Coffee And Conversation With OMA Artist Alliance | April
Art for All: The Seed Keeper
Join OMA’s Free First Sundays for Art for All! Each month, OMA welcomes friends and neighbors on Free First Sundays to join in Art for All, our fun hands-on art-making experience led by artists and cultural partners from our community.
In celebration of the Big Read in partnership with Oceanside Public Library, this April’s Art For All draws inspiration from The Seed Keeper. Participants will create native plant clay seed bombs. These are small, sculptural clay forms filled with local, pollinator-friendly native seeds. These unfired clay shapes can be placed in your yard or garden, where the clay will naturally break down and allow the seeds to take root in the soil.
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. All levels welcome!
Ticket Prices:
Free
Taste of Art Workshop | Food Paintings
Kick off your weekend with a bite-sized happy hour version of our renowned Studio Arts workshops. Gather with friends in an artistic space designed to amplify your creative side.
Join arts educator Robin Douglas, as we dip our toes into the work of celebrated artists over drinks and nibbles, followed by a rapid demonstration of their styles. You’ll then be guided to interpret these artists and create your own singular, spectacular work of art. We’ll help you express your unique style and ensure you have a blast doing it.
Food Paintings
Create your ideal culinary and visual delight in paint using heavy-bodied pigments and modeling paste. Real, luscious, and edible food will be provided as inspiration and shared at the end of the session during critique.
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!
Ticket Prices:
Adult: $65
Member: $50
Space is limited. Register today!
Studio Arts Workshop | Georgia O’Keeffe’s Landscapes and Flowers
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.
Inspired by world renowned artists, you will explore different media, techniques and subjects found in an artist’s studio. After a brief slide presentation for inspiration and context the session will continue with demonstrations.
Georgia O’Keeffe’s Landscapes and Flowers
Using O’Keeffe’s application of painting techniques in watercolor and acrylic paint, and the study of her work, this studio will create “magnified’’, open compositions and close-cropped paintings
This full day workshop held from 10:00am–2:00pm is meant to get you in the art making groove and develop new approaches to seeing and creating artworks. Whether you have a lifetime practice or are new to expressing yourself, we exchange ideas and techniques in a supportive and challenging environment. Students of all levels are welcome to stretch their creative muscles and build community with us.
All supplies and light refreshments for each workshop are included in the cost. A break for lunch and relaxed discussion will occur midday. Please bring your own bagged lunch or feel free to visit one of the restaurants close by on our provided list.
Ticket Prices:
Adult: $100
Member: $70
Space is limited. Register today!
Art Business Lab | Tips and Tricks for Using Online Tools
This workshop introduces artists to online tools (including AI) for crafting effective prompts, streamlining writing tasks such as statements and bios, and sparking new ideas. We’ll also cover SEO basics and simple strategies to make your work easier to find online, with practical website examples. Participants will leave with clear, actionable ways to use online tools to support their creativity and strengthen their digital presence.
This is the first session of a three-part professional development series with Cathy Carey, designed to help artists strengthen their careers and expand their reach in today’s evolving art world. From building a strong digital presence to confidently pricing and selling work, these workshops offer practical skills for every stage of an artist’s journey. Workshops may be taken individually or as a complete series. The next sessions will take place on May 5 (Building a Virtual Presence & Marketing Your Art) and July 21 (Pricing Artwork & Selling Online)
A limited number of scholarships are available for artists who wish to attend but cannot support the fees at this time, contact katie@oma-online.org to inquire.
Ticket Prices:
Adult: $65
Member: $60
Artist Alliance Member: $50
Note regarding the use of AI:
As a regional contemporary art museum committed to presenting and supporting living artists, Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) affirms its dedication to artistic integrity, authorship, and human creativity. Our mission centers on amplifying the voices and lived experiences of Southern California artists, and we value work grounded in intentionality and personal vision. We recognize that AI technologies are increasingly integrated into everyday digital platforms and institutional tools. We encourage moderation, thoughtful engagement, and independent study of the ethical, legal, and cultural implications of these technologies.
Artist Alliance Journaling for Creatives | What is Your Archetype?
In this virtual workshop series, artists are invited to turn their journal into a studio companion and idea incubator. Through interactive Zoom sessions we’ll explore simple, repeatable practices artists can use to generate content, clarify ideas, and deepen connection to their work.
MARCH TOPIC: WHAT IS YOUR ARCHETYPE, AND HOW CAN YOU USE IT TO WRITE FROM THAT POINT OF VIEW?
In this interactive journaling workshop, you’ll:
– Explore your core values and creative motivations
-Use guided journaling prompts to uncover your personal “Why”
-Shape words that inspire your art, fuel your career, and connect you with audiences
You will receive a Zoom link in the emailed RSVP confirmation receipt.
Ticket Prices:
Artist Alliance Member: Free
Artist Alliance Journaling for Creatives | What is Your “Why” Statement?
In this virtual workshop series, artists are invited to turn their journal into a studio companion and idea incubator. Through interactive Zoom sessions we’ll explore simple, repeatable practices artists can use to generate content, clarify ideas, and deepen connection to their work.
FEBRUARY TOPIC: WHAT IS YOUR “WHY” STATEMENT?
In this interactive journaling workshop, you’ll:
– Explore your core values and creative motivations
-Use guided journaling prompts to uncover your personal “Why”
-Shape words that inspire your art, fuel your career, and connect you with audiences
You will receive a Zoom link in the emailed RSVP confirmation receipt.
Ticket Prices:
Artist Alliance Member: Free
Coffee And Conversation With OMA Artist Alliance | March
Starting off our new and refreshed 2026 OMA Artist Alliance programming, Coffee and Conversation will reshape into a guided conversation/ presentation format. We are seeking THIRD SUNDAY Coffee & Conversation presenters.
Bring your artwork to share with the group, receive the feedback you’re looking for, and enjoy a supportive space for creative conversation. Each month, one artist will have the opportunity to give a longer presentation to practice sharing their work and ideas with the group in a supportive setting.
This month’s presenter is Scott Bruckner!
*To be selected as a future presenter, please submit your name and website to cathy@artstudiosandiego.com
Ticket Prices:
Artist Alliance Member: Free
Self Compassion Through Art Journaling with Lea Seigen Shinraku
A 4-Class Creative Growth Series
Dates and Times:
Saturday, February 28, 2026 9:30am-11:00am
Saturday, March 7, 2026 9:30am-11:00am
Saturday, March 14, 2026 9:30am-11:00am
Saturday, March 21, 2026 9:30am-11:00am
Discover a joyful, creative approach to personal growth through this nurturing four-class art journaling series. Designed to make the inner work of self-development feel lighter, sweeter, and more accessible, this program blends meditation, creative expression, and meaningful reflection in a supportive, judgment-free environment.
Led by Lea Seigen Shinraku—a licensed therapist, group facilitator, Zen practitioner, and lifelong artist—this series draws on over 15 years of professional experience combined with science-based self-compassion practices. With deep roots in both the healing arts and visual creativity, Lea offers a warm, grounded approach that welcomes participants exactly as they are.
In this series, you will: create a criticism-free zone in your life through art journaling; discover and explore the fundamentals of self-compassion; build comfort with uncertainty in a changing world; practice self-compassion in a playful, creative, and embodied way.
Each class includes guided meditation, experiential teaching, art journaling, and group discussion—inviting a spirit of curiosity, creativity, and care into everyday life. No art experience is necessary. These simple, accessible creative practices are truly about the heart, not artistic skill. All sessions will be recorded, and registered participants will receive temporary access to class recordings for flexible viewing.
Whether you’re seeking personal renewal, creative exploration, or new tools for emotional well-being, this series offers a gentle, inspiring path forward—through both art and self-compassion.
Students are responsible for purchasing their own materials: watercolor set (you can choose the palette you prefer); watercolor paper or pad (any watercolor pad of a similar size with approximately 30 pages works well).
Ticket Prices:
Adult: $200
Member: $160
Student: $175
Our Self Compassion Journaling Workshop is sold out! Want to stay informed on future opportunities? Add your name to our interest list so you’re the first to know when new workshops are available!
