SOBA Art School
Art Classes for Children and Adults
Located next door to SOBA Gallery,
8 Church Street, Bluffton, SC 29910
In addition to the 1,200 square foot gallery, SOBA has created a learning center where classes are held for adult continuing education in the visual arts fields. The Society’s outreach programs schedule guest speakers specializing in a wide range of particular art forms.
These lessons are designed to assist artists and students to enhance their abilities and promote interest in visual arts in the community.
SOBA also offers classes for adults and children year round. Classes contain demonstrations and instruction by prominent artists and speakers.
The SOBA Art School is also available for private event rentals. We can accommodate your needs and find the unique yet people-friendly event space that is right for you. The SOBA Art School is approximately 1,200 square feet. SOBA is only responsible for preparing the rental of its space. All art exhibitions will be left intact for the event.
Our SOBA Instructors are Getting Rave Reviews
“Just a quick note to thank you for coordinating Dan Grazianlo’s workshop and to SOBA for hosting a great event…
I especially want to thank Dan for his time and patience with us. I think it is safe to say that we all left the workshop with valuable information and appreciated Dan’s energy and enthusiasm for creating oil paintings and felt he was sincerely interested in our development.
As we were all thanking Dan for his tutelage and time spent with us for the last three days at today’s conclusion, his humble spirit showed through, as he said, “I enjoyed painting ‘with’ you.”
He is a great artist. He is a great teacher.
– Anita Stephens
“Missy Gentile’s Abstract Art class is incredibly freeing! This class inspired me to think outside the box and divert from the traditional conventions of what we think art is supposed to be.
Missy’s teaching style is encouraging, supportive, and enlightening. She inspires you to reach beyond your comfort zone and not overthink your artwork in order to tap into a different realm of your creativity. This class is pure joy!”
– Bonnie Wade Mucia
“David Rankin is a master at watercolor and I appreciate that he shares his knowledge so freely. He also has terrific teaching skills + excellent instruction. Lastly, I loved, loved, loved the drawing + sketchbook class.”
– Betsy Beaman
SOBA art teacher, Cynthia Van Nus, facilitated an open studio portrait class for 8 weeks. Beginner and more experienced students had a great time and advanced their skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
SOBA’s Art School is located next door to the SOBA Gallery at 8 Church Street in Old Town Bluffton.
Art class schedules are subject to change. Adult workshops and classes can be found here.
Children art classes can be found here.
Please make reservations in advance for all workshops. Art teachers’ compensation for their time and expertise depends on a minimum number of students per class.
Registration commits you, the teacher, and SOBA.
When you purchase a SoBA workshop or class, you are entitled to 25% off at Old Town Bluffton Inn. This offer includes complementary glass of wine, champagne or beer, light breakfast and free parking.
To enroll in a class, please choose your class(es) here for adults or here for children and register with a credit card, or pick up a form at the gallery which you may fill out, enclose a check or credit card information, and mail in to SOBA, Barbara Pecce, PO Box 1972, Bluffton, SC 29910.
For more information, please e-mail [email protected].
By using this site and purchasing classes/workshops, you agree to the terms and conditions and privacy policy.
Society of Bluffton Artists (SOBA) is a non-profit organization whose operating expenses are defrayed by revenue from its workshop registration fees, memberships, the rental of space in its Creative Center for the Arts just to name a few.
Workshop Registration Fees:
Please be aware that the deadline to cancel registrations & issue refunds is two weeks prior to the scheduled class. No refunds or credits are issued after that time.
SOBA not only makes a commitment (time wise and monetarily) to an instructor, but also must often turn away students if the class size maximum has been met. Canceling has negative consequences for instructors, potential students and anticipated revenues.
Rental of Space in The SOBA Art School
Organizations who make a commitment and pay to rent space will not receive a refund if they cancel without ample notice (2 weeks). Once again, canceling last minute deprives SOBA of renting that space to another organization and again impacts our revenue.
Exceptions will be made in the event of illness or a family emergency, however instead of a refund, SOBA reserves the right to credit a workshop registration fee against a future class an individual may wish to take. There will also be no registration refunds for any other reason such as dissatisfaction with a class, etc as these are subjective criteria for which SOBA cannot be responsible.
Please be aware that the deadline to cancel registrations & issue refunds is two weeks prior to the scheduled class. No refunds or credits are issued after that time.
No, you definitely do not need to be a professional artist. We especially like those who wish to start or improve their art skills.
The class descriptions on the website will sometimes have a list of supplies you will need. Otherwise, you will be notified by email after you register.
Wear comfortable clothes – those you won’t mind if a bit of paint gets on them.
SOBA’s art instructors are experienced painters, photographers or those of a specific genre in the art field.
Rent the SOBA Art School Building
Did you know that you can rent the SOBA Art School? If you are interested in renting the our little school house, please e-mail [email protected].
