Welcome to Smithsonian Associates In-Person Programs

Assateague Island National Seashore and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge are home to natural splendor, cultural treasures, and coastal charm. Spend two days with naturalist and educator Liana Vitali immersed in island life, exploring the natural wonders the barrier islands have to offer—and hear the lore of the Chincoteague ponies’ origin.

This introductory course teaches the basic skills needed for drawing. Working with a variety of materials and techniques, including charcoal and pencils, students explore the rendering of geometric forms, volume, and perspective, with an emphasis on personal gesture marks.

Participants refine and expand their drawing skills through studio practice in traditional media. Sessions focus on classic subject areas such as landscape, portrait, and figure.

Take your mixed-media ventures in a new direction with 3D constructions using wood, personal mementos, old jewelry, metal fixtures, photos, and other found objects. Experiment with molding objects from air-dry clay, along with techniques such as weaving, image transfers, and stitching with cord.

Learn clay techniques and gain an understanding of the human body, gestures, and expressions as you sculpt a portrait, torso, or full-figure piece by working from life.

Whether you want to work in digital or film, this course offers a solid foundation for new photographers ready to learn the basics. Topics include camera functions, exposure, metering, working with natural and artificial light, and composition.

Discover the versatility and fluidity of painting in watercolor, an exciting and unpredictable medium. Learn techniques such as graded washes, wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, dry brush, splattering, lifting, and glazing.

In this course, gain the technical background and experience you need to get started as a painter. Working from museum masterpieces, still-life arrangements, or your favorite photos, explore basic painting techniques, including color-mixing, scumbling, and glazing.

Popular theory on right-side brain activity holds that the right brain is primarily responsible for the intuitive understanding of visual and spatial relationships. Designed to improve the way people see and record objects on paper, this class provides a set of visual exercises to help build the ability to draw.

Whether you want to work in digital or film, this course offers a solid foundation for new photographers ready to learn the basics. Topics include camera functions, exposure, metering, working with natural and artificial light, and composition.