Thunderbird Arts Center, in partnership with the City of Phoenix, is a satellite location of Phoenix Center for the Arts, serving our North Phoenix communities. The facility opened to the public in the fall of 2016, and began offering classes for adults and youth year-round.
Students can register for a variety of art classes at this location, including: Ceramics, Mosaics, Painting & Drawing, Photography, Printmaking, Mosaics, Youth Art, and more!
Note: Click the “Sign Up” button at the bottom of a class description to register through the Center’s Mindbody registration platform. A Mindbody account is required to register for classes at the Center. Questions about registration or financial aid? Call (602) 254-3100 or email frontdesk@phoenixcenterforthearts.org to speak to a Patron Services Associate to speak to a Patron Services Associate.
Prior to arriving for in-person classes, students are required to digitally sign our Student Agreement.
Address:
Thunderbird Arts Center
1106 E. Grovers Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85022
(located in the building behind the Mountain View Community Center)
Hours of operation:
Our hours vary based on class schedules. Please contact our office to confirm the weekly hours.
Phone:
(602) 293-3267
Painting exercises: SEASCAPE
Date: January 26, 2026 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Thunderbird Arts Center
Available Slots: 9/10
Description: 3 hour acrylic workshop representing the sea at the time of sunset. We will discuss and practice all main elements of landscape painting- composition, proportion, linear and aerial perspective, gradation and more. Step-by-step instructions. This workshop is beneficial for all students interested in realistic and impressionistic painting. All materials provided.
Materials: No materials required
Duration: 3 hours
Prerequisites: No Experience Required
Ages: 16+
Cost: $50
Please arrive 15 minutes before your class begins.
Getting a Grip on your Digital Camera (Thunderbird)
Date: January 27, 2026 6:00 pm - February 10, 2026 7:30 pm
Location: Thunderbird Arts Center
Available Slots: 6/9
Students or Guardians must bring ID to the first class.
Description: If your digital camera has been the bane of your creative expression or you just want to start taking better images, then this class is for you. Bill will help you understand both the creative settings of your camera and show you how to create better images. You are encouraged to bring a camera to class and Bill will help in getting your camera set up for getting the shots you want. This class will also help you get better photos even with your cell phone.
Materials: Should have a camera or cell phone for photos
Prerequisite: None
Duration: 3 weeks
Ages: 16+
Cost: $55.00
Please arrive 15 minutes before class begins.
Fairy tales and crafts (Thunderbird)
Date: January 27, 2026 4:00 pm - February 24, 2026 5:30 pm
Location: Thunderbird Arts Center
Available Slots: 10/10
Description: Let's make are own fairy tales. Each class we will read a part of enchanting fairy tale then free write with no grammar police and create our own with mix media of items.Then if time permits share are creations and ideas with the class. This class is to build confidence and joying creating and story telling.
Materials: none
Prerequisite: none
Duration: 5 weeks
Ages: 6-7
Cost: $85.00
Painting exercises: PALETTE KNIFE
Date: February 02, 2026 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Thunderbird Arts Center
Available Slots: 6/10
Students or Guardians must bring ID to the first class.
Instructor: Hristi Wilbur
Description: 3-hour acrylic workshop for everyone interested in learning a new experimental technique. The biggest challenge to paint with a palette knife is that there is no way to work on small details/ The reward-your work will have bold, textural and expressive quality. Step-by-step instructions. All materials provided.
Duration: 3 Hours
Prerequisites: None
Ages: 16+
Cost: $50
Intermediate / Advanced Acrylic Painting 4 weeks (Thunderbird)
Date: February 02, 2026 6:00 pm - February 23, 2026 9:00 pm
Location: Thunderbird Arts Center
Available Slots: 6/12
Description: Landscapes, florals, water scenes, figure work, abstract, still life. Students take their work home each week and bring it back to work on it the following week.
Materials: All materials will be supplied by instructor.
Prerequisite: My beginner painting class, or another beginner painting class
Duration: 4 weeks
Ages: 16+
Cost: $125.00
Advanced Landscape Photography (Thunderbird)
Date: February 02, 2026 5:30 pm - March 23, 2026 7:30 pm
Location: Thunderbird Arts Center
Available Slots: 5/9
Description: Have you ever found yourself gazing upon the most beautiful of sunrises or sunsets and started snapping away only to be disappointed with what showed up on your computer screen? "That is not what I saw!" is a common refrain of photographers new to landscape photography. In this class, you will learn photo composition, optimal manual settings, and post-production using Lightroom Classic and Photoshop. (The class is timed to match the expected sunset times for February and March). The class will end with a gallery walk of your best photos taken during the class.
Materials: Please have your camera memory card or a thumb drive for sharing photos in class. A tripod is extremely helpful for this class, but one can be shared in the event that you do not have one.
Prerequisite: Must have a DSLR or Mirrorless camera with a Manual (M) button. It is helpful to already have an cursory understanding of the Manual function on your DSLR or Mirrorless cameras, however, their will be enough additional instruction to help solidify your understanding.
Duration: 7 weeks
Days Off: President's Day
Ages: 18+
Cost: $250.00
Fun & Easy Acrylic Painting (Thunderbird - 4 weeks)
Date: February 03, 2026 6:30 pm - February 24, 2026 8:30 pm
Location: Thunderbird Arts Center
Available Slots: 12/12
Students or Guardians must bring ID to the first class.
Description: Great for beginners and intermediates. Step-by-step follow along tutorial to produce a completed painting in 2 hours! Always room to personalize/modify your art piece. Always fun! 4 weeks
Materials: All materials will be provided.
Prerequisites: None
Ages: 16+
Cost: $85.00
Basic: Learning to Paint the Head
Date: February 03, 2026 6:00 pm - March 03, 2026 8:45 pm
Location: Thunderbird Arts Center
Available Slots: 9/10
Description: This is a fundamental class designed to teach you how to paint the head using oils. We will explore the process of transforming a live model into a two-dimensional representation. This class serves as a crucial skill for cultivating realism or abstracting portraits. We will sharpen your observational abilities, enhance your eye-hand coordination, examine the planes of the face, use simple value system and uncover proportions using a simple color palette. This class provides practical experience in painting the head, guiding you through the process of developing portraiture.
Materials: Oil Paints: Cadmium Red , French Ultramarine, Viridian , lemon yellow, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Ivory Black, and Titanium White. termloid, container clean brushes, oil brushes vary of size: 20,12, 6, 16, rages, canvas boards/ canvas paper(with board), 9 x 12 to 11 x 17
Prerequisite: Recommended but not required: Use of Oils painting objects, basic drawing portraits
Duration: 5 weeks
Ages: 16+
Cost: $160.00
Fun & Easy Acrylic Painting (Thunderbird - 4 weeks)
Date: February 04, 2026 6:30 pm - February 25, 2026 8:30 pm
Location: Thunderbird Arts Center
Available Slots: 12/12
Students or Guardians must bring ID to the first class.
Description: Great for beginners and intermediates. Step-by-step follow along tutorial to produce a completed painting in 2 hours! Always room to personalize/modify your art piece. Always fun! 4 weeks
Materials: All materials will be provided.
Prerequisites: None
Ages: 16+
Cost: $85.00
Painting exercises: WATER LILIES
Date: February 09, 2026 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Thunderbird Arts Center
Available Slots: 7/10
Students or Guardians must bring ID to the first class.
Instructor: Hristi Wilbur
Description: Three-hour acrylics workshop with a focus on landscape painting. The project is inspired by the famous water lilies of Claude Monet in Giverny, France. The step-by-step instruction will cover color mixing and the small, overlapping brushstrokes typical for Impressionist painting. All materials provided.
Materials: None
Duration: 3 Hours
Prerequisites: None
Ages: 16+
Cost: $50
Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop for Photographers (Online)
Date: February 12, 2026 6:00 pm - March 05, 2026 8:00 pm
Location: Thunderbird Arts Center
Available Slots: 8/9
Description: Adobe Lightroom has become the go-to program for digital photographers. It allows us to do all the enhancements and more with just a few clicks or adjustment of sliders. Photoshop remains the program of choice for complex designs and pixel level control. However both programs are made to work together for photographers to enhance and improve their images. This is what the class is all about. For the new user Bill will show how to import and start working with images right at the first class in Lightroom. If you have been using Lightroom but are finding it frustrating, Bill will show you how to setup your folders and work with collections for a more effective workflow. He will also show how to use Presets, create beautiful Black and White images from color files, and create prints from your images. If needed he will show how to send your image to Photoshop for that final touch of creativity. If you are a pro or just want to work on all of your images from your camera then this class is for you.
Materials: Computer with Zoom. Camera and Mike is also helpful
Duration: 4 Weeks
Prerequisites: Computer Link with Zoom
Ages: 18+
Cost: $100.00
Impressionism in Acrylics (Thunderbird)
Date: February 18, 2026 6:00 pm - March 25, 2026 9:00 pm
Location: Thunderbird Arts Center
Available Slots: 9/10
Description: In this class we will utilize the main elements of impressionistic painting: capturing the flickering light, use of vibrant colors and variety of brushstrokes. We will paint without black! The projects will cover nature landscapes, cityscapes, and lake site (waterscape). We’ll discuss some of the best examples from the masters of Impressionism and translate their artistic philosophy and technique to painting landscapes today.
Materials: No materials required
Duration: 6 weeks
Prerequisites: No Experience Required
Ages: 16+
Cost: $195.00
Painting exercises: HUMMINGBIRD
Date: February 23, 2026 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Thunderbird Arts Center
Available Slots: 7/10
Description: 3- hour acrylic class with step-by-step instructions. Students will learn how to paint a bird, mix colors and layers with acrylic paint. All materials provided.
Materials: All materials provided
Prerequisite: No experience required
Duration: 3 hours
Ages: 16+
Cost: $50.00