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Handmaking Pastels

Handmaking Pastels with Todd Gilens

This class explores the world of pastels. In our first meeting we will review the medium’s history and materials, ranging from cave paintings to the present and exploring the history of color along the way. We will then make our own drawing sticks from dry pigments and binder, creating a set of colors everyone can take home.  In the final session, we will try out our drawing sticks on different kinds of paper. You will leave with a set of color pastels, a feeling for working on different surfaces, and the knowledge for making more of your own pastels.

No prior drawing or painting experience necessary. Materials will be supplied but bring a notebook, a spirit of experimentation, and snacks.

General Tuition: $275
Pay-It-Forward Tuition: $300
Reduced Tuition (Limited): $250

Accessibility –
This class takes place in the San Pablo Community Classroom, located on the first floor. Please email classes@kala.org regarding any  accessibility needs prior to enrolling so we can assess if we are able to accommodate you safely and efficiently.

  • Tuition: $275
  • Location: San Pablo Community Classroom
  • Instructor: Todd Gilens
  • 3 Classes
  • Sunday, March 15, 2026 — March 29, 2026
  • 12:00PM — 3:00PM
  • TBD Materials Fee - Payable to the instructor on the first day

Register

About the Instructor:

An artist who works both in the studio and within communities, Todd Gilens has created projects for transit systems, botanical gardens, arts and conference centers, factories, and other places in the U.S. and abroad. He has taught with the Academy of Art University, the Fine Art Museums of San Francisco, Point Reyes National Seashore Association, Center for Photographic Art, an East Oakland elementary school, and the University of Michigan, among other places. Todd has been working with handmade pastels since 2019, first using them to complete a public artwork at Lake Tahoe, part of a commission by the National Forest Foundation. His work of the last decade focuses on the ecology and history of water. Through drawing, photography, and writing, he explores how this shapeless and transparent element shapes places and lives. He lives in Richmond, California and has a studio in South Berkeley.