Workshops
JWS sponsors two 2-day workshops per year in conjunction with our Spring and Fall exhibitions. In Fall 2024, we initiated a two-day workshop in place of the three-day workshop previously held. One-day workshops are available periodically and are usually given by local artists.
Instructors: We have been fortunate to have wonderful instructors who are recognized nationally and internationally, such as David Dewey, Marilyn Hughey Phillis, Sue Archer, Sherry O’Neill, Fran Larsen, Mary Ann Beckwith, Janet Rogers, John Salminen, David Daniels, George James, Pat Weaver, Cheng-Khee Chee, Janet King, Lynn Ferris, Morten E. Solberg, Jaimie Cordero, Ted Head, Ted Nuttall, Anne Abgott, Mike E. Bailey, David Lobenberg, Margaret Roseman, Don Andrews, David R. Becker, Lian Quan Zhen, David R. Smith, Xi Guo, Michael Holter, Pam Wenger, and Lorraine Watry, Libit Jones, Robin Lee Makowski, Mary O. Smith, and Chris Flagg.
The instructor for the 2-day workshop generally serves as juror for the exhibition and provides a “sneak preview” of the workshop at our monthly meeting on the Tuesday prior to the two-day workshop. Information about the workshop instructor, examples of artwork, website, workshop, and supply list are listed in the section below.
Location and times: All workshops are held at the Jacksonville Gem & Mineral Society building, 3733 Crown Point Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32257. JGMS is located between San Jose Blvd and Old St Augustine Rd, just a few miles north of the I-295 ramps. Classes are from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM, unless otherwise published.
For those of you who are new to our workshops, we provide coffee, water and light snacks. Bring your own lunch. Class sizes are limited to 18 students to ensure individual attention and a table of your own for workspace.
Directions and information about workshop instructor, materials list, and workshop outline, times, etc. will be provided several weeks before the workshop to those attending.
1. Scheduled Workshops: Important information about each scheduled workshop is listed in the section below.
2. Registration and Fees: This section has instructions for registration and payment by mail or online.
For the 1-day workshop, total cost is $125 for members and $150 for non-members payable 30 days before the workshop. The full fee is due at registration.
For the 2-day workshops in 2026, the total cost is $375 for members and $425 for non-members. A $100 non-refundable deposit will be available at registration with the balance due 30 days before the workshop.
Space is reserved on a first come basis for those who have paid the required fee. Due to committed expenses for workshops, refunds less than 30 days before the workshop begins are not available unless there is someone on the waiting list to fill the vacancy. If a workshop must be canceled, all monies will be refunded.
1. Scheduled Workshops
2 Day Fall Workshop
"ART of OBSERVATION"
by Chris Flagg
October 29-30, 2025 9:30am to 4:00 pm
Jacksonville Gem and Mineral Society 3733 Crown Point Rd, Jacksonville
$250 members $285 non-members
1 hour lunch break (Bring your own lunch)
Chris' workshop is FULL! Stand by registration only
Chris' workshop will explore methods to simplify complex scenes through the value of pre-painting sketches, handling “entourage” (people, cars, street “noise”, etc.) simplified perspective, focal points and edges. Chris loves to draw, teach, watercolor and journal. He has taught quick sketching, color techniques, and a variety of watercolor and pen and ink sketching to numerous architectural, landscape architectural, and interior design students at multiple universities. Demos and paint-alongs -"urban landscapes", rural scenes, nautical subjects, and historical structures.
Learn more about the workshop and what to expect, click here. For information about Chris and his work, see Chris' Facebook page and website.
2 Day Spring Workshop
“Mastering the Power of Focal Areas”
by Vladislav Yeliseyev, AIS, NWS
February 4 and 5, 2026
9:30am to 4:00 pm
Jacksonville Gem and Mineral Society 3733 Crown Point Rd, Jacksonville
$375 members $425 non-members
1 hour lunch break (Bring your own lunch)
Vladislav Yeliseyev is a renowned watercolor and plein air artist
known for his ability to capture everyday scenes with a unique
perspective. For over 30 years, Vladislav has lived and worked in
the United States, amassing a dedicated following of art enthusi-
asts. His paintings can be found in personal and commercial col-
lections worldwide.
His artwork is praised for its mastery of light and color, showcased through bold
brushstrokes, skillful color schemes, and clear calligraphy. With a limited palette and
minimal brushstrokes Vlad creates paintings that evoke a sense of the depicted ob-
jects rather than their intricate details. He often employs warm colors to achieve rich-
ness while maintaining the transparency of watercolor. Vlad's intention is not to simply
depict the object itself but to capture the light, leaving room for interpretation and al-
lowing the viewer to experience the essence of the scene.
The focus of this workshop is to move beyond merely copying what you see; it’s es-
sential to reinterpret the subject in your own way. In this workshop, we’ll explore prov- en methods that help you efficiently achieve the goal. You’ll gain hands-on experi-
ence with these techniques, learning how to create successful watercolors that truly
stand out. We’ll cover every aspect, from developing the right mindset as you pick
up your brush, through mastering brush techniques, to adding the perfect finishing
touches.
Learn more about the workshop and what to expect, click here. For information about and his work, see and Website.
2. Register for Workshops
Registration and Payment by Mail
Space is reserved on a first come basis for those who have paid the required fee. Contact Geri Groenert by email [email protected] or phone 904-940-7621 if you have any questions. A reminder to pay the balance due 30 days before the workshop will be sent. Until further notice, temporary email address for Geri is [email protected]
Pull up and print the registration form for 1 and 2 -day workshops 2026. Complete the registration information and send with check with the full fee payable to the Jacksonville Watercolor Society by mail to:
Geri Groenert
1437 Castle Pines Cir.
St Augustine FL 32092
Online Registration and Payment
This is two step process.
Step 1. Pull up the online registration form for 2026 by clicking here and enter the information requested. "Submit" will send an email to the Workshop email address with your information. You will receive an acknowledgement by email. Come back to this page to complete step 2 below.
Step 2. Pay fee for the 2026 workshop, selecting the appropriate payment option from the boxes below - depending on your membership status (member or non-member), then press the “Pay Now” button below.
Caution: Please review the shopping cart to ensure your selection is recorded correctly - with "1" in the quantity.
You may pay with your own PayPal account or by credit card and fill out the requested information as a PayPal guest.
A small convenience fee of $3.00 is added for online payments to offset charges to JWS for PayPal's payment processing services. You will receive confirmation that your registration fee is being processed.