Inside the Painter’s Studio: Cézanne + Morandi (Limited Offering) – New!
Adult Multi-Week | Available
Explore the painter’s studio as both a historical space and a site of personal experimentation. Using the practices of Paul Cézanne and Giorgio Morandi as anchors, we will examine how each artist approached still life—both technically and conceptually—and how those approaches can inform your own creative processes. We will engage in both guided and independent studio work, using drawing and painting to analyze and respond to the historical works, while developing your own visual language and painterly methods.
- This class is flexible and shaped by student interests. Informal critique and project development are central. Students are encouraged (not required) to conduct visual research outside of class.
Accessibility notes: Many artmaking processes require the ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time, fine motor skills/finger dexterity, repetitive motions, vision, and some amount of physical strength. VisArts values making classes accessible to everyone, and is always happy to work with students to make accommodations when possible. Please reach out to info@visarts.org with specific questions related to accessibility or accommodations.
This class is moderately physical. Students should be comfortable standing for extended periods and using arm and hand motion for painting and mixing. The act of mixing paint, handling brushes, and setting up compositions can involve repeated shoulder and wrist motion. Accommodations can be made for seated workspaces if needed.
Classes are confirmed one week prior to the start date. In order to help us confirm classes, please register as early as possible.
On-site courses do not come with studio access outside of class time. Paid open studio access is available through our Studio Access Program. Please visit visarts.org for more information.
William Okaily
William Okaily is a multidisciplinary artist, educator, and writer whose practice bridges visual and performing arts, scenography, and critical research. His work explores perception and the intersections of materiality and myth, often incorporating deconstructive methodologies and oral histories. Influenced by East Asian philosophies of Nothingness, he investigates what he calls "the grandeur in the granular"—how subtle details evoke visceral responses and reveal hidden complexities.
William earned an MFA in Multidisciplinary Art from the Maryland Institute College of Art, where he also pursued a Minor in Curatorial Practice and a Certificate in the College Teaching of Art. He holds a BA in Studio Art with a Minor in Media and Communication from the American University of Beirut and completed his French Baccalaureate in Philosophy and Literature.
His work has been exhibited in Lebanon and the United States, and he participated in the Antioch Recovery Project Research Lab at Johns Hopkins University. Currently, he contributes accessible art criticism to RVA Magazine and teaches Painting and Drawing at the Visual Art Center of Richmond and the Cultural Art Center at Glen Allen. William fosters critical perspectives and innovative pedagogies, integrating radicalism, critical thought, and risk-taking into dynamic learning environments.