Olive Hyde Art Guild

Past Programs

Note: Program field trips are a members-only benefit. Join the Olive Hyde Art Guild and experience friendship and fun on our next field trip!

Photography Stroll at the Shinn House
Thursday, April 23, 2026

On Thursday, April 23, 2026, the Olive Hyde Art Guild hosted an inspiring Photography Stroll through the gardens of Fremont’s Historic Shinn House. Led by Guild president and photographer Scott Capen, the session offered participants a leisurely way to explore the beauty of spring while refining their technical skills.

The workshop was designed for all skill levels, emphasizing that great photography is about vision rather than expensive equipment. Scott explained concepts like the rule of thirds, orientation, and using the background to highlight the subject. Participants brought a variety of tools, from professional DSLRs to iPhones, as Scott shared practical tips and tricks for capturing the vibrant flowers and foliage of the season. The historic Shinn House proved to be an ideal location, offering myriad blooms that attracted butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. This lively environment provided endless opportunities to practice capturing subjects in both bright light and dappled shade.

The atmosphere was relaxing and collaborative, allowing everyone to go home with a collection of high-quality photographs and a better understanding of nature photography within one of Fremont’s hidden gems.


 

Photos courtesy of Scott Capen
Photos courtesy of Mihika Kulkarni
Photos courtesy of Janet Barton

 

Photos courtesy of Pashmina Mukhi
Photos courtesy of Lisa Stambaugh
Photos courtesy of Frederick Hom

 

Photos courtesy of Lina Melkonian
Photos courtesy of Yoganandini Janarthan

Warli Art with Hetal Anjaria
Thursday, March 26, 2026

On Thursday, March 26, 2026, Fremont-based artist Hetal Anjaria led an informative workshop exploring the geometric beauty of Warli Art. The session opened with Hetal introducing the geography and customs of the Warli tribe from Maharashtra and how these elements translate into their visual language.

Hetal shared a wide array of samples of figures and natural subjects, illustrating how daily activities and special celebrations are captured through geometric symbolism. She demonstrated how the specific shapes and border patterns are drawn. The group quickly discovered the storytelling nature of the art form. Participants had the chance to experiment with traditional rice paste before applying their motifs to two coasters and a tote bag using acrylic paints and gel pens.

A signature feature of Warli customs and artworks is a circular group dance. The event concluded with a lively highlight as the group learnt the steps of the dance, to the sound of the tarpa drum. In addition to their own projects, participants also returned home with small Warli stick figurine favors.

Visit the artist’s portfolio at hetalanjaria.weebly.com/

Photos courtesy of Scott Capen

Photos courtesy of Mihika Kulkarni

Painting Demonstration with Farshid Namei.
Thursday, February 26, 2026

On February 26, 2026, the gallery hosted an interactive oil painting demonstration by veteran artist Farshid Namei. A distinguished Signature Member of the Oil Painters of America, American Women Artists, and the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, Farshid shared her techniques and philosophical approach to portrait painting, in a captivating session.

The demonstration began with the audience selecting a portrait subject from a range of photo references. As Farshid led the class through her process, she emphasized her unwavering commitment to realism and the precision required in portraiture, noting that “A difference of a millimeter can turn it into a monster.”

Beyond brushwork and materials, Farshid shared her philosophy on the importance of knowing a subject in person to truly capture their essence. She detailed her specific approach to reference photography, insisting on taking her own photos using a single light source to ensure structural clarity.

Throughout the session, the audience engaged in deep discussions regarding the beginning, adaptability of techniques, the importance of proportions, the ethics of reference material, and the intense time commitment required to achieve realistic results. It was this enthusiastic exchange of thoughts that raised the spirit of the program.

Visit Farshid’s portfolio

Photos courtesy of Scott Capen

Photos courtesy of Mihika Kulkarni

Polymer Clay Workshop with Janine Pitta!
Thursday, January 29, 2026

On January 29, 2026, Janine Pitta of Janine Pitta Art hosted a hands-on polymer clay workshop at her studio in Niles, Fremont. The session was a fun opportunity for participants to step away from their responsibilities and unleash their inner child to get creative with a highly tactile medium. The group spent the morning rolling the clay and pressing it into various shapes, fully engrossed in the simple process.

The first project was a dragon eye magnet. Each participant molded their own vision in clay, resulting in a striking array of designs and colors, each magnet having a personality of its own. Afterward, the group moved on to a second project, applying those same techniques to decorate a customized pen.

Janine’s studio offered a very welcoming atmosphere to the participants, with supplies and tools kept at hand in neat kits, with Janine herself leading the workshop with the ease from decades of experience in teaching.

Everyone left with two raw creations ready for the oven, with instructions for baking and the magnet accessories.

Beaded Bracelet Workshop – Jewelry making for your creative soul!
Thursday, September 25, 2025

The Beaded Bracelet Workshop with Colleen dela Torre was a great success, kicking the year off with a hands-on activity. The session began with Colleen leading the participants through yoga stretches for their hands and wrists, a preparatory step to aid flexibility.

Colleen shared beads collected during her travels and a variety of quirky charms. Each participant received a bracelet-making kit with a choice of beads like Rose Quartz, Adventurine and Unakite, with a handy, compartmented tray, spoon and other essential apparatus. She provided guidance on properly stringing beads and tying secure knots.

The bracelets were followed by a brief lesson on basic metal-shaping, where participants used tools to create their own ear wires. The atmosphere was one of focused activity and collaboration, with Colleen attending to each participant and ensuring everyone was progressing. The event concluded with several of the participants wearing their own bracelets.

Photos courtesy of Scott Capen and Mihika Kulkarni

 

Needle-Felted Applique
May 29, 2025

Eight enthusiastic attendees gathered for a lively mini-workshop on needle-felted applique, led by longtime Bay Area artist and instructor Bethany Mann. With over a decade of experience in fiber arts and book/papercrafts, Bethany guided us through the process of creating charming 4″ x 5″ felt mini-banners.

Using wool roving and reveling yarn, participants brought their designs to life with rich textures and playful color. Designs featured hearts, flowers, mushrooms, bees, and more! Bethany also introduced a few simple stitches for edging and embellishment, and treated us to her stash of vintage glass baubles and tassels for the finishing touches.

It was a fun and fuzzy way to flex our creative muscles!

Cardmaking
April 23, 2025

Connie Kellogg shared her love of the bookarts by showing a simple, basic pamphlet stitch with several diverse applications, and then helped attendees create an original card.

Macramé Lark’s Head and Square Knots
Thursday, March 27, 2025

Olive Hyde’s macrame workshop, which was taught by Parul Parekh, was a huge success. With a full classroom, people discovered learning the different knots was a little trickier than expected, but once people started to get the hang of it, they really enjoyed the process. Everyone picked out their favorite color and bead and brought home a wall hanging they should be very proud of.

Photos courtesy of Scott Capen

Alcoholic Ink on Tile
Thursday, February 27, 2025

Our latest workshop, Alcoholic Ink on Tile, led by Durba Sen, was a huge success. Durba demonstrated techniques and shared insights into her abstract art journey, showcasing her use of vibrant colors to create striking compositions. The participants each received a few special sheets of paper. They got to explore using the alcohol and special inks. Everyone enjoyed blowing the ink around by using a straw, and also experimenting with brushes and dabbing alcohol on Q-tips. Once they were comfortable playing with the inks and alcohol on the paper, participates created a tile. It was a fun day exploring alcoholic inks.





Bay Area Glass Institute Glass-Blowing Demo
Thursday, January 30, 2025

We enjoyed a glass-blowing demonstration at the Bay Area Glass Institute (BAGI).

Create a Festive Holiday Rag Wreath!
Thursday, September 26, 2024

We had a fantastic turnout at our recent Rag Wreath Workshop, with 14 enthusiastic attendees joining in on the fun! Led by OHAG member Lisa Stambaugh, the workshop offered participants the chance to create beautiful handmade wreaths in either Thanksgiving or Christmas themes, perfect for adding a personal touch to their holiday décor.

The energy in the room was contagious, as both seasoned crafters and beginners dove into their projects with fabric, frames, and creativity. Each participant was provided with a materials kit, and Lisa guided the group step-by-step through the process, offering tips and tricks along the way. It was great to see so many unique interpretations come to life, each reflecting the maker’s personal style.

The workshop was filled with laughter, creativity, and a wonderful sense of community. Many attendees left with not just a festive wreath, but also new friends, a new crafting skill, and ideas for possible future projects in other themes. A big thank you to everyone who participated!

Photos courtesy of Scott Capen.