Continuing education and studio classes for adults
Adult offerings include studio classes, lectures, specialized workshops, and more.
Ringling College’s Adult Programs offer continuing education and studio art classes designed for adults who want to explore new subjects, build new skills, or refresh existing ones. Whether you’re interested in creative fulfillment, professional development, or pure enjoyment, we offer studio classes, lectures, and specialized workshops across a range of media and levels, all held in our state-of-the-art facilities and studios.
Experiment with new materials and pursue your creative vision under the guidance of professional instructors who are practicing artists, designers, and scholars. Courses are offered during the day, in the evenings, and on weekends to accommodate busy schedules. No prior experience is necessary—just the desire to create.
Contact
Ringling College Extensions
2700 North Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34234
Studios
Beginning Hand-Building
Learn the basics of hand-building, including coil, slab, and pinch construction, while creating functional dishes, decorative tiles, and sculpture. Surface decoration techniques like slip painting, sgraffito, image transfer, and stenciling are also covered; all supplies included.
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Oct 7–28
Wednesdays:
–
Instructor:
Emily Rives
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Oct 31–Nov 21
Saturdays:
–
Instructor:
Samantha Harthoorn
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Nov 4–18 and Dec 2
Wednesdays:
–
Instructor:
Emily Rives
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
Beginning Wheel Throwing
Get a fun, thorough introduction to the potter’s wheel, learning to throw, shape, and trim cylinders, cups, bowls, and more. Basic surface decoration and glazing are also demonstrated. Designed for students with little or no experience; all supplies included.
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Oct 7–28
Wednesdays:
–
Instructor:
Emily Rives
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Nov 4–18 and Dec 2
Wednesdays:
–
Instructor:
Emily Rives
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
Wheel Throwing: Intermediate to Advanced
For students who can consistently throw a 6-inch cylinder or larger, this class focuses on higher-level forms like vases, pitchers, teapots, plates, and casseroles, with completed pieces bisqued, glazed, and fired. Prerequisite: 3-4 prior ceramics classes or equivalent experience; all supplies included.
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Oct 6–27
Tuesdays:
–
Instructor:
Emily Rives
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Nov 3–17 and Dec 1
Tuesdays:
–
Instructor:
Emily Rives
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
Ceramic Open Studio
Work independently in our monitored studio space; no instruction is provided, so previous ceramics class experience at Sarasota Art Museum is required to participate. Clay, glazes, and firing are included, and walk-ins are welcome.
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Oct 5–26
Mondays:
–
Instructor:
Emily Rives
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Oct 6–27
Tuesdays:
–
Instructor:
Emily Rives
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Nov 2–16 and Nov 30
Mondays:
–
Instructor:
Emily Rives
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Nov 3–17 and Dec 1
Tuesdays:
–
Instructor:
Emily Rives
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
Introduction to Pastels
Explore vibrant color and discover the expressive potential of pastels, focusing on fundamental techniques like composition, color-blocking, and value creation. Unlock pastels as a direct, dynamic tool for your artistic expression; all materials included.
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Oct 3–24
Saturdays:
–
Instructor:
Laura Pommier
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Oct 31–Nov 21
Saturdays:
–
Instructor:
Laura Pommier
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Nov 28–Dec 19
Saturdays:
–
Instructor:
Laura Pommier
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
Creating with Acrylic Painting
Discover the joy of acrylics in this class for beginning painters, covering the fundamentals of composition, value, and color theory as you explore various subjects and techniques. No experience necessary; all materials provided.
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Oct 6–27
Tuesdays:
–
Instructor:
Laura Pommier
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Nov 3–Nov 24
Tuesdays:
–
Instructor:
Laura Pommier
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Dec 1–22
Tuesdays:
–
Instructor:
Laura Pommier
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
Portrait Drawing
Dive into the fundamentals of portraiture, including anatomy, proportion, structure, scale, and observation, while learning to capture emotional likeness in this four-week class; all materials provided.
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Oct 6–27
Tuesdays:
–
Instructor:
Laura Pommier
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Nov 3–24
Tuesdays:
–
Instructor:
Laura Pommier
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Dec 1–22
Tuesdays:
–
Instructor:
Laura Pommier
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
Introduction to Drawing
Develop your drawing skills through the study of line, value, form, and composition, with emphasis on observation, the value scale, one- and two-point perspective, and still life. Group and individual critiques support these projects; all supplies provided.
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Nov 2 and Nov 16–30
Mondays:
–
Instructor:
Michael White
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
Advanced Acrylic Painting
Designed for intermediate to advanced painters, this class explores elaborate compositions, advanced color mixing, glazing techniques, and mixed media through demonstrations, one-on-one guidance, and group critiques. Prerequisite: Intro to Painting at SAM or equivalent experience; all supplies included.
Ringling College Museum Campus
4 sessions
Oct 7–14 and Oct 28–Nov 4
Wednesdays:
–
Instructor:
Michael White
Location:
Ringling College Museum Campus
Town Hall Speaker Series
Ringling College of Art and Design’s TOWN HALL Speaker Series brings the world’s leading spokespeople in world affairs, government, economics, business, social welfare, medicine, and arts and entertainment to the Sarasota community.
Visit the TOWN HALL Speaker Series website for details about the upcoming season, and past speakers. The TOWN HALL series is sold by subscription.
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
OLLI provides affordable and outstanding educational programs and social interactions with a community engaged in learning for the joy of learning. For adults aged 50 or better, they offer classes on topics as varied as finance, history, science, current events, languages, and more without the pressure of credits or grades.
Classes are offered in person at the Ringling College Museum Campus and on Zoom.
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