Classes and Workshops
Monday Monthly Classes - Calgary (Youth/Teen)
Join Artist Educator Ashley Gaboury to express your creative inspirations while developing Drawing, Painting &/or Mixed Media skills. Whether you prefer a more realistic or abstract approach Ashley will guide you to develop your own ideas and help you grow your own unique style. This class is ideal for those who want to enhance their creativity, develop their art, or want to learn a new skill. All skill levels welcome.
Painting and Mixed Media (Pre-Teen/Teen)
Thursdays (Ongoing) 4:00 - 6:00 pm Sept - June
Immerse yourself in the creative process! Throughout this course Artist Educator Ashley Gaboury will guide young artists in an exploration of techniques and expose students to various processes related to artmaking. Students will learn everything from Drawing, Painting and Mixed Media over the course of the year. Not only will they build confidence, but they will also develop their skills and further their individual art styles. Supplies included.
Friday Monthly Classes - Okotoks “Inspiring Creativity”
Fridays (Ongoing) 1:30 -3:30 pm Sept - June
Join Artist Educator Ashley Gaboury to express your creative inspirations while developing Drawing, Painting &/or Mixed Media skills. Whether you prefer a more realistic or abstract approach Ashley will guide you to develop your own ideas and help you grow your own unique style. This class is ideal for those who want to enhance their creativity, develop their art, or want to learn a new skill. All skill levels welcome.
In this class she will also offer guided demos to further encourage your artistic exploration.
All dry and wet media welcome:
- Drawing (Graphite, Markers, Colored pencils, etc.)
- Painting (Acrylics, Oils, Watercolors, etc.)
- Mixed Media
See suggested supply lists or talk to the instructor for specific project needs.
Drawing for Teens
Fridays (Ongoing) 4:00 - 6:00 pm Sept - June
Join Ashley Gaboury to explore realistic and imaginative drawing styles while using mediums from graphite and charcoal to soft colored pencils and artist’s quality markers. This class is ideal for developing skills and building a dynamic portfolio. Ashley will work with each student at their skill level and help them to grow their unique style while using the elements and principles of art and design. We will focus on various subjects including animals, portraits, Manga/OC (Original Characters), fantasy, and open projects. Supplies Included.
Tuesday Monthly Classes - Calgary
Join Artist Educator Ashley Gaboury to express your creative inspirations while developing Drawing, Painting &/or Mixed Media skills. Whether you prefer a more realistic or abstract approach Ashley will guide you to develop your own ideas and help you grow your own unique style. This class is ideal for those who want to enhance their creativity, develop their art, or want to learn a new skill. All skill levels welcome.
In this class she will also offer guided demos to further encourage your artistic exploration.
Teen Drawing Fantasy
If you love to create your own Fantasy creatures & characters or want to stretch your imagination to new heights this is the workshop to take. With the use of graphite, charcoal, artist-quality pencil colours and markers Ashley Gaboury will guide students on their illustrative journey. This class is ideal for students who want to explore new realms and develop original character and creature designs in an inclusive and encouraging atmosphere.
Ashley's six-week workshop has guided lessons, which change from year to year, while also giving each student one-on-one instruction to help them continue to build skills and grow as artists.
Portrait Drawing
Join Ashley Gaboury to discover how to effectively use proportion, line, shading and colour to create dynamic drawings of characters from your favorite fandoms; everything from Manga/Anime to your favorite book or series. Supplies included. Beginners welcome. Please bring 8.5” x 11” black and white printed picture (on standard printer/photocopy paper) of your reference photo(s) along with a coloured reference(s) (can be on a digital device).
Aspiring Artists (Teen) Mentorship Group - Online
2nd Wednesday of the Month - with Mentor Master Artist Ashley Gaboury
In this hands-on group, you’ll explore both realistic and imaginative drawing styles using a variety of mediums, including graphite, charcoal, soft colored pencils and/or artist-quality markers. Whether you’re a beginner or an aspiring artist, this mentorship group is designed to help you develop your skills and build a dynamic portfolio.
Ashley will guide you at your skill level, working closely with each participant to cultivate their unique artistic voice while reinforcing the elements and principles of art and design. Throughout the sessions, you’ll work on a range of subjects, from animals and portraits to figure drawing/character design fantasy, etc. Plus, there will be ample time for individual projects tailored to your personal artistic interests.
Emerging Artists Mentorship Group - Online
Meets every 1st Thursday of the Month with Master Mentor Artist Ashley Gaboury
This mentorship group is designed to help tap into the power of working from your intuition. At the heart of artmaking is problem-solving, and cultivating your inner creative compass is just as crucial as developing technical skills. This group will invite emerging artists to explore the creative process through an intuitive lens, fostering growth and self-expression.
In this immersive program we’ll explore mark-making and experiment with a variety of techniques to find balance between stylized realism and abstraction. This hands-on session is designed to push boundaries and allow you to break the rules, tapping into the essence of your unique artistic practice.
We’ll focus on layering mediums, creating dynamic compositions, and developing personalized color palettes to express your true artistic voice. This group will guide you through exercises that challenge convention and inspire new directions in your work. Together, we’ll explore what’s at the core of your art practice, helping you unlock new levels of creativity. Come ready to deconstruct, discover, and reimagine your approach to art!
Exploring Modern Acrylics
Join GOLDEN Artist Educator Ashley Gaboury and dive into intuitive artmaking. This workshop will help you gain a better understanding of the versatility of acrylics, color harmonies and layering techniques. Ashley Gaboury will encourage you to be bold while developing layered Abstract Grounds that can be used as backgrounds for paintings or can continue to grow into more dynamic Abstracts. Discover how to use texture, lifting techniques, washes, glazes, and stenciling to add depth and create dimension in your paintings. Ashley will guide you to use imagery and different Gels and Pastes to bring your paintings to life. A GOLDEN Explorer Acrylics set (valued at $50.00) will be provided for each participant and additional paints & brushes will be supplied.
Watercolor Pet Portraits with Ashley Gaboury
If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to paint your pet with watercolors and capture your pet's unique personality this is the class to take. Join GOLDEN (& QoR) Artist Educator Ashley Gaboury for this mini-class and she’ll show you how to create one-of-a-kind keepsakes of your four-legged family members. Have fun exploring watercolors and pen & ink using a variety of texturing techniques. Please bring a selection of black and white photocopies (approx. 5 x 7 or roughly 1/2 of an 8.5 x 11 page) along with your favorite pet photos (color). All supplies included. Beginners welcome.
Exploring Modern Watercolors
Do more with your watercolors from trying unique grounds to monoprinting with watercolors. Discover which GOLDEN/QoR grounds make the most suitable surfaces for watercolors and how to use them effectively. Be inspired by GOLDEN Artist Educator Ashley Gaboury to create one-of-a kind textural paintings. Learn how to make monoprints and “ghost” prints using watercolors. This workshop is a great way to loosen up with watercolors and ignite /reaffirm your love for the medium. All supplies included.
Metallics & Mixed Media - Wildlife
Join GOLDEN Artist Educator Ashley Gaboury as she takes you through the process of painting your favorite animals. Using Acrylics and Mixed Media explore ways of depicting wildlife with collage elements to create drama. Participants will develop stylized portraits which capture the “inner light” of their subjects while experimenting with Metallics and Mixed Media. A set of GOLDEN OPEN Acrylics (valued at $50.00) will be provided for each participant and brushes will be supplied. Please bring a 12” x 16” canvas, paper towels (blue paper towels work best), a palette or palette paper, an 8.5” x 11” black and white printed picture (on standard printer/photocopy paper) of an animal, along with a colored reference photo (can be on a digital device). This workshop is suitable for artists of most levels of experience but is not designed for young children; however mature pre-teens/teens are welcome.
Watercolors and Mixed Media
Join GOLDEN Artist Educator in this summer intensive workshop and dive into painting expressive animals with Watercolors and Mixed Media. We will be focusing on a variety of mark-making and color mixing techniques using QoR Modern Watercolors. Please bring 5” x 7” black and white printed references (on standard printer/photocopy paper) of your favorite sea creatures, birds and animals/pets that you’d like to paint along with the colored reference photos (can be on a digital device). Most supplies included. This workshop is suitable for artists of most levels of experience but is not designed for young children; however mature pre-teens/teens are welcome to join.
Manga, Dragons & More
Popular with adults and teens alike, Manga is a well-known style of drawing seen in Japanese comic books. This class will focus on developing inking and coloring techniques and help to bring characters and creatures to life. We will explore drawing dynamic character poses, drawing eastern and western dragons and other fandom inspired characters/creatures in this session. Please bring printed images of your favorite Manga/Anime or Animated characters (e.g. Studio Ghibli is Anime, and Arcane is Japanese Animation) & creatures in their signature poses. Supplies included. Beginners welcome. Students are invited to bring their own set of pencil colors or art markers to this class (water-soluble or alcohol-based).
Introduction to Gelitan Plate Printing
Gelatin Plate Printing has taken the art world by storm. Create your own unique prints as GOLDEN Artist Educator Ashley Gaboury leads participants through the basic steps of monoprinting using a Gel printing plate and OPEN Acrylics. Discover how to layer and use the Gel plate effectively. Try Iridescent paints to create beautiful effects. Ashley will provide you with tips on how to incorporate layered pieces (Collage) into your own art. This workshop is a great way to try your hand at printing using water-based media with a fun and spontaneous outcome. Most supplies included. Teens and Adults welcome.
Teen Drawing Figures
Teen Drawing - Figures
Jump into Figure Drawing! Discover how to draw poses and gestures while honing your anatomy drawing skills. With the use of graphite, charcoal, artist-quality pencil colours and markers Ashley Gaboury will guide students on their illustrative journey. This class is ideal for students who want to explore the fundamentals of figure drawing and develop original character designs in an inclusive and encouraging atmosphere.
Ashley's six-week workshop has guided lessons, which change from year to year, while also giving each student one-on-one instruction to help them continue to build skills and grow as artists.
Printmaking Essentials - Relief & Mono
Explore the magic of Printmaking! Relief printmaking is the oldest and one of the most accessible types of printmaking. It is a type of art that utilizes the ability to create multiple copies of a unique design. During this workshop participants will create their own prints as Ashley Gaboury leads them through the basic steps of carving, inking, and registering prints. They will learn take-home techniques for both relief printmaking and creating monotypes. Students are encouraged to bring 4”x 6” printed images or drawings they’d like to print. We will be using Speedy-Carve blocks and water-based media. Some supplies included. Teens and adults welcome. Beginners welcome.
Teen Drawing - Portraits
Tuesdays (6 week session) 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Teen Drawing Courses:
Explore realistic and imaginative drawing styles while using mediums from graphite and charcoal to soft coloured pencils and artists’ quality markers. This series is ideal for developing skills and building a dynamic portfolio. Sessions can be repeated as Ashley will work with each student at their skill level and help them to grow their unique style while using the elements and principles of art and design. Each course will focus on various subjects, including animals, portraits, figure drawing /character design, fantasy, and open projects. Please see the supply list provided.
Portraits Course:
In this session, we will be developing rendering techniques while focusing on drawing realistic & stylized portraits. We will emphasize both proportion and shading to establish form.
Teen Drawing Animals
Explore realistic and imaginative drawing styles while using mediums from graphite and charcoal to soft colored pencils and artist’s quality markers. This series is ideal for developing skills and building a dynamic portfolio. Sessions can be repeated as Ashley will work with each student at their skill level and help them to grow their unique style while using the elements and principles of art and design. Each course will focus on various subjects including animals, portraits, figure drawing /character design, fantasy, and open projects. Please see the supply list provided.
Paws & Pencils - Wolfdog Sketching Class at The Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary
10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Calling all artists of all skill levels! We are partnering with the amazing Ashley Gaboury to bring you a wolfdog sketching class in September! This class will take place inside our Galatea Intro Tour structure, which allows you sketch Meeka and Atka while seeing them up close and personal. Ashley will be providing instruction for sketching the two from a reference, and this will be paired with a mini Intro tour!
Superheroes, Villains & Fantasy
Be inspired by your fandoms and the iconic Anime Art of Studio Ghibli. Join Ashley Gaboury to discover how to effectively use proportion, line, shading, and color to create drawings of characters and creatures from your favorite fandoms, including Studio Ghibli and Marvel as well as work on OC’s and character design. Ashley will work with aspiring artists at their ability level to help them grow their unique styles, draw dynamic poses, and explore a variety of materials. This workshop changes from year to year and is suitable for all levels of experience but is not designed for young children. Supply list provided. Beginners welcome.
Wolfdog Paint-n-Pint
Spend a fun afternoon with artist & wolf/wolfdog enthusiast Ashley Gaboury as she guides you through painting a dramatic moonscape and wolfdog silhouette. During this unique experience, you will be encouraged to develop a piece of artwork as individual as the wolfdogs. You will not only learn a lot about blending and mixing acrylics, you will also get the chance to try Rocky View Brewing Company’s Kuna Wolfdog Kolsch.
The proceeds from this event will be dedicated to helping us construct six new enclosures. With 22 new rescues this year alone, we are now at full capacity. These additional enclosures are crucial for us to continue responding to future calls for help.
Colourful Canines
If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to paint your four-legged friend; this is the class to take. Join Ashley Gaboury to turn your favorite photo of your pet into a bright and colourful acrylic painting on canvas. Use loose, fluid brushstrokes and textured gels/pastes to develop fur texture and layer colors for a 3-D effect. Bring an 8.5” x 11” black and white photocopy along with your reference photo (shoulders and head only please). All supplies included.
Mixed Media and Faux Encaustic Effects
Delve into Mixed Media, including Collage and Image Transfer techniques. Utilize acrylics to create a myriad of Mixed Media and Encaustic-like effects. Artists are compelled by texture, but there are so many to choose from and a variety of techniques to use them effectively. Join GOLDEN Artist Educator Ashley Gaboury as she guides you in exploring the versatility of acrylics using Mediums, Gels and Pastes. This session will focus on utilizing and understanding different products, techniques, and tools. Ashley will demonstrate, give you the opportunity to try out the products and answer questions during this mini workshop. Students are encouraged to bring 4”x 6” printed images or drawings they’d like to transfer. Some supplies included. Teens and adults welcome. Beginners welcome.
Essence of Drawing with Ashley Gaboury
Thursdays (10 week session) 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Discover how to accurately sketch, refine details, and add impact to your drawings. Utilize mark-making to create visual texture, as well as shading to establish form. Ashley Gaboury will encourage you to try multiple mediums and techniques and will help you to focus on developing realistic drawing skills. This is an ideal class for beginners as well as intermediate artists wanting to refresh their drawing techniques. Adult/Teen level.