Art Bites Classes: September 2025
$45/Class – supplies included*
AM classes: 10am – 12 pm
PM classes: 1-3 pm
*Double Art Bites Classes – $90 (10 am-2pm)
Register online or at the MAC Office
About Art Bites:
Art Bites is a fun way to try out all different kinds of art mediums without investing a lot of time and money. Our instructors are welcoming and encourage everyone to ‘just have’ fun creating art. Try something you’ve always wondered about, or take a class with a friend or family member just for fun! Our classes run from Sept-Dec in the fall and Jan-Jun in the spring. Explore all our current Art Bites offerings here.
Ready for more? Try our Art Gems workshops and explore techniques and mediums in a more in-depth workshop setting. No experience necessary; all supplies included.
Enchanted Gardens: Acrylic Painting with Alex Carr
Sun Sep 14, 10am-12pm
Register for this class
Let’s get loose with acrylic paint and create a magical garden scene. Focusing on value and composition we will complete a flower scene using bold strokes and bright colours.
All materials provided for this class.
About the Instructor:
Alex Carr is an artist and illustrator living in Parksville BC. She loves exploring different mediums and styles, for example pencil drawing, digital illustration, acrylic painting and more. She likes to have fun with her work to express the beauty of the natural world. She is interested in a variety of subjects; be it plants, people or forest, there is always something interesting to draw or paint.
Alex is the Coordinator for the MAC School’s Creative Kids program
Palette Knife Painting with Deborah Nicol
Sun Sep 14, 1-3pm
Register for this class
A fun and creative session, using palette knife techniques and acrylics to create rich images by ‘smearing and scraping’ your paint (rather than paint brush methods), on your canvas
All materials provided for this class.
About the Instructor: Deborah Nicol is a versatile artist who works in a variety of mediums, and primarily in Acrylics. Deb started her artistic endeavors with pencil portraits, quickly moving into Oil Pastels and Oils and expanding into landscapes and paintings of children. In recent years she has moved into Acrylics and finding her true passion in Abstract venues.
Deborah’s website
Double Art Bites – Landscape Collage with Gelli Plates – Merrilyn Laursen
Sun Sep 21, 10am – 2pm
Register for this class
Create a collage landscape from papers that you have made! In the first half of the class, you’ll will be creating papers, which you’ll use in the second half to create your landscape using gelli plates, and collage method. You’ll go home with your own unique piece of art.
About the Instructor: Merrilyn Laursen lives, plays, and paints in Parksville. Her art journey started with watercolours, then progressed to acrylic paints. During Covid lockdown, online explorations introduced her to collage where she has discovered that the possibilities are endless and so exciting!!
You can find Merrilyn on Facebook and Instagram
Art Bites – Harvest Plein Air at Silver Meadows Farm
Sun Sep 28, 10am-1pm
Cost: $45
Register for this class
Join us at Silver Meadows Farm for the last Plein Air class of the year. Fall is in the air, and we’ll have a chance to paint the turning season in a place that celebrates autumn!
All art materials provided. Please bring hat, sunscreen, water bottle (for you), water and container for painting, and a folding chair.
Location of class: Silver Meadows Farm, 1019 Errington Road, Parksville
In case of inclement weather, you will be notified of a change in venue. Please provide your telephone number when you place your order so we can contact you.
About the Instructor: Since 1973, Peggy has experienced training in commercial design, illustration and painting through the Federation of Canadian Artists workshops and international events such as the famous Fabriano in Aquarello, Italy in 2015. She has attended and instructed workshops in Fabriano Italy, Spain, Croatia, Japan and beyond. She is a member and instructor with the International Watercolor Society and VAWAA (Vacation With An Artist) international organization.
Art Bites – Botanical Zentangle with Rita Blom
Sun Sep 28, 10am-12pm
Register for this class
Zentangle is a meditative art form developed 20 years ago by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. It starts with an 8-step process that includes appreciation, creation and then more appreciation.
In this class, we will cover the basic Zentangle approach using pen, pencil and paper, then add watercolour pencil techniques to embellish botanical themed tangles.
A few basic tangles (art patterns) will be used to make a piece that you will take home.
Anyone can do this and anyone can enjoy the process!
About the Instructor:
Rita Blom began studying music at 7, crafting at 16 and art as an adult. Zentangle is her art and her meditation. It is a form of line drawing that creates beautiful patterns that anyone can learn. Her current crafting passions are Nalbinding (a historical craft of single needle fabric construction), knitting and weaving.
Rita is a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT42) and holds her ARCT(T) from the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Abstract Acrylics with Deborah Nicol
Sun Sep 28, 1-3pm
Register for this class
A brilliant session creating movement, form and design using bold acrylic paint colours and abstract techniques.
All materials provided for this class.
About the Instructor: Deborah Nicol is a versatile artist who works in a variety of mediums, and primarily in Acrylics. Deb started her artistic endeavors with pencil portraits, quickly moving into Oil Pastels and Oils and expanding into landscapes and paintings of children. In recent years she has moved into Acrylics and finding her true passion in Abstract venues.
Deborah’s website
