Drawing & painting program

Explore Art
& Expression

We provide aspiring and practiced artists with a supportive community led by experienced teaching artists. Participants develop new skills and gain hands-on experience in drawing, oil, acrylic, watercolor, collage and mixed media.
Enroll in a ClassEnroll in a Class Figure Arts Open Studio
Programming

Find what’s right for you

multi-session
Extended Classes

Multi-week courses building skill and confidence in drawing, painting, and mixed media at all experience levels.

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1-2 Session
Workshops

Unique and one-off classes in focused techniques, subjects, and styles. A great way to try something new or depend a specific area of your practice.

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1st & 3rd Saturday · monthly
Figure Arts Open Studio

Drop-in figure drawing sessions held the first and third Saturday of each mont. Open to all skill levels – bring your own supplies and draw from a live model.

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upcoming

Class Schedule

All current and upcoming Drawing & Painting classes.

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Meet our Team

Meet the dedicated staff, instructors, and assistants who make learning fun and engaging every class.

  • Jill Valavanis
    Fine Arts Director

    (707) 938-4626 ext.824

    Jill Valavanis is the Visual Arts Director at the Sonoma Community Center and a teaching artist working primarily with fiber. She completed her graduate work at California State University, Long Beach where she earned a Master of Fine Arts in Integrated Three-Dimensional Media, utilizing skills developed in working with fiber, metal, and wood. Currently she is exploring free motion machine embroidery and relief printing on fabric.

  • Melisse Herman Headshot
    Melisse Herman
    Instructor

    Melisse Herman works with themes of Absence and Presence, compelling a dialogue in which the viewer draws their own meaning from each work – engaging with what is first unseen, then subtly visible, and finally clear. Melisse graduated with distinction from California College of the Arts, and received her MFA with honors in painting and drawing from Mills College. She has exhibited on both the East and West Coasts and has featured in a number of significant collections, including the Chevron Corporation and the United States Embassy in Hong Kong. She helped to compose a young adult novel, and has taught at both California College of the Arts and Mills College as well as other institutions for over 35 years.

  • Hannah Day
    Instructor

    Hannah Day is a Sonoma County artist who works primarily in the paper arts. She received her MFA from UH Manoa in printmaking, and her etchings are internationally shown and collected. Her personal practice also includes paper cutting, graphite, watercolor, and mixed media.

  • Deborah Donahower
    Instructor

    Deborah Donahower received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara in Studio Art, with an emphasis in Ceramics, Printmaking and Pastels. She has been teaching art to adults and children for 40 years and it is her passion to empower budding artists with the basic foundation skills in art and help them bloom into their own creativity and personal style. Deborah’s teaching style is structured and starts with building a strong foundation around the fundamentals of clay.

  • Tomoko Murakami
    Instructor

    Tomoko received her MFA in printmaking from the San Francisco Art Institute and her MA in Transformative Arts from John F. Kennedy University. She is also a Registered Expressive Art Educator with the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (REACE) and a certified SoulCollage facilitator. Her career includes teaching at California College of the Arts, John F. Kennedy University, and Santa Rosa Junior College, among other community centers throughout the SF Bay Area. Aside from her long career in teaching, Tomoko is skilled in restoring the beauty and integrity of Asian paintings.

  • Michael Bartlett
    Instructor

    Michael Bartlett is a highly regarded artist and master craftsman with over 45 years of experience in the fine arts. Based in Sonoma, CA, Michael is best known for his vivid oil paintings that capture the unique light and atmosphere of California landscapes and coastal scenes.

  • Barbara Crow
    Instructor

    I have been studying and making art my whole life. I received a B.A. in Art History from George Washington University. A career in graphic arts management gave me a strong sense of color and design. Taking workshops and classes focused me more as an artist and I began working seriously as an artist after attending Santa Rosa Jr. College where I studied painting.

  • Catherine Cruz
    Instructor

    Catherine Cruz is a French-American artist whose work is informed by textures and patterns created by the passing of time and the effects of the natural elements on the built environment. She holds a Bachelor of Science in interior design and she has worked in the field of architectural design and green building certification for over 25 years. Since 2019, Catherine has taught collage and mixed media workshops in the Bay Area and in France and this is her fifth year in Sonoma County. Her studio is located in Sebastopol and she participates in Art Trails Open Studios.

  • Lara Starr
    Instructor

    I made my first resin charm at Maker Faire and was… charmed! I immediately wanted to make more, and was bummed when they told me, “One per person!” I took matters into my own hands and ordered the materials to make them myself. The more I made, the more I wanted to make! Since then, I have hosted events at a local co-working space and private homes, and now I bring Charm School to libraries, recreation centers, and community college extensions.

  • Debra Christian
    Instructor

    Debra is a compassionate facilitator and guide with a lifelong passion for education and creative expression. After dedicating 30 years to teaching Elementary School, she embraced a new path centered on art, self-restoration, and holistic well-being. As a certified and skilled Art Medicine™ Practitioner, she empowers individuals to explore emotions, build confidence, and express their unique voices. Her mission is to create nurturing spaces for personal and spiritual growth, helping others navigate life’s challenges through creativity. Debra fosters inclusive environments where people can connect with their inner wisdom, experience meaningful growth, and thrive in mind, body, and spirit. 

what we offer

Studios, Facilities, & Resources

The Center’s multipurpose facility offers a wide variety of materials, tools, and equipment to support the practices of drawing, painting, printmaking, and mixed media. Light-filled studio supports the practices of drawing, painting, collage and mixed media.

  • Work Tables
  • Oil Paints
  • Colored Pencils
  • Floor Easels
  • Acrylic Paints
  • Pen and Ink
  • Paintbrushes
  • Acrylic Mediums
  • Sumi Brushes and Inks
  • Palettes
  • Paper
  • Oil Pastels
  • Watercolor Paints
  • Drawing Pencils
  • Soft Pastels