This one-day workshop is the perfect introduction to Plein Air Painting. Students are given the tools to create their own compositions in an encouraging environment and experiment with painting a live scene outdoors. Meet fellow artists and create together!

Students are welcome to bring their own materials or use the drawing and watercolor materials and mixed-media paper provided by the Art Guild. 

Easels and Illustration boards are available for use.

Walk with us from the Guild down to the Riverfront, or meet us down there! We will be at Eckwood Park, located right off Main Street.

New to clay, or want to build a stronger foundation? Ceramics I introduces students to the two core techniques every ceramicist starts with: handbuilding and wheel throwing. By the end, students will have a working knowledge of both approaches and a body of finished pieces, including one larger sculptural piece as the final project.

Adults 16+

Curious about the pottery wheel?

This hands-on workshop is the perfect introduction for families and young creators who want to try wheel throwing together. Grab an apron, wedge some clay, and spend the session exploring the basics of centering and shaping: one of the most satisfying (and surprisingly tricky!) skills in ceramics.

The focus of this workshop is the experience rather than the finished product, so there’s no pressure to make the perfect piece, just the joy of getting your hands dirty and seeing what happens. If participants do finish a piece they’d like to keep, let instructor Claire know, and our staff will fire it in our kiln. Once the first firing has been completed (typically within 1-2 weeks).

Attendees are welcome to pick up their pieces to paint at home for a sculptural piece, or visit our Open Studio to glaze their work using one of our 10 house glazes!

Clay, glaze, and firing costs are all included in the price.
The Peoria Art Guild provides all necessary tools and materials.

In this 4-week introductory ceramics class, we encourage students to get their hands in clay and make something they love! The first session will introduce students to the fundamentals of hand-building: pinching, coiling, and shaping the clay from scratch. From there, students create their own pieces in a supportive, open studio environment with instructor guidance along the way. Students have made everything from planters, berry strainers, and paintbrush holders, custom dishware, and one-of-a-kind sculptural pieces. The final session is dedicated to glazing and finishing your work so it’s ready to take home.

All ages

This 6-week course is tailored to teach students how to use their DSLR camera in the real world and across different settings and genres, such as portraiture, macro, landscape, and long exposure/night, with a possible introduction to importing and editing after the camera settings sections. The final session of this course will include a trip to the Riverfront to take photos as a class.

Perfect for beginners or those who could use a refresher on their camera. 

Required Materials: DSLR camera, tripod

In this one-day workshop, the students will learn to build a bezel setting based on a stone of their choosing and complete the steps necessary to build it. Design, cutting, soldering, filing, stone setting, and finishing will all be covered in this class.

Perfect for metalworking beginners interested in Jewelrymaking!

Join our beginner-friendly workshop and discover the art of wheel throwing.

Here's how it works:

1. Get Started: Grab an apron and get ready to create.

2. Choose your glaze: Select from 10 different glazes to personalize your piece.

3. Start throwing: With guidance every step of the way, learn the basics of centering clay and shaping a simple form.

Students will create their own pieces based on the theme of the class. Our staff will handle glazing and firing, and the work will be ready to pick up within 2-4 weeks. Clay, glaze, and firing costs are all included in the price. The Peoria Art Guild provides all necessary tools and materials.

In this one-day workshop, students will learn to design the type and shape of negative space that they want to adorn their rings and then put their plan into motion. They will cut their silver to size and shape. Once the shape is ready, they will solder their shapes shut, form and flatten them with hammers and pliers, then build their ring by adding the ring shank. Soldering the ring shank closed, then a quick dip in the pickle pot. Finished by hand polishing. Perfect for metalworking beginners interested in Jewelrymaking!