Workshops
Discover what
creativity means
to you.
We want all students to find out what creativity is to them. Led by professional artists, writers, musicians, and educators, our FREE creative workshops for high school students encourage immersive learning and collaboration. Workshops are offered in virtual, hybrid, and in-person forms throughout the year. Class sizes range from 6 to 12 students.
Due to limited capacity, all students must apply the workshop. Students will be informed of their placement via email no later than weeks before the workshop start date. Let the creativity begin!
New Workshops coming soon!
Drawing Perspective Like an Architect
Date: Saturday, November 21, 2026
Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Number of Spots: 12
FREE | Ages 14-18
Whether you are interested in art or architecture, want to draw interior spaces or sketch cityscapes while travelling, or just enjoy developing your drawing skills, this one-day workshop will have something for everyone. Building on the foundations of observational drawing, you’ll learn to break down space into form, light, and shadow to accurately understand and depict perspective. Starting with a basic breakdown of optics and different types of projection drawing, you’ll be guided through the steps to set up a view, rough in a perspective armature, and capture architectural spaces and forms with proportion and linework. You’ll develop your own perspective drawing with instructor guidance, and end with a pin-up for feedback from your peers, just as you would in architecture school.
About Matthew Kabo Stoll
Matthew is a practicing architect who explores multi-disciplinary art as an extension of his design thinking. Before landing in Portland, Matthew worked in Cincinnati and Boston for several years and has filled sketchbooks with drawings from places he has travelled, from Mexico to Nepal. Recognizing the challenges and opportunities in architecture and the arts, Matthew loves to share the knowledge and skills he has learned over the years and to support youth interested in design and art.
Piece by Piece: Sewing our Story
Date: Saturday, September 26th
Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Number of Spots: 12
FREE | Ages 14-18
Working with textiles, amate paper and embroidery we will be exploring how to make an abstract portrait that tells a complete story of who we are.
We will start by looking at how photography has shaped the ways in which we document ourselves, our family, community and surroundings. From that we will choose a portrait of someone or something we love and will begin to abstract the image and recreate it using various mediums. Our portraits will, like a puzzle, break down forms and use collage to create an image that still conveys our essence. While we will focus on portraiture as our main objective this workshop is also about learning to mix mediums and to push the boundaries of materials. You are highly encouraged to bring textiles from home to work with. Please note that these textiles should be pieces that you are okay with cutting and repurposing. Ideal textiles include but are not limited to: old t-shirts, textiles with fun patterns or special meaning, cultural textiles that represent who you are. Please also bring a hard copy or digital file of a photograph of you or someone you love.
Arleene's Bio
Arleene Correa Valencia (b.1993) is a Mexican multidisciplinary and community oriented artist. After spending the first three years of life in her native Mexico she migrated to the United States and currently lives and works in Napa, California. She is a recipient of Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals and holds both a BFA and MFA from California College of the Arts in San Francisco. In 2020, Correa Valencia’s short “Portraits of Napa Valley Workers”, produced by KQED Arts, received an Emmy Award in recognition of her work with undocumented agricultural workers in her home town. Correa Valencia is represented by Catharine Clark Gallery in San Francisco. Her work can be found in the permanent collection of the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco; the Cantor Art Center at Stanford University; the Utah Museum of Fine Arts; the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento; The Bronx Museum in New York, New York and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Texas.
Figure Drawing Workshop
Dates: Saturday, May 30th, 2026 at The Bodecker Foundation
Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Number of Spots: 12
FREE | Ages 14-18
Join us for a hands-on figure drawing workshop led by Portland-based artist Yujin Oh. This session focuses on observational drawing from the figure, helping students strengthen their ability to see, interpret, and translate the human form through line, shape, proportion, and gesture.
Yujin's Bio
Yujin Oh is a painter and illustrator specializing in figurative artwork. Portland based but Los Angeles raised, her work mainly consists of portraits and figures painted in charcoal, watercolor, and oil paint. Her work attempts to explore the personal lived experiences of the models she depicts by capturing the expressive nature of the human body. In addition to her art career, she has a long held passion for educating art for a wide range of age groups and skill levels alike.
Screenwriting with Jack Perez and The Hollywood Theatre
Dates: Monday, July 6th through Friday, July 10th at The Bodecker Foundation
Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Number of Spots: 12
FREE | Ages 14-18
Jack will oversee an intensive workshop where students will write short screenplays in whatever genre they choose: horror, sci-fi, action, comedy, drama, etc. Emphasis will be placed on character development, plot structure, creating authentic dialogue and making it personal. Writing will be done individually and in groups. Lectures will also include a breakdown of classic screenplays and an examination of the films themselves.
Jack's Bio
Jack Perez is a 30-year veteran of the motion picture and television industry. A member of both the DGA and WGA, he’s written and directed 15 feature films; helmed numerous TV movies, pilots for television series, second unit action sequences, network specials, behind-the-scenes documentaries, video games, reality shows and premium web series with tens of millions of hits. Everything from the pilot to XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS and TEMPTATION ISLAND to MEGA SHARK VS. GIANT OCTOPUS and WILD THINGS 2. Also notable are his award-winning independent features, LA CUCARACHA and THE BIG EMPTY; as well as his groundbreaking first-feature, AMERICA’S DEADLIEST HOME VIDEO, which virtually created the found-footage genre. His critically-acclaimed horror-comedy, SOME GUY WHO KILLS PEOPLE, Executive Produced by John Landis, played festivals and theaters world-wide.
Jack is also the creator of the popular YouTube Premium Channel, CINEFIX, which currently has over 3.7 million subscribers; and he wrote and directed that channel’s most popular dramatic series, FEAR FORCE FIVE, which to date has over 80 MILLION VIEWS.
Jack has also produced for television and film; written dozens of screenplays and teleplays; is the recipient of awards for both writing and directing, and has received the critical praise of Roger Ebert, Aint it Cool News, Twitch Film, Dread Central, Fangoria Magazine, the Guardian, the LA WEEKLY, the Austin Chronicle and the New York Times.
Jack is also a passionate film professor of over 15 years, having taught writing and directing at USC, the New York Film Academy, the Academy of Art University’s School of Motion Pictures & Television, (where he headed the Directing Track), CCC, and PCC (where he currently instructs).
He lives in Portland with his wife and four cats.
Sessions with Halfling Studios
Dates: Monday, July 20th through Friday, July 24th, 2026 at The Bodecker Foundation
Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Number of Spots: 8
FREE | Ages 14-18
Perfect for musicians and audioengineers who want to get hands-on experience in the studio, this workshop will foucs on song development and demo recording. Students will work both collaboratively and independently to create new work to add to their portfolios.
About Halfling Studios
Halfling Studio is an on-site, state-of-the-art, analog and digital recording facility managed the BODECKER FOUNDATION. Artists including Portugal. The Man, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Kim Gordon, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Patterson Hood (Drive by Truckers), The Decemberists, Sleater Kinney, Blitzen Trapper, Thomas Lauderdale of Pink Martini, DAME D.O.L.L.A. have all recorded at Halfling Studio.
Portrait Drawing with Kyra Watkins
Dates: Monday, August 3rd – Friday August 7th, 2026 at The Bodecker Foundation
Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Number of Spots: 12
FREE | Ages 14-18
Explore the art of portrait drawing in a weeklong workshop with artist Kyra Watkins! Learn the techniques behind capturing the essence of a person through portraiture and develop your drawing skills under the guidance of a professional artist. Whether you’re new to drawing or looking to refine your abilities, this workshop is a great way to take your creativity to the next level!
Kyra's Bio
Kyra Watkins is a Portland-based artist and muralist known for her work that combines portraiture with deep emotional narratives. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Watkins has gained recognition for her community-centered art, often using portraiture to tell powerful stories. She has been involved in various public art projects. Her mural work often emphasizes connection, family, and remembrance, with a focus on human stories. Watkins also mentors youth in mural art and has collaborated with various community organizations.
Printmaking with Mullowney Studios
Dates: Monday, August 3rd through Friday, August 7th at Mullowney Studios
Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Number of Spots: 8
FREE | Ages 14-18
Over the course of five consecutive days students will have the opportunity to work with Mullowney Printing master printers and assistants on self directed projects exploring traditional printmaking methods of relief, intaglio and letterpress printing, The workshop will explore the techniques of copper plate intaglio etching, a process employed by artists since the 15th century, known for its beautiful line quality and rich tonal range, as well as traditional relief printing processes of woodcut and linoleum cut. Also students will also be introduced to traditional letterpress printing with relief blocks and moveable type to create broadsides and posters.
About Mullowney Studios
Mullowney Studios is Portland’s premier fine art print studio: creating a hub of innovation, collaboration and education in celebration of our community. They publish traditional print media: etching, relief, photogravure, direct gravure, screen printing, and letterpress editions by leading contemporary artists. Mullowney Printing offers community workshops, internships, residency programs, contract printing and public exhibitions.
EQ Workshop: Shaping Sound in the Studio
Dates: Saturday, March 14th, 2026 at The Bodecker Foundation
Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Number of Spots: 8
FREE | Ages 14-18
Join us for a hands-on EQ workshop led by Bodecker’s in-house audio engineer and studio manager, Tony Ozier. This session focuses on EQ (equalization), one of the most essential tools in music production, mixing, and sound design.
Working in our state-of-the-art analog and digital studio, students will learn how to shape tone, clarity, and balance across vocals, instruments, and full mixes through guided listening and practical studio exercises.
Tony's Bio
Tony Ozier is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, recording engineer, and music educator. He is passionate about bringing music production and studio engineering education to underserved communities and co-founded Beats | Lyrics | Leaders, which has brought workshops throughout the West Coast for over 10 years. He is the co-founder of the Portland Black Music Expo and the bandleader of the Doo Doo Funk All-Stars. Tony also served as musical director for the iconic band The Pharcyde. He holds a degree in Recording Arts from Full Sail University in Orlando, FL.