About us
Glad you found us! Portland Art Guild is a supportive, inclusive group of art enthusiasts of all art skill levels. We're about creating community, improving our art skills, and providing low cost art classes to the public so learning about art is accessible to all. We host social/art events and aim to provide display opportunities.
We rent a wonderful, large space for Mondays, so that's usually when we hold in-person classes, although occasionally this may vary. Our online classes are generally on Thursday evenings, although this may vary. We always have many more people in our classes than it shows on Meetup, by the way.
We're a nonprofit run by volunteers, and you can join us and be part of our volunteer team. Information about joining the Guild is on our website. You can still take our classes without becoming a PAG member. Official sign-up for our classes is on our website: **https://portlandartguild.org/**
Benefits of Guild Membership include:
-Substantial discount on our art classes.
-Opportunities to exhibit/market your work and enter our in-house competitions.
-Attend informative Membership Meetings followed by free art technique demos.
-Make new friends!
-Volunteer and be part of a team
To sign up for membership or for more information see our website.
**https://portlandartguild.org/**
Upcoming events
4
Geeking Out on Watercolors and Botanical Illustration
Portland Art Guild, 3201 NE 148th Ave, Portland, OR, USPLEASE NOTE: Official signup is through our website: Portland Art Guild
$50/PAG members and $100/Nonmembers
10 am – 2 pm on August 24th and 31stIllustrating botanical subject matter in watercolor is a time-honored tradition, with its ancient roots (pardon the pun) in illustrating plants to document and explain their medical properties. Fast forward to the Renaissance era, and we see the tradition expand beyond medicinal illustrations to include documenting flora (and fauna) as part of scientific inquiry. During the age of exploration it was used to illustrate what was found in far-flung parts of the globe. And it has never gone away – people are as fascinated today by stunning, detailed, well-rendered botanical subject matter. Indeed, it continues to have commercial value as there are aspects for which illustration is still a better means to document the natural world than photography.
Unlike some watercolor techniques that rely on quickness, many botanical artists work very slowly, relying on skills such as observation, knowledge of rendering 3D form through color theory and shading, taking advantage of the characteristics of watercolors, and working through composition challenges, to create stunningly realistic plant portraits. This workshop will introduce all of these technical elements and share what I’ve learned over the years about how to apply them.
Find your supply list here.
2 attendeesGeeking Out on Watercolors and Botanical Illustration
Portland Art Guild, 3201 NE 148th Ave, Portland, OR, USPLEASE NOTE: Official signup is through our website: Portland Art Guild
$50/PAG members and $100/Nonmembers
10 am – 2 pm on August 24th and 31stIllustrating botanical subject matter in watercolor is a time-honored tradition, with its ancient roots (pardon the pun) in illustrating plants to document and explain their medical properties. Fast forward to the Renaissance era, and we see the tradition expand beyond medicinal illustrations to include documenting flora (and fauna) as part of scientific inquiry. During the age of exploration it was used to illustrate what was found in far-flung parts of the globe. And it has never gone away – people are as fascinated today by stunning, detailed, well-rendered botanical subject matter. Indeed, it continues to have commercial value as there are aspects for which illustration is still a better means to document the natural world than photography.
Unlike some watercolor techniques that rely on quickness, many botanical artists work very slowly, relying on skills such as observation, knowledge of rendering 3D form through color theory and shading, taking advantage of the characteristics of watercolors, and working through composition challenges, to create stunningly realistic plant portraits. This workshop will introduce all of these technical elements and share what I’ve learned over the years about how to apply them.
Find your supply list here.
3 attendees
CREATE A SERIES: Drawing with Paint
Portland Art Guild, 3201 NE 148th Ave, Portland, OR, USPLEASE NOTE: Official signup is through our website: Portland Art Guild
$25/PAG members and $50/Nonmembers
Sept. 14, 2026
10am – 2pm
$25/Members or $50/Non-membersWant to improve your drawing skills through a fun approach of using paint instead of traditional pencil? In this workshop, students will create a series of paintings based on cats, dogs, and/or birds, with reference materials provided by the instructor. We will cover basic drawing techniques for achieving proportional facial features, learn how to use line sparingly and calligraphically, and cover how to apply paint with restraint so we can suggest form without overstating it.
Find a full supply list here: Portland Art Guild.
1 attendee
Painting Carefree Summer Flowers
Portland Art Guild, 3201 NE 148th Ave, Portland, OR, USPLEASE NOTE: Official signup is through our website: Portland Art Guild
September 21st, 10am-2pm
$25/PAG members and $50/NonmembersImagine you’re sitting next to a wildflower patch on a breezy, warm
summer afternoon and the flowers are moving gently in the wind. You
are delighted with the soft sway of light, color, and shapes. It almost
looks like an abstract painting, you think to yourself. In this class, we’ll
learn how to capture that feeling with watercolor and gouache. We’ll
learn how to play with color theory, shapes, and mark-making to paint
loose florals that are recognizable yet abstract. Amy will show you her
favorite color mixes and encourage you to work intuitively to create
colorful “flowerscapes” and bouquets. She will share her own work,
provide printed inspirations, and demonstrate her painting process.Sign up here: Portland Art Guild
1 attendee
Past events
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