FREE | Relax over a steaming cup of coffee while engaging in lively conversations with local fellow artists and explore the captivating exhibitions at OMA for free. OMA's Artist Alliance extends a warm invitation to sculptors, painters, photographers, and artists of all backgrounds to join in the experience.  

FREE | Each month OMA welcomes friends and neighbors on Free First Sundays from 12-2pm to join in Art For All, our fun hands-on art-making experience led by artists and cultural partners from our community.

Surfboard Stories & Cyanotypes

Inspired by Oceanside’s surf culture, join us on August 3 to decorate mini surfboard cutouts with paint, stencils, and personal symbols. Plus, you can also make your very own cyanotype to paint using the sun! Ride the creative wave with us!

Whether you’re new to art or have your own creative flow, Art For All is the time to let your imagination soar. Visit our current exhibitions to spark your creativity! Explore different art-making materials through creative projects at each session while learning from local and regional artists. Check back each month to see what we’re up to next!

These informal drop-in workshops are open to all ages. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. All materials are provided free of charge, while supplies last.

 

Join us on Free First Sunday for the closing celebration of The Art of Autism: A Different Lens.

 

The program will start with an inspiring conversation and Q&A between exhibition curator Debra Muzikar and neurodiversity consultant Alexander Plank, offering insights into the creative processes and perspectives behind the exhibition. Then, guests are invited to meet the artists, explore the gallery at their own pace, and dive deeper into the bold, expressive works.

Celebrate neurodiverse creativity through connection, insight, and discovery.

 

Join Artist Alliance from home or wherever you are with refreshments of your choice, and enjoy some conversation with fellow artists! Sculptors, painters, photographers, and artists of all disciplines are welcome. Take part in this conversation via a computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Content Advisory: This is a supportive peer group for artists of all experience levels, engaging with a broad range of subject matter, including but not limited to: artificial intelligence, anime, landscapes, various forms of sculpture, photography, portraiture, figurative work, LGBTQ themes, sexuality, politics, and war. Because the artwork and discussions may include mature or sensitive content, participants under the age of 18 must either be accompanied by a parent or guardian or have explicit guardian permission to attend. If any participant—adult or underage—prefers to avoid potentially triggering content, we are happy to accommodate by scheduling their presentation earlier in the session to allow for a timely and respectful departure.

Join us for Studio Arts, when OMA transforms into an artist’s studio, offering skill-building workshops led by distinguished professor and arts educator Robin Douglas.

‘’21st Century Impressionist Paintings”

After 150 years of Impressionism, artists today still use the “fleeting moment” of sensation to create spectacular painting results. We will use a broad spectrum of techniques to achieve these optic phenomena.

A break for lunch and a relaxed discussion will occur at midday. Please bring your own bagged lunch or feel free to visit one of the restaurants close by on our provided list.

Space is limited. Register today!

 

Hosted by: Lorraine Cote

There are docks, trails, trees and water fowl at this lovely spot. Ample parking and restrooms available inside the nature center.

Open to All Levels!

Whether you're a seasoned plein air painter or just starting your artistic journey, this event is for you! Beginners and experienced painters can find fresh inspiration in the urban and natural landscape.

How to Participate:

1. Register for the event on the San Diego Plein Air Painters Meetup Group site: https://www.meetup.com/painter-86/
2. Bring your painting supplies, easel, and canvases. Don't forget sunscreen and a hat for the California sun!

This is a non-instructional event. Paint to your heart's content and enjoy the dynamic surroundings.

Become an Artist Alliance Member:

Join and learn more about Artist Alliance and the activities at Oceanside Museum of Art at: https://oma-online.org/membership/

 

Artist Alliance members, along with their guests, are welcome to engage in a group art share and critique, aimed at fostering professional growth. Not yet part of the alliance? No worries, you can join either before the event or on-site!

Kick off your weekend with a bite-sized happy hour version of our renowned Studio Arts workshops.

Abstract Painting

Immerse yourself in loose and lively, gestural, and large expressive paintings to create a mood, dream, or emotion.

All levels of experience are encouraged to participate. OMA provides food, drinks, and supplies; all you have to do is get yourself out of work, grab your friends, and have fun!

This exhibition will explore art that has emerged from the surf-culture lifestyle and surfing’s influence on artists. Everyone who has experienced the feeling of riding a wave understands just how hard it is to describe that incredible sensation, referred to as “stoke”. It seems that only through creative self-expression can surfer-artists capture the essence of stoke and the inspiration that can be found between the surfer and the wave. Artists who surf may take this creative energy in many directions and may explore subjects outside of surfing and surf culture. This joint exhibition will feature a variety of media, from traditional art making methods to works in resin, murals, surfboards, graphic art, sculpture, or fabric, all with the goal to convey the creative power that all artists experience, on or off the wave.

Learn more about Surf Art: Exploring Southern California's Coastal Culture: https://oma-online.org/surf-art/

Join us Saturday, August 23, from 5:00–7:00pm for an evening of art and drinks as we celebrate the opening of our newest exhibitions The Space Between: Texture Studies by Denja Harris, FABULOUS FIBER, and Surf Art: Exploring Southern California's Coastal Culture. Discover and connect with fellow artists, dedicated curators, and a vibrant community as you explore the art and stories of Southern California artists in three new exhibitions at OMA.

 

Join us for an evening of art and drinks as we celebrate the opening of our newest exhibitions:

The Space Between: Texture Studies by Denja Harris

Fabulous Fiber

Surf Art: Exploring Southern California's Coastal Culture

Discover and connect with fellow artists, dedicated curators, and a vibrant community as you explore the art and stories of Southern California artists in three new exhibitions at OMA.