Enjoy instruction in a variety of media related to the Museum's collection and current exhibitions. Designed for adults of all levels of expertise (unless otherwise specified), studio courses and culinary workshops are taught by artists, educators, and related professionals. Registration is required for all courses.

Hands-on studio activities guided by practicing artists focus on contemporary and historic materials and techniques related to art on view at the Getty Center and the Getty Villa. Programs range from introductory to master classes offered in both single and multisession format.

Recently in the series
Surrealist Strategies: Chance, Irrationality and the Unconscious Mind
Wednesday, April 24, 2013,
10:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Getty Center, Museum Studios
Course fee $140
Open to 24 participants



Unleash your inner surrealist with artist Stas Orlovski and educator Tuyet Bach in this daylong studio workshop exploring ideas and creative strategies championed by the movement. Participants experiment with a range of art materials and explore surrealist techniques including automatic drawing, decalcomania, frottage, photomontage, and pochoir. Games such as exquisite corpse highlight the important role of collaboration and play in the creative process. Complements the exhibition Japan's Modern Divide: The Photographs of Hiroshi Hamaya and Kansuke Yamamoto. Course fee $140 (includes lunch, materials, and parking).

Recently in the series
Drawing the Masculine Ideal (3-part course)
Saturday, March 9, 16, and 23, 2013
1:00–4:00 p.m.
Getty Villa, Meeting Rooms and Museum galleries
Course fee $30 per session, $75 for the series
Open to 20 participants

Part 1: March 9, Ideal proportions
Part 2: March 16, Human anatomy
Part 3: March 23, Live model

In ancient Greek and Roman art, the nude male form was idealized and venerated as the pinnacle of beauty. Explore depictions of the masculine ideal in ancient art in this dynamic three-session figure drawing course with instructor Elmira Adamian. In Session 1, learn about the ideal proportions of the body developed by ancient artists. Session 2 focuses on human anatomy, including the skeleton and musculature. Session 3 culminates with drawings made from a live model. Each day includes a tour of the galleries and drawing exercises. Course fee $30 per session, $75 for the series (materials provided, parking included).

Chefs, educators, and wine experts lead classes and hands-on cooking workshops providing a unique entree to the Museum's permanent collections and special exhibitions. All experience levels welcome.

Next in the series
The Trail of Alexander the Great
Saturday, May 4, 2013, 11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 5, 2013, 11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Getty Villa, Meeting Rooms and Museum galleries
Course fee $85 (includes parking)
Open to 20 participants



Join chef and educator Maite Gomez–Rejón to weave art and culinary history while tracing the trail of Alexander the Great. After a tour of the galleries, pick herbs in the gardens and prepare a Turkish, Persian, Indian, and Egyptian meal inspired by ancient diaries and using ingredients available in the 4th century B.C.

Next in the series
Dinner Party: Taking the Grand Tour
Friday, May 31, 2013, 6:30–9:30 p.m.
Getty Center, Museum galleries and Restaurant
Course fee $100



Beginning in the late 16th century, it became fashionable for young aristocrats to tour France, Italy, and sometimes Greece and Holland in search of art, culture and the roots of Western civilization. These trips became known as the Grand Tour.

Join host Maite Gomez-Rejón of ArtBites on this guided Grand Tour through the Museum's collection of paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts, then journey to the Getty Center's Restaurant to savor a specially designed three-course meal created by Executive Chef Mayet Cristobal and Chef de Cuisine Matt Lee. Enjoy a new take on period-inspired cuisine while exploring a different country with every course. Course fee $100 per person (includes tour, three-course dinner, and parking). An optional pairing of French and Italian wines is offered at an additional charge. Course departs from the Museum Entrance Hall at 6:30 p.m.

Sicilian Gourmet
Friday, June 28, 2013, 11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 29, 2013, 11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 30, 2013, 11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Getty Villa, Meeting Rooms and Museum galleries
Course fee $85 (includes parking)
Open to 20 participants

Tickets available beginning April 15


Art, literature, and food history intersect in this workshop inspired by the Hedypatheia (Life of Luxury), a humorous guide to good eating written in verse by the Sicilian gourmet Archestratos of Gela in the 4th century B.C. Join Maite Gomez–Rejón for a tour of the exhibition Sicily: Art and Invention between Greece and Rome, then pick herbs in the garden and prepare a meal inspired by ancient Sicilian cuisine.

Enjoy the tradition of plein air sketching and botanical drawing in the Getty Center's Central Garden. Artist Deborah Shaw provides general guidance; you just need to bring drawing pads and pencils. All experience levels welcome. Free. Sign-up begins at 2:30 p.m. at the Information Desk.

Next in the series
Central Garden
Sunday, May 5 and 19, 2013
3:30–5:30 p.m.
Getty Center, Museum galleries
Free

Artists have long looked to classical antiquity for inspiration. Drawing from ancient works of art and architecture was a regular part of studio practice since the 15th century. Sketchbooks in hand, some artists even traveled to Italy and Greece to explore the surviving monuments of classical culture in situ.

Discover this historical tradition at the Getty Villa in this free, one-hour program. Artist and educator Elmira Adamian guides an informal lesson as you sketch from works of art, architecture, and the gardens of the Villa. Experiment with various historical drawing materials in the gallery and studio. All supplies are provided and all skill levels are welcome.

Next in the series
Plein Air Drawing with Watercolor Pencils
Saturday, May 11, 2013
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 1:30–2:30 p.m.
Getty Villa, Outer Peristyle

Since ancient times, artists have taken inspiration from nature. Get a hands-on opportunity in this one-hour workshop to sketch in the Outer Peristyle and experiment with watercolor pencils, pastels, and wet brushes. Supplies are provided, and all skill levels are welcome. Open to 20 participants. This is a free program. Sign-up begins 15 minutes before the start of the program at the Tour Meeting Place.

Drawing with Gouache
Saturday, June 8, 2013
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 1:30–2:30 p.m.
Getty Villa, Outer Peristyle

Explore the gardens by drawing with gouache, an opaque watercolor used by artists since the 15th century. Supplies are provided, and all skill levels are welcome. Open to 20 participants. This is a free program. Sign-up begins 15 minutes before the start of the program at the Tour Meeting Place.

Recently in the series
Architectural Drawings
Saturday, April 14, 2013
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 1:30–2:30 p.m.
Getty Villa, Museum galleries and Outer Peristyle

Drawing with a Brush
Saturday, March 30, 2013
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 1:30–2:30 p.m.
Getty Villa, Museum galleries and Outer Peristyle

See all upcoming courses and demonstrations on our event calendar.