About Gallery Classes Workshops Events Staff Supplies Calendar

20 East Main Street, Lake Zurich, IL 60047  * (847) 550-0016
e-mail: artists@mainstreetartcenter.com

The Mainstreet Art Center is a school of fine art offering classes in drawing and painting for artists of all ages and levels of experience. Open since 1994, Mainstreet attracts students from all over the Chicago area, northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Our professional staff of instructors have careers as artists, exhibit in galleries throughout the country, teach workshops and appear in artists publications.

  • Drawing & Oil Painting
  • Pastels & Watercolor
  • Portrait Painting
  • Open Studio
  • Workshops & Demos
  • Frames & Art Supplies

Upcoming Events

Plein Air Equipment
with Tom Henrichsen

Join Tom for this mini-workshop about plein air equipment. He will cover everything you need from various easels, umbrellas, panels, wet painting carriers, viewfinders, etc. If you're just starting plein air painting, or looking to organize or streamline your choices in equipment, this is a great opportunity to see what might work best for you.

 
 

Upcoming Workshops

2025 Workshops with Visiting Artists:

Dan Beck
Figure and Still Life, March 7, 8 & 9, 2025

Stan Miller
Painting the Portrait and Landscape, April 4, 5 & 6, 2025

Neal Hughes
Plein Air Painting, June 26, 27 & 28, 2025

Marc Anderson
Painting Beautiful Landscapes on Location, September 5, 6 & 7, 2025

Aline Ordman
Creating Dynamic Pastels: Using Abstract Thinking to Create Illustrative Paintings, September 19, 20 & 21, 2025

Click "Workshops" for full list of scheduled workshops.

2025 Workshops with Mainstreet Staff Artists:

Susan Ploughe
Water Ways, March 21, 22 & 23, 2025

Barb Benstein
Portrait Painting: Portrait Steps, March 28, 29 & 30, 2025

Frankie Johnson
Brush Strokes & Palette Knife Techniques, April 11, 12 & 13, 2025

Frankie Johnson
Watercolor & Pastel: A Match Made in Heaven, May 17 & 18, 2025

Susan Ploughe
Design Strategies for Better Paintings, October 10, 11 & 12, 2025

Barb Benstein
Elevate your Portrait Painting, November 14, 15 & 16, 2025

Click "Workshops" for full list of scheduled workshops.

 

       

Upcoming Mini Workshops


Tom Henrichsen

Beginning Plein Air:
Know your Equipment
June 8, 2025


Maria Galvan-Herrera

Getting Comfortable with Gouache
July 6, 13 & 20, 2025


Cheryl Cook

Just Drawing
October 4, 11, 18
& 25, 2025


Susan Ploughe

Art and Your iPad
Intro to Procreate®
June 8, 2025


Send us an e-mail at: artists@mainstreetartcenter.com
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