The Firehouse Arts Center offers a variety of classes for all ages! In our classes, participants will learn the fundamentals of art, as well as the techniques and skills they need to create their own works of art. They will also have the opportunity to explore different art mediums and styles. Our classes are a great way for participants to develop their artistic skills, learn about art history, and have fun!
Our Instructors
Debbie Wardrope
Debbie Wardrope is a Bay Area native and longtime Pleasanton resident who has always loved art and has pursued painting for most of her life, even during her 20-year career in mortgage banking. Debbie’s primary medium is pastel, but she also paints in oils and acrylics. Her recent work focuses on the effects of light at sunset and twilight on the city, landscape and ocean. Debbie says, “I believe that art should be beautiful, accessible and evoke an emotional response in the viewer. I strive to create images that are immediately recognizable but are things that are frequently overlooked in the rush of everyday life. I love to capture the glory of God’s creation through the use of light and color.”
Drawing and Painting Exploration for Tweens and Teens
This class allows kids to work on their drawing and painting skills with projects provided by the instructor or explore their own project ideas with help from the instructor. All supplies are provided.
Workshops
Acrylic, Oil, and Pastel Painting
Want to learn how to paint in pastel, oil, or acrylic? Or advance your skills in any of these mediums? This class is for anyone who wants to learn and grow in their artistic endeavors in a relaxed and supportive environment. Beginners and more experienced students are welcome. Beginners will receive painting exercises to get them started on the medium of their choice.
Dates
W 3/6/-3/27
W 4/10-5/1
W 5/8-5/29
Times
9:30a-12:30p
9:30a-12:30p
9:30a-12:30p
Ages
16 & Up
16 & Up
16 & Up
Art-Making with Ms. Debbie
Meeting the Impressionists
Come and discover the wonderful world of Impressionism! We’ll learn about the history of impressionism and the work of impressionists around the world. We’ll try plein air painting, Japanese woodblock printmaking and create our own impressionist
Dates
W 3/6-3/27
W 3/6-3/27
Times
3:45p-5:00p
1:30p-2:30p
Ages
6-10
4-6
Express Yourself
From giant self-portraits to their favorite things, kids will draw and paint subjects they know and love with art projects that stimulate their creativity. We’ll look at ways artists through the ages have expressed themselves to get inspired, then use clay, collage, acrylic paint, painted paper and more to make fun and expressive art.
Dates
W 4/10-5/1
W 4/10-5/1
Times
3:45p-5:00p
1:30p-2:30p
Ages
6-10
4-6
Pop Art Party!
Pop Art is a super fun style of art and we’ll be making creative, colorful and crazy projects with it! We’ll look at the work of different pop artists to inspire us and then use neon paint, giant markers, paint daubers, patterned paper and more to make our own awesome Pop Art.
Dates
W 5/8-5/29
W 5/8-5/29
Times
3:45p-5:00p
1:30p-2:30p
Ages
6-10
4-6
Art Fun with Ms. Debbie
Rainforest Art Adventure
Love the rainforest and it’s amazing animals? Come for an artful adventure in creating a cool hanging 3D rainforest collage with a toucan and other fun surprises with us!
Forest Animal Fun
Join us for a spooktacular afternoon creating fun Halloween art! We’ll be making all kinds of creative Halloween art projects which may include ghosts, bats, spiders, monsters, and much more!
Blossoms, Butterflies, Blooms, and Birds
Spring has sprung! We’ll be creating lots of beautiful spring-related art projects from flowers to blossoming trees and butterflies to birds. Come join the fun!
Young@Art
Cool Colored Pencil Art
Come see the Colored Pencil Society of America’s exhibit! Walk through the Harrington Gallery with our gallery experts and see some wonderful colored pencil works, then create your own colored pencil art based on your favorite pieces in the show. Combines art appreciation with hands on learning and fun! For more information, contact debwardrope1@gmail.com or stang@cityofpleasantonca.gov
Charlotte Severin
Charlotte Severin is an award winning Bay Area Plein Air Artist whose works are displayed in public and private collections in the United States and many foreign countries! She has led Painting trips for forty years and taught Watercolor for 27 years for The City of Pleasanton.
Art Made Easy – Intermediate/Advanced
Experiment with watercolor, textures, rice paper collage and painting. Subject matter to include people, animals, and nature paintings from life or abstract. Some watercolor experience needed.
Zina Kassab
Zina grew up to love art and painting from a young age, painting next to her father who was a well-recognized oil and watercolor artist, her father was her first art teacher. Being that art was such a big part of Zina’s life she obtained a B.A in Print Design from the Academy Of Art and later continued her education earning another certificate in graphic design.
Zina has lived in the Tri valley for over 30 years and has been teaching with the City Of Pleasanton and The Town Of Danville for over 8 years.
Zina loves teaching art to all ages!
She strives to create a wonderful experience for all of her students if they are a beginner or an experienced artist.
Zina has enjoyed sketching, painting in watercolors and acrylics and has exhibited her work at the Pleasanton museum, the gallery at John Muir hospital and Harrington gallery at the Firehouse art center and continues to exhibit her art.
Sketching
Students will learn how to use the sketching pencils, shade and learn a variety of sketching techniques. We’ll sketch landscape, seascape and still life. All levels are welcome!
Dates
T 3/5-3/26
T 4/9-4/30
T 5/7-5/28
Times
10:30a-12:00p
10:30a-12:00p
10:30a-12:00p
Ages
18 & Up
18 & Up
18 & Up
Acrylic Painting
Learn all about painting with acrylics, mix colors and explore acrylic techniques and textures, All levels are welcome, no experience necessary. We’ll paint a landscape or still life from a photo. You can bring your own photo or use one of the provided ones.
Dates
TH 3/7-3/28
TH 4/11-4/25
TH 5/9-5/30
Times
10:30a-12:30p
10:30a-12:30p
10:30a-12:30p
Ages
18 & Up
18 & Up
18 & Up
Acrylic Painting for Kids
Come have fun painting with acrylic! We’ll create themed paintings using sponges, different brushes, and other fun materials! Students will be guided with step-by-step instructions and will go home with beautiful works of art. Please bring a paint shirt or an apron. Supply fee due at registration.
Theme
Spring
Flowers
Under the Sea
Dates
3/7-3/28
4/11-4/25
5/9-5/30
Times
4:00p-5:30p
4:00p-5:30p
4:00p-5:30p
Ages
5.5-10
5.5-10
5.5-10
Acrylic Spring Break Camp
Come have fun painting with acrylic! We’ll create spring-themed paintings using sponges, different brushes, and other fun materials! Campers will be guided with step-by-step instructions and will go home with beautiful works of art. Please bring a paint shirt or an apron and a snack.
Cindy Kiraku Ting
Cindy Kiraku Ting Certified Sogetsu Ikebana Instructor & Floral Designer
Ikebana has been a part of Cindy’s life for the last 25 years. Throughout her career in technology and her dedication as a mother and wife, she has remained passionate about expanding her ikebana knowledge and expertise. More recently, with exposure to both eastern and western influences, Cindy continues to advance her style and techniques. Utilizing both fresh and unconventional materials, she loves creating classic as well as more modern structures as part of her Ikebana arrangements. Cindy has been teaching and sharing her learnings and style through workshops, classes, and exhibitions as a certified Sogetsu instructor for the last few years. Cindy believes Ikebana is a lifelong journey as she continues to learn, teach and share.
Workshops
Ikebana Flower Arrangement
Ikebana is a Japanese style of flower arrangement that focuses on creativity and individuality. The philosophy is that Ikebana can be done by anyone, anywhere, with almost anything. Students will learn the basics of Ikebana, create their own arrangements, be critiqued by Sensei Cindy, and take their arrangement home and enjoy. Fresh materials will be provided.
Dates
F 9/1/23-10/27/23
Th 9/7/23-10/26/23
Th 11/2/23-12/21/23
F 11/3/23-1/26/24
Th 1/11/24-1/25/24
Times
9:30a-11:00a
7:00p-8:30p
7:00p-8:30p
9:30a-11:00a
7:00p-8:30p
Ages
16 & Up
16 & Up
16 & Up
16 & Up
16 & Up
Ikebana Flower Arrangement Workshop
Ikebana is a Japanese style of flower arrangement that focuses on creativity and individuality. The philosophy is that Ikebana can be done by anyone, anywhere, with almost anything. Students will learn the basics of Ikebana, create their own arrangements, be critiqued by Sensei Cindy, and take their arrangement home and enjoy. All skill levels are welcome. Fresh materials will be provided. The supply fee is included in the price of the class. For more information, visit www.kirakuikebana.com
