Mondays, November 30 - December 14, 2026 | 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Join Bonnie Masdeu as we discover new techniques for combining canvas, acrylics, and clay. Designed for intermediate to advanced artists, this course focuses on painting with realistic acrylic techniques while incorporating three-dimensional clay elements directly into your work. You will refine your color mixing and composition skills to seamlessly merge sculpted forms with painted surfaces, creating a vivid aquatic scene with tangible depth. Join us to expand your artistic toolset and bring the illusion of life and dimension to your canvas.

Materials Required

• 18 x 18 Square Stretched canvas
• Photo Reference of Underwater Scenes with Anemones, Starfish or other Sea Creatures
• Disposable Paper Palette
• Optional Palette Keeper (to transport wet paper palette)
• Tabletop Easel to hold and transport Painting (Easels also available in class)
• White Crayola Model Magic Clay 8 Oz or Larger
• Clay Tools
• Acrylic Paint brushes in various sizes
• Cup to hold water
• Tupperware to store Model Magic Clay
• Hot Glue Gun (teacher has hot glue gun if you don’t have one)
• Small Cardboard to go under your hot glue gun
• Soft Body Acrylic Paint (I prefer Amsterdam Brand, but this is only available online)
  • Titanium White 4 Oz or larger
  • Cadmium Yellow 4 Oz
  • Yellow Ochre 4 Oz
  • Viridian Green 4 Oz
  • Turquoise Blue 4 Oz
  • Phthalo Blue 4 Oz
  • Cadmium Red Deep 4 Oz
  • Burnt Umber 4 Oz
• You may also bring additional acrylic colors including
  • Lemon Yellow 4 Oz
  • Cadmium Orange 4 Oz
  • Burnt Siena 4 Oz
  • Turquoise 4 Oz
  • Ultramarine Blue 4 Oz
  • Ivory Black 4 Oz
  • (Or other acrylic colors unique to your reference ideas)
• Optional: Windsor Newton General Purpose Spray Varnish High Gloss to finish project
• Suggested: – OOK Small D-Ring for back of Canvas

Instructor bio: Bonnie Masdeu is an artist and photographer with experience in fashion design, illustration, painting, murals, and wildlife photography. She has painted live at public events, completed large-scale mural projects, and continues to develop her studio practice in Miami.

Originally from Upstate New York, Bonnie studied Fashion Design and Illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City, where she also tutored illustration. Her early career in the fashion industry included work in Hong Kong, China, and Taipei. After moving to Miami in 1994, she spent ten years with Ralph Lauren in Bal Harbour before turning more fully to painting.

Bonnie joined the Palette Knife Artists of Miami in 2017 and now serves as Co-Director, helping coordinate exhibitions and promote palette knife techniques. She also teaches a general painting class at East Ridge Community Center.

Her interest in nature led her to birding and later to wildlife photography, which has received awards and recognition. She is an active member of several conservation organizations and continues to pair her artistic work with environmental advocacy.

Learn more about Bonnie here: Bonnie's Galleries

This ticket includes access to all sessions in this series as listed above. Tickets are nonrefundable. This class runs rain or shine.