Winter-Spring 2026 Online Schedule

⚠️This page is still under some construction, such as adding images, and supply lists,

however dates and descriptions are accurate, and REGISTRATION IS OPEN!!!!

Beginning January 27

All Classes LIVE on Zoom in Pacific Time Zone and Prices in CAD

IN PERSON classes are pending and will be posted separately

SUMMARY:

Mixed Media Art Journaling - Last Tuesday of each month, 6-8pm
Gesture & Contour Drawing Practice - Weekly, Wednesday 7-8pm
Drawing Nature One - 3 weeks, Feb 28 & March 7, 14, Saturdays 12-3pm
Drawing Nature Two - 3 weeks, April 4, 11, 18, Saturdays 12-3pm

Register

Mixed Media Art Journaling

The last Tuesday of each month, let’s throw down some supplies onto paper and have some fun! Somewhere between a sketchbook, a scrapbook, a diary, and a junk book… art journaling is whatever you want to make of it! I will start us off with some inspirational ideas and prompts as jumping off points, and then we will follow our impulses and imagination, and PLAY. With a minimum of instruction but a whole lot of encouragement and moral support, the entire point is deliberately doing whatever we want and follow what feels good, so there will be no wrong way to go. Experiment with materials, colour, pattern, rhythm…etc!

Let’s follow “WHAT IF?” and see what happens!  Sharing at the end is 100% optional but can also be kind of fun to see how different everything is that people come up with.

Tuesday Evenings, 6-8pm Pacific

January 27: $25
February 24: $25
March 24: $25
April 28: $25
May 26: $25


Mixed Media Art Journaling - Outcomes

  • Learn to follow your intuition with guidance from a professional artist

  • Improve your confidence and courage

  • Experiment with various art materials and observe their interactions

  • Engage your curiosity and sense of awe and wonder

  • Experience mindfulness, focusing on calming, cathartic, process-based learning

  • Let go of some previously held limitations and begin to embrace creative possibilities

  • Build and reinforce new creative habits

  • Begin to fill a sketchbook with your experiences

Supply List

  • A sketchbook that can take a little abuse (thicker Mixed Media paper is better)

  • Interesting papers (raid the recycling bin, thrift stores, etc), magazine bits for collage, maybe wool, thread, fabric?

  • Something to cut with (scissors, X-acto knife)

  • Something to stick with (glue stick, school glue, ModPodge (matte), acrylic matte medium, rice glue)

  • Whatever water-based paints or colour art supplies (media) you have, in a range of colours. Could be anything.

  • All I ask is no oil paints nor oil pastels!

Gesture & Contour Drawing Practice

In this regular weekly 1h practice session, we will harness the power of two of the most fun, easy, & incredibly useful exercises for both improving the accuracy of your drawing and enjoying a mindfulness practice.

Gesture sketching is fast & loose, quickly capturing the whole.

Contour is slow & careful, finding edges and planes.

I will guide you through a series of timed exercises, sketching from photos, live “nest cam” or aquarium style video feeds, objects on my desk, and even from “life” in front of you (BYOS— Bring Your Own Subject). At least as useful as life drawing (in my opinion) but more accessible, discreet, and with less focus on perfection or a single final product.  These are skills that both beginners and pros can practice any time, any where, but they are often underrated and forgotten about. I often use them for a standalone warm up, or for beginning more polished and detailed renderings. Come away with the satisfaction of filling your sketchbook and committing to your wellbeing!

***Drawing Nature ONE students may join the March sessions for FREE***
*** Drawing Nature TWO students may join the April sessions for FREE***

Wednesday Evenings, 7-8pm Pacific (earlier time zones possible by request with enough demand!)

January 14, 21, 28 $75 for three sessions
February 4, 11, 18, 25 $100 for all four sessions
March 4, 11, 18, 25 $100 for all four sessions
April 1, 8, 15, 22 $100 for all four sessions


Gesture & Contour Practice - Outcomes

  • Learn to follow your intuition with guidance from a professional artist

  • Improve your confidence and courage

  • Experiment with various art materials and observe their interactions

  • Engage your curiosity and sense of awe and wonder

  • Experience mindfulness, focusing on calming, cathartic, process-based learning

  • Let go of some previously held limitations and begin to embrace creative possibilities

  • Build and reinforce new creative habits

  • Begin to fill a sketchbook with your experiences

Drawing Nature ONE

Suitable as an introduction for beginners or as a review for those long out of practice, we will use pencil and paper to break down the process I use for accurate freehand drawing. As the title suggests, we’ll be looking at natural objects, plants, animals, and scenery to start—but these skills will serve you well should you want to draw nearly anything! We will survey a variety of techniques, but you will be able to draw along, and there will be time to practice. I will provide optional homework and offer my gentle constructive feedback by email to those who are willing to take me up on it.

Topics covered: Line, Shape, Gesture, Contour, Value/Shading, Lighting, Form, Figure & Ground, Landmarking, Proportion.

Saturday Afternoons 12-3pm
February 28, March 7 & 14 $225

Drawing Nature TWO

Suitable for those with some drawing experience but looking for some refinement of their skills, and those who have taken Drawing 1. We can now make a relatively accurate line drawings of natural objects and scenes with some simple shading, but now we will level them up and fine tune them, provide them with texture, context, and personality. As before, this will be a survey of techniques but you’ll be able to draw along, and there will be time to practice. I will also provide optional homework and offer my gentle constructive feedback by email to those who are willing to take me up on it.

Topics covered: Contrast, Texture, Detail, Linear perspective, Foreshortening, Atmospheric perspective, Composition, Artistic license, Transfer options, Using ink.

Saturday Afternoons 12-3pm
April 4, 11, 18 $225

Drawing Nature Final Project
(Optional, Asynchronous in May, and FREE)

You’ve come this far! Put all your newly acquired skills to use, if you dare. I would really, really like some people to take this the whole way through, so folks with a near-perfect attendance record will get up to two 1:1 coaching/feedback sessions with me during the month of May ($120 value!). After you come up with an initial idea and make some rough sketches, we’ll meet on Zoom (on your schedule) to chat through and workshop your ideas, and again a week or two later for final feedback & finishing touches. Hand your final drawing in by email by May 31 and you’ll have the option to have your artwork proudly featured on my website and Instagram. Challenge accepted???? Let’s GO!!!

REMINDER…

Drawing Nature ONE students may join Gesture and Contour Practice Sessions in March for FREE ($100 Value)
Drawing Nature TWO students may join Gesture and Contour Practice Sessions in April for FREE ($100 Value)
I’m offering up to two 1:1 Coaching/Feedback sessions in May for the Final Project for FREE (up to $120 Value)
That’s $320 in extra value if you can attend both classes all the way through…

Don’t wait to register, participation is limited so that we can develop a sense of community and so I can afford each of you my individual time and attention, including follow up email support and feedback on your work.

Course Outcomes

  • Learn how to draw and sketch natural subjects with guidance from a professional artist

  • Improve your observational skills, patience, confidence, and courage

  • Engage your curiosity and sense of awe and wonder

  • Experience mindfulness, focusing on calming, process-based learning

  • Let go of some previously held limitations and begin to embrace creative possibilities

  • Build and reinforce new creative habits

  • Learn about Line, Shape, Shading, Form, Gesture, Contour, Pattern, Texture, Composition, Perspective, Style, Artistic License, and more…

  • Record your observations and fill a sketchbook with your experiences

What past students are saying...

  • “Jen provided a safe and nurturing space to make learning simple and fun; her knowledge of nature, art skills, paired with her upbeat personality were motivating and inspiring. Jen's office hour sessions supported me in kicking fear to the curb and the “right or wrong” way of doing things gave way to experimenting and having fun while sketching."

    —B.T.

  • “I really enjoyed the two watercolour classes I took with you this past year. I especially appreciated the invitation you offered each class to walk beside you during the creative process. Being there to “walk beside” students is a wonderful gift. Many thanks!”

    —M.K.

  • “Jen is an excellent instructor; her easy-going teaching style, skillful demonstrations and kind consideration of the learning experience make her classes so beneficial and enjoyable to attend…. I am bringing my sketch pad everywhere and creating images that I can be proud of.”

    —L.A.

  • “Your painting sessions were such fun. I really appreciated your bubbly enthusiasm, all the various examples and approaches you offered us, your very personal way of connecting, and your encouragement.”

    —I.W.

  • “Jen has led several courses I have taken with grace, patience, calmness & humour… She is a delight, experienced and professional.”

    —D.C.

  • “I have had the pleasure of working with Jen in my art journey and have found her to be an exceptional teacher. She has the rare gift of being able to support her students at whatever level they may be at in a meaningful and encouraging way. She is generous with her insights and information and has provided me with the type of feedback that allowed me to move forward as an artist.”

    —M.S.H.

  • “I want to let you know how much I enjoyed the watercolor and sketching classes with you. You are a skilled artist and a supportive, encouraging and patient teacher. It was clear that you put a tremendous amount of your heart and soul into each session and I felt privileged to be able to see some of your own inspiring artwork, including your fabulous nature journal. Your enthusiasm for art is truly contagious!"

    —D.H.

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Meet your instructor

I have been drawing since I could hold a pencil, though after high school I didn’t take my art seriously again until I was 29 when I studied for a year at Emily Carr University of Art & Design in 2011. After that I moved to the USA and studied scientific illustration at California State University Monterey Bay, graduating in 2015. I taught Nature Sketch classes for The Bateman Foundation in Victoria from 2019-2021 both in person and online, and received glowing testimonials from my students. I pour my heart and soul into my classes and I have every wish to see you succeed. I am right there with you understanding the fear of the blank page, perfectionism, the excitement of making marks on the page and seeing images take shape. I have been through it all and back again. In addition to all my formal art training, I am an analytical thinker with a science background—this combined with my years of teaching English helps me break apart and explain the processes involved in drawing and painting so anyone can do it. Really. I personally guarantee that if you put in the work you will see real observable change, not just to your technical abilities (although yes), but also in your confidence, mindset, and the ways you move through and interact with the world!

Someday I would really love to see you in one of my classes.

— Jen Burgess

Photo by Alena Ebeling-Schuld (@alenaesphoto)

Register

Registration is open!

Please read & take the time fill out this form in full! The more information you can provide me with, the better I can serve you. All responses will be kept strictly confidential. All the information you provide, including contact information, will not be used for any other purposes or shared with any additional parties. After you submit your registration form, you will be redirected to my online shop for payment.

Thank you and WELCOME!

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