Excited to share this Alchemy with you!
Upcoming Workshop Offerings
Coming soon!
New online and in-person workshop offerings for 2024
Scroll down to view past workshop offerings
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watch video
Alisa Looney teaches enameling and her husband Wade Womack teaches wood block printing, from their studio, River Art Adventures LLC, in the beautiful Three Rivers area, south of Bend, Oregon.
Super fun group of students showing off their creations at our Bend Oregon Studio.
Workshops
Our mission is to help people connect with nature on a deeper level through art. Whether sketching outdoors, or taking your images further in a woodblock printing or enameling workshop, we want to help you find your unique expression.
IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS – AVAILABLE BY APPOINTMENT
We are offering semi-private in-person workshops again, requiring masks and vaccinations. If you would like to inquire about an in-person course, please email alisa@alooney.com.
If you would like to be the first to hear about our online and in-person offerings, please sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of this page, and keep an eye out for our workshop announcements.
Covid 19 Update:
Safety Requirement for Students attending In-Person Workshops:
We remain committed to keeping everyone as safe as possible while continuing to teach and adapt to the current circumstances for our in-person workshops and studio events.
We recommend that in-person students be vaccinated, but it’s not required. Students must bring a particulate face mask (N95, KN95, or similar) to protect against dust and particles when needed and required during class work time.
If you have tested positive for COVID, have symptoms that could be COVID, or feel ill, please don’t come to class. Contact us for more information.
Blessings and Health to you all,
Alisa and Wade
River Art Adventures
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PAST STUDIO WORKSHOPS:
View fun photos of past studio workshops on my blog.
Draw & Paint with Enamel (glass) on Steel 4-Day Workshop with Alisa Looney
Go into depth with enamel on steel at our Bend, Oregon Studio.
This 4-day workshop was open to 2 participants to create a wall relief or sculpture, jewelry elements & small test panels. Techniques covered: design, cut and shape steel, prepare surface, then apply ground coat and several Kiln-fired layers of glass to create a lustrous and colorful finish that will never fade. Vaccinations and Masks Required.
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- Hours daily: 10-5, with lunch break from 1-2.
- Dates: July 18 – 21, 2023
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Previous Online Offerings!
https://youtube.com/shorts/RSM5eGG7lyA?feature=share
Presented by Silvera Jewelry School
ReEnamelware as an Art Form with Alisa Looney
Thursdays, September 7, 2023 – September 28, 2023; 2:00PM – 5:30PM PT (Pacific Time)
Online
Have you ever wanted to add your own surface designs to enameled camp-ware, mugs, bowls, or pans – new or thrifted, but don’t know where to start? Learn step by step with Alisa Looney on how to take those pieces and give them new life! Alisa is a master of reworking pre-enameled forms into works of art and in this class she’ll share all her tips, tricks, dos and don’ts with you!
Learn step-by-step how to choose shapes, prepare surfaces, and apply layers of liquid enamel with your own unique designs. Apply granular spray, sgraffito, and painting techniques using both liquid and watercolor enamels. Paint with lusters to add metallic and iridescent effects! Explore various approaches to decorating these unique shapes, allowing the form to inspire your imagination. Elements like the handle of a pan lid or mug can become a focal point by adding surprise imagery or details. Then discover ways to display your individual pieces, turning found enamelware into ART!
This course is available as a live online class.
Details and Registration
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Presented by Silvera Jewelry School
Explore New Ground – Enameling on Steel Forms with Alisa Looney
Tuesdays, May 9, 2023 – May 30, 2023; 2:00PM – 5:30PM PT (Pacific Time)
Online
Have a desire to enamel on steel forms? Learn to design, cut, and form various gauges into three dimensional shapes. Clean and prepare the steel for a ground coat formulated to adhere for a strong yet leightweight structure. In this class with Alisa Looney, not only will you learn how to work with the steel to prepare it for enameling, but also learn the granular spray technique she uses with sgraffito to get those delicate lines with no chipping! The course covers professional as well as budget concious options. Experience enamel like never before with incredible control on your steel forms. Create work in a variety of styles- from detailed drawing to abstract patterns, loose and expressive or realistic and precise. Graisalle techniques will also be covered, building up shades of black and white to achieve depth and detail.
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Presented by Pocosin Arts
Explore New Ground – Enamel on Steel Forms (Part 1)
Instructor: Alisa Looney
Thursdays, September 15, 22 & 29, 2022
4:00-6:30 p.m. ET
Have a hankering to enamel on steel? Learn to design, cut, and hammer varied gauges into 3D forms, and apply ground coat for strong yet lightweight structure. Both low cost and professional methods covered for applying liquid enamel with granular spray for smooth consistent textures, gradations and stencils. Experience incredible control when you sgraffito varied line thicknesses in abstract patterns or detailed drawings. Fire to desired finish from sugar to gloss, creating forms with an ideal surface for layering liquid and transparent enamels. Take as stand-alone course or follow with Part 2 – Mastering Watercolor Enamels and Lusters.
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Presented by Pocosin Arts
Master Watercolor Enamels and Lusters (Part 2)
Instructor: Alisa Looney
Saturday, October 22 & 29, 2022
3:00-6:00 p.m. ET
Create depth, shading and detail by blending and layering Watercolor enamels. Work over a pre-fired granular spray or solid white. This method of alternating painting and sgraffito techniques, allows you to add and subtract enamel to build complex illustrations, bold abstractions and colorful textures. Apply lusters just where you want glitz, or brush freely over dark backgrounds. These combined techniques open avenues for surface treatments on 2D and 3D forms, inviting experimentation while enhancing your own unique style. Take as a stand-alone course or add to the granular spray and sgraffito covered in Part 1 – Enamel on Steel Forms.
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Instructor: Alisa Looney
October 1, 8 & 15, 2021
4:00-6:30 p.m. ET
Experiment with several sgraffito tools (make a pin-pen tool!) to create varied line qualities and thicknesses in mark making, cross hatching, stippling, brushing, lettering and combing.
Work in any style: expressive or detailed, then add depth and color, layering watercolor enamels and lusters.
Live zoom demos and instruction using pre-enameled steel panels and copper, designing flat and dimensional jewelry elements. Kiln required, firing techniques covered.
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the Center for Enamel Art and Silvera Jewelry School present
Granular Spray, Sgraffito, and Watercolor Enamel with Alisa Looney (online)
June 19 – June 27, 2021
Expand your artistic tool kit by learning to sgraffito with ease in liquid enamel, and no more chipping! We will work on pre-enameled steel, adding layers of glass with granular spray, sgraffito and watercolor techniques to create colorful, custom surface treatments.
Join Alisa Looney as she shows us how to use spray application to achieve a buttery smooth surface and create extremely detailed sgraffito designs. Alisa will show you how to add color with watercolor enamels on top of your sgraffito for a rich, layered, and colorful effect!
Design, cut and prepare pre-enameled steel for enameling. Copper shapes can also be used. Learn to apply white liquid enamel with the granular spray technique, resulting in a powdered finish that allows you to sgraffito (scratch) clean lines with ease and control when making marks, textures and/or drawings into the surface. Experiment with several sgraffito tools to create varied line qualities and thicknesses in mark making such as cross hatching, stippling, brushing and combing.
This technique opens avenues for the freedom to work in any virtually any style: loose and expressive or detailed and precise. After firing the white layer, you will add depth and color by painting with Watercolor Enamels. Appropriate kiln-firing temps and techniques for each layer will be covered. You can expect to complete a series of small panels and jewelry elements during this workshop. Live demos and instruction in four separate three-hour zoom sessions will allow plenty of time to practice between sessions.
ALL LEVELS WELCOME! Prior enameling experience is recommended. Kilns are required for this workshop.
Workshop Hours:
Saturday and Sundays 10 AM to 1PM Pacific Time
June 19, 20, 26, and 27, 2021
Materials List: Provided after registration
Registration: Maximum of 15
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JULY 2019 WORKSHOP in Bend Studio
5-Day Summer Intensive
July 8-12, 2019
Go into depth with enamel on steel at our Bend, Oregon Studio.
Scheduled by request, I am excited to offer this 5 day workshop to up to 5 participants who want to spend some extra focused time with this craft. We will begin by studying many samples, and learning what is possible with each technique. Participants will have 5 days to develop work while creating their choice of Panel, Wall Relief or sculpture, as well as test pieces and jewelry. You will learn to cut and shape the steel, how to prepare the surface for enameling, apply the ground coat and fire in the kiln. Next you will add the white granular spray layer and use sgraffito methods to achieve fine detail with ease and control when drawing images, textures and marks in glass, while also learning appropriate kiln-firing temps and techniques. Add depth and color with liquid enamel spray and sgraffito applications, Watercolor Enamels, Acrylic Enamels, and Enamel Crayons. Experiment with layering and highlighting using various tools for mark-making, effects and textures. The possibilities will expand your horizons!
There are wonderful places to stay nearby in Sun River, and many fun outdoor adventures await during your down time, hikes, bikes, floating the river.
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MARCH 2019 WORKSHOP:
at Carpenter Art Enamel Foundation
Draw & Paint with GLASS on STEEL – Alisa Looney Mar. 21- Mar. 24, 2019
4-day workshop at the state of the art enameling facility of Carpenter Art Enamel Foundation in Bellevue, Kentucky (Cincinnati area).
Set yourself free with granular spray, sgraffito and watercolor enamel techniques.
Achieve Fine Detail on Wall Relief (Spirit Mask), Panels and Jewelry.Don’t miss this chance to experience working in an environment where their “mission is to teach, support, and inspire the creation and use of enameled art and jewelry by hobbyists, artists, students, and educators worldwide.”… And not to mention seeing their extensive museum collection and the nearby Thompson Enamel factory!
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> Oct 5 & 6, 2018 – “SEE US: Advocacy, Authenticity, Artistry”
2018- IAEA Fall CONFERENCE, Meridian, Idaho
Friday Morning Keynote, Breakout Session and Saturday Master Classes w/ Alisa Looney
Friday Afternoon Keynote and Master Classes w/ Cherryn Wight
Saturday Master Classes w/ Wade Womack, picture framer and woodblock printer
plus Optional Sunday Workshop-Enamel on Steel- w/ Keynote, Alisa Looney,
enamelist/sculptor and John Killmaster, Master Enamelist and BSU Professor Emeritis
at Fire Fusion Studio, Sunday, Oct. 7th 9:30 am – 4:30 pm – FULL
***Note: if you are wanting to attend this workshop but are not attending the conference, for registration instructions please email By Sept 28: president.iaea@gmail.com
Conference Registration & More Info
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Draw and Paint with Glass on Steel:
> Oct 12 & 13, 2018 – Pioneer Craft House, Salt Lake City, Utah – FULL
2 day workshop Registration deadline: Sept 21st:
Jan Harris Smith, janharrissmithstudio@gmail.com, 360-713-1004
Or Jodi McRaney-Rusho jodi@glasswithapast.com, 801-865-7911
