Learn Art of Painting in Portland

A long list of artists, including many painters, originated from Portland. The city has earned the reputation of being a very artistic place. Every year, artists from all over the world move to Portland with the goal of furthering their careers.

Portland has a few art museums including the Portland Art Museum and the Contemporary Craft Museum. There are a wide variety of galleries. Many can be found in the Pearl district downtown.

If you are looking to learn painting in Portland, one of the first stops should be the various schools in the area. For example, the Art Institute of Portland offers associates and bachelor’s degrees in a variety of artistic disciplines. There is also the Oregon College of Art and Craft, which offers Bachelors in Fine Arts. This means that you can get a degree in drawing and painting. OCAC is quite a historic school actually, as the institution first opened its doors back in 1907.

Another school to check out is The Pacific Northwest College of Art. This school, also based in Portland, Oregon, offers bachelor of Fine Art degrees and also Master of Fine Art degrees. This school is also over a century old. It was created in 1909 by the Portland Art Museum. In fact, The Pacific Northwest College of Art used to be part of the museum. Other art schools in Portland that have art programs include Lewis and Clark College, Reed College and Portland State University.

Right outside of Portland is the Marylhurst Art Gym. This school is not really a gym, but actually an accredited institution. The Marylhurst Art Gym offers certificate programs, online programs, as well as undergraduate and graduate degrees. If you are looking to paint, you can receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting/Drawing.

There are also options for learning painting in Portland that do not involve getting a degree or certification. If you are looking for more casual classes, there are indeed options out there for you.

One option is called Artspace that offers an “intuitive painting workshop.” This class is designed to help students to tap into the creative process. The teacher is an art therapist who has been trained in Buddhism and Shamanism. This unique painting program is open to all students 16 and older. If you are looking to freely tap into your artistic abilities, this may be the ideal class for you.

Another option for a Portland art class is called the Creative Arts Community. This program is about 20 minutes from Portland and looks over the Columbia River Gorge. Some of the classes that Creative Arts Community offers includes “Oil Painting Basics,” “Advanced Painting” and “Water Media.” Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced painter, you will find a fit in this unique program.

Of course, there is also no shortage of professional artists who offer private art lessons. If you want the kind of personalized attention that an individual class offers, this might be the option for you.

Have you ever taken a painting class or are you a self-taught artist?

Peter Mitchell is a writer living in Portland, Oregon.