, you will be guided step-by-step to create a gouache painting of fall foliage.

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NEW! Essence of a Still Life | October 28, November 4 | IN-PERSON

Working with a combination of drawing inks, watercolors and acrylics over charcoal, tape, oil pastel, graphite and wax, we will use varied tools to layer media and create small richly colored floral still lifes on Bristol board and watercolor papers. As we develop imagery that reflects each artist’s vision of a selection of garden botanicals, these sessions will focus on experimentation, composition, and loose and gestural abstraction of form, in addition to color juxtaposition and layering.

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NEW! Paint Night: Pumpkin Stack | October 29 | IN-PERSON

Spend the evening at the Garden enjoying a light snack and drink while creating your very own pumpkin stack painting under the step by step guidance of local Virginia artist and art educator Ellie Franklin. Perfect for an evening out with friends! Fee includes wine or infused water, cheese and crackers and all materials.

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Watercolor Experimentation and Card-Making: Fall/Winter Edition | November 11, 12 | IN-PERSON

Every painting or watercolor doodle can be transformed into a unique and expressive notecard. On day one, experiment with a variety of watercolor techniques inspired by the colors, textures, and cozy spirit of the fall and winter seasons. Create colorful, “not too precious” pieces featuring rich autumn hues, frosty landscapes, holiday motifs, or whimsical seasonal designs. On day two, instructor Shelley Row will coach you on a variety of approaches for turning your artwork into decorative and one-of-a-kind note cards perfect for holiday greetings, seasonal thank-yous, or heartfelt messages.

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Snowy Winter Trees | November 19 | IN-PERSON

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! Create a peaceful evergreen forest where snowflakes drift down to softly blanket branches using watercolor paints along with a few tricks of the trade. Fun for any experience level, this class is sure to put you in a holiday mood! Learn basic drawing skills, practice painting with watercolors, and complete a wintry work of art to take home.

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For creative workshops where you can use live plants to make plant creations to take home, check out our Plant Play: Make and Take Workshops learning category!