Hair has always been one of the most psychologically loaded subjects in figurative painting — and one of the most technically misunderstood. In this six-week course, you'll learn to approach hair not as individual strands to render, but as form, light, and mass — studying braids, curls, and coils the way the Old Masters did. Working in the indirect oil painting method, you'll begin with black-and-white grisaille and build toward full color, using the back of a subject's head as your motif — a compositional choice with a long and quietly powerful tradition in art history.

Each class session includes a live demo, examples drawn from art history, and dedicated studio time on your own painting. Along the way, we'll discuss the structure of the skull and neck, how light moves across complex hair forms, and what it means — emotionally and conceptually — to paint a figure who is turned away.

Open to beginner and intermediate oil painters. Limited to 6 students.

Material list will be provided upon registration.

Class Dates:

Sept. 3

Sept. 10

Sept. 17

Sept. 24

Oct. 1

Oct. 8

Class time:

6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Price: $300 for the full series, or $65 per session

Caroline Gates Art Studios is a working artist studio, gallery, and classroom space in Greenville, SC. The studio showcases contemporary figurative and surrealist paintings by Caroline Gates, alongside select works created within the studio community. In addition to exhibitions, the space offers classes and workshops in oil painting, color theory, and professional development for artists. Caroline Gates Art Studios is dedicated to fostering both artistic growth and meaningful connection, creating an environment where emerging and established artists can learn, exhibit, and engage with the public.

This is an open figure drawing session with a nude model where we focus on the anatomy and gesture of the human form. The model will start with quick poses (1 minute, 5 minutes, 20 minutes) and end with a long pose. All levels welcome.

This class is held on the fourth Monday of the month. Dates for 2025:

March 23 - Female Model

April 27: Female Model

May 18: Male Model

June 15: Female model

July 13: Male Model

August 10: Female Model

September 14: Male Model

October 12: Female Model

$30 plus tips for the model. $5 off if you bring a friend! Please register below.

Color Theory and Cupcakes

Dates: 8/6, 8/13: 6 PM - 8:30 PM ET

Sometimes color just doesn’t seem to work–it can be confusing and frustrating to mix what seems to be the perfect color on your palette just for it to look muddy and dull on your canvas. Why does color seem to transform, sometimes in the most inconvenient ways? Join us in August for a class on color theory to demystify color and create two paintings of cupcakes along the way.

What You'll Learn:

Materials and Tools: What colors and brands are best for oil painting? What mediums do we use and why?

Basic Techniques: Learn fundamental techniques of how to mix paint, and how to choose a palette that matches your composition. How do we set up for a painting?

Color theory: How do we make one color look like another color? How do we think about light and temperature? What psychological impact does color have? How do we make color work for us?

Personal Expression: Discover ways to express your unique artistic voice through oil paint–what brush strokes and colors resonate with you?

Class Format:

This hands-on course combines demonstrations, practical exercises, and individualized instruction to help you build confidence and proficiency in oil painting. In week one, we will make a monochromatic painting of a cupcake. In week two, we will make a painting of a cupcake using the basic triadic color wheel.

Who Should Attend:

This class is perfect for beginners with no prior experience in oil painting, as well as experienced artists looking to dig deeper into color theory.

Materials:

You will need oil paint bushes, palette knife, palette (I recommend palette paper), two small square canvases (for cupcake paintings), oil paint (cadmium red light, lamp black, cadmium yellow light, ultramarine blue, titanium white), paper towels.

*If you would like me to provide the materials, you can pay a fee of $30, and I will provide everything except brushes.

Cost: $115 for both, $65 drop in rate

Caroline Gates Art Studio and the SORC are pleased to present a workshop with Mia Zoller.

Join Mia Zoller for a meditative workshop capturing the beauty of nature. Zoller will lead students through basic watercolor techniques and teach you how to capture the seasonal beauty of the upstate. Leave the workshop with a painting of a local landscape and skills to use this versatile medium all summer long!

Then float down the river admiring the beauty all around you with new eyes.

About the artist: Mia Zoller is a visual artist invested in exploring narratives surrounding the natural world, our human condition and where they intersect with the synthetic matter we leave behind.

Saturday, August 8

Session 1: 9 AM - 10:30 AM

Session 2: 11 AM- 12:30 PM

Ages 15 and up

Art Workshop: $40

Workshop + Tubing: $65

Sign up on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/river-studies-paint-and-float-workshop-tickets-1989698125655

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/river-studies-paint-and-float-workshop-tickets-1989698125655

Looking for a comfortable, well-equipped space to teach your class or workshop? My classroom studio is available for hourly rental and is ideal for artists, instructors, and creative educators.

The Space Includes

- Three 7-foot folding tables

- One 6-foot table

- Chairs

- Ten tabletop easels

Amenities

-Slop sink located in the hallway

- model stand

- Restrooms down the hall

- Microwave available in shared kitchen

- Hot water heater for tea

- Great parking!

Rental Rates

$15 for the first hour

$10 for each additional hour

Flexible scheduling available. Inquire below or email @caroline.gates.art@gmail.com for questions or to schedule today!

Have you ever looked up at the sky and admired how wonderful the clouds looked? Maybe you’ve wondered, “How would I even begin to paint that?”

In the painting workshop, participants will learn to paint clouds of all shapes, sizes, and colors using a variety of watercolor techniques. Participants will delve into the art of the cloud study as a way to understand color and form, as well as how to source reference photos, curate inspiration, and create inventive color palettes. Artist and art educator Haley Nichols will walk you through a step-by-step process of cloud painting from initial sketch to finish product, which you’ll take home. All painting materials will be provided. Personal Materials are welcome.

About the artist: Haley Nichols is a painter and illustrator based in upstate South Carolina whose work explores themes of history, nature, and femininity. With roots in both fine art and traditional crafts, Haley’s work encompasses a wide variety of media, techniques and processes. Haley earned a B.F.A. in Art History and Drawing in 2020 from the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). She has exhibited work in both state and national exhibitions, including having her work displayed in the United States Capitol.

Saturday, July 18

Session 1: 9 AM - 10:30 AM

Session 2: 11 AM - 12:30 PM

Ages 15 and up

All skill levels, some painting experience a plus

Art Workshop: $40

Workshop + Tubing: $65

Sign up on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/river-studies-paint-and-float-workshop-tickets-1989698125655

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/river-studies-paint-and-float-workshop-tickets-1989698125655

Having trouble finishing a painting? Stuck on a specific project? Join me for an open studio-style session where you can come in, work on your own project, and ask me questions along the way. It’s $25, relaxed, supportive, and a great way to stay creatively accountable.

7/3

7/17

7/31

8/14

In this class, we’ll explore the indirect painting process—building your painting in layers to create depth, luminosity, and subtle detail. We will focus on the traditional practice of still life painting. We’ll discuss color theory, composition, and how to use layering to bring character and emotion to your subject. This class is perfect for artists and beginners alike who want to slow down, refine their technique, and create something new through rich, layered oils.

July 9, July 16, July 23, July 30

What You'll Learn:

Materials and Tools: What makes oil paint so special and different from other mediums? Why must a canvas be primed?

Basic Techniques: Learn fundamental techniques of indirect oil painting, starting from a grisaille (under painting) and moving to glazing (transparent washes of paint) and scumbling (opaque application of paint).

Composition: Discover how to direct your viewer's eye through placement of objects and colors in your painting.

Color Theory: Understand the basics of color theory and how to create harmonious palettes in your paintings.

Personal Expression: Discover ways to express your unique artistic voice through the medium of oil paint.

Class Format:

This hands-on course combines demonstrations, practical exercises, and individualized instruction to help you build confidence and proficiency in oil painting. We will examine still life paintings from art history and see how to use their techniques for our own works.

Who Should Attend:

This class is perfect for beginners with no prior experience in oil painting and intermediate artists looking to build on their techniques.

Materials:

A list of required materials will be provided upon registration.

Price: $200 for all 4 classes, or $55 per class

Inquire below to register and receive the materials list.

This workshop offers an approachable introduction to figure painting from a live model. Working from a single, sustained pose, students will have the time to slow down, observe carefully, and build their painting step by step.

We’ll use the limited Zorn palette—titanium white, ivory black, yellow ochre, and cadmium red—to simplify color mixing and help you focus on the essentials of painting. You’ll learn how to mix natural-looking skin tones, understand light and shadow, and create a sense of form and depth.

Instruction will cover the basics of proportion, drawing the figure, and applying paint with clarity and confidence. Demonstrations and individual guidance will be provided throughout, making this a supportive environment for those new to figure painting or working from a live model.

This workshop is ideal for beginners or anyone looking to build a stronger foundation in figure painting in a relaxed, focused setting.

I am offering this workshop twice this summer. One on June 25 and another one on Aug 27.

$65

Caroline Gates Art Studio and the SORC are pleased to present a workshop with Mia Zoller.

Join Mia Zoller for a meditative workshop capturing the beauty of nature. Zoller will lead students through basic watercolor techniques and teach you how to capture the seasonal beauty of the upstate. Leave the workshop with a painting of a local landscape and skills to use this versatile medium all summer long!

Then float down the river admiring the beauty all around you with new eyes.

About the artist: Mia Zoller is a visual artist invested in exploring narratives surrounding the natural world, our human condition and where they intersect with the synthetic matter we leave behind.

Friday, June 10

Session 1: 9 AM - 10:30 AM

Session 2: 11 AM - 12:30 PM

Art Workshop: $40

Workshop + Tubing: $65

Kids and adults welcome!

Sign up on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/river-studies-paint-and-float-workshop-tickets-1989698125655

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/river-studies-paint-and-float-workshop-tickets-1989698125655

Are you interested in learning how to draw or paint in a private setting? Come study with Caroline. Styles include drawing with graphite or charcoal, oil painting, soft pastel techniques, and plein air painting. Students can choose to focus on still life, portrait painting, designing a narrative work, copying master works, etc. We will look at how works from the past have informed the art world today and how artists today are in conversation with the story of art as a whole. The course can be as structured or unstructured as desired. Contact Caroline to get started today!

Adults: $65 for a 90 minute session or $250 for a package of four 90 minute classes

Kids: $40 for an hour long session. $150 for a package of 4 hour long classes.

Semi-Private Painting Classes -

Adults: 2 - 3 students: $60 per 90 minutes or $215 (split between the students) for a package of 4 classes.

Kids: 2 - 3 students: $35 per child per hour.

Caroline Gates Art Studio and the SORC are pleased to present a workshop with Anna Grace Burch.

Calling all young artists ages 8 and up! Join us for a fun and creative painting class where students will learn the exciting art technique of impasto painting — using thick, textured paint to create bold and expressive artwork on a circle canvas!

Students will explore color mixing, texture, layering, and creative expression while making their very own masterpiece to take home. This class is perfect for beginners and young creatives who love to paint and experiment with art materials.

All materials included

Circle canvas provided

Learn texture painting techniques

Ages 8+

No experience needed

Come get messy, creative, and inspired! Spots are limited.

About the artist: Anna Grace Burch is a Greenville, SC-based artist who engages in the community and enjoys alternative art forms. She received her BA in Painting and Drawing and a Minor in Art History from Anderson University. Since becoming an educator, Anna Grace has grown conceptually, embracing new alternative mediums. Her work has been exhibited in competitions such as Artist of the Upstate at Artisphere in Greenville, SC, and Artfields in Lake City, SC, and in galleries including the Greenville Center for Creative Arts, The City of Greer Center for the Arts, and the Mint Museum in Atlanta, GA.

Friday, July 24

Session 1: 9 AM -10:30 AM

Session 2: 11 AM - 12:30 PM

Art Workshop: $40

Workshop + Tubing: $65

Sign up on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/river-studies-paint-and-float-workshop-tickets-1989698125655

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/river-studies-paint-and-float-workshop-tickets-1989698125655