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: 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
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
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
Quarter 3, 2026 Workshops
(July - September)
Mixed Media: Mosaic of Life
July 6th
1:30 - 2:30pm PT
This workshop incorporates inspiring pieces of life-reflective elements that will be brought together into a mosaic-like composition.
We'll collage with photographic, small (recycled) 2D art works, magazines, greeting cards, short expressive watercolor and drawing exercises blended with collaged elements.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Adrianna Santiago
Supplies:
-Mixed media paper
-Colored pencils
-Markers
-Watercolor paints
-Water container
-Brush
-Paper towels
-Salt
-Masking tape
-Scissors
-Glue stick or bottled glue
-Magazines
-Greeting cards
-Original or printed
-Photographs
Creative Writing: Writing Summer Stories in Memoir
July 27th
1:30 - 2:30pm PT
Memories are built from the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and feelings we take in day to day. In this workshop, we'll focus on specific memorable summer moments and use various exercises to get them on the page.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Pearl Klein
Supplies needed:
-Paper
-Something to write with
-A summertime photo or memento (if you have one)
Click here to register!
Collage: Music in Bloom
August 15th
10:30 - 11:30am PT
In this online workshop, participants will create a collage inspired by music depicting florals and greenery. As we listen to a few short musical selections, we will explore the inner landscape and sensations they elicit through blossoming melodies and whimsical musical features. Using paper, magazine clippings, and simple materials from home, participants will arrange and layer images to create a collage that reflects their own response to the music.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Sarah McKiddy
Supplies:
-A few sheets of paper or cardstock for the final collage base
-Old magazines, catalogs, scrap paper, wrapping paper, patterned paper, or origami paper
-Scissors
-Glue stick or liquid glue
-Pen or pencil
Optional:
-Colored pencils, markers, or crayons
-Printed images of flowers, gardens, landscapes, or other nature scenes
-Scraps of tissue paper, ribbon, or fabric for texture
Watercolor Painting: Cloud Imaginings
September 14th
1:30 - 2:30pm PT
In this workshop participants will explore painting clouds using wet and dry watercolor techniques then add detailing with colored pencil, marker and pastels to enhance the imagined scenes, creatures or animals within the painted cloud forms.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Adrianna Santiago
Supplies:
-Mixed media paper
-Colored pencils markers
-Watercolor paints
-Water container
-Brush
-Paper towels
-Masking tape
-Colored pencil
-Markers
Optional:
-Oil or chalk pastels
Watercolor Painting: Sip & Paint Summer Garden with Ink
July 11th
10:30 - 11:30am PT
In this watercolor workshop participants will explore color mixing, wet-on-wet washes and ink detail to capture the whimsy of a summer garden.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Tammy Leaver
Supplies:
-Watercolor paper
-Watercolor paints
-Brushes (flat and round)
-Water container
-Paper towels
-Pencil
-Ultra thin permanent marker or ink pen
Click here to register!
Watercolor Painting: Exploring the Color Wheel
August 1st
10:30 - 11:30am PT
In this workshops participants learn how colors mix, match, and complement one another while creating a watercolor painting.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Tammy Leaver
Supplies:
-Watercolor paint set (with brush/brushes)
-Watercolor paper
-Pencil and eraser
-Water container
Optional:
-Reference photo for inspiration
Click here to register!
Mixed Media: Botanical Based Art
August 24th
1:30 - 2:30pm PT
In this workshop participants will create images of herb plants and learn about botanical based art practices. Drawing, painting and printmaking with leaves will be explored through this workshop.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Adrianna Santiago
Supplies:
-Mixed media paper
-Colored pencils
-Markers
-Watercolor paints
-Water container
-Brush
-Paper towels
-Masking tape
Optional:
-Herbal tea for sipping while painting, herbal leaves for use as reference and printing
Acrylic Painting: Sip & Paint Dahlias
September 26th
10:30 - 11:30am PT
In this acrylics workshop participants will explore composition, brushwork and use of a palette knife to paint colorful dahlias.
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
Optional:
-Palette knife
Acrylic Painting: Sip & Paint Sunflowers
July 18th
10:30 - 11:30am PT
In this acrylics workshop participants will explore composition and brushwork to paint a mosaic-inspired image of a sunflower.
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
Optional:
-Palette knife
Click here to register!
Mixed Media: Cubism Still Life
August 10th
1:30 - 2:30pm PT
Learn about and create cubist inspired still life artwork that depicts everyday items from the trash, kitchen and natural worlds. This mixed media process will include the mediums of drawing, watercolor painting and using masking tape stencils to create patterns.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Adrianna Santiago
Supplies:
-Mixed media paper
-Colored pencils
-Markers
-Watercolor paints
-Water container
-Brush
-Paper towels
-Salt
-Masking tape
Optional:
-Bring your own everyday objects from the trash kitchen or nature as reference for your creativity
Paper Arts: Weaving Summer Memories
September 12th
10:30 - 11:30am PT
In this workshop participants will summon memories and explore color, design and detail. They will cut the paper in strips then weave them together.
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Tammy Leaver
Supplies:
-2 pieces mixed media drawing paper,
-Piece of colored construction paper,
-Scissors
-Colored pencils and/or watercolor pencils
-Glue /glue stick
-Ink (black pen or ultra fine black sharpie
Visual Journaling: Self Portraits
September 28th
1:30 - 2:30pm PT
In this mixed media visual journaling workshop participants are guided to create self-portraits integrating different parts of themselves using symbolic images
Facilitated by SilverKite® Teaching Artist Adrianna Santiago
Supplies:
-Mixed media paper
-Colored pencils
-Markers
-Watercolor paints
-Water container
-Brush
-Paper towels
-Salt
-Masking tape
-Scissors
-Glue
Optional:
-Photos or copies of photos of yourself for collaging or to use as reference for drawing and or painting
Workshop Recordings
Merrill Gardens (MG)
Merrill Gardens (MG)
Creative Writing: Signal Stories in Memoir (May 18)
Watercolor Painting: Garden Roses (May 16)
