Artists League of the Sandhills
Gallery, Studios, Classes

In this (Oil, Acrylic, Pastel) workshop, Nicole will share the techniques she uses to bring figures from photographs to life. Students will learn to focus on simple shapes, light, and shadow to capture movement, body language, and attitude—with minimal drawing.

Nicole will provide a variety of figurative reference photos specifically chosen for the workshop and designed to help students capture body language. She will also give quick demonstrations and provide individual instruction specific to each artist’s level.

Students may bring their own photos for Day Two, as long as the figure makes up at least 75% of the image and has clear light and shadow on the body.

Advanced Beginner to Advanced. You must have some previous painting and drawing and know how to mix basic colors.

About the Instructor — Nicole White Kennedy

Nicole White Kennedy is an award-winning North Carolina impressionist and figurative painter and a Signature Member of the American Impressionist Society. Her paintings have appeared in numerous national juried exhibitions, and she received Best in Show in the Society’s 2025 All Members Online Exhibition.

A former advertising art director and owner of Nicole’s Studio & Gallery in Raleigh, Nicole brings extensive experience in visual storytelling, painting, and art instruction to her workshops.

Explore Nicole’s artwork and biography.

Discover yourself one piece at a time. Learn, experiment, discover and renew your relationship with creating! Experience the joy of self-expression through collage.

Join Sharon in this uplifting 2-day workshop where collage becomes a pathway to wellness, reflection, and creative freedom.

Together, we’ll explore color, texture, composition and imagery while learning interesting techniques to make your collages truly personal.

This is a chance to let go of perfection, silence your inner critic and reconnect with your creative spirit.

Come create, reflect and celebrate your story – one piece at a time!

All Levels Welcome

Full Members $260 / Associate Members $285 / Non-Members $310

About the Instructor — Sharon DiGiulio

Sharon DiGiulio is a mixed-media artist and art educator based in Raleigh, North Carolina. A graduate of Central Michigan University with a degree in Fine and Applied Arts, Sharon began her career as a graphic designer in Key West before moving to Raleigh, where she worked in art direction, marketing, and sales.

Her passion for connecting artists and encouraging creativity led to a long career with Jerry’s Artarama and Art of the Carolinas, where she served as director from its inception in 2000 and helped bring thousands of art workshops to artists from across the country.

Now retired from the corporate side of the art industry, Sharon focuses on her own artwork and teaching. She works in collage, encaustic, acrylic painting, printmaking, and oil and resin painting, with a particular love for experimentation, texture, color, and mixed media.

A significant health journey and recovery in recent years have given Sharon a renewed appreciation for creativity, connection, and the gift of time. That perspective continues to influence both her artwork and teaching, where she encourages artists to let go of perfection, trust their intuition, and embrace the joy of creating.

Sharon and her husband, Joe, share a studio behind their home in Raleigh, where they create and teach workshops. She is represented by Sunset River Gallery in Calabash, North Carolina.

Explore Sharon’s work and studio.