Drawing & Painting Atelier – Wednesdays
In this studio course, students will bring their paintings or drawings and work in a community environment with other artists.
program overview
In this studio course, students will bring their paintings or drawings and work in a community environment with other artists. This is an opportunity to expand your work alongside other students, learn from each other, share ideas, and participate in critiques guided by the instructor. Each student will receive as much instruction as they want and can work with the instructor to develop projects based on their next level of learning. Each week there will be a critique at the end of class where students can practice speaking about their own work and others’. This course is for students who have been painting and drawing and are ready to push their work to the next level.
Tables and easels are provided. Students bring their own art supplies.
instructor Overview
Melisse Herman
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.
https://www.melisseherman.com/
Membership Has Its Benefits
All Silver Memberships and above receive 10% off the registration cost for any class purchase over $40.
Materials fees are not discounted.
Membership helps support our programs, events, and financial aid programs.
Become a member today and find community, connection, and creativity.
Class FAQ
We ask that you notify us at least 10 days in advance of a class if you need to cancel your registration. You may cancel by phone or email and we will gladly offer you a refund or credit toward a future class. If you cancel with less than 10 days’ notice, we will not be able to provide refunds, due to our contractual obligations and material purchases for each class.
Sometimes, the Sonoma Community Center has to cancel a class due to low enrollment or unforeseen circumstances, such as a natural disaster or health emergency. If this happens and we do not offer a reschedule date, you will be refunded 100% of your registration fee (minus the payment processing and services fee), or credit towards a future class. If we are able to offer a reschedule date but you are unable to make the new date, we will gladly offer credit towards a future class.
All credits must be used within 1 year.
You can view our full class policies and guidelines here.
The Sonoma Community Center is committed to creating an accessible learning environment. If you require any special considerations(medical, physical, learning) please share them with Sean Baskin, Program Associate, by emailing him at [email protected] so that he can forward them to the relevant Program Director and Instructor.
Late additions to any program, class, or workshop that has already begun will be allowed on a per-case basis depending upon the Program Director & instructors approval. Late additions will have to pay the full registration cost of the class, along with any materials fees, and will not be prorated for the time missed. You may reach out to the program directors directly, or the Program Associate Sean Baskin at [email protected] to request a late addition.
We are always looking for new instructors. You can fill out the form directly here.
Wednesdays · 6 Weeks
October 28 – December 16, 2026
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm
No class November 11 & 25
Experience Level
Intermediate and AdvancedAge(s)
18-overRegistration Cost:
$325
