TAKE AN ART CLASS AT JESSEL GALLERY
All Lessons Customized to Fit Your Needs.
NO Experience Necessary!

JESSEL MILLER (Acrylics) & DIANE POPE (Watercolors) 

Star Student John Roos - Trees Class

Star Student Anna Nobel Chaos to Calm Class

Star Student John Roos Chaos to Calm Class

My students continue to amaze me with their ability to jump into new concepts on a weekly basis and create beauty and brilliance."
Jessel Miller

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UPCOMING PAINTING CLASSES WITH
​DIANE POPE & JESSEL MILLER
RSVP Required - See Details Below

WATERCOLORS WITH DIANE

NO CLASSES DECEMBER 2024!

WINTER CLASSES
Classes held every other week
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TUESDAYS (2 SESSIONS) 
*MORNING: 10am - 1pm *Classes fill quickly
AFTERNOON: 2pm - 5pm​
1/7/25: This month we will be using various wash techniques
1/21: Wash techniques continued

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THURSDAY MORNINGS
10am - 1pm
1/9/25: This month we will be using various wash techniques
1/23: Wash techniques continued

NEW FOR 2025!
BEGINNING WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP
Saturday, January 25
10am - 4:30pm

This one day workshop will introduce you to watercolor painting. It is the perfect class for absolute beginners as well as people who haven’t painted with watercolors for awhile and would like a refresher on techniques.
 
Details: I will provide all the supplies you will need for the class as well as handouts and some snacks to keep you going! We will paint for about 3 hours, take a lunch break and continue paining for a couple more hours.
Bring a lunch and if weather permits we can eat outside on the deck or enjoy our lunch inside the beautiful gallery. 
 
Cost: $140 Register for class by contacting Diane Pope at [email protected] or calling 707-483-4926. Reserve your spot early, class size is limited to 12! 

Please specify AM or PM class when signing up!
$75 per class or
$200 for a 4-class punch card
*If you purchase 4 classes you can take them any time*

Looking for a unique gift idea? How about a gift certificate for watercolor classes. Call or email me for more information.

If you are a beginner and need to borrow supplies, please let me know when you sign up!
​
RSVP to Diane:
 707-483-4926 or [email protected]

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ACRYLICS WITH JESSEL

ART CLASSES IN THE GALLERY
NEW! MONDAY EVENINGS​
5 - 8pm with Potluck Dinner

WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS​
10am - 2pm with Potluck Lunch
No Wednesday Classes in December. See you in 2025!

MONDAYS 5PM
12/2: Focus on Mustard Images for the upcoming NVMC show
12/9: Let's spend December exploring your interests!
12/16: Students' Choice
12/23: Students' Choice
12/30: Working from Your Own Photos: Iconic Napa Water Towers
1/6: Working from Your Own Photos: Your Home or Garden
1/13: Working from Your Own Photos: Napa Barns
1/20: Working from Your Own Photos: Your Perfect Path
1/27: Working from Your Own Photos: The Quintessential Napa View

FRIDAYS 10AM
12/6: Focus on Mustard Images for the upcoming NVMC show
12/13: Let's spend December exploring your interests!
12/20: Students' Choice
12/27: Students' Choice
1/3: Working from Your Own Photos: Iconic Napa Water Towers
1/10: Working from Your Own Photos: Your Home or Garden
1/17: Working from Your Own Photos: Napa Barns
1/24: Working from Your Own Photos: Your Perfect Path
1/31: Working from Your Own Photos: The Quintessential Napa View

​RSVP required. Please indicate the classes you want to attend. 
​Classes fill up quickly so reserve your days ahead of time for the month.
$75 per class or
 $200 for a 4 class punch card
VENMO (@jessel-miller), Cash or Check
*Supplies provided for your first class!

RSVP to Jessel:
707-257-2350
707-257-7066
 [email protected]

Napa Valley Marketplace profile, July 2023

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

• This is not a paint-by-numbers class. Artwork is personalized and unique.
• Hands-on individualized teaching by Jessel Miller.
• 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.

Email or Call 707.257.2350  or 707.257.7066

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Student Work 2024

Star Student Gallery

2023 Student Work

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Wooden Ornaments (11/19 & 11/22)

Holiday Cards (11/11 & 11/15)

Trees (11/4 & 11/8)

Finding Figures and Animals (11/1)

From Chaos to Magical Realism (10/28)

Pumpkins on Prepared Canvas with Chaos (10/25)
Today I prepared small canvas piece with blots of paint and folks went outside and brought in a pumpkin to paint. LOVELY WORK​

Florals on Canvas with Chaos (10/18)
We did 2 projects in class. The first was painting on a small canvas I prepared for the class of just colors and class then "found" Flowers and interpreted the image.
The second painting was floral on white paper. The goal was to inspire innovation in the final painting on white paper and bring some surprises to the final piece. Not all the students got the 2 done.

Primary Colors Class (10/11)
​This was a wonderful opportunity for students to create their own secondary colors using only red, blue and yellow with a little white. Lovely images.

Palette Knife Class (10/4)

Colorful Clothes on a Line (9/20)

Color Study Class (9/11 & 9/13)
The class was working to match colors exactly after creating a color wheel with 3 primary colors​.

Light Through Windows (9/4 & 9/6)
This week we focused on using canvas abstracts color concepts to start with that I created for everyone.

Barns & Shadows (8/30)

Boats on Water (8/21 & 8/23)

Primitive or Naïve Art (8/16)
Naïve art is characterized by its charmingly unsophisticated approach, embracing a lack of formal training or not adhering to established artistic rules. Since most of my students are still learning to draw this was a great opportunity to let go of the rules and just play in color and design.

Goats & Sheep (8/7 & 8/9)

Mountain Majesty (8/2)
The focus of this class was to drift back to the mountains and let them tell a story.

Lavender Fields Forever (7/24 & 7/26)

Outing to Sam Gitting's Farm (7/19)

Rooftop Painting Party (7/13)

Oceans Away! Ocean Images & Coastal Concepts (7/10 & 7/12)

Cows on Sta Wet and on White Paper (7/5)

Abstracting Reality (6/28)

Outing to Richard Mendelson's Sculpture Garden (6/21)
​The class visited Marilyn Knight Mendelson (my student and my yoga instructor) and Richard's lovely sculpture garden. Marilyn gave us a lovely tour and talked about her husband's passion!

​The concept for the class was to paint either a shot of the garden with or without sculpture in it or pick a cottage garden piece from my offerings. It was not an easy task yet several of the students rallied behind the idea and several did lovely interpretations of this most powerful place filled with brilliant visions by Richard.

Shadows in Complimentary Colors (6/12 & 6/14)

Our Friday class did something a little different. Each student did the real version of an image and then followed by the complimentary color version of the same image. Fascinating and very informative.

Summer Soirée - Rooftop Rockers (6/1)
First Summer Soirée: schmoozing, sipping and painting on rocks!​

Reflections (5/29 & 5/31)
Everyone in class did a tiny painting on canvas as the preliminary to a larger piece. Then they worked on the same image on paper larger​.

Road Painting on Sta Wet & Paper (5/22 & 5/24)

Photo to Fantasy
The goal for this class was to experience both palette knife and brush from images given to the class. Some did the same image and some did different images.

Still Life Two Ways
PART 1: The concept this week was 2 fold. First we worked from an actual pepper on a small piece of paper to loosen up for the second challenge that was more involved. There were 4 new students and I love to see how they do in the mix and they all did wonderful first pieces.

PART 2: The second piece reflected a complete still life using the skills  learned in doing the pepper and it helped relax folks. The Pepper Paintings were like stretching before one exercises and the second piece is the workout! The class did so well. Several people did not finish their pieces yet they promised to do so and send the images to me. 

Swoosh and Sta Wet: Two Different Approaches to Negative Space
PART 1: Leaving the Sta Wet Mess on the page and forming the creature by painting the outside

PART 2: Part 2 of the class was creating a swoosh on white paper and then working around the creature to create the concept

JESSEL'S MESSAGE & CLASS FEEDBACK: Swoosh and Sta Wet

Hello Loved Students,
I watched you struggle yesterday and Wednesday and wanted you to know that you were not alone. PLEASE do not get discouraged when class subject and concepts throw you for a loop.

YOU are doing great and growing each week, and some weeks many students lose their way. I am here, and we can do this together. It's more important to master the piece and the concept each week than it is to create a masterpiece.

PLEASE KNOW I am here to catch you when you fall and wrap my arms around you creative soul when you feel like you need to put $100's of dollars in the complaint jar.

TRUST ME I too have had to put my dollars in the jar on days I want to tear up my work, yet you TEACH ME to keep my chin up and keep going!

Anytime you struggle with a concept, I am here all week, and you are welcome to come paint the same idea anew with my tutelage. Just let me know when you want to come and redo or start over with more explanation. I watched as several students "didn't quite get the concept" and take that as my not explaining the idea thoroughly. I will do better!

I love you all and appreciate your trust in me as your friend and teacher.

Sally, one of our new students yesterday wrote this note. I woke up first thing this morning feeling bad about those of you who struggled this week and her note lifted me up....as you do each week.

BIGGEST, HEARTFUL HUGS
PS. Check out Sally's Website. FANTASTIC PHOTOGRAPHY www.seymourandmcintosh.com
Jessel

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Hi Jessel --
I had such a grand time at the painting class yesterday. Venturing into unknown territory was a bit intimidating, but your formidable skills (as artist, teacher) and the camaraderie of the group overcame any urge to go hide in the closet. And I learned quite a bit! I will definitely be back. You’re a great guide into the unknown!
So, not eloquent, but heartfelt, thank you!
all my best
Sally

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Thank you for the heartfelt email.  Yes, I was one who did not quite get the concept.  I do appreciate the offer to come in and redo/restart with your tutelage and I will take you up on it .  Every time I have wanted to quit, I painted something that I really liked like the geisha or the 2 Modiglianis.  Like the Japanese students who must make 1000 tea bowls before they become a master, I have a long way to go.  Sadly I will miss this upcoming Friday as I will be going to Redding for a Mother's Day celebration but I will be back.
Fondly,
Linda

Floral Acrylics on Sta Wet
We started our images on Sta Wet Paper that is covered in paint. It is the palette sheet we use to put paint on and once the paper has run its course we dry them and then use them as the basis for other paintings. The surprise of unique patterns and colors adds to the unique element each piece takes on. One can paint any subject matter on this paper and come up with one of a kind finished product.​

Tongue-in-Cheek Humor with the Masters

Honoring the Masters
From Van Gogh to Matisse, the students created compositions honoring the masters. 

Honoring The Artist
This class was about honoring another artist's work and either recreating the concept as close to the original or using it as an inspiration to honor your own home. Shelley was the only artist who created the copy and then veered off into her home's color scheme. All the other students spent the time trying to color match the inspiration piece. GREAT WORK!

Paintings from Photos

Finding Hidden Stories

Figures in Abstraction

I've Looked at Clouds

Floral Abstracts

Large Abstracts
Combining all the techniques learned

Abstracting Your Art
Creating a portion of one's own piece into an abstract

Abstracting Nature

Abstracting Your View

Formulating One Long Image

Palette and Brush Miniatures

May 2024 Class

June 2023 Class

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Students Say

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

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

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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​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.