
Workshops for Merrill Communities
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Join SilverKite® for live, intergenerational arts workshops!
All of these opportunities are FREE for patrons of Merrill Communities!
No password is required to view the workshops, scroll to see workshop offerings & register! Please note all workshops are listed in Pacific Time but may take place at a different time zone depending on your location.

Programming Made Possible with Funding from

Quarter 2, 2026 Workshops
(April - June)
Acrylic Painting: Loveable Lilacs
April 4th
10:30 - 11:30am PT
In this acrylics workshop participants will explore layering, texture, composition and brushwork to capture blooming lilacs.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Tammy Leaver
Supplies:
-Canvas or Bristol board of any size - around 5x7 or 4x6 is usually great to finish in the workshop time
-Acrylic paint
-Palette (or palette paper or a plate)
-Brushes (round and flat)
-Cup of water
-Paper towels
-Pencil
-Palette knife (optional)
Drawing: Spring Scene in Colored Pencils
April 20th
1:30 - 2:30pm PT
Capture a colorful spring scene in this drawing workshop. Using colored pencils, participants will learn layering, depth, and blending to bring spring to life.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Tammy Leaver
Supplies:
-Colored Pencils
-Blending stump
-Mixed Media or Drawing Paper (natural or tan color - "neutral tone")
-Tissue or rag for blending
Click here to register!
Watercolor Painting: Garden Roses
May 16th
10:30 - 11:30am PT
In this watercolor workshop participants will explore color mixing and wet-on-dry layering and brush strokes to bring roses from the garden to life.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Tammy Leaver
Supplies:
-Watercolor paper
-Watercolor paints
-Brushes (flat and round)
-Water container
-Paper towels
-Pencil
Click here to register!
Collage: Color, Shape and Doodles
June 8th
1:30 - 2:30pm PT
Together participants will explore the medium of collage - we will select collage materials based on colors and shapes (textures) that appeal to us to utilize for our background. We will continue to warm up those creative talents by beginning the piece with a doodle - anything that comes to mind from drawing a person or even abstract lines and scribbles. We will then paint over our doodles with watercolor - selecting colors that compliment or contrast our collage inspiration. As that dries, we will assemble a torn paper collage for our background using the visually appealing elements we have selected. Each participant will create a collage featuring a doodle!
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Ashley McEneny
Supplies:
-Collage materials: Newspapers, Magazines, Books etc. Images that have colors and visual textures that appeal to you
-Glue Stick
-2-3 pieces of paper (or substitute 1 small piece of cardboard for your collage to be built on (4x6") and 1-2 pcs of paper for your doodle)
-Scissors
-Permanent Marker (Sharpie recommended)
-Watercolor Paint, Dish of Water and Brush
3D: Egg Carton Animal Portraits
April 6th
1:30 - 2:30pm PT
In this workshop participants will repurpose recycled egg cartons and cardboard to create hand made 3D animal portraits. Together we will cut up the egg carton - and craft it into the shape of a rabbit or another animal popular in Spring. We will then glue the body onto a piece of cardboard, making a frame for our creature. We will finish the class by painting the animals and giving them unique personalities and attire - every participant will finish with one 3D animal portrait of their design!
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Ashley McEneny
Supplies:
-1 Egg Carton
-2-3 Small Pieces of Cardboard (4x6")
-Scissors
-Acrylic Paints (a few colors to paint the animal and background)
-Pencil
-Permanent Marker
-Glue (PVA Glue like Elmer’s or Hot Glue)
Mixed Media: Scribble and Paint
May 9rd
10:30 - 11:30am PT
Invite the power of play with the art of scribbling. Participants will explore a variety of creative choices using themes of freedom and form as well as a variety of supplies to bring a design with colorful details to the piece of art.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Tammy Leaver
Supplies:
-Watercolor or mixed media paper
-Watercolors, watercolor pencils, watercolor crayons or markers, etc.
-Ultra fine permanent black marker
-Water
-Paper towels
-Palette
-Brushes
Creative Writing: Signal Stories in Memoir
May 18th
1:30 - 2:30pm PT
"Signal Stories" are anecdotes and vignettes you share with someone new you meet, or someone you have coffee with for three hours. In this memoir-focused workshop, participants will summon their signal stories then have a skeleton of what to include in a larger piece of memoir writing. All levels are welcome.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Pearl Klein
Supplies:
-No supplies needed
Click here to register!
Watercolor Painting: Playing with Texture
June 20th
10:30 - 11:30am PT
Create tactile surfaces using watercolor and salt and let watercolor's natural behavior co-create playful results.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Tammy Leaver
Supplies:
-Watercolor paper
-Masking tape
-Board to tape watercolor paper on
-Large round brush
-Small round brush
-Fine round brush
-Table salt
-Paper towels
-Palette
-Water
Watercolor Painting: Tulip Time
April 18th
10:30 - 11:30am PT
In this watercolor workshop participants will explore color mixing, wet-on-wet washes, and layering while painting expressive tulip blossoms.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Tammy Leaver
Supplies:
-Watercolor paper
-Watercolor paints
-Brushes (flat and round)
-Water container
-Paper towels
-Pencil
Dance: Popular Dances of the Decades
May 11th
1:30 - 2:30pm PT
Get your dancing shoes ready as we travel around the world and learn popular dances through the decades. Whatever your dance level, come ready to have fun as we dance the time away with #1 hits from South Korea, Spain, Germany and the US while learning a little about the history of the dances.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Merri Ann Osborne
Supplies:
-Dress comfortably
-Wear comfortable shoes for movement
-Water
Click here to register!
Acrylic Painting: Abstract Expression
June 6th
10:30 - 11:30am PT
Explore color-mixing, shapes, lines and movement in this expressive painting workshop.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Dez'Mon Omega Fair
Supplies:
-Paper or Canvas/any size works (5x7" or smaller suggested)
-Acrylic paint
-Palette (or palette paper or a plate)
-Brushes (round and flat)
-Cup of water
-Paper towels
-Pencil
-Palette knife (optional)
Click here to register!
Drawing: Summer Scene in Colored Pencils
June 22nd
1:30 - 2:30pm PT
Capture summer's delight in this drawing workshop. Using colored pencils, participants will learn layering, depth, and blending to bring a summer scene to life.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Tammy Leaver
Supplies:
-Colored Pencils
-Blending stump
-Mixed Media or Drawing Paper (natural or tan color - "neutral tone")
-Tissue or rag for blending
Workshop Recordings
Merrill Gardens (MG)
Merrill Gardens (MG)


3D: Egg Carton Animal Portraits (April 6)

Acrylic Painting: Loveable Lilacs (April 4)

