Fee-based art classes and workshops for all skill levels.
Space One Eleven’s ARTfix! classes allow adults a creative space to explore their artistic interests. Artists of all skills levels will participate in classes or workshops with one of our professional Teaching Artists. Gift Certificates are available!
Color Mixing Basics with Susie Caffey
Saturday, February 1, 2025
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
$95, supply list available after registration
Ages 16+
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Color theory is essential for the success of every artist. In this one-day workshop, we will practice mixing colors using a split primary palette. Experience the endless possibilities available to you with only seven colors and learn the benefits of using a limited palette. We will be using acrylic paint, but what is learned in this workshop can be applied to any medium. Color charts created in the workshop will serve as useful reference material for future painting. We will also complete three small still life studies to practice and compare working in three different color schemes.
This workshop is taught by Susie Caffey, a Birmingham native, who holds a BA from Furman University in Studio Art and an MA in Art Education from the University of Montevallo. She worked in Corporate Sales for the Maralyn Wilson Gallery before beginning a 25-year career in Art education at Shelby County High School and at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central. She has taught drawing and ceramics at the Alabama Folk School at Camp McDowell, Space One Eleven and The Fine Arts Academy at Riverchase United Methodist Church. She is an active member of Mountain Brook Art Association, currently serving as President for 2025.
Creative Still Life with Susie Caffey
Weekly on Tuesdays, February 11 – March 18, 2025
(6 class sessions)
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
$225, supply list available after registration
Ages 16+
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
“A collection of objects, no matter how mundane, tells a story” (John Bokor, contemporary Australian artist). Still life painting is timeless and universal. Explore its endless possibilities while controlling all aspects of what you paint. Practice observation, learn composition and how to represent objects with light and shadow. We will look at the works of Cezanne, Van Gogh, Matisse and several contemporary still life artists. Class will begin with a simple still life and build skills each week. Every class will include a demonstration, followed by students setting up their individual still lifes from objects that are provided or objects brought from home. There will be time to work on your own as well as individual instruction and group critiques for positive suggestions and encouragement.
This class is taught by Susie Caffey, a Birmingham native, who holds a BA from Furman University in Studio Art and an MA in Art Education from the University of Montevallo. She worked in Corporate Sales for the Maralyn Wilson Gallery before beginning a 25-year career in Art education at Shelby County High School and at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central. She has taught drawing and ceramics at the Alabama Folk School at Camp McDowell, Space One Eleven and The Fine Arts Academy at Riverchase United Methodist Church. She is an active member of Mountain Brook Art Association, currently serving as President for 2025.
Porcelain Vessels with John Oles
Saturday, March 8, 2025
10:00 am to 4:30 pm
$185, supplies included
Ages 18+
Skill Level: Intermediate+
In this hands-on workshop, we will explore ways of working with porcelain to create functional and sculptural forms using techniques such as altering, darting, faceting, and slip decorating to take advantage of properties inherent to the material.
Our focus will be based on the vessel, though not always in the context of the functional pot, with an emphasis on creating forms that enhance daily life by showing off the unique characteristics of porcelain such as surface, color, fluidity and translucency. The teaching artist will provide a selection of glazes for students to choose from. The finished pieces will be glazed and fired in a cone 10 reduction atmosphere.
This is a great introduction to working with porcelain for students who have always been curious about it or those who wish to expand their vocabulary of techniques and skillset. Because of the nature of the material, it is recommended that students come with some prior clay experience and be able to throw a 2.5lb-3lb. bowl or cylinder.
This workshop is taught by John Oles. John Oles was born in Wrentham, Massachusetts, and holds a BFA in Ceramics from the University of Massachusetts (1998) and an MFA from Tulane University (2008) in New Orleans, Louisiana. John taught ceramics at Loyola University from 2008-2013. Currently, John is Associate Professor of Ceramics at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, AL.
Advanced Wheel-Throwing with Wade MacDonald
Saturdays, April 5 – May 17, 2025 (6 class sessions)
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
$250, supplies included
Ages 18+
Skill Level: Intermediate+
This advanced wheel-throwing class is designed for experienced ceramic artists looking to deepen their technical skills and creative approach. Meeting once a week on Saturdays, this course will focus on specialized techniques including the creation of lids, multipart forms, and large-scale throwing. We’ll also explore altering wheel-thrown shapes to add unique character and complexity to your work. Each session will include demonstrations, hands-on practice, and individual feedback, supporting you in developing a refined skill set for crafting intricate, expressive, and structurally challenging ceramic forms.
This class is taught by Wade MacDonald. Wade was born in Nashville, Tennessee and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan by two former opera singers. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Education from Western Michigan University. In 2014, Wade received a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Studio Art with a concentration in Ceramics from Michigan State University. As a graduate student, Wade received the Stanley and Selma Hollander Graduate Fellowship in Studio Art, the Varg-Sullivan Award for Distinguished Research, and the John and Susan Berding Family Foundation Endowment Juried MFA Prize. Wade has exhibited work nationally and has completed artist residencies at Banff Centre, Anderson Ranch Art Center, Red Lodge Clay Center, Zentrum für Keramik and Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts. In 2018, Wade received the NCECA Emerging Artist award and was featured in American Craft Magazine’s August/September 2018 Issue. Wade lives with his wife, Anne Herbert in Birmingham, Alabama and is Assistant Professor of Ceramics in the Department of Art and Art History at The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Past ARTfix! Classes
French Matting with Patty B. Driscoll
Saturday, November 16, 2024
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
$95, supply list available after registration
Ages 16+
All skill levels welcome!
In this workshop we will explore the art of French matting, the technique of adding hand ruled borders within a mat to frame artwork. Often seen used with old master drawings and botanical prints, French matting is a decorative device that accentuates artwork by focusing the eye. We will discuss the history of French matting and experiment with various materials. Please bring a small sketch, print, or photograph that you would like to design a mat for.
This workshop is taught by Patty B. Driscoll. She received her MFA from the California College of Arts after completing her undergraduate work in Studio Art and Art History at Skidmore College. In addition to her formal degree training, Driscoll has studied at the Florence Academy of Art, the Studio Arts Center International in Florence, and the Art Instituto in San Miguel Allende, Mexico. Her paintings have been exhibited at the Abroms-Engels Institute for the Visual Arts, the Alexandria Museum of Art, the Birmingham Museum of Art, the Masur Museum, the Wiregrass Museum of Art, and the Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery of Skidmore College. For the past 25 years, Driscoll has lived and worked in her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama.
Ceramic Hand-Building Class:
Create Functional Pottery with Cheryl Lewis
Saturdays, October 5 – November 9, 2024
10:00 am – noon
$250, all materials provided
Ages 16+
Enjoy the satisfaction of making functional art by hand!
In this 6-week ceramic hand-building class you will learn the fundamentals of creating functional ceramic pieces using high-fire ceramic clay and food-safe glazes. Perfect for beginners and open to all skill levels, this workshop will guide you through hand-building and surface decoration techniques to create pieces that you can use every day. No prior experience is necessary—just come ready to explore and create!
This class is taught by Cheryl Lewis, who earned a Master of Arts in Art Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Art from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Plein Air Pastels with Timothy Joe
Thursday, May 9, 2024
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
$125, supply list available after registration
Ages 16+
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Join Timothy Joe outdoors where the springtime foliage awaits! Nothing sharpens your observation skills better than painting directly from life. During this one-day workshop, participants will be instructed on plein air pastel techniques. No previous experience is necessary.
This class is taught by Timothy Joe. Timothy Michael Joe is a self-taught artist and instructor from the rural southern town of Greensboro, Alabama. Over the years, Timothy produced artwork for galleries and commissioned work. He enjoys using his art to educate, uplift, and encourage. His favorite subjects are rural structures in landscapes and nature journaling.
Ceramics: Wheel Throwing with Kimberlee Campbell
Weekly on Saturdays, April 6 – May 11, 2024
10:00 am – Noon
$250, all materials included
Ages 16+
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
During this six-week class, participants will be instructed on how to use the pottery wheel to create unique, functional ceramic pieces using ceramic clay and food safe glazes. No previous experience working with clay is necessary.
This class is taught by Kimberlee Campbell. Campbell has a Master’s in Art Education from the University of Montevallo, and a Bachelor of Fine Art in Fashion/Textile Design with a minor in art history from Savannah College of Art and Design.
Soft Pastel Landscapes with Timothy Joe
Saturday, March 23, 2024 | 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
$120, supply list available after registration
Ages 16+
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
During this one-day workshop, participants will be instructed on using pastels to create a beautiful landscape. No previous experience is necessary.
This class is taught by Timothy Joe. Timothy Michael Joe is a self-taught artist and instructor from the rural southern town of Greensboro, Alabama. Over the years, Timothy produced artwork for galleries and commissioned work. He enjoys using his art to educate, uplift, and encourage. His favorite subjects are rural structures in landscapes and nature journaling.
Post-Impressionist Still Life with Amy Peterson
Saturday, May 13, 2023 І 10am – 4pm
$175
Ages 16+
Skill Level: All skill levels
Post-Impressionist paintings are characterized by bold brush work, outlines, pattern, layering of color and emotion-infused color choices. Think Vincent Van Gogh and Pierre Bonnard! In this workshop, you will compose a still life incorporating pattern through use of fabric or imagination.
Peterson will provide several patterned fabrics for the still-life but encourages students to bring their own samples if there is something they feel drawn to paint (it could be a wallpaper sample, a tablecloth, bedspread, a magazine clipping, etc.).
Amy R. Peterson is an artist and art teacher who lives in Trussville near her native Birmingham, Alabama. Amy is known for her impressionist and post-impressionist paintings of local subjects. Peterson is a member of the Oil Painters of America; the American Impressionist Society; the Alabama Plein Air Artists; the Mountain Brook Art Association; and the Cahaba Art Association. Her artwork has been featured in regional and national exhibitions by the American Impressionist Society and Oil Painters of America. She is represented by Beverly McNeil Gallery in Birmingham, AL, and Crown Gallery in Blowing Rock, NC.
Mommy and Me with Tyler Carlisle
Weekly Class Sessions
Tuesdays, February 7 – March 14, 2023 І 10 – 11 am
$150, all materials included
Ages 2 to 5, with one adult guardian
Join us for ‘Mommy and Me’ art class taught by Tyler Carlisle.
This art class is designed with young children and a guardian in mind, where each pair will collaborate on exciting, creative projects. Expect exploratory mediums and tactile experiences that will help with fine motor skill development, create opportunities for social interaction, and foster bonding between child and guardian.
Teaching artist Tyler Carlisle has over eight years of experience working as a Visual Arts Educator for children of all ages, skill levels, and learning styles. When he is not teaching, Tyler likes to create art using a variety of mediums and subject matter.
Drawing the Portrait with David Baird
Sunday, February 19, 2023 І 10am – 4pm
$165
Ages 16+
Skill Level: Intermediate – Advanced
This workshop will focus on representing form through the medium of drawing, with an emphasis on capturing likeness. Working from a live model, the workshop will consist of lecture/demonstrations and one-on-one critiques while students work on their own. The topics covered will include gesture, structure, proportion and perspective, as well as concepts regarding light, shadow and form.
Students will have the whole sessions to develop drawings, working in stages from the intuitive and gestural to the more calculated and resolved. Discussions will focus on linear expression of proportion, structure, and movement. More advanced concepts will be introduced as students work toward a more sustained and complete resolution, incorporating tone and form.
Ceramics: Wheel Throwing with Harling Wespiser
Weekly Class Sessions
Tuesdays, January 17 – February 21, 2023 | 6:30 – 8:30 pm
$240, all materials included
Ages 16+ (ages 10+ with a registered guardian)
Skill Level: All skill levels
During this workshop, participants of all skill levels will be instructed on how to use the pottery wheel to create unique, functional ceramic pieces using high fire ceramic clay and food safe glazes. No previous experience working with clay is necessary.
This six-week workshop is taught by Harling Wespiser. Wespiser earned her BFA from Auburn University with a concentration in ceramics. After graduating she began teaching ceramics classes and sharing her enjoyment of the meditative state one can experience when sitting at the wheel. You may have met Harling during a visit to Alabama Art Supply, where she has been serving customers since moving to Birmingham following graduation from AU in 2016.
Drawing the Figure with David Baird
Saturday, November 19, 2022 | 10am – 4 pm
$165
Ages 18+
Skill Level: All skill levels
The primary focus of this class will be representing form through the medium of drawing. Working from a live model, class sessions will consist of lecture/demonstrations and one-on-one critiques while students work on their own. The topics covered will include gesture, structure, proportion and perspective, as well as concepts regarding light, shadow and form.
Model poses will vary in length, allowing students to develop drawings that are both intuitive and gestural as well as more calculated and resolved. Beginning with shorter format poses, we will focus on a linear expression of proportion, structure, and movement. More advanced concepts will be introduced as poses lengthen and students work toward a more sustained drawing incorporating tone and form.
David Baird (b. 1986, USA) is an oil painter and draftsman primarily focused on figurative work. He has taught classes in the US, Australia, and Europe, and has also been visiting faculty at Studio Escalier, a contemporary classical art school, since 2016.
In 2006, he began his training at the Ryder Studio School in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He went on to attend classes at Studio Escalier (Argenton Chateau/Paris, France), and The Jerusalem Studio School (Jerusalem, Israel), as well as benefitting from extensive exposure to some of Europe’s greatest museums and works of art.
Teen Art Night: Denim Design Project led by Kenya B.
Friday, November 11, 2022 | 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm
$10 *pre-registration is required*
Teens in grades 9-12
Join us for Teen Art Night and learn how to create your very own, “out of this world,” custom painted denim item!
Bring a denim item and use paint to create a “one of a kind” design. Items to consider are jeans, jackets, shirts, etc… anything that screams denim! You’ll be able to take your item home with you the night of.
The Denim Design Project will be led by local designer Kenya Buchanan. Kenya B. is a graduate of the University of Alabama where she received a BS in Apparel Design. Kenya B. has shown at NY fashion week and has gained local recognition winning several awards for her luxury gowns and ready-to-wear.
We’d like to thank Slice Pizza for partnering with us for Teen Art Night.
Ceramics: Handbuilding with Jennifer Fields
Weekly Class Sessions
Tuesdays, September 27 – October 25, 2022 and
November 8, 2022 | 6-8 pm
November 1, 2022: optional open studio
$240, all materials included
Ages 16+
Skill Level: All skill levels
Learn or improve the foundation handbuilding techniques that have been used for thousands of years- pinch pots, coil building and slab construction.
Over the course of six lessons you will experiment with these three different processes to create small bowls, sculptural figures, drinking vessels, and perhaps be inspired to create a project of your own design! We will also explore various surface textures and glazes to complete your pieces. This is an introduction to handbuilding with practical skills building, great for beginners or those who wish to enhance technique. No previous handbuilding or experience with clay is necessary.
This workshop is taught by Jennifer Fields. Fields graduated from The University of Montevallo with a BFA, concentration in sculptural metal fabrication. She currently lives and works in Springville, AL, where she owns and operates her own ceramics studio, Lit Deer Studio. She has been making and exhibiting artwork for over 20 years.
Plein-air Tips & Tricks with Amy Peterson
Friday, November 4, 2022 | 9am – 3 pm
$130
Ages 16+
Skill Level: All skill levels
During this workshop, students will learn or improve the techniques that are used in plein-air painting. Plein-air painting can be challenging, as weather and light conditions can change rapidly. Whether you are a beginner or advanced, everyone can enjoy and learn from plein-air painting! Teaching artist, Amy Peterson, will share ways to save time, simplify the task at hand, and rethink shapes to make your paintings stronger. Amy will teach old-school, low-tech, methods of plein-air painting, as well as some tips and tricks when it comes to using your cell phone camera as a tool.
Plein-air painting can be done anywhere, even in your own backyard or neighborhood. For this workshop, students will be painting at a local staple in the Birmingham area, Jones Valley Teaching Farm. Jones Valley Teaching Farm uses food as a foundation so that young people can lead, create, and grow a healthy future for themselves and their community. They envision communities inspired by food and transformed by youth. For more information on Jones Valley Teaching Farm, please visit their website www.jvtf.org.
Amy R. Peterson is an artist and art teacher who lives in Trussville near her native Birmingham, Alabama. Amy is known for her impressionist and post-impressionist paintings of local subjects, and is a member of the Oil Painters of America; the American Impressionist Society; the Alabama Plein Air Artists; the Mountain Brook Art Association; and the Cahawba Art Association. Her artwork has been featured in regional and national exhibitions by the American Impressionist Society and Oil Painters of America. She is represented by Beverly McNeil Gallery in Birmingham, AL, and Crown Gallery in Blowing Rock, NC.
Post-Impressionist Painting and Collage with the Figure with Amy Peterson
Friday, August 5, 2022 | 5:30-8pm
Saturday, August 6, 2022 | 9am-4pm
$235
Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced
For Ages 18+ Only
This workshop is inspired by Post-Impressionist paintings. For the Impressionists, emphasis was on light and atmosphere. For the Post-Impressionists, emphasis shifted toward color, pattern, and symbolism. Flattened forms of objects and figures, plus heavily patterned interiors, make a scene appear abstract at first glance. In this workshop, you will be using techniques of Post-Impressionist painters to create an interior scene.
On Friday, students will create sketches from a live model. On Saturday, they will paint and/or use collage to create an interior scene on canvas. Students may use their memory or imagination to create the scene, or they may bring photographs to use as references. Knowledge gained during the live model sketch from Friday night will be used to incorporate a figure into a Post-Impressionist interior painting.
Amy R. Peterson is an artist and art teacher who lives in Trussville near her native Birmingham, Alabama. Amy is known for her impressionist and post-impressionist paintings of local subjects, and is a member of the Oil Painters of America; the American Impressionist Society; the Alabama Plein Air Artists; the Mountain Brook Art Association; and the Cahawba Art Association. Her artwork has been featured in regional and national exhibitions by the American Impressionist Society and Oil Painters of America. She is represented by Beverly McNeil Gallery in Birmingham, AL, and Crown Gallery in Blowing Rock, NC.
Painting the Figure with David Baird
Weekly Class Sessions
Tuesdays | May 3-24, 2022 | 6-8pm
$240
Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced
For Ages 18+ Only
The focus of this class will be developing paintings in oil from a live model, with an emphasis on color mixing. Students will begin with simplified color mixtures, working intuitively to establish the main tonal relationships of the motif. Using this as a base, nuanced color variations and more thoughtful color harmonies can be developed as time allows. Through the introduction of concepts like hue, value, and chroma, as well as basic color theory, students will analyze their perceptions and recreate them with mixtures of paint, learning to guide themselves toward more meaningful, sophisticated color and tonal relationships.
Also discussed will be a range of technical processes, including procedures for blocking-in, performing opaque passes, glazing and scumbling. Classes will consist of demonstrations and lectures followed by individual one-on-one critiques of students while they work.
David Baird (b. 1986, USA) is an oil painter and draftsman primarily focused on figurative work. He has taught classes in the US, Australia, and Europe, and has also been visiting faculty at Studio Escalier, a contemporary classical art school, since 2016.
In 2006, he began his training at the Ryder Studio School in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He went on to attend classes at Studio Escalier (Argenton Chateau/Paris, France), and The Jerusalem Studio School (Jerusalem, Israel), as well as benefitting from extensive exposure to some of Europe’s greatest museums and works of art.
Long Pose Figure Drawing with David Baird
One Day Workshop
Sunday, February 27, 2022 | 10am – 4pm
$165
Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced
For Ages 18+ Only
This workshop will focus on developing a figure drawing over the course of the day, beginning with a linear lay-in to establish the major masses of the body and progressing into the use of tone to create a sense of volume and subtle chiaroscuro.
Working from a live model, the class session will consist of a lecture/demonstration as well as one-on-one critiques while students develop their own drawings. Topics covered will include gesture, proportion, perspective, as well as concepts regarding light, shadow and form.
David Baird (b. 1986, USA) is an oil painter and draftsman primarily focused on figurative work. He has taught classes in the US, Australia, and Europe, and has also been visiting faculty at Studio Escalier, a contemporary classical art school, since 2016.
In 2006, he began his training at the Ryder Studio School in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He went on to attend classes at Studio Escalier (Argenton Chateau/Paris, France), and The Jerusalem Studio School (Jerusalem, Israel), as well as benefitting from extensive exposure to some of Europe’s greatest museums and works of art.
Drawing the Figure with David Baird
Weekly class sessions
October 26 – November 16, 2021 | 6pm – 8pm
$180 for 4 sessions, $45/session
Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced
For Ages 18+ Only
The primary focus of this class will be representing form through the medium of drawing. Working from a live model, class sessions will consist of lectures, demonstrations, and one-on-one critiques while students work on their own. The topics covered will include gesture, proportion, perspective, as well as concepts regarding light, shadow and form.
Model poses will vary in length, allowing students to develop drawings that are both intuitive and gestural as well as more calculated and resolved. Beginning with shorter format poses, we will focus on a linear expression of proportion and movement. More advanced concepts will be introduced as poses lengthen, and students work toward a more sustained drawing incorporating tone and form.
David Baird (b. 1986, USA) is an oil painter and draftsman primarily focused on figurative work. He has taught classes in the US, Australia, and Europe, and has also been visiting faculty at Studio Escalier, a contemporary classical art school, since 2016.
In 2006, he began his training at the Ryder Studio School in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He went on to attend classes at Studio Escalier (Argenton Chateau/Paris, France), and The Jerusalem Studio School (Jerusalem, Israel), as well as benefitting from extensive exposure to some of Europe’s greatest museums and works of art.
Painting the Figure with David Baird
Weekly class sessions
May 25 – June 15, 2021 | 5:30pm – 8:30pm
$288 for 4 sessions, $72/session
Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced
For Ages 18+ Only
The primary focus of this class will be representing form through the medium of painting. Working from a live model, students will learn to translate their observations into quick, broad, color spots—the most effective foundation for pictorial development. Emphasis will be placed on achieving color harmony and balanced tonal relationships.
In addition to this intuitive and wholistic approach, techniques will also be discussed that isolate and focus on developing the specificity of form, its orientation to the light, and accuracy in proportion, all while working wet-into-wet.
Class sessions will consist of lectures, demonstrations, and one-on-one critiques while students work on their own.
David Baird (b. 1986, USA) is an oil painter and draftsman primarily focused on figurative work. He has taught classes in the US, Australia, and Europe, and has also been visiting faculty at Studio Escalier, a contemporary classical art school, since 2016.
In 2006, he began his training at the Ryder Studio School in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He went on to attend classes at Studio Escalier (Argenton Chateau/Paris, France), and The Jerusalem Studio School (Jerusalem, Israel), as well as benefitting from extensive exposure to some of Europe’s greatest museums and works of art.