Studio Classes
Studio Classes enable you to expand your art-making skills through guided, step-by-step instruction with expert teaching artists. Over multiple weeks, you will learn alongside other creative adults and delve deeply into the artistic process, explore new techniques, and build your practice.
Spring 2025 Course Catalog
Thursdays, April 24–May 15
4 Weeks | 1:30–4 p.m.
Introduction to Painting: Color Theory and Mixing
Through observation and practical exercises, gain an understanding of how colors are affected by the proximity, size, location, or quantity of other colors in a painting, and create a series of abstract color compositions that highlight these principles.
Price: Members: $200 | Not-Yet-Members: $250
Instructor: Daniel Mantilla
Level: Introductory
Tuesdays, April 15–May 6
4 Weeks | 1:30–4 p.m.
Sold Out
Introduction to Smartphone Photography
Transform your smartphone snapshots into striking photographs that are rich in narrative. Familiarize yourself with your smartphone cameras and built-in editing capabilities before learning how to create an engaging composition and leverage natural light.
Price: Members: $200 | Not-Yet-Members: $250
Instructor: Michelle Alba
Level: Introductory
Tuesdays, April 22–May 13
4 Weeks | 1:30–4 p.m.
Sold Out
Introduction to Drawing
Explore a wide variety of techniques and materials in this exciting, comprehensive introduction to drawing.
Price: Members: $200 | Not-Yet-Members: $250
Instructor: Jaffia Royes
Level: Introductory
Meet Our Instructors
Daniel Mantilla is a Colombian-born artist with over a decade of experience teaching young people, families, and adults. In his paintings, drawing-collages, and cutouts, Daniel explores ideas of transition and instability. He previously lived in New York City, where he recorded instructional videos for public television. His art has been exhibited across the United States and internationally. He has studied paintings in museum collections in Spain, conducted research on cadmium-free acrylic paint, and holds an MFA from Hunter College.
Jaffia Royes is a visual artist and art educator who lived and worked in New York City for seventeen years before moving to Atlanta. As an educator, she has worked with various art organizations, museums, and schools and has taught artists of all ages, including portfolio development for those entering art and design colleges and universities. While Jaffia’s primary medium for over two decades has been oil painting, she began developing a body of work in clay a few years ago as a creative way to house her ever-growing plant collection. Her passions for art and plant life allow space for her to practice mindfulness, serenity, and self-care, which she brings into the classroom and hopes to encourage through her teaching.
Loi Laing is a visual artist and educator specializing in fiber art, natural dyeing, earth pigments, and botanical inks. She is committed to sustainability and is passionate about connecting people with nature through art. Her workshops emphasize the use of locally sourced, eco-friendly materials, fostering creativity and respect for the environment. By sharing ancient techniques alongside contemporary approaches, Loi empowers participants to explore their artistic potential while honoring the earth. Her writing is featured in the book This Long Thread: Women of Color on Craft, Community, and Connection (2021) by Jen Hewett.
Purna Ahuja is a graphic artist turned art educator. As a graphic artist, she worked in publishing in New York and Atlanta with a specialization in children’s books. Her passion for educational materials inspired her to change careers, and she worked as an art educator for Gwinnett County Public Schools for twenty-one years, using multidisciplinary and STEAM-based methods to teach students of diverse needs and abilities. She has served as a juror to select high school students for the Governor’s Honors Program and has also been a supervising mentor for several art education students at Georgia State University.
Michelle Alba is a teaching artist at the High Museum of Art, where she works with children, families, adults, and older adults. She has taught arts-integrated curriculum involving photography, video, visual arts, music, and theater since 2001, both in Chicago and Atlanta. She holds a BA in art education from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Learn More
Registration
The registration fee includes all materials, weekly access to world-class art on view in the museum’s galleries and special exhibitions, hours of expert instruction, and additional access to a Friday afternoon Open Studio during the run of the class.
Class size is limited to facilitate individual instruction. Registration is first come, first served. Members receive a discount.
Materials
All materials are included in your registration fee. There is no fee for additional materials, and students are not expected to provide their own materials.
Location
Studio Classes are held in the Greene Family Education Center, which is located in the Lower Level of the Stent Family Wing. Most classes also include guided tours of the museum’s world-class art and architecture.
Open Studio
Current class registrants are invited to join Open Studio on Friday afternoons. Enjoy access to the museum’s galleries, as well as class materials, unstructured time to hone your skills and further your projects, and casual exchange with other class participants.
Refund Policy
To receive a refund, students must submit their request by email or phone no later than one week before the first class. No refunds or transfers will be offered after this time. The museum is not responsible for classes missed due to student absences.
Cancelation Policy
All classes require a minimum enrollment to proceed. The High Museum of Art reserves the right to cancel, reschedule, or combine classes; change instructors; and change classroom assignments when necessary. Any cancellation or change made to a scheduled class will be made a minimum of one week prior to the first class. Students will be notified via the email or phone number they provided at registration. Full refunds will be issued for classes canceled due to under-enrollment before the session begins.
For questions or to register, email culturecollective@high.org or call 404-733-5034.