What is the WCAA Mentorship Program?

• The Washington County Art Alliance’s Mentorship Program is an opportunity for an artist to donate their time and expertise to educate a student artist about their art form. 

• Our mentorship program is a 1:1 teaching and learning experience, although a mentor may decide to take more than 1 mentee. 

• The experience will include at least 9 hours of instruction time. The end result will be at least one piece of completed art work by the mentee. 

• The mentor will provide all materials needed to produce the predetermined project. 
• If the mentor is participating in Open Studios, the mentees finished work can be displayed in the mentors studio for that weekend. 

• The mentee can volunteer to help and or participate in the Open Studios weekend, but this is not a requirement.

Timeframe

Applications for mentorships are open from May 9 until May 30, 2026. The successful applicants will be notified no later than June 13th. Mentorships will take place between June and October.

Who can apply

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age..

How to Apply

Use this form to apply. Applications open on May 9 and the deadline is May 30, 2026.

These programs are being offered in 2026.

Introduction to Watercolor

Mentor: JoAnn Pari-Mueller

Explore the fundamentals of watercolor painting, including paper selection, brushes, paints, and basic techniques. Learn to lightly sketch a basic design and apply watercolor properly to get that lovely transparent color look. Includes learning and applying some basic principles of design to make your painting shine.

What to Bring: Optional—students may bring their own watercolor supplies if they have them. Supplies will be provided.
Location: Home studio in Banks

Watercolor Basics: Color & Temperature

Mentor: Linda Noval

Dive into the essentials of watercolor painting with a focus on understanding warm vs. cool color temperatures and how water affects the paint. An accordion book will be made as a handy reference.

What to Bring: Supplies will be provided—just bring your curiosity!
Location: Home studio in Beaverton

Urban Sketching Experience

Mentor: Cynthia Jeffrey

Learn the art of urban sketching by capturing real-life scenes in dynamic environments like parks, libraries, and downtown settings. You will discuss composition, location, and technique. This mentorship will be fun for all levels of drawing skills.

What to Bring: No specific prerequisites listed—just be ready to explore and create!
Location: Various urban locations throughout Washington County

Plein Air Watercolor Painting

Mentor: Jaelynn Harris

Experience watercolor painting in the outdoors! This mentorship will provide student an opportunity to paint outside and recommendations for supplies. There will be an opportunity to plan both urban and countryside places to paint.

What to Bring: Some supplies will be provided – students can supplement with their own. Transportation to parks and outdoor locations is required. A backpack and water bottle will be needed.
Location: At least three different locations within Washington County.

Gourd Art

Mentor: Jane Wilson

Discover how to use gourds as a unique artistic medium. You will be guided through designing the shape, cutting, and cleaning a raw gourd. You’ll then learn to enhance the shell with textures, pyrography, and dyes to create your own design.

What to Bring: No prerequisites.
Location: Home studio in King City

Introduction to Fine Silver Jewelry Making

Mentor: Denise Hershey

Get a hands-on introduction to the art of fine silver jewelry making with silver clay. In this mentorship you will make one pendant and either a pair of earrings or another pendant or charm using fine silver clay.

What to Bring: No prerequisites, just a willingness to get a little messy and follow the protocols.
Location: Home studio in Tigard

Exploring Clay

Mentor: Candace Wilson

Discover the versatility of clay through both slab (hand-building) and wheel-throwing techniques, depending on your interest. This mentorship will guide you through making an object or vessel, including glazing and firing.

What to Bring: Wear clothes that can get dirty. This is a hands-on, messy (and fun!) process.
Location: Home studio in Forest Grove

Sharing the Knowledge

The WCAA greatly values and supports Artist’s charitable contributions. One way a WCAA member can enrich our community is by becoming a Student Artist Mentor in our Mentorship Program. Our organization understands that the ability to pass on an artist’s techniques that one has carefully cultivated is priceless.

Mentorship can be a rewarding experience for both the mentor and the person being mentored.

Mentorships from Previous Years

The results of the 2025 mentorship program can be found here.

The results of the 2024 mentorship program can be found here.

The results of the 2023 mentorship program can be found here.

The results of the 2022 mentorship program can be found here.

The results of the 2021 mentorship program can be found here.