Whether you are brand new to the arts or have been at it a while, CHAW has something for everyone. We meet you where you are. Sign up for a class to experience the magic of CHAW today!
Visual Arts
*All visual arts registrations include an annual membership for the Capitol Hill Art League.
Friday Art Challenge:
Bookbinding — Introduction to Coptic Stitch
Teaching Artist – Stephanie Morse
03/28/2025
Friday, 10:00am-12:00pm
Tuition – $35.00
Bookbinding and book arts has a long history as a craft. In this workshop we will scratch the surface by introducing tools and have a tutorial on a coptic stitch style of binding. Students can expect to go home with a handmade book and hopefully a new appreciation and love to continue the practice at home! No experience is required and all materials will be provided. All materials are provided.
Friday Art Challenge: Three Crayon Drawing Technique
Teaching Artist – Will Fleishell
02/28/2025 and 03/14/2028
Friday, 10:00am-12:00pm
Tuition – $35.00
Now you can acquire a glimmer of the resplendence of the great masters of western art by joining us for the three crayon drawing challenge. Dating back to the Renaissance, times this form of drawing was taught and practiced by the best painters. It is an intermediary between sketching and painting. You can create three dimensional and beautifully lit scenes, portraits, figures, and even still life by drawing in this manner. Learn to turn your drawings into treasures that everyone is going to want. We will have two hours to draw directly from a human figure. Let’s see what kind of magic we can conjure! All materials are provided.
NOTE: This challenge will be repeated on Friday, March 14. These are two separate challenges — register for one or both!
Traditional Inking
Teaching Artist – Blas Goncalves-Borrega
02/24/2025 – 03/17/2025
Mondays, 6:30-8:30pm
Tuition – $170.00
Want to create art the way professional comic artists and cartoonists do? Learn the traditional techniques that have been used by cartoonists for the past 100 years. Blas Goncalves-Borrega is a traditional cartoonist who will teach you how to use ink like the pros! You will learn a variety of techniques, so that you can create cartoons and drawings with your own unique look.
All materials are provided.
Acrylic Painting
Teaching Artist – Will Fleishell
03/31/2025 – 05/05/2025
Mondays, 6:30-8:30pm
Tuition – $250.00
This class is a thorough introduction to acrylic painting. Over the course of the session, students will learn the basic techniques of acrylic painting and practice their new skills. This class is great for developing foundational painting skills like materials handling and color mixing.
All materials are provided.
Basic Drawing
Teaching Artist – Blas Goncalves-Borrega
04/01/2025 – 05/06/2025
Tuedays, 6:30-8:30pm
Tuition – $250.00
This class provides the technical foundation for basic drawing and sketching. Lessons include human anatomy, atmospheric perspective, shading, mark making, and some material exploration.
Materials: 18×24″ newsprint drawing pad, 18×24″ Strathmore 300 or 400 series Cold Press drawing pad, Kneaded eraser, Set of charcoal sticks, Drawing pencils. These are available at art supply stores such as Blick Art Materials. CHAW will supply the easel and storage, if needed.
Drawing and Collage Fundamentals
Teaching Artist – Carolina Mayorga
02/25/2025 – 03/11/2025
Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30pm
Tuition – $125.00
This workshop studies drawing through assignments that incorporate the art of collaging into the concepts of shape, perspective and composition. Get ready to have fun with a technique explored by modern and contemporary artists. Spanish speakers welcome.
Materials: 12×9″ mixed media paper pad. See suggested link: https://www.dickblick.com/items/canson-xl-mix-media-pad-12-x-9-portrait-60-sheets/ All other materials will be provided.
Spanish speakers welcome!
Contemporary Colored Pencils
Teaching Artist – Sarah Jamison
02/26/2025 – 4/02/2025
Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30pm
Tuition – $250.00
Students will learn drawing techniques emphasizing the joy of creation. Everyone will create a piece (or pieces) of artwork based around Sarah’s specific artist practice and area of expertise – drawing from a collaged photo reference. All materials are provided.
Figure Drawing
Teaching Artist – Will Fleishell
02/22/2025 – 03/29/2025
Saturdays, 11:30am – 2:30pm
Tuition – $350.00
Each class will include a nude model who will pose for warm ups, short exercises and one or more longer drawing sessions for a variety of practice.
Materials: 18×24″ newsprint drawing pad, 18×24″ Strathmore 300 or 400 series Cold Press drawing pad, kneaded eraser and soft vine charcoal. CHAW can supply the easel and storage if needed.
Ceramics
Five-Day Pottery Intensive
Teaching Artist – Sarah Winston
03/03/2025 – 03/07/2025
Monday-Friday, 12:00-2:00pm
Tuition – $225.00
Do you have some extra time on your hands?
Join CHAW’s ceramics studio for a five day pottery intensive from Monday, March 3rd through Friday, March 7, every day from 12:00-2:00pm. This class is open to beginners, intermediate, and advanced students. All materials are provided.
This class will open for registration at 12:00pm (noon) on Tuesday, February 25.
Carving Custom Ceramic Stamps
Teaching Artist – Nick Wittkofski
03/10/2025 – 03/31/2025
Mondays, 6:30-8:30pm
Tuition – $180.00
In this short session, we will focus on carving custom ceramic “stamps” that can be used on thrown or handbuilt work. We will explore maker’s marks, textured stamps, graphic stamps, roller stamps, and small press molds with relief patterns. All materials are provided.
Beginner Workshop
Teaching Artist – Rebecca Bock
03/13/2025 – 04/03/2025
Thursdays, 6:30-8:30pm
Tuition – $180.00
During this 4-session workshop, you will get all materials and instruction to learn how to throw on the wheel. By the final session, you should have 2 or more pieces to glaze. Pieces will be ready for pick-up during any open studio session in April (Saturdays 9-11:30). All materials are provided.
Wheel & Handbuilding – Intermediate to Advanced
Teaching Artist – Nick Wittkofski
01/06/2025 – 03/03/2025
Mondays, 6:30-8:30pm
Tuition – $315.00
Students will receive minimal instruction. Classes will primarily be supervised time on the wheels and hand building. Ability to center clay on your own is recommended. All materials are provided.
No class on January 20 or February 17.
Wheel and Handbuilding – Beginner
Teaching Artist – Selina Tran
01/21/2025 – 03/11/2025
Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30pm
Tuition – $360.00
Handbuilding and wheel throwing will be covered in this course with plenty of time and space for you to find your own niche and create something beautiful to take home. All materials are provided.
Wheel and Handbuilding – Beginner
Teaching Artist – Rebecca Bock
01/16/2025 – 02/27/2025
Thursdays, 6:30-8:30pm
Tuition – $315.00
Handbuilding and wheel throwing will be covered in this course with plenty of time and space for you to find your own niche and create something beautiful to take home. All materials are provided.
Wheel and Handbuilding – Beginner
Teaching Artist – Sarah Winston
01/11/2025 – 03/01/2025
Saturdays, 12:00-2:00pm
Tuition – $315.00
Handbuilding and wheel throwing will be covered in this course with plenty of time and space for you to find your own niche and create something beautiful to take home. All materials are provided.
Photography
Intro to Film Development
Teaching Artist – Olivia Weise
02/25/2025 – 02/25/2025
Tuesday, 6:00-9:00pm
Tuition – $90.00
This class is designed for folks who shoot film but have no prior experience (or need a refresher) developing their own film by hand. Please bring one fully exposed, but undeveloped, roll of 35mm OR 120mm black and white film (sorry, we cannot process color film in our darkroom). At the end of the class, you will have one developed roll of negatives which can be digitally scanned or printed traditionally in a darkroom.
Making prints from film negatives in the darkroom is a separate process which can be learned in one of our printing-specific group classes, or in a private lesson with a darkroom instructor. Please contact photography@chaw.org with any questions!
Intro to Printing from Film Negatives
Teaching Artist – Olivia Weise
02/27/2025 – 02/27/2025
Thursday, 6:00-9:00pm
Tuition – $90.00
This class is designed for folks who shoot film but have no prior experience (or need a refresher) making their own prints in a darkroom. Please bring one developed, cut and sleeved roll of 35mm OR 120mm black and white film (sorry, we cannot make color prints in our darkroom). We will begin with a short discussion on analyzing a negative for printing and the benefits of making a contact sheet to evaluate your exposures. At the end of class, you will have one contact sheet and one print from a selected negative.
Developing film will not be covered in this class, so please come prepared with fully developed negatives. Film development can be learned in a separate group class or in a private lesson with a darkroom instructor. Please contact photography@chaw.org with any questions!
March 8 Intro to Darkroom:
Seminar on Printing Black & White Film
Teaching Artist – Carol Antezana
03/08/2025 – 03/08/2025
Saturday, 9:00-2:00pm
Tuition – $135.00
The seminar is designed for folks who shoot film but have no prior darkroom experience. In the seminar, you will learn the basics of film development and print making. At the end of the seminar you will have one roll of developed film, one contact sheet, and one print. Please bring one full (undeveloped) roll of 35mm or 120mm black and white film to the seminar. If you need help unloading the film from your camera, Carol can help you.
NOTE: For anyone 18 yrs+. Contact photography@chaw.org if you have any specific questions regarding the seminar.
April 5 Intro to Darkroom:
Seminar on Printing Black & White Film
Teaching Artist – Carol Antezana
04/05/2025 – 04/05/2025
Saturday, 9:00-2:00pm
Tuition – $135.00
The seminar is designed for folks who shoot film but have no prior darkroom experience. In the seminar, you will learn the basics of film development and print making. At the end of the seminar you will have one roll of developed film, one contact sheet, and one print. Please bring one full (undeveloped) roll of 35mm or 120mm black and white film to the seminar. If you need help unloading the film from your camera, Carol can help you.
NOTE: For anyone 18 yrs+. Contact photography@chaw.org if you have any specific questions regarding the seminar.
May 3 Intro to Darkroom:
Seminar on Printing Black & White Film
Teaching Artist – Carol Antezana
05/03/2025 – 05/03/2025
Saturday, 9:00-2:00pm
Tuition – $135.00
The seminar is designed for folks who shoot film but have no prior darkroom experience. In the seminar, you will learn the basics of film development and print making. At the end of the seminar you will have one roll of developed film, one contact sheet, and one print. Please bring one full (undeveloped) roll of 35mm or 120mm black and white film to the seminar. If you need help unloading the film from your camera, Carol can help you.
NOTE: For anyone 18 yrs+. Contact photography@chaw.org if you have any specific questions regarding the seminar.
In the Darkroom: Black & White Printing
Teaching Artist – Russell Barajas
01/11/2025 – 03/01/2025
Saturday, 9:00-1:00pm
Tuition – $550.00
The six week long class is designed for all levels (novice to advanced). Students will learn (or expand upon) the basics of printing from negatives, and the proper workflow of a darkroom, as well as learn to critique their work with colleagues. During critique, we will discuss the technical qualities of the finished prints, as well as the aesthetic choices made. This can be adapted to fit each student’s level of experience. Students will be encouraged to photograph what excites them, but Russell can offer optional guidance (or challenges) if desired.
NEEDED: A working film camera. Students should have a basic familiarity with the working of the camera and know how to load the film, take a roll of images, and safely unload the roll. Film should be processed outside of class time. Recommended: for beginners: 1 box of at least 50 sheets of RC black and white photographic printing paper. For students with some experience, you have the option of printing on fiber paper.
No class on February 1 or February 8.
NOTE: For anyone 18 yrs+. Contact photography@chaw.org if you have any specific questions regarding this class.
Dance and Theater
Broadway Tap
Teaching Artist – Heather Whyte
03/31/2025 – 05/12/2025
Mondays, 6:00-6:55pm
Tuition – $145.00
Learn to shuffle, flap, and all the basics to get you moving.
No class on Monday, April 28.
Broadway Jazz
Teaching Artist – Heather Whyte
03/31/2025 – 05/12/2025
Mondays, 7:00-7:55pm
Tuition – $145.00
This jazz class will include floor exercises based on centering, isolation, strength building, and balance. A new combination of steps will be introduced each class to work on coordination.
No class on Monday, April 28.
Ballet
Teaching Artist – Heather Whyte
03/31/2025 – 05/12/2025
Mondays, 8:00-8:55pm
Tuition – $145.00
This class emphasizes the fundamentals of ballet and encourages ballet as a means of improved body awareness, poise, grace, musicality, flexibility, and self-expression. Classes are structured to include warm-up exercises, barre technique and center floor work. Ballet shoes and comfortable clothes are recommended. No prior dance experience required. Returning students will build on prior knowledge.
No class on Monday, April 28.
Adult Heels
Teaching Artist – Brynn Bodair
01/07/2024 – 02/25/2024
Tuesdays, 7:15-8:40pm
Tuition – $190.00
Explore the technicality and fluidity of jazz-based movement, hard-hitting hip hop influence, as well as sensual floorwork and movement as you experience heels dancing. All experience levels and bodies are welcome as modifications and adjustments will be offered as necessary. A pair of heels that you feel comfortable moving in or sneakers are recommended.
Register for all 8 weeks, or for one week at a time.
Stretch & Mobility
Teaching Artist – Brynn Bodair
01/08/2024 – 02/26/2024
Wednesdays, 7:45-8:35pm
Tuition – $190.00
Increase flexibility, mobility, proprioception, and balance as well as build strength with dance inspired bodyweight exercises. All experience levels and bodies are welcome as modifications and adjustments will be offered as necessary. Clothing suitable for movement is recommended. Mats are available for use.
Register for all 8 weeks, or for one week at a time.