The Vancouver Island School of Art is a contemporary art school located in downtown Victoria that offers in-person and online courses and workshops for adults of all ages. Let’s create together. Vancouver Island School of Art is a contemporary art school located in Downtown Victoria. Open to adults of all ages. VISA is a Non-Profit Registered Charity. 20 years and counting! With more than 6000 students and 140 instructors since September 2004, we've provided a welcoming place for people of all ages to learn about contemporary art, as well as a venue for MFA graduates to get training as instructors. 2025-2026 Highlights Discover some exciting upcoming events—and key achievements over the last 20+ years Learn. Create. Play. Whether you want to take only one art course or complete a full-time program, there is a place for you at our school. The Vancouver Island School of Art offers two modes of study: Certificate of Visual Arts One year full-time or a maximum of four years part-time Individual Courses and Workshops On-going, no application required ABOUT US WHAT'S NEW Discover our courses Thoughtfully designed in the focus areas of drawing, painting and art history. SCHEDULES Course & Workshop Schedules Subscribe to Newsletter COURSES BY CATEGORY Painting Drawing Art Fundamentals Art History, Theory Winter Workshops Colour in Painting Learn how to use colour by studying master artists work throughout history Started Jan 7 575 Canadian dollars $575 Loading availability... Loading availability... VIEW COURSE Landscape Painting Now II Add new directions and approaches to your painting by looking at contemporary landscape artists Started Jan 9 575 Canadian dollars $575 Loading availability... Loading availability... VIEW COURSE Painting Inspired by Landscape Discover how the landscape remains an exciting source of inspiration for many painters Started Jan 6 575 Canadian dollars $575 Loading availability... Loading availability... VIEW COURSE Painting: Introduction II Develop your painting skills and discover your artist’s voice while exploring a range of subjects Started Jan 7 575 Canadian dollars $575 Loading availability... Loading availability... VIEW COURSE Painting: Light and Shadow Learn how light and shadow can add drama and excitement to your paintings Started Jan 6 575 Canadian dollars $575 Loading availability... Loading availability... VIEW COURSE Painting the Everyday with Gouache Your everyday life can provide endless subject matter for painting with gouache Started Jan 6 575 Canadian dollars $575 Loading availability... Loading availability... VIEW COURSE Painting: Thematic Approaches Discover more about your own artistic direction by focusing on a different theme matter each week Started Jan 7 575 Canadian dollars $575 Loading availability... Loading availability... VIEW COURSE WORKSHOP SCHEDULES Current Workshop Schedule Create your future COURSES & WORKSHOPS Vancouver Island School of Art is a contemporary art school located in Downtown Victoria open to adults of all ages. Your donation matters DONATE TODAY F25 Student Work WI26 In-person Courses WI26 Online Courses See what we are up to.

Trish Shwart Events at the Vancouver Islands School Art including exhibition openings, artist talks and lectures, fundraisers and Open Houses Open House Trish Shwart https://www.vancouverislandschoolart.com/slide-room-gallery Create your future COURSES & WORKSHOPS

Upcoming events at the Vancouver Island School of Art include exhibition openings, artist talks and lectures, fundraisers and Open Houses. Upcoming Events Trish Shwart Trish Shwart Upcoming Events Art Makes Life Better Fundraiser Tue, Jun 24 Victoria More info Details Luna Lectures - 100 Years of Abstraction and Women Sat, Dec 07 Victoria More info Details Luna Lectures - 100 Years of Surrealist Women Sat, Nov 16 Victoria More info Details Cocktails By The Sea Wed, Sep 13 Victoria More info Details Create your future COURSES & WORKSHOPS

Art Consulting Events at the Vancouver Islands School Art including exhibition openings, artist talks and lectures, fundraisers and Open Houses Art Consulting Create your future COURSES & WORKSHOPS

Slide Room Gallery Trish Shwart Events at the Vancouver Islands School Art including exhibition openings, artist talks and lectures, fundraisers and Open Houses Slide Room Gallery Trish Shwart Create your future COURSES & WORKSHOPS

Archives of course and workshop schedules and press items about the Vancouver Island School of Art Newsletter, Press & Archives Subscribe Join our Newsletter Thanks for subscribing! The tyranny of perfection (Feb 2026) Where will creativity take you? (Feb 2026) Limits make you more creative (Jan 2026) My gift to you (Dec 2025) The more you look, the more you see (Nov 2025) Make beautiful drawings (Oct 2025) Learn to see like an artist (Sep 2025) How to avoid art decision fatigue (Aug 2025) Let your imagination go wild (Jul 2025) Let colour be your superpower (Jun 2025) Why I love collage (May 2025) Enjoy solitude and community (Feb 2025) Newsletter Archives READ THE LATEST November 8, 2024 CHEK TV Inspiring Island Women September 17, 2024 CBC On the Island July 28, 2023 Chek TV The Upside May 22, 2021 CTV Arts and Entertainmnent September 19, 2019 Saanich News September 1, 2019 CBC All Points West October 1, 2010 Boulevard April 1, 2010 CFUV Radio September 1, 2007 Village 900 August 24, 2007 Victoria News September 1, 2006 Victoria News August 31, 2006 Monday Magazine Explore the following links for our press coverage Press Winter 2026 Fall 2025 Spring/Summer 2025 Winter 2025 Fall 2024 Spring/Summer 2024 Winter 2024 Fall 2023 Spring/Summer 2023 Winter 2023 Fall 2022 Spring/Summer 2022 Explore the following links to view a PDF file of our past course and workshop calendars Course & Workshop Archives LOAD MORE Create your future COURSES & WORKSHOPS

Drawing Nature Events at the Vancouver Islands School Art including exhibition openings, artist talks and lectures, fundraisers and Open Houses Drawing Nature Create your future COURSES & WORKSHOPS

Watercolours Inspired by Cezanne Events at the Vancouver Islands School Art including exhibition openings, artist talks and lectures, fundraisers and Open Houses Watercolours Inspired by Cezanne Create your future COURSES & WORKSHOPS

Watercolour Flowers: Blue Events at the Vancouver Islands School Art including exhibition openings, artist talks and lectures, fundraisers and Open Houses Watercolour Flowers: Blue Create your future COURSES & WORKSHOPS

Pastels and Plants Events at the Vancouver Islands School Art including exhibition openings, artist talks and lectures, fundraisers and Open Houses Pastels and Plants Create your future COURSES & WORKSHOPS

Design Practice: Geometric Abstraction Events at the Vancouver Islands School Art including exhibition openings, artist talks and lectures, fundraisers and Open Houses Design Practice: Geometric Abstraction Create your future COURSES & WORKSHOPS

Faculty and board biographies Tamara Bond BA Visual Arts, Emily Carr University of Art + Design Tony Bounsall BA (Photography) Toronto Metropolitan University Desiree DeRuiter BA Visual Arts University of Victoria Renee Duval MFA Concordia University Fine Arts Diploma (with honours), Emily Carr College of Art and Design Thomas Guerrero BA History and Anthropology, University of Victoria Jenny Hainsworth BA Linguistics UBC David Kaarsemaker MFA University of Ottawa BFA Concordia University Maddy Knott MFA University of Victoria BFA NSCAD Meghan Krauss MFA University of Windsor BFA University of Saskatchewan Val Lawton BA University of Victoria (Canadian History) MA University of British Columbia (Library Science) James Letkeman MA Architecture University of British Columbia BFA University Of Victoria Andy Lou MFA University of North Texas John Luna MFA University of Calgary BFA University of Victoria Tim McCormack MA (Interdisciplinary Studies), York University Fine Arts Diploma, OCAD Leah McInnis MFA University of Victoria BFA Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design Chantal New BA in Art and Design MFA West Dean College UK Corrie Peters MFA University of Manitoba BFA Concordia University BA in Child and Youth Care, University of Victoria Kate Scoones BFA University of Victoria Andrea Simmonds MFA Emily Carr University of Art and Design BA Bishop’s University, Sherbrooke, QC Xane St Phillip MFA University of California, Santa Barbara BFA University of Victoria Natasha Van Netten Diploma of Fine Art, Vancouver Island School of Art Lucia Volker BFA Emphasis in Printmaking, University of Utah Diploma of Interior Design, Pacific Design Academy Wendy Welch MFA University of Victoria BFA Concordia University Kelly Zantingh BAH Studio Art University of Guelph Jessica Ziakin BA History in Art and Psychology University of Victoria MA Art History and Visual Studies University of Victoria Our Faculty All of our regular faculty members have graduate degrees in art (MFA or MA), exhibition record and teaching experience Our Faculty & Board Lindsay Shojania Chair Jan Redekop Treasurer David Good Director Kathleen Greenaway Director Kirsten Petersen Director Russ Reynolds Director Eric Metcalfe Honorary Board Member Gary Pearson Honorary Board Member Our Board Create your future COURSES & WORKSHOPS