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Hard at Work - November 2025 Class.
And below: Scenes from Monday Night Potluck (the best restaurant in the Napa Valley)

2026 STAR STUDENTS

Pam Stalker, Pen & Paint Class January 2026

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A WORD FROM JESSEL MILLER:
My students continue to amaze me with their ability to jump into new concepts on a weekly basis and create beauty and brilliance. I recently received this amazing quote from my dear friend Joy and it truly reflects my teaching style and direction:
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Creating anything is a journey. Some parts are easy, some parts are uphill, and some parts get rocky. But unlike a real life journey, there is no map. Literally no-one has been where you are trying to go. You are heading into the unknown, like one of those old-timey explorers, and you will draw the map as you go. That's why I think my love of the unknown has turned out to be a blessing—and why I believe it's something every artist needs to embrace. Because the truth is, if you want to create something truly new, you have to step into the dark without a map. There’s no blueprint, no set of instructions, no guarantee of success. And yet, this is exactly where the magic happens—not in certainty, but in exploration.

The artists who thrive aren’t the ones who wait for clarity before they begin. They’re the ones who start anyway, trusting that the answers will come through the work itself.  So instead of fearing the unknown, make it your ally. Let it excite you instead of paralyze you. Instead of asking, “What if I fail?” try asking, “What might I discover?” Because the unknown isn’t something to avoid--it’s the very thing that makes art possible.
Louise Fletcher

 

Meet Your Teachers

JESSEL MILLER
Acrylic Painting
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[email protected]
​707-287-3342

about the artist

Jessel Miller teaches acrylic painting at Jessel Gallery, and her classes are as soulful and spontaneous as her art.

What Jessel Teaches:

• Acrylic techniques: layering, texture, color mixing, and expressive brushwork
• Creative freedom: she encourages students to “fly by the seat of their pants,” embracing intuition over perfection
• Emotional expression: her lessons often center around storytelling through art, helping students tap into their personal voice

She coined the term “Jesselism” to describe her teaching philosophy—an intuitive, heart-led approach that celebrates exploration and the unknown. Her classes are not paint-by-numbers or formulaic; they’re about trusting your hand and your heART.

DIANE ​POPE
Watercolor
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[email protected]
​707-483-4926

About the artist

Diane Pope teaches watercolor painting at Jessel Gallery, and her classes are a beautiful blend of technique, creativity, and nature-inspired themes.
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 What Diane Teaches:

• Watercolor fundamentals: brush control, layering, washes, and blending
• Nature-based subjects: birds, florals, landscapes, and wildlife
• Monthly rotating themes: each class focuses on a different concept or technique—like color mixing, composition, or capturing light

JOHN ​ROOS
Illustration & Acrylic
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 [email protected]
​520-483-6620

about the artist

​John Roos focuses on refreshing foundational art skills—especially perspective and color mixing as they relate to working from reference photos.

​What John Teaches:
His sessions are designed for artists who want to sharpen their technique and deepen their understanding of how color and spatial relationships work in composition. Students bring their own supplies, and the class offers a hands-on, skill-building experience in a supportive environment.

SUNSHINE MOESCHLER
Mixed Media
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[email protected] 
​707-299-9974

about the artist

​Sunshine Moeschler teaches mixed media art, including collage & assemblage at Jessel Gallery, with a focus on line, texture, and personal expression.

 What Sunshine Teaches:

• Abstract techniques: exploring composition through line, shape, and movement
• Palette knife painting: creating texture and depth with bold strokes
• Creative exploration: students are encouraged to develop their own style and voice

Her classes are hands-on and welcoming, with personal guidance and live demonstrations to help artists grow in confidence and skill.

HEATHER HAMILTON
Floral Design
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[email protected]
​707-738-7366​

About the artist

Heather Hamilton is an experienced floral design instructor known for her loose, organic aesthetic. Her classes are thoughtfully crafted for beginners while still offering depth and inspiration for more advanced floral enthusiasts.
Areas of Instruction Include:

• Bridal bouquets, personal flowers, head wreaths, boutonnieres, and more
• Christmas centerpieces and wreaths
• Spring and Mother’s Day arrangements
• Everyday hand‑tied bouquets

Discover the Art of Floral Design Learn the heart of flower arranging for every occasion through hands‑on guidance, creative exploration, and professional techniques.

Classes can be held on-site or off-site at Jessel Gallery

Email or Call 707-287-3342

• This is not a paint-by-numbers class. Artwork is personalized and unique.
• Hands-on individualized teaching.
• This experience is creative and educational as well as relaxing and re-energizing.
• Jessel Gallery provides all project supplies.
• Each student leaves with a completed piece of art.

Napa Valley Marketplace profile, July 2023

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Student Work 2026

Star Student Gallery

2025 Student Work

Chaos to Calm (3/2 & 3/6)
I created the background paper for everyone to paint from Chaos to Calm and the results were varied, unusual and interesting. This is a challenge for some because you want to honor the colors below and yet start a new vision.

Value (2/23 & 2/27)
This week the focus is the VALUE found in every painting. Value is the lightness or darkness of a color. It is the foundation of every painting because value creates:

• Form (makes objects look 3 D)
• Depth (foreground vs. background)
• Focus (where the eye goes first)
• Mood (dramatic or soft)

If you squint at a painting and it still makes sense, the values are strong. Everyone started with a value study of the piece they painted in black and white and then painted the same image in color.

With the Friday group I included the value study beside the painting for comparison as well as the painting alone. I think it helps to see how the students found their way to the final image.

All About Underpainting (2/16 & 2/20)
Using warm or cool colors as an under painting in acrylics changes the entire emotional temperature and visual structure of a piece. I prepared colored paper for each student to start their piece both warm and cool colors. The results are wonderful.

The underpainting process. Here's how it's done:

Student work:

Heather Hamilton's Floral Design Workshop 2/9/26
What a fun event! Watch for more workshops with Heather!

CLASS FEEDBACK

Learned so much about making a centerpiece with colorful flowers and fillers
Celeste
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Heather was Pure Joy! I learned so much and I am thrilled with my floral arrangement
Tina

Vertical Divider

I learned so much about flower arranging. It was a very fun class.
​Honora
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Love IT !
Nancy

Vertical Divider

Floral Workshop with Heather was amazing! I learned so much about flower arranging.
Alejandra
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What a fun way to spend the evening!! I loved seeing the variety of beautiful arrangements unfold.
Anne

All About the Heart & What We Love Most in Life (2/9 & 2/13)
This week we're doing something very special. This class is devoted to someone or something you love. It could be a person, an animal, a place, a memory, a moment, or even an idea that has shaped you. Love comes in many forms, and every one of them is welcome here.

Children's Book Covers (2/2 & 2/6)
As an author of several children’s books, I’ve always loved sharing the creative process with my students. There’s a special kind of wisdom that comes with time, and shaping it into a simple, loving message for children—something that can steady them through the ever‑changing tides of life—is a gift that lasts far beyond the classroom.
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For this project, the students were invited to develop their own story concept and then create an illustrated cover to bring it to life.

Mystical Imagery (1/26 & 1/30)
Mystical Imagery Class was amazing. Everyone focused on something that inspired them in an emotional direction or a humorous one for some. In my own work I weave emotion, light, and symbolic elements into portraits-my paintings already carry a mystical thread. I use imagery not just to show people, but to reveal their essence, their love, their connection. That's the heart of mystical art.

The Eyes Have It (1/19 & 1/23)
As a portrait artist, I always begin with the eyes. If I feel I’ve “caught” the emotion I’m seeking, only then do I move on to paint the rest of the face. In this class, the students began by sketching what they believed eyes looked like, using simple pencil lines. They even studied one another’s eyes up close to understand the true structure — the lids, the iris, the shadow, the light — all the subtle elements that make an eye feel alive. Then I handed each student a piece of watercolor paper I had pre‑painted in gold, the same way I begin my own portraits. And voilà… here are the results.

Pen, Ink & Paint (1/12 & 1/16)
This week we focused on pen and ink and acrylic and created a square in the painting to complete the look.

Mixed Media (1/5 & 1/9)
This was a mixed medium class with watercolor and acrylic. Mastering both watercolor and acrylic as mediums is a mighty tall order especially for students who have never painted in one or the other medium. Challenging yet the results were playful and surprising. 

Here are the wonderful images of their work this week. I gave the students a choice of painting a scene I had done in both or doing something different. You can see when you compare the ones of the image I suggested, the unique directions they went in! Everyone in both Monday and Friday class loved the use of the watercolors...some for the first time! We will do this again.

Free Work Class (1/2)

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May 2024 Class

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Students Say

Hi Jessel,
Since it's so late, I opted to send a picture of my canvas in this email instead of text. I really focused on taking my time (hence, the late hour email).

I had a great time at the Monday night class! Everyone was very welcoming and it was awesome being around so many talented people (and great food). I just finished my canvas so I've attached it to this email. 

I'm not sure when Anderson & I would be able to attend class again as Monday night's class just happened to line up with our schedule this week, but I'm sure you can expect to see us again at some point.
​Ivy

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Thank you for a terrific class yesterday — although I deviated a bit from the assignment, I learned a tremendous amount and came home with a lot of thoughts about how I might integrate painting with photography — along with quite a bit of inspiration from watching what the other artists were up to!

Not to mention, it was just plain fun to spend a block of time concentrating on creation of visual beauty (or perhaps, in my case,  just a mess, but an idea-provoking mess).

I always learn when you talk about the creative process. And love that in every class I’ve been forced out of my so-called comfort zone!
many, many thanks
Sally

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A small boat on a swoosh sea.  I considered painting an ocean and liner but went small instead. 😉 
I sure am enjoying the classes, Jessel.  I've  never had a class or for that matter an instructor that permitted such freedom to experiment and then offer to help me paint my way out of the corner. 
Thank you oodles!
Deb K

Vertical Divider

In response to Tim Carl's "Jessel Gallery: Napa's artist hub" I send my full endorsement and appreciation to Jessel Miller. I took my first art class there this past Wednesday.
I thought I would feel out of place being a slightly young man surrounded by women painters, many of them far more talented and learned than myself. But I was welcomed very warmly and had a wonderful experience. Mrs. Miller is an excellent teacher. After all these years, she still exerts such passion and creativity. She is also very patient and kind for first timers like myself who haven't painted in a long time. The potluck is worth going for by itself and I highly recommend people to take a class, or just pop in and see the incredible collection of local artwork showcased there. It truly is a gem in our local community.
Cheers to you Jessel.
Will Butler
Via the Napa Valley Register

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Jessel, thank you for your kind and encouraging words. It was such a wonderful feeling to know I’m making progress! You are a terrific inspiration and instructor. Thank you! 
Cynthia

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​I think I rsvp -ed for this Wednesday. Looking forward to another day in painting paradise. 
Susan L 🎨💕

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​I wanted to thank you so much for making time to teach me some painting yesterday. I learned so much from you. Your positivity and encouragement was much appreciated. I am inspired to paint. I thought it was serendipitous that I could call and schedule an art lesson on the same day. Then I met you and watched you interact with me, the public and on the phone and realized you were a rare gem of happiness and energy. After reading your 3 books you generously gave me I realized that your message of soft love and strong values was the authentic Jessel. How lucky for me that I was able to meet you. It wasn’t serendipity. It was meant to be. Thank you!!…Suzy

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I would like to comment on the art classes I have begun with Jessel in Napa. As a disabled person, having lost the use of my left hand, and with zero art experience, I was amazed at what I was able to create in a single lesson. Jessel is a patient, talented artist who shares her techniques with people like me who know nothing. By the end of one class, I had an interesting, colorful piece of art that was actually good enough to frame or display. And the second class was a different technique with a completely different result. Very happy to be learning a creative activity to pursue. She is the best teacher!! ❤️❤️ Kathy Ryan

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Wanted to tell you a big thank you for yesterday afternoon. I loved learning more of the “Jessel Method” and it was my first time inside a place in months. I love the Jessel Method and plan to play with it often. I use Saral transfer paper for my mandala templates. I am going to try it for tracing images as it comes in several colors either as sheets or a roll if you want to see if it can work as well for you as the carbon paper. Thank you for a lovely experience and I am delighted to expand upon what I learned from you yesterday; as it was also my first time adding an image in that way to an abstract painting. Have a wonderful day!
Peace and Joy, Joie
Peace is Joy at rest; Joy is Peace dancing!

Joie Goodkin

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"Thank you, thank you... it was a great class, Jessel. It's been almost two years since I started the class. The whole experience has been so good for me. You may not remember how and why I got started in my "art class journey" . I came in to the studio to give you those dress shoes I didn't wear to a fundraiser - and thought I'd never wear heels of any kind again - after my bike accident. I picked up one of your brochures and told you that the Kaiser Rehab suggested that doing new things in a new environment with new people would be a good step in recovery for me. I was all in of course and felt that a big plus was that Jessel Gallery was not a completely new thing for me. And the "rest is history" as they say." - Sally K.