Fleisher Art Memorial | Oil Pastel

Oil Pastel

Adult Class | Available

Date: 9/8/2026-11/10/2026

Time: 1:00 PM-4:00 PM EDT on Tue

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Tuition $325.00

Member Tuition $295.00

Model Fee: $47.00

Studio Fee: $20.00

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Oil Pastel

Adult Class | Available

Program Description

Oil pastel is a versatile medium that bridges the gap between painting and drawing. Through the use of solvents such as odorless turpentine, Liquin, and alkyd mediums, oil pastel can be applied thinly and transparently or built up to create rich, tactile surfaces that are especially well suited to depicting natural forms. Throughout the course, we will explore these different qualities and applications of the medium.

The class will primarily focus on still life setups, with a brief introduction to applying the techniques and concepts we’ve learned to the figure.

What You Will Learn:
- Explore the unique qualities and versatility of oil pastel.
- Experiment with solvents and mediums to create different textures and effects.
- Develop skills in layering, blending, and building up rich, tactile surfaces.
- Apply oil pastel techniques to still life and figure studies.

Special Notes

This is an in-person class. Please review our Safety Policies and Community Guidelines.

To make our classes and workshops accessible to everyone, Fleisher offers tuition assistance every term so that everyone can join our creative community. Tuition assistance applications can be completed once registration is open by clicking here.

Required Supplies

Please bring the following items to the first day of class. The instructor will advise on additional materials based on the artists interest and work from there.

- A set of 50 or more oil pastels. Bring what you have! If you are just starting with the medium, the SAKURA Cray-Pas Expressionist Oil Pastel Set - Soft Oil Pastels for Artists - 50 Sticks is a good choice to start for this class.
- A pad of mixed media paper 9" x 12" or larger
- Newsprint pad
- Selection of pencils for sketching

Instructor

Bernard Collins

Exhibitions: Gallery Soho 20, Chelsea NY Gallery Ciano, Philadelphia PA October Gallery: Philadelphia PA Walt Whitman Cultural Center, Camden NJ Fox Gallery, Philadelphia, PA. Zonks Art Gallery, Philadelphia, PA Art in City Hall, Philadelphia, PA Community College of Philadelphia The African American Museum of Philadelphia, “Silent Voices, Loud Echoes”, 2005 The African American Museum of Philadelphia, “Statements”, 2008 The Smithville Mansion, Burlington NJ, 2006 The Hopkins Heritage House, Camden County, NJ, 2006,2007 Community College of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 2007 The Willingboro Public Library, Willingboro, NJ, 2006

Public Art Mural commissioned by Kingswood Recreational Center, Wilmington Delaware,( Mural project commissioned by The City of Philadelphia, Curran Fulton Correctional Center Mural commissioned by the Cathedral of Fresh Fire, Wilmington Delaware

Graphic Design: “Seasons of Her”, Tonya Marie Evans- Cover design; Illustrated by Bernard Collins Jr “Beyond the Back of the Bus” written by Sandra Turner Barnes; Illustrated by Bernard Collins Jr “Straight from My Heart”, Bill Holmes- Original Book Cover Design; Illustrated by Bernard Collins Jr “Constipated Conversations”, Bro. Life- Cover design; Illustrated by Bernard Collins Jr “1998 Festival of Black Writing” - Poster design Illustrated by Bernard Collins Jr.