Two-Day Portrait Painting Workshop

Saturday & Sunday, August 22–23 • 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Take your portrait painting to the next level in this immersive two-day workshop led by accomplished artists and instructors Michael Pianta and Audra Pianta.

Designed for painters ready to strengthen their skills, this workshop focuses on the foundations of creating compelling, realistic portraits. Through demonstrations and individualized instruction, participants will explore techniques for capturing likeness, understanding color relationships, and using value to create depth, form, and expression.

Over two full days, you'll gain practical knowledge you can immediately apply to your own work while learning in a supportive studio environment.

You'll Learn

• Capturing an accurate likeness

• Understanding color relationships in portraiture

• Creating depth and form through value

• Classical painting techniques

• Building confidence in portrait painting

A materials list will be provided prior to the workshop.

Meet the Instructors

Michael Pianta and Audra Pianta are classically trained oil painters with nearly a decade of experience as professional artists and instructors. Together they have taught independent workshops, private students, and institutional classes while maintaining active careers creating commissioned portraits and original artwork.

Michael holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Dallas and completed advanced training in drawing and painting at the Texas Academy of Figurative Art, a classical atelier recognized by the Art Renewal Center.

Audra completed graduate-level studies in Art Therapy at Lesley University and also trained at the Texas Academy of Figurative Art. In 2025, Michael and Audra relocated from Texas to East Machias, where they create and teach from their studio in a beautifully restored former church on Route 1.

Workshop Details

📅 Dates: August 22 & 23

⏰ Two sessions — attendance required both days

💰 Workshop Fee: $265

👥 Class size: Limited to 8 participants

📌 Advance Registration required