Painting Botanicals in Watercolors with Charlotte Chastain
Fridays, June 9, 16, 23, and 30 (4 sessions)
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: First Coast Cultural Center
3972 Third St. South, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
Cost: $160

Charlotte S. Chastain has had an extreme love of flowers and gardening all her life. Charlotte is excited to share her love of flowers in this 4-week watercolor series. From Redoute's botanicals to modern day renditions, learn how to paint a variety of compositions of flowers. For your own personal pleasure, come draw and paint with Charlotte. During this class, you will learn about botanical illustrations, explore color and composition, and gain experience in painting still lifes with live flowers as your subject.
Supply list will be provided.
Creative Watercolors with Mix Media on Zoom with Elaine Bergstrom
Tuesdays, 10 AM - 12 PM
June 13 - July 11 (4 sessions)
Location: Zoom
Cost: $130

Explore the magic of Watercolors with a variety of mediums. Producing creative art with techniques to inspire any artist at any level.
This class will involve playful processes.
Supply list will be provided.


Intro to Acrylics Workshop with Charlotte Chastain
Friday - Saturday, 10 AM - 3 PM
July 14 - 15
Location: First Coast Cultural Center
3972 Third St. South, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
Cost: $200

Explore color during this seascape/landscape workshop!
Her love of the beach… and the land… she wants to share with you!
This acrylics workshop will explore mixing colors from a limited palette. You will be shown a variety of painting techniques. Charlotte will discuss planning your painting’s layout, design, and composition. You will choose from four of Charlotte’s photos and she will help you paint a wonderful seascape or landscape step-by-step.
Charlotte will share the transparent underpainting method she uses to give her paintings a vibrant glow with clean fresh color. Also, some emphasis will be spent creating strong value studies before beginning to paint. Ms. Chastain will work with each of you individually to help you develop your own style of painting. Hopefully, you will complete two paintings during this workshop.
A message from Charlotte:
Mixing paint is such fun and so important, and I can’t wait to show you some of my ways of mixing color! Apply these methods as you are guided into the creation of your very own seascape or landscape. You will learn how to simplify complex shapes and depict form through observation of light and shadow patterns. Bring some of your favorite photographs of landscapes and seascapes, etc. and I’ll be ready to help you choose the best for day two!
Treat this workshop as a springboard to launch you into the world of painting with acrylics.
Come imagine a painting! And paint with me!


Seascapes and Landscapes Acrylic Painting with Charlotte Chastain
Tuesdays, 10 AM - 12 PM
August 15 - September 19
Location: First Coast Cultural Center
3972 Third St. South, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
Cost: $200

If you have never picked up a paint brush before, that's OK! Join this series with Charlotte Chastain. She will introduce you to the world of acrylic painting and the fun of getting lost in time while applying paint to canvas.
This acrylic series will explore basic tips on layout, design and composition, the color wheel and mixing colors from a limited palette, value contrasts, juxtaposition of subject matters, perspective, and more. You will be shown a variety of painting techniques. Charlotte will share the transparent underpainting method she uses to give her paintings a vibrant glow. Initially, you may choose from four of Charlotte's photos. She will help you paint an exciting seascape and/or landscape step-by-step.
A Message from Charlotte:
The ocean is one of the most challenging, but satisfying subjects an artist can seek to capture. From such complicated scenes, we will challenge ourselves to isolate one fraction of a moment and simplify it onto your canvas. We will explore painting seascapes and landscapes from your photos or other references. I will have several photos of scenes to choose which will be sent prior to class. I will work with each of you individually to help develop your own style of painting. Come paint in this series and be influenced by applying my magical way of mixing color to create your unique paintings. Treat this series as a springboard to launch into the world of painting with acrylics.
Come imagine a painting! And come paint with me!


How to Watercolor with Teresa Cook
Wednesdays, 10 AM - 12 PM
August 16 -September 6
Location: First Coast Cultural Center
3972 Third St. South, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
Cost: $190

A message from the instructor, Teresa Cook:
Learning how to paint watercolor has been the most fulfilling aspect of my art career. I have learned to appreciate color in so many ways and how you can easily transform something you see into your own form of art. Now let me show you.
During the first week of class, we will go over some of my everyday materials and more. Then we will work on basic methods of painting watercolor through making a color wheel, layering colors, color mixing, the wet-n-wet method, dry brush method, and more. All of the basics of watercolor can be applied to all your future watercolor fun. During the second week, we will talk about how to use the methods from the previous week on different types of paper. We will work on cold-pressed, hot-pressed, mixed media, and Yupo paper. During the third week, we will work on my favorite drawing method called, “blind contour drawing.” During the final week, we will use the watercolor methods and this drawing style to create an image of Jacksonville.
This class is to help you learn how to paint watercolor and use the tools to create your own art for future projects. Come learn watercolor with me. I am so excited to paint with you.
This workshop also includes a dot card of the colors I use for painting, my How to Watercolor PDF printout, and a round watercolor brush.
All supplies will be provided.


Gold Leaf Mini Painting Workshop with Rachael Sharpe
Saturday, 10 AM - 12 PM
August 20
Location: First Coast Cultural Center
3972 Third St. South, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
Cost: $60

In this workshop you will learn how to use gold leaf. You will learn about the necessary materials and techniques in order to embellish your own projects with gold leaf. You will learn the techniques to create beautiful abstract flowers on 4” x 4” mini canvas for the first half of the class. For the second half of class, we will focus on gold leaf techniques to create custom designs. You’re also welcome to bring one of your own projects to embellish.
About the Artist:
Rachael is a self-taught artist with a degree in psychology. She heavily draws inspiration from her experiences living and working abroad along with elements of humanistic psychology. Working with resin, clay, watercolor and acrylics she is constantly adding new media and skills to her repertoire. She is a full-time artist working in Jacksonville.

Abstract Human figures/Pop-surrealism with Rachael Sharpe
Thursdays, 10 AM - 12 PM
September 7 - 28 (4 sessions)
Location: First Coast Cultural Center
Cost: $160

This acrylics workshop will combine elements of pop-surrealism with portrait painting. There will be an emphasis on composition, values and color theory to create vivid works of expression. We also will learn techniques to enter the flow state and access the inner surrealist. Alongside artistic techniques and rules of composition we will also be learning that there are no rules when it comes to your inner artist. This is a workshop for those looking to experience a new way of approaching art or to reinvigorate their own practice. By the end of this workshop you will have your own unique piece to take home with you and the skills to create more.
Supply list will be provided.
About the artist:
Rachael is a self-taught artist with a degree in psychology. She heavily draws inspiration from her experiences living and working abroad along with elements of humanistic psychology. Working with resin, clay, watercolor and acrylics she is constantly adding new media and skills to her repertoire. She is a full-time artist working in Jacksonville.


Sumi Painting with Elaine Bergstrom
Fridays, 10 AM - 12 PM
September 8 - November 3 (8 sessions)
Location: First Coast Cultural Center
Cost: $260

Begin the journey of Traditional Oriental Painting with Step by Step Sumi Ink brush instructions with Elaine.
Learn the specific color mixing and applications of the Four gentlemen which are the foundations of all Bird and flower Paintings in The Japanese and Chinese Sumi painting:
Wild Orchids, Chrysanthemums, Bamboo and Plum Blossoms.
A supply list will be provided in advance of the class.


Watercolors with Six Tubes on Zoom with Elaine Bergstrom
Tuesdays, 6:30 - 8:30 PM
September 12 - October 31 (8 sessions)
Location: Zoom
Cost: $245

Learn a variety of watercolor techniques using a limited palette of six colors – three warm and three cool tubes.
Explore glazing vs. mixing colors and develop your loose or realistic painting style with different applications and brush strokes.
All levels welcomed. Begin where you are or refresh what you may have forgotten.
A supply list will be provided in advance of the class.


Drawing a Realistic Portrait from a Photo 3-day Workshop with Christina Mastrangelo
Friday - Sunday, 10 AM - 5 PM
October 13, 14, and 15
Location: First Coast Cultural Center
Cost: $300

Cultivate your creativity with this pen and ink drawing and watercolor painting class. Inspired by Vincent van Gogh, this 6-weeks series will be held Tuesdays from 10AM-12PM beginning October 3. This class expands on concepts taught in a previous course by the same name in Fall of 2022; however, this series is open to any interested student.
While returning students are welcome, you do NOT have to have taken the previous class to enroll in this one!
Beginner to intermediate students will explore a range of drawing and watercolor painting fundamentals, including perspective, the color wheel, layout and design, juxtaposition, and composition. Instructor Charlotte Chastain will demonstrate several ways to achieve a successful drawing and painting, while incorporating Van Gogh’s signature brush strokes and other line drawing techniques. Students will be invited to bring favorite photos or images on which to base their drawings and paintings, with weekly themes, i.e. landscapes/architecture, seascapes, garden scenes, flowers, and shells.
A supply list will be provided in advance of the class.


Pen and Ink Drawing and Watercolor Painting with Charlotte Chastain: Inspired by Van Gogh
Tuesdays, 10 AM - 12 PM
October 3 - November 7 (6 sessions)
Location: First Coast Cultural Center
Cost: $200

Cultivate your creativity with this pen and ink drawing and watercolor painting class. Inspired by Vincent van Gogh, this 6-weeks series will be held Tuesdays from 10AM-12PM beginning October 3. This class expands on concepts taught in a previous course by the same name in Fall of 2022; however, this series is open to any interested student.
While returning students are welcome, you do NOT have to have taken the previous class to enroll in this one!
Beginner to intermediate students will explore a range of drawing and watercolor painting fundamentals, including perspective, the color wheel, layout and design, juxtaposition, and composition. Instructor Charlotte Chastain will demonstrate several ways to achieve a successful drawing and painting, while incorporating Van Gogh’s signature brush strokes and other line drawing techniques. Students will be invited to bring favorite photos or images on which to base their drawings and paintings, with weekly themes, i.e. landscapes/architecture, seascapes, garden scenes, flowers, and shells.
A supply list will be provided in advance of the class.


Virtual Private Piano/Violin/Cello Lessons with Sabrina Krisberg
Timing as convenient for student and instructor
For more information, please contact Toni Thomas, Programs Manager at 904-280-0614 ext.1206 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
These programs are sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.