Classes
UPDATED April 16, 2026
Upcoming Classes and Workshops:
Explorations in Watercolor
Mondays 10 am - 12 pm
May 4 - June 15, 2026
Northwest Family YMCA, Baldwinsville, NY
(You do not have to be a member of the YMCA)
Register Here or call the YMCA at (315) 303-5966
Ages 16 to adults. All skill levels. We will explore the elements of watercolor and what potential it holds as a practice, as well as ways to silence the inner critic that keeps us from expressing ourselves.
This class is a mixed-ability, adaptive class that is fully inclusive of people with disabilities. Whether you want more control over the medium, or long to loosen up more, this class will give you strategies to tune into your unique artistic voice.
•
Printmaking Class Series
Mondays 6 pm - 8 pm
June 1 - June 22, 2026
Burnet Arts Center at Burnet Park, Syracuse, NY
Register here
Printmaking is the art of making reproductions by transferring ink from one prepared surface to a sheet of paper. In this introductory class series, we will make handmade prints using techniques such as monoprinting, collagraph, and block printing.
•
Linocut Block Printing Workshop
Sunday April 26, 2026
2 pm - 4 pm
Northwest Family YMCA, Baldwinsville, NY
(You do not have to be a member of the YMCA)
Register Here or call the YMCA at (315) 303-5966
Ages 16 to adults. Create handmade art with this introduction to Linoleum or linocut block printing, a relief printmaking technique that is versatile, accessible, and rustic. You will carve a design into a sheet of linoleum, ink it up, and then reveal your print on paper or fabric.
•
Tween / Teen Workshop - Kawaii Pet in a Box
Thursday May 14, 2026
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Northwest Family YMCA, Baldwinsville, NY
(You do not have to be a member of the YMCA)
Register Here or call the YMCA at (315) 303-5966
Ages 9-15. Design your own pet that is super cute! Learn the science behind why cute things make us go "Aww!" We will practice colored pencil techniques and create a teeny origami box for our pet to live in.
•
How to Draw Eyes Workshop
Monday, May 18, 2026
7 pm - 8:30 pm
Northwest Family YMCA, Baldwinsville, NY
(You do not have to be a member of the YMCA)
Register Here or call the YMCA at (315) 303-596
Learn some neat tricks on how to draw eyes, both human and animal, even if you’ve never drawn before, in this relaxing workshop. All ages.
•
Watercolor Mandalas Workshop
Sunday, May 24, 2026
10 am - 12 pm
Northwest Family YMCA, Baldwinsville, NY
(You do not have to be a member of the YMCA)
Register Here or call the YMCA at (315) 303-596
Ages 16 to adults. Explore the art of mandalas, a geometric artform originating in India. We will create our own using watercolor techniques. No experience required for this mellow art excursion.
•
Watercolor and Drawing - Line & Wash Workshop
Sunday May 31, 2026
10 am - 12 pm
Northwest Family YMCA, Baldwinsville, NY
(You do not have to be a member of the YMCA)
Register Here or call the YMCA at (315) 303-596
Learn to draw simple forms such as plants, animals, and objects in ink pen, and add washes of vibrant watercolor over top to add color and dimension. You will become addicted to the simplicity and speed with which you can create using this technique!
•
Tween / Teen Workshop - Monster Feelings Drawing
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Northwest Family YMCA, Baldwinsville, NY
(You do not have to be a member of the YMCA)
Register Here or call the YMCA at (315) 303-596
Ages 9-15. Does your anxiety look like a gremlin? Does embarrassment look like a mole rat? Create unique character designs of your emotions and thoughts. We will look at how other artists have characterized feelings, too.
•
Watercolor Workshop - Under the Sea
Sunday June 7, 2026
10 am - 12 pm
Northwest Family YMCA, Baldwinsville, NY
(You do not have to be a member of the YMCA)
Register Here or call the YMCA at (315) 303-596
Ages 16 to adults. In this workshop we will paint our favorite sea creatures, from jellyfish to mermaids to coral. We’ll practice brush control and washes while we create a tranquil blue background.
•
Victorian Puzzle Purse Workshop
Sunday, June 14, 2026
1 pm - 3 pm
Burnet Arts Center at Burnet Park, Syracuse, NY
Register Here
Ages 16 to adults. These unique intricately folded paper stationery were all the rage in Victorian England. We will create our own and decorate them using the language of flowers.
Past Offerings
Nature Journaling Workshops
All ages. Draw and write what you see out in nature! We will use a variety of media such as pens, pencils, markers, collage, and watercolor to practice mindfully observing the flora, fauna, and landscapes of our local parks.
•
Hand-bound Sketchbook Workshop
In this workshop you will learn up to two methods for creating your own sketchbook from scratch! We will learn a few options for decorating covers, and (time permitting) break your new book in with some drawing exercises.
All materials included. Optionally, If you have your own paper you would like to include in your book, please bring it.
•
Printmaking
All ages (children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult). Beginner to intermediate. Experiment with handmade reproductions using upcycled materials found in your house! We will practice techniques in intaglio (etching), gel printing, and relief printing.
•
Pet Portrait Watercolor Workshop
Create a likeness of your pet in watercolor. No drawing experience necessary; I will teach you a technique to transfer a photo directly to your watercolor paper, so please bring a print out or photo of your pet. All levels welcome!
•
Remembrance Jar Workshop
Many cultures traditionally spend the fall season remembering their deceased. Honor an ancestor or departed loved one with a mixed media jar you decorate with their photo, in this two hour workshop. All materials provided though feel free to bring in any items you’re drawn to add to your jar.
•
Paint Your Partner Workshop
Come with your partner, spouse, best friend, or family member and paint each other's portraits. With guidance, you will paint each other's portraits across the table from one another and do a grand reveal to each other at the end!
•
Watercolor Postcards Workshop
Cozy up to watercolor in a relaxed atmosphere at this floral painting workshop. Use loose and expressive brushstrokes to decorate postcards that you can send to a loved one or keep for yourself. All materials included.
•
Mixed Media Leaves Workshops
Fall leaves come in a spectacular variety of shapes and colors. In this workshop, you’ll collect leaves in the park that catch your eye and create a mixed media illustration of them using watercolor, acrylic paint, colored pencil, oil pastel, and printmaking techniques.
•
Upcycled Art
All skill levels. Stretch your creative muscles and turn the old into gold! In this class we use supplies you might find around your house to craft unique pieces of art.
•
Paint & Sip Tea Watercolor Workshop
Unwind, learn, and make art while sipping seasonal hot drinks in this mellow workshop for adults. We’ll even try painting with tea! Everything is provided, just bring yourself.
•
Intermediate / Advanced Watercolor Weekly Class
If you have taken Beginning Watercolor with me, or have experience in the medium, and want to stretch your creative muscles and further explore the medium, this class is for you. While the Beginning Class is largely techniques based, in the Advanced Class you have more time for independent projects.
•
Drawing Class
Ages 16+. All skill levels. No drawing ability necessary, just the willingness to learn this timeless skill. More experienced drafts people, come hone your craft in the company of other artists. Learn how to see your world from a different perspective, set aside your self-doubts, and enter the “flow state.” We will cover techniques like composition and shading, as we draw what we see using pencil, ink, charcoal, and pastel. What you learn in this class, you can apply to any other art form—the sky is the limit.
It is my mission to make all of my classes inclusive of people with disabilities. Please reach out for details about accessibility and access needs.
If you have any questions, please call, text, or email me at jess@jessjakus.com
