Course Dates: Jan. 25 –  March 29, 2026

Developing Voice for Fine Arts

Instructed by Cassandra Kim, Raymond Bonilla, & John English

10 Weeks · 26+ Live Classes · Intermediate to Advanced Level

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Refine your skills, establish goals, and build a body of work to attract galleries and clients.

This second-level course is designed for artists who are looking to take their careers to the next level by applying the skills and practices they learned in Skill and Style for Fine Arts. Over the course of 10 weeks, you will delve deeper into the intricacies of career-mapping and skill development, with a focus on refining your technique and solidifying your unique style and voice.

You will work closely with a highly experienced mentor who will provide you with the guidance and support you need to take your art to new heights. By the end of the course, you will have a clear understanding of your professional goals as a gallery artist and will have evaluated different genres that align with your style and interests.

This course is ideal for artists who are looking to deepen their understanding of the industry and develop their skills to a mastery level. Through hands-on exercises and one-on-one feedback sessions, you will leave this course with the tools and knowledge you need to succeed as an accomplished gallery artist.

From hands-on assignments, to in-depth feedback every week from a team of pro artists, you will have all the resources you need to identify your future in the arts and pursue it full force. 

Mediums Covered: All traditional 2D Mediums.

Skill Requirements: Intermediate

Delivery: Live & Online (all classes are recorded and available on-demand)

Key Takeaways From The 10 Week Course

  • Exploring media (continued)

  • Defining your audience and clientele

  • Research Galleries and Directors

  • Identifying networking opportunities

  • Creating an inventory

  • Making your work personal

Live Class Meetings
Sundays, 4:30 – 7:30pm PT

Live Group Critiques
Wednesdays, 5-7pm PT

Mediums
Digital or Traditional

Static overlay

Personalized Mentorship

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Course Outline

  • Week 1

    1

    Defining your goals

  • Week 2

    2

    Developing Personal Voice

  • Week 3

    3

    Drawing Methods & Guest Speaker

  • Week 4

    4

    Value Control and creating a light & dark pattern

  • Week 5

    5

    Approaching composition with shape design

  • Week 6

    6

    Effective lighting and reference + Guest Speak #2

  • Week 7

    7

    Mark-making and texture

  • Week 8

    8

    Simple color and color application + Guest speaker #3

  • Week 9

    9

    Understanding perspective

  • Week 10

    10

    Gallery Director Guest Speaker + Establishing next steps

A mentorship-style course taught by seasoned pros

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Cassandra Loomis Kim

Cassandra is a contemporary artist whose paintings reflect a lifelong love of animals and traditional art. Inspired by the master painters of the past and she seeks to put her own slightly absurd surrealistic twist on art by replacing animals with people.  She also has been teaching herself to restore reclaimed antique and vintage wood items to paint on or frame her paintings in. She is a Virginia native and 2003 BFA Illustration graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University, and worked as a muralist and graphic artist for Trader Joes for 14 years. In 2013, the Klondike Gold Rush National Park and Chilkoot Historical Site awarded Cassandra with an artist residency. In 2018 Cassandra turned her focus to her personal art full-time. She is represented by Glave Kocen Consulting and is guest artist at Robert Lange Studios and has been in exhibits across the United States and internationally. 

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John English

John English was raised in the company of New York’s most talented illustrators. He is the co-founder and program director of Visual Arts Passage. He is also the founder and director of The Illustration Academy.

John is currently represented by Eva Reynolds Gallery.

He has received numerous awards from organizations including New York Society of Illustrators, Los Angeles Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts, Graphis and Print Magazine. John’s work has graced the cover of Newsweek, the pages of Esquire, Money, and Essence, and the publications of Penguin Books, Bantam Books, Hitachi, 7-Up, NCAA, Sprint Corporation, and the Knoll Furniture Group.

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Raymond Bonilla

Bonilla is a nationally recognized illustrator and fine artist in Buffalo, NY. Raymond graduated from the State University in New York at Fredonia in 2005 with a degree in New Media and Illustration. He continued his studies at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco where he completed his Masters of Fine Art in 2009. He was awarded Best in Show in the Great Lakes Emerging Artist Competition, was a finalist in the Artists Magazine Annual Art Competition, has been awarded Gold Medals in advertising from both Society of Illustrators of New York and Los Angeles, and juried into the Communication Arts Illustration Annual. He is represented by Principle Gallery in Alexandria,VA, Abend Gallery in Denver, CO and Meibohm Fine Arts Gallery in East Aurora, NY.

UPCOMING GUEST ARTISTS

Lisk Feng | Illustrator + Children’s Book Author

Matt Rota | Editorial + Publishing Illustrator

Tony Rodriguez | Illustrator + Filmmaker

Student Testimonials

I was pushed to try new techniques and materials. I really enjoyed the projects and the opportunity to let loose in regards to my own process and style.
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Frequently Asked Questions

No. Students only commit to one mentorship course per semester. Once you complete a course, you can register for the next course, to continue your progress in the mentorship program.

This course series can be complete within a 10 month period. Students are encouraged to repeat the third course in the program, Establishing Career & Clients.

Our fine arts courses are a "get out of it, what you put in" experience. That being said, our courses are structured to accommodate individuals with a busy schedule. We recommend setting aside a minimum of 3 hours for your live course and 2 hours to complete assignments and course work. We highly encourage students to commit more time if their schedule allows.

Fine Arts courses enroll 4 times per year, during the winter, spring, summer, and fall semester. You can view the program calendar here.

We recommend that most students start with the first course in the Fine Arts Program, Skill & Style for Gallery Art. Highly experienced students may qualify to attend the second course in the program, Developing Voice for Fine Arts or Career Development for Gallery Representation. If you are not sure, feel free to send your work to hello@visualartspassage.com and a team member will get back to you with a recommendation shortly.

Need Some Guidance?

We can help you with any questions related to enrollment, portfolio development, and the student experience.