The Artists' Studio Gallery & School of Fine Art is a unique creative community founded by artists Sally Nooney and Paul Zipperlin in the Matney area near Banner Elk, North Carolina. Born from their shared love of painting and teaching, the studio offers a welcoming space where artists of all experience levels can work, learn, and inspire one another.
Most art schools run in fixed multi-week sessions. The Artists' Studio takes a different approach: classes are offered by the day, giving students the flexibility to participate whenever their schedule allows. This model fits the rhythms of mountain life.
"We are always teaching the three C's of painting — Color, Composition, and Contrast — so a student doesn't feel they're missing something important if they have to miss a class."
Adult classes run monthly in oil, acrylic, and watercolor. Whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced painter looking to expand your technique, the studio's supportive atmosphere makes learning feel natural and enjoyable. Classes are intentionally kept small — limited to 12 students — so every participant receives personal attention.
Special workshops and classes can be arranged for groups and organizations. From corporate team-building to vacation art experiences, the studio is happy to accommodate requests.
Watercolor workshops focus on freedom and spontaneity — letting the medium do the work when applied loosely and with confidence. Students learn to mix rich, luminous colors, work wet-into-wet for flowing effects, and trust the happy accidents that make watercolor so uniquely alive.
Oil painting classes focus on the foundational practices of the Old Masters — careful observation, value structure, color relationships, and the slow build of a painting's layers. Sally draws on decades of experience to help students understand how oil paint behaves and how to make it do what they want.
The Artists' Studio doubles as a gallery showcasing original work by Sally Nooney and other regional artists. The setting — a quaint stone building in the quiet, picturesque Matney community — is itself an attraction: an inviting gathering place for creative spirits.
The Artists Network has documented how regional studio-galleries like this one play a vital role in sustaining local art communities.
Sally accepts commissions for custom work. Whether you need a painting of a beloved landscape, a portrait of a cherished pet, or artwork for a specific space, Sally brings the same care to commissioned work as she does to her own paintings.
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