Visual Arts Classes

Pottery Class

Held at the Stifel Fine Arts Center, the valley’s preeminent resource for art education, Oglebay Institute’s Visual Arts Department offers a variety of classes in traditional and non-traditional mediums.

Painting and pottery classes are offered each session. Crafts including jewelry making, furniture refinishing, woodcarving and stained glass are also available. A variety of workshops round-out our diverse curriculum.

Classes are available for most ages, interests and skill levels. Students work with up-to-date equipment and supplies with guidance from expert instructors in a relaxed and creatively stimulating environment.

Check back each session for new offerings.

Spring 2023 Class Registration Opens Wednesday, February 22.

Children’s Classes

Art Club
Learn new tricks and tips to take your art to the next level. Expand on traditional methods by making finished works of art in a variety of mediums.

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Ages: 9-12
Meets: Mondays, 4-5pm
Begins: Mon., March 20
Duration: 6 weeks
Instructors(s): Brad Johnson

$70/$65 OI members

Advanced Art for Teens
Students work on advanced projects of their choice under the supervision and guidance of the instructor.

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Ages: 14-18
Meets: Thursdays, 3:30-4:30pm
Begins: Thur., March 23
Duration: 6 weeks
Instructors(s): Brad Johnson

$70/$65 OI members

Painting Exploration- NEW TIME!
This class introduces painting techniques to students ready to create realistic observational paintings and develop their creative skills. Students will create works of art and have a basic knowledge of painting to continue as young artists in the future. All skill levels are welcome.

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Ages: 10-13
Meets: Wednesdays, 5:30-7pm
Begins: Wed. March 22
Duration: 4 weeks
Instructors(s): Katie Molinengo

$95/$85 OI members (includes material fee for canvas)

Senior Programs

Full Life Arts & Wellness: Sampler Class for Adults 65+

Designed specifically for older adults, this sampler class allows you the opportunity to try a variety of new activities! Be brave, get healthier, and more creative, all while engaging with peers and building new friendships. Workshop activities include: strength & balance, improv theater, acrylic paint on canvas, ceramics, watercolor projects, wellness education and chair yoga. Held at Stifel Fine Arts Center.

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Ages: 65+
Meets: Tuesdays, 1-2:30pm
Begins: Tues. March 21
Duration: 8 weeks
Instructor(s): Nikki Harder

$95/$85 OI Members

Crafts

Stained Glass
Learn glass cutting techniques while exploring the characteristics of glass. From beginner to advanced. (Limit 15)

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Ages: 18 & up
Meets: Thursdays, 7-9pm
Begins: Thurs., March 23
Duration: 8 weeks
Instructor(s): Howard Gamble

$130/$120 OI members (Includes material fee.)

Woodcarving
For beginners to expert. Learn woodcarving techniques at your own pace from experienced carvers.

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Ages: 18 & up
Meets: Mondays, 6:30-9pm
Begins: Mon., March 20
Duration: Year round
Instructor(s): Oglebay Woodcarvers Guild

Free

Drawing Classes

Painting Classes

NEW! Abstract Mixed Media
Explore new mediums and combinations of materials (paper, fabric, canvas, markers, paint, found objects), collage, art-making techniques, and learn how to create eye-catching abstract art! In this class, you will learn how to incorporate shapes, line, color, and form into a well-balanced composition. Examples and demonstrations will be given. This class is designed for beginner-advanced drawing and painting students interested in exploring mixed-media techniques. Intuitively working and having the freedom to explore artistic ideas and curiosities will give the student a strong connection to their own creativity. Students will leave more confident and inspired to add new techniques and materials to their artistic practice.

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Ages: 14 & up
Meets: Tuesdays, 6-8pm
Begins: Tues., March 21
Duration: 8 weeks
Instructor(s): Katie Molinengo

$140/$130 OI members (Includes material fee. Additional fees possible for extra canvases if needed.)

Beginning to Advanced Oil Painting
Explore what you need to start painting with oils. Learn what materials to use and how to use them to produce your painting. Paint along with Greg and on your own with guidance. Materials not included; supply list will be provided.

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Ages: 13 & up
Meets: Mondays, 6-8pm
Begins: Mon., March 20
Duration: 8 weeks
Instructor(s): Greg Siegwart

$100/$90 OI members (Materials not included; supply list will be provided.)

Beginning Watercolor (Morning)
Explore and enjoy the painting process while learning the fundamentals of watercolor. Learn basic techniques and color mixing in watercolor to create different subjects each week. Subjects include still life compositions, florals, landscapes and animals.

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Ages: 16 & up
Meets: Tuesdays, 10-11:30am
Begins: Tues., March 21
Duration: 6 weeks
Instructor(s): Jes Reger-Davis

$90/$80 OI members

NEW DAY & TIME! Beginning Watercolor (Evening)
Explore and enjoy the painting process while learning the fundamentals of watercolor. Learn basic techniques and color mixing in watercolor to create different subjects each week. Subjects include still life compositions, florals, landscapes and animals.

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Ages: 16 & up
Meets: Tuesdays, 6:30-8pm
Begins: Tues. March 21
Duration: 6 weeks
Instructor(s): Jes Reger-Davis

$90/$80  OI members

Pottery Classes

Beginner Pottery with Debbie Joseph 
Learn the fine art of pottery no matter what your skill level is. Work with wet clay and glazes. Learn wheel throwing and hand-building techniques.

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Ages: 18 & up
Meets: Mondays, 6-8pm
Begins: Mon., March 20
Duration: 8 weeks
Instructor(s): Debbie Joseph

$150/$140 OI members (Includes material fee. Additional fee possible based on usage.)

Beginner Pottery with Rick Morgan 
Work with wet clay to bisque ware and glaze finishes.

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Ages: 18 & up
Meets: Wednesdays, 10:30am-12:30pm
Begins: Wed., March 22
Duration: 8 weeks
Instructor(s): Rick Morgan

$150/$140 OI members (Includes material fee. Additional fee possible based on usage.)

Beginner & Intermediate Pottery with Debbie Joseph
Learn the fine art of pottery. Work with wet clay and glazes. Learn advanced wheel-throwing and hand building techniques.

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Ages: 18 & up
Meets: Tuesdays, 6-8pm
Begins: Tues., March 21
Duration: 8 weeks
Instructor(s): Debbie Joseph

$150/$140 OI members (Includes material fee. Additional fee possible based on usage.)

Intermediate & Advanced Pottery with Rick Morgan 
Work with wet clay to bisque ware and glaze finishes.

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Ages: 18 & up
Meets: Wednesdays, 1-3pm
Begins: Wed., March 22
Duration: 8 weeks
Instructor(s): Rick Morgan

$150/$140 OI members (Includes material fee. Additional fee possible based on usage.)

Open Pottery Studio
This is open to students who have taken pottery classes at the Stifel Fine Arts Center before. There will be no instructor during open studio but students will receive shelf space and may make a maximum of 16 pots. Additional pots $5 each. (Limit of 20 participants.)

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Ages: 18 & up
Meets: Mondays: 9am-5pm, Tuesdays: 9am-5pm, Wednesdays: 4-8:00pm, Thursdays: 9am-8:30pm, Fridays: 1:30-4:45pm and Saturdays: 10am-3:45pm (schedule subject to change with studio availability)
Ages: 18 & up
Begins: Mon., March 20
Duration: 8 weeks
Instructor(s): N/A

$130/$120 OI members (Includes material fee. Additional fees possible based on usage.)

St. Clairsville Recreation Center Art Classes

The St. Clairsville Recreation Center and Oglebay Institute have partnered to bring art classes to Belmont County. Starting in March, the Center will offer a variety of classes taught by experienced instructors from Oglebay Institute’s Stifel Fine Arts Center.

Portrait Drawing (St. Clairsville Rec Center)
All skill levels are welcome in this portrait drawing class. You’ll learn how to draw a portrait from a photo, how to get the proportions right, how to shade and blend, the importance of contrast, and pick up some neat tips and tricks along the way. All materials are provided, but feel free to bring your own drawing tools if you like.

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Ages: 13+
Meets: Wednesdays 11-12:30pm
Begins: Wednesday, March 15
Location: St. Clairsville Rec Center
Duration: 4 weeks
Instructor: Brad Johnson

$70/$60 OI members (Includes all materials)

Portrait Painting Workshop (2 Days) (St. Clairsville Rec Center)
Learn how to paint a portrait in this two-day workshop. We will be learning how to paint portraits by looking at shape and color relationships. Examples from different periods of art will be given where you can take inspiration from to incorporate your own comfort level. Mixing color, painting, and figurative techniques will be discussed. We will be working primarily in acrylic, but you are welcome to bring oil paints if you prefer. Bring a photo of you or someone close to you. Materials and equipment are provided.

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Ages: 13+
Meets: Mondays, March 20 and March 27; 6pm-8pm
Begins: Monday, March 20
Location: St. Clairsville Rec Center
Duration: 2 hours each day, 4 hours total
Instructor(s): Katie Molinengo

$65/$55 OI members (Includes all materials)

Landscape Painting Workshop(St. Clairsville Rec Center)
Paint your favorite landscape from a photo in this workshop. We will learn how to paint renditions of the landscape by looking at shape and color relationships. Mixing color, painting, and impressionist techniques will be discussed. We will work primarily in watercolor and acrylic, but you are welcome to bring oil paints if you prefer. Bring a photo of your favorite landscape or use one of ours. Materials and equipment are provided.

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Ages: 13+
Meets: Saturday, April 1; 10am-1pm
Begins: Sat. April 1
Location: St. Clairsville Rec Center
Duration: 3 hours
Instructor(s): Katie Molinengo

$55/$45 OI members (Includes all materials)

Handmade Mug Workshop (St. Clairsville Rec Center)
Students will hand-build clay mugs using the slab method. Various techniques will be discussed, and students will glaze their finished projects.

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Ages: 13+
Meets: Monday, April 17 & 24 1:30-3:00pm
Begins: April 17
Location: St. Clairsville Rec Center
Duration: 2 days
Instructor: Rick Morgan

$55/$45 OI members (Includes all materials)

Painting and Drawing the Natural World (St. Clairsville Rec Center)
Experience the natural world and create art about it! This beginner-advanced drawing and painting class incorporates outdoor life drawing and painting, creating paintings from natural objects and plants. Biology and zoology will be included. Students investigate materials and techniques with mixed media and acrylic paint while strengthening their painting skills and knowledge. Students will have fun and gain enthusiasm and confidence with the painting process.

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Ages: 13+
Meets: Wednesdays, 6:00-8:00pm, June 7—July 12
Begins:  Wed. June 7
Location: St. Clairsville Rec Center
Duration: 6 weeks
Instructor: Katie Molinengo

$95/$85 OI members (Includes all materials)

Workshops

Ceramic Workshop with Richard “Duke” Miecznikowski
This one-day workshop with Richard “Duke” Miecznikowski will be a demonstration of wheel-made pottery. He will be demonstrating making and finishing a variety of wheel- thrown pieces. Demonstrations will include some of the techniques in making functional, as well as decorative work. There will be an opportunity for questions from the audience to dive deeper into his process and his work. Held at the Stifel Center Pottery Studio

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Ages: 17 & Up
Meets: Saturday, March 11, 10 am-4 pm
Begins: Sat., March 11, 10am
Duration: 6 hours
Instructor(s): Duke Miecznikowski

$105/$95 OI members

From Slab to Fab: A Ceramic Workshop with Jen Allen
This workshop’s focus is to transform two-dimensional slab shapes (from templates) into three-dimensional pottery forms. I will start with demonstrations of various stamp-making techniques in order to dress up the clay slabs. Then, I will move into the development of forms including a cup, a pitcher, a jar, a butter dish, a flower vase, and etc. Adding details such as handles, knobs, and spouts will also be discussed. The goal of this demonstration is to demystify using templates and pattern to build thoughtful, useful pottery. Held at Stifel Fine Arts Center Ballroom.

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Ages: 17 & Up
Meets: Saturday, February 25, 10am-4pm
Begins: Sat., Feb. 25
Duration: 6 hours
Instructor(s): Jen Allen

$105/$95 OI members

Jewelry Basics – Earring Workshop
In this hour-long class, we will explore all the essential jewelry making skills to create beautiful earrings. We will use a variety of materials including crystals, glass, pearls, & metal. You will get to be as creative as you’d like, keeping your earrings simple or complex, whatever inspires you.

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Ages: 14 & up
Meets: Wednesday, 6-7pm
Begins: Wed., Feb. 22
Duration: 1 hour
Instructor(s): Carri Welsh

$40/$35 OI members (includes all materials)

Jewelry Basics – Bead Stringing Pearl Bracelets Workshop
In this hour-long workshop, you will create a bracelet of your own from a beautiful variety of freshwater pearls. The basic techniques you will learn are how to string beads & how to crimp the ends of the beading wire to attach a clasp. You will go home with a professionally finished piece of jewelry sure to impress your family & friends!

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Ages: 14 & up
Meets: Wednesday, April 12, 6-7pm
Begins: Wed., April 12
Duration: 1 hour
Instructor(s): Carri Welsh

$35/$30 OI members (includes all materials)

Steampunk Domed Resin Earrings Workshop
Discover Steampunk, an art form inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery that incorporates machine parts like gears and cogs to create fantasy 3D pieces. In this Stud Earrings workshop, we’ll make two 12mm round mini collages of tiny assorted antique watch parts and preserve it forever under a clear glass-like resin. After the resin has cured for 24 hours, you can stop by the Stifel Center at your convenience to pick up your earrings.

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Ages: 14 & up
Meets: Saturday, March 25  1-2pm
Begins: Sat., March 25
Duration: 1 hour
Instructor(s): Carri Welsh

$30/$25 OI members (includes all materials)

Pour Paint Workshop
Go with the flow and embrace the process with this Pour Paint workshop. Create sparkling galaxies and marbled works of art. Participants will have a fun and engaging experience while creating dazzling artworks! Materials provided. Please dress in paint appropriate clothes.

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Ages: 14 & up
Meets: Saturday, 1-3pm
Begins: Sat., March 4, 1pm
Duration: 2 hours
Instructor(s): Katie Molinengo

$40/$35 OI members (includes all materials)

Plein Air Painting Workshop 
Paint the outdoors and blooming flowers onsite this spring at our Plein Air Painting workshop. We will learn how to paint from life around the Stifel Fine Arts Center and create atmospheric (deep) space in paintings. Mixing color and landscape painting techniques will be discussed. We will work primarily in watercolor and acrylic, but you are welcome to bring oil paints if you prefer. Materials and equipment are provided, but bring a traveling easel and small folding table/tray if you have them

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Ages: 13 & up
Meets: Saturday, May 13, 10am-1pm
Begins: Sat., May 13
Duration: 3 hours
Instructor(s): Katie Molinengo

$40/$35 OI members (includes all materials)

“The Art of Aging” Workshop Series

A series of workshops with lifelong artmakers takes place in conjunction with “The Art of Aging” exhibition on display at Stifel Fine Arts Center from April 13-May 26.

“The Art of Aging” explores the ways in which creativity opens our minds to possibilities and provides a sense of purpose in an ever-changing world and throughout the stages of our lives. It celebrates artists who have spent their lives creating, showcases the role art plays in building community, and promotes cross-generational artistic collaboration.

“The Art of Aging” Exhibition and Workshop Series are sponsored by The Health Plan. This generous support allows us to offer these workshops to the public free of charge. However, donations are accepted to help further the mission of Stifel Fine Arts Center to connect and engage people of all ages and abilities in creative pursuits.

Fiber Art Workshop
No rules for stitching…just experimentation and fun. Students can enjoy stitching and explore the endless range of effects and textures. Techniques explored are made to be creative and be interpreted in various ways. Enjoy a relaxing and meditative experience. Instructor provides fabric, needles, and some threads. Students won’t complete stitching in the time allotted, but can take it home to finish.

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Ages: 18 & up
Meets: Saturday, April 15, 1-3:30pm
Begins: Sat., April 15
Duration: 2.5 hours
Instructor(s): Jane Ogren

Free. Donations Accepted. Pre-Registration Required.

Sponsored by The Health Plan.

Clay Quilt Raku Workshop
This clay making and raku workshop includes two sessions.

SESSION ONE: Ceramic Quilt Making! Every participant makes a small quilt of 9 pieces, (each 6″ by 6″ in size) as well as 2-3 extra pieces. The extra pieces become the “Community Quilt,” which will be displayed at Stifel Fine Art Center. Templates and design ideas will be facilitated with step-by-step instruction.

SESSION TWO: After work completed in the first session is bisque-fired, the second session includes applying glazes and firing in the ancient method of Japanese Raku that entails immediate and mysterious results. The class culminates with the act of tying together the quilt pieces.

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Ages: Adults 18+
Meets: Saturdays, April 22 & 29, 10:30am-1:30pm
Begins: Sat. April 22
Duration: 6 hours
Instructor(s): Herb Weaver

Free. Donations Accepted. Pre-Registration Required.

Sponsored by The Health Plan.

Good Things Come in Small Packages—Collage, Drawing/Watercolor Workshop
Artist Cecy Rose introduces a wonderful source of creativity – the accordion sketchbook.

These little hardcover mixed-media receptive books contain 18 thick paper panels that are perfect for drawing or painting. Collage materials, such as fancy papers or magazines, applied with acrylic gloss medium, provide for an interesting, whimsical, or abstract piece.

Choosing from subjects inspired by imagination or photographs, students are encouraged to push boundaries and enter a freeing, creative space. Color, line, and composition will be briefly discussed to give a foundation on which to begin. Reference photos will be provided for inspiration, but students are encouraged to bring their own photographic muses.

Sketchbooks, acrylic medium, and fancy, transparent Thai collage papers can be purchased from the instructor for $15/per set.

All materials are provided. Students may want to bring a painting apron or old shirt and an inexpensive 1” bristle brush for applying acrylic medium.

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Ages: Adults 18+
Meets: Saturday, April 29, 10am—3pm
Begins: Sat. April 29
Duration: 5 hours
Instructor(s): Cecy Rose

Free. Donations Accepted. Pre-Registration Required.

Sponsored by The Health Plan.

Ink Tape & Magic Workshop
Discover a new media and technique through an exploration of sight and sound. The process involves aluminum plumber’s tape, foam core, India ink, and a drawing/etching process. The result is a piece that looks like a cross between an etching plate and a piece of metal repoussé work. With this non-traditional media, students explore visual representations of music and the patterns and textures of sound in a visual language. All materials are provided.

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Ages: Adults 18+
Meets: Saturday, May 6, 12:30-3:30pm
Begins: Sat. May 6
Duration: 3 hours
Instructor(s): Suzie Sparks

Free. Donations Accepted. Pre-Registration Required.

Sponsored by The Health Plan.

Precious Metal Clay Workshop
Precious Metal Clay is an amazing material that’s worked like clay but is composed of metal powder and water-based binder, firing to pure silver with a kiln or torch.

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Ages: Adults 18+
Meets: Saturdays, May 13 and May 20, 10:30am-2:30pm
Begins: Sat. May 13
Duration: 8 hours
Instructor(s): Holly Dobkin

Free. Donations Accepted. Pre-Registration Required.

Sponsored by The Health Plan.