The Sacred & Profane Art Academy
& El Dorado Gallery
at Sedona UMC
The Sacred and Profane Art Academy is a community art instruction center based on the Sedona United Methodist Church campus. Our instructions are grounded in the belief that every living thing emerged from the same source of creative sacred energy, becoming manifested in a profane or secular world, hence our name.
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Our goal is to facilitate the integration of human creativity with virtues of hope and love through art. Our purpose is to offer a safe and sacred space for participants to nurture and nourish their imagination. Our programs are geared to encourage and promote Art Education and Appreciation in the city of Sedona and surrounding communities, nurture the growth and development of the arts by serving the needs of artists of all types, and to connect the art and the artists with the community and visitors of the Sedona area.
Although recently created, the Sacred and Profane Art Academy is a repository of many years of experience in managing, educating, organizing, and conducting community-based events. Our facilitator instructors are mostly retired former educators, and active artists. We offer both intergenerational and group workshops as well as individually guided instruction.
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Read on to learn about upcoming classes & subscribe to our email list below! ​​​​​​
Upcoming Art Classes
To register or inquire, contact the instructor directly by email (included in the descriptions below). All classes take place at the Sedona UMC campus & will provide time for a lunch break where applicable. There is a kitchenette to store food on campus.
September 13 & 27th 10am-2pm
(sign up for one, or both!)
Creative Painting Workshop
Explore Painting with Oils or Acrylics is a non-structured approach to acrylic and
oil painting that guides and assists participants at each stage of their creative
process. This class is designed for all levels, from the novice to the experienced,
allowing participants to develop an approach and concept that corresponds to their level of skill and experience.
Through direct consultation and collaboration, each participant will develop an individual learning outcome. The instructor shall guide them in this direction to achieve their goals. Students choose WHAT to paint while the instructor indicates
HOW to paint. Participants are asked to bring any sketches, drawings and paintings for a review.
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Experience: All Levels
Interested? e-mail George at gdorado@q.com
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Materials: Students will be provided with materials lists.
Registration: Registration limited to 10 students. Each student needs to enroll
individually. To reserve your space, contact George Dorado: gdorado@q.com
The cost of the one-day class is $100 for 4 hrs. A check made out to Sedona UMC or
cash must be brought to Sedona UMC a week before class.
Monday Sept. 22 & Tue. Sept. 23 10am - 2pm
Japanese Brush Painting & Haiku
Step into a journey of self-discovery through the ancient art of Japanese brush painting.
Nori Thorne will guide you through this ancient art form using watercolor brush strokes and meditative practice to create a deeply expressive landscape scroll.
Discover a thousand-year-old practice that is both a form of expression and a way of
calming the mind. Delve into the history of Sumi-e painting and the Haiku poetry form
and their connection to nature. Explore the brushstroke techniques to create the “Four
Gentlemen:” an orchid, bamboo, a chrysanthemum, and a plum blossom. You will then paint a seasonal landscape composition and write a haiku poem to illustrate it.
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Experience: Beginners
Interested? e-mail Nori Thorne at norithorne@gmail.com
Medium: Students will learn the four brushstroke techniques of Japanese Brush
Painting (Sumi-e) to create a landscape scroll. You will also create a haiku poem
to illustrate your painted landscape.
Materials: All materials are provided.
Registration: Each student needs to enroll with Nori Thorne. The cost of the
two-day class (10 – 2) is $200.
Monday, Oct. 13 10am-3pm
Pastels:
A Crash Course
Are you drawn to the beauty and versatility of pastel but don’t know where to start?
This pastel crash course is for you. You will learn about the history of pastels from
prehistoric times to the present and will experiment with various styles and techniques of pastel painting. You will watch pastel demonstrations, enjoy warm up exercises, and get plenty of at-easel encouragement in Pastels: A Crash Course. With an emphasis on achieving correct values, colors, and shapes you will create an exciting floral still life. You will leave the workshop with skills to begin your own pastel journey. No drawing skills are required—only a sense of adventure and love of color!
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Experience: Beginners
Interested? e-mail Nori Thorne at norithorne@gmail.com
Medium: Students will be working in hard and soft pastels with wet
underpainting. Photo references and floral still life will be provided.
Materials: All materials are provided
Registration: Each student needs to enroll with Nori Thorne. The cost of the
one-day class is $100.
October 19, 20, 21
10am-3pm
Plein Air Paint Out with George Dorado Blanco
The Sacred and Profane Art Academy on the Sedona UMC Campus boasts the most
fantastic 360 degree views of iconic red rock formations anywhere in the area, from the
majestic Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock to the south, and the Three Sisters to the East.
Painting from nature is a non-structured approach to outdoor painting which takes
advantage of the many inspiring beautiful sceneries of Sedona. The workshop is
designed to be accessible to all levels of expertise; from the novice to the experienced will find out that sharing in a group setting will bring greater satisfaction, excitement and joy. Participants will learn to sketch and paint plein air with the guidance and assistance of the instructor at each stage of their creative process. Each person will choose the subject they are interested in (on location) and the instructor will first introduce the genre and the media and guide them in the direction they should proceed to achieve the
expected result.
In addition to painting, we will learn to cope with the challenges of nature, and admire its
changeable beauty while celebrating as part of the human species our interconnection
and mutual dependency. You will decide what to paint with no obligation, and with no expectations.
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Experience: All Levels
Interested? e-mail George at gdorado@q.com
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Materials: All materials are provided.
Registration: Each student needs to enroll individually with George Dorado Blanco. Class is limited to 12 students. Cost is $375.
Interested in joining our contact list to hear news about upcoming events & classes?