Programme 2026/2027
From October 2026 to June 2027, Árvore – Artistic Activities Cooperative presents a new edition of its Open Courses, offering opportunities to explore ceramics, drawing and watercolour, painting and new materials. A space to learn, experiment, develop artistic practice and discover new ways of creating, guided by professionals with diverse backgrounds and experience.
Our courses are guided by teachers and artists whose experience and artistic practice enable them to support and encourage each participant's work. Through this guidance, participants can gain a deeper understanding of their own creative individuality and expressive abilities, while acquiring and broadening their knowledge of the creative processes involved in contemporary artistic practices.
Regular attendance throughout the full course entitles participants to an official certificate of attendance, as well as the opportunity to take part in a group exhibition (date to be announced).
Available Courses
Discover Árvore Cooperative's Open Courses for 2026/2027.
Ceramics
Two groups
Fully bookedDrawing and Watercolour
One group
Enrolment openPainting and New Materials
One group
Enrolment openOpen Course in Drawing and Watercolour
Course coordinators: Inês Amorim and Leandro Caram
A new course that uses drawing and watercolour to explore observation, representation, composition, line, light, shadow, colour, washes and gesture.
Participants will work on the technical foundations of drawing using different materials — such as graphite, charcoal and pen — and be introduced to watercolour through exercises in washes, transparency, layering and tonal gradation.
Building on this knowledge, there will also be opportunities to experiment with different ways of constructing and thinking about images, encouraging discovery and individual expression.
Schedule
Wednesday
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Starts: 14 October
Monthly fee
€80 — members
€90 — non-members
Materials not included
Registration fee
€60 — members
€75 — non-members
Open Course in Painting and New Materials
Course coordinator: Inês Amorim
A course grounded in the fundamentals of painting — colour, composition, surface and materiality — exploring different techniques, supports, materials and scales.
The relationship between material, gesture and surface will be explored through practical exercises, creating opportunities to transform and combine new materials in painting.
Designed for those who want to deepen their painting practice while experimenting with new materials, processes and creative possibilities.
Schedule
Thursday
6:45 pm – 8:45 pm
Starts: 15 October
Monthly fee
€80 — members
€90 — non-members
Materials not included
Registration fee
€60 — members
€75 — non-members
Fresh perspectives to keep creating
These new courses are led by professionals with backgrounds in artistic practice, research and teaching.
Pedro Gil
Pedro Gil has been a technician at Árvore Cooperative's ceramics workshop since 1987. With more than three decades of experience, he has supported the artistic work of numerous artists, combining extensive technical knowledge with a passion for ceramics. Skilled in a range of techniques, from modelling to large ceramic panels, he is recognised for his precision, dedication and essential role in the cooperative's artistic development.
Inês Amorim
Inês Amorim is a visual artist, researcher and lecturer at the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo. She holds a bachelor's and a master's degree in Fine Arts from the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto and is currently pursuing a PhD in Fine Arts. Her artistic practice spans painting, sculpture and installation, exploring relationships between materiality, the body, gesture and material memory. Her research focuses on the reconfiguration of materials and waste, particularly from industrial settings. She has exhibited regularly since 2017 and has taken part in exhibitions, performances and artistic residencies in Portugal and internationally.
Leandro Caram
Leandro Caram, born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in 1988, is a designer, architect and holds a master's degree in Fine Arts. His artistic practice combines figurative and abstract elements in a contemporary approach, exploring relationships between observation, memory and experience, and seeking to connect artworks with the experiences of those who view them.