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.

Coal is supposed to be punishment. Here, it is the whole point.

This two-session course is a beginner-friendly introduction to charcoal drawing, using the humble stocking as our subject - its soft folds, deep shadows, and the way in holds and releases light make it an ideal vehicle for learning tone. We'll work through the full charcoal value range, from the lightest touch to the deepest black, and build the skills to see and render form through value alone.

Session 1: Materials, mark-making, and the value scale. We'll set up our stockings and begin blocking in major light and shadow shapes.

Session 2: Refining tone, edges, and form - bringing the drawing to a finished, resolved piece.

No drawing experience necessary. A great way to spend a couple of dark December evenings with a glass of something warm, learning a new skill before the season gets too busy.

All materials provided.

$115

Dec. 3: 6 PM - 8:30 PM

Dec. 10: 6 PM - 8:30 PM

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 2026:

July 13: Male Model

August 10: Female Model

September 14: Male Model

October 12: Female Model

6:30 PM - 9 PM

$25 in advance; $30 at the door, plus tips for the model. $5 off if you bring a friend! Please register below.

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!

Indirect painting teaches patience. Alla prima teaches decisiveness.

In this four-session course, we explore direct painting - working wet into wet, mixing color in real time, and finishing a piece in a single sitting. It's a different kind of discipline: less about correction, more about commitment to the first true mark.

We'll begin with a value and color theory primer, then spend our first two sessions painting simple still life objects provided in studio - building the muscle of seeing a painting through to completion in one sitting, learning when a passage is finished and when to put the brush down.

In the final two sessions, you'll bring an object of your own - something with weight, history, or meaning - and apply what we've built toward a painting that's not just technically resolved, but personal.

Open to all skill levels, including beginners. No prior experience with oil painting is required - just curiosity and a willingness to work fast and trust your instincts.

Limited to 6 students.

$200 for all 4, or $65 per session.

Dates:

Oct. 22

Oct. 29

Nov. 5

Nov. 12

Time:

6 PM - 8:30 PM

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

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

Join James Robertson for a four-week painting workshop inspired by the dramatic castles and landscapes of Scotland. Having moved to South Carolina from Scotland two years ago, he is delighted to share his love of Scotland's rich history, rugged scenery, and distinctive light through this immersive painting experience.

Over four consecutive Saturdays, students will develop a finished oil painting of a Scottish castle while learning the fundamental principles of landscape painting, composition, colour, and value.

Week One: Observation, Composition, and Planning

You will begin by exploring a selection of reference images featuring some of Scotland's most iconic castles, alongside examples of Scottish landscape paintings. Robertson will discuss composition, atmosphere, and the unique qualities of the Scottish landscape.

Students will then create a series of value sketches to explore different compositions before producing several small colour studies. These preliminary exercises will help establish the design, lighting, and mood of the final painting.

Week Two: Underpainting and Colour

Students will select the castle they wish to paint and begin the blocking-in stage of their final painting. This process establishes the major shapes and the pattern of light and shadow through an underpainting.

You will spend time experimenting with colour mixing, focusing on the earthy palette characteristic of the Scottish landscape, including ochres, muted greens, browns, and the subtle purples often found in the hills and heather.

You will then begin painting the sky, paying particular attention to establishing accurate values, as the sky sets the overall lighting and atmosphere for the entire painting.

Week Three: Building the Landscape

With the foundation established, you will develop the landscape by working from the distant hills and trees toward the middle ground. Students will gradually strengthen the forms, refine colour relationships, and begin introducing architectural and landscape details.

By the end of the session, the entire painting will be blocked in with its first full layers of colour, creating a solid foundation for the finishing stages.

Week Four: Finishing the Painting

The final session begins with another look at examples of Scottish landscape painting, focusing on the relationship between light, shadow, atmosphere, and colour.

Students will then complete the foreground, refine the castle, and add the final details that bring the painting to life. Robertson will discuss the role of detail in landscape painting and how knowing what to leave out can be just as important as knowing what to include.

The workshop concludes with the final finishing touches, signing our paintings, and celebrating the completion of a unique Scottish landscape inspired by some of Scotland's magnificent castles.

Instructor: James Robertson

James Robertson is a landscape painter newly arrived from Scotland. Through his paintings, he captures moments of stillness found in the natural world.

Dates:

Aug. 15

Aug. 22

Aug. 29

Sept. 5

Times:

10 AM - 12 PM

Cost:

$200 | $65 drop in rate

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.

Aug. 27, 4 PM - 7 PM (female model)

Nov. 19, 4 PM - 7 PM (male model)

$65 per workshop

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

Transform everyday spaces into thoughtfully curated focal points in this 2-series workshop on vignette styling. Participants will learn the fundamentals of creating visually balanced displays by exploring color theory, lighting, texture, scale, and proportion. The class will cover how to incorporate plants for added life and movement, create depth by playing with varying heights and levels, and layer decorative elements to achieve a cohesive, designer-inspired look.

Through demonstrations and hands-on practice, you'll gain practical styling techniques applicable to bookshelves, coffee tables, mantels, consoles, and other areas throughout your home. Whether you're refreshing your own space or building your decorating skills, this workshop will provide the confidence and inspiration to create beautiful, personalized vignettes.

Instructor: Sonia McLeod is the founder and owner of Clubhouse Revival, a shop specializing in curating community through vintage products, consigned makers, and special events. With a degree in History from The Pennsylvania State University, she has 16 years of experience in sales, marketing, and finance and 6 years in staging and creative design. She is a skilled curator focused on local community, living the Clubhouse Revival mission to make every space feel like home. Find Sonia's work on Instagram @clubhouserevival or in store at 117 S Pendleton Street in Downtown Easley, home to vintage home, clothing, and an array of makers local to Greenville, Anderson, and Pickens County.

Sept. 21: 7 PM - 8:30 PM

Sept. 28: 7 PM - 8:30 PM

$150 full series · $85 for just Class 1

Space is limited to 8 participants

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.