Art Classes, Poetry Workshops, and Language Arts
Including painting, alebrijes, sculpture, ceramic, oil painting, drawing, and poetry for all ages.
Colibrí & Cactus Paint Night with artist Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo
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Alebrije Sculpture Workshop
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Classes 2025-2026
San José / Santa Clara County, California
Classes 2025-2026
Art, Math Boost, Reading Basics, Spanish for Beginners
Poetry, ESL/inglés, Oil Painting
Small Groups, 12 students maximum.
Classes for children, teens, and adults (please check age range per class.)
Semester 1: August 25 - December 19, 2025. No class on Oct 31 or Federal Holidays: Sept 8, Nov 11, Nov 28.
Semester 2: January 12 - June 5, 2026. No class on Federal Holidays: Jan 19, Feb 16, Mar 31, May 25
Fees & Discounts:
Classes cost $30 per class, charged in discounted sets of 4 ($27.50/class.)
6-Class Set Pass: ($165). For multiple Set Passes, use code SET8 for 8% off.
Semester Pass: (3 consecutive classes/day for 8 days): $600
Sibling/Family Discount: For multiple Semester Passes, use code SPASS10 for 10% off.
>Recommend a friend! Email us to send your friend an offer of 10% off, and you will get 10% off a class Pass (or one free class.
EJMontelongo is an Ocean Grove approved vendor! IEM26047
Questions? Contact: [email protected]
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Mondays
Math Boost / 3pm-4pm (ages 6-12. Students participate in all interactive lessons, but will only do appropriate practice problems.)
Reading Basics / 4pm-5pm (ages 5-10. For beginners, phonics based, quick-learning method. Can adapt for advanced readers.)
Spanish for Beginners / 5pm-6pm (ages 6 and up. Includes sentence starters for guided speaking, games, flashcards, and basic writing.)
Thursdays
Math Boost / 2pm-3pm (ages 6-12. Students participate in all interactive lessons, but will only do appropriate practice problems.)
Reading Basics / 3pm-4pm (ages 5-10. For beginners, phonics based, quick-learning method. Can adapt for advanced readers.)
ESL/English language support / 5pm-6pm (beginner level English, support in Spanish available. Nivel principante.
Classes listed above are 50 minutes, plus 5 minute sign-in and 5 minute clean-up/snack/bathroom break. Scheduled for 1 hour.
All materials will be provided. *
Semester: August 25th-December 19th. No class on Federal Holidays.
EJM Arts, Stevens Creek Blvd Ste 301, San José, CA 95117 *NO WALK-INS, Registered participants only.*
Click here to register.
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Coming soon
Classes below are not yet regularly scheduled. Which day and time works for you?
Email: info@ejmontelongo or fill out the form below.
-Art (all ages, various media including painting, drawing, sculpture, and bookmaking) - (ages 6 and up.)
Scheduled for 1.5 hours. All materials provided.
-Poetry Writing (ages 6 and up. Samples and prompts will be provided.)
All materials will be provided. / Se proveen materiales.
-Oil Painting with a Palette Knife - (ages 10 and up, step-by-step guided painting on canvas using only palette knife.)
All materials will be provided. Paintings may not be left on-site.
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Location for all listed classes: 3275 Stevens Creek Blvd Ste 301, San José, CA 95117 *NO WALK-INS, Registered participants only.*
Third floor next to elevator. Free street parking on Cecil Ave. / Tercer piso junto al elevador. Más estacionamiento en la calle Cecil Ave.
Click here to register.
One time use pass. All Access Semester Passes: 4 or more classes per week from August 25-December 19th. $23/class. Please contact.
Art Kits: Day of the Dead
Celebrate Día de Muertos with these projects!
Painting Workshop (San José, CA)
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Visual Art Workshops:
*Alebrije Cartonería Sculpture *Paint Nights: Colibrí & Nopales, Lotería Card ...and more. *Day of the Dead: Mini Ofrenda (Altars), Paintings *Ceramic Sculpture: Mesoamerican-Inspired *Animal Drawings *Nahuatl Glyph; Tonalli Aztec Day Signs (mixed media) *Watercolor Landscapes *Block Printing *Summer Art Program *Activity Table for Events: Stick Puppets, Masks, Skull Cookies, Skleletons *Artist Presentations - Classroom/workplace visits *Poetry Readings & Workshops Cost based on workshop type, location, number of people, length Languages: English, Spanish, & bilingual Contact Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo at 408.781.6928 or [email protected] Public workshops: E-news: http://bit.ly/ejmlist IG: @elizabethjimenezmontelongo / FB: @ejmontelongo |
Alebrije Sculpture Workshops
Student's Alebrije Sculpture
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Student's Alebrije Sculpture
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Alebrije sculpture workshops are an opportunity for participants to design, create, and paint their own alebrije! In order to make the best alebrije possible, a minimum of 3 workshop sessions is required: one for designing and building, one for covering the structure of the sculpture with paper and paste in a way that enhances its shape, and a last session for painting in best order with tips and suggestions. Alebrijes are a traditional Mexican art form rooted in Oaxaca, México, with wood-carved sculptures made by Indigenous Zapotec artists. The Alebrije Workshop is offered in person in San José, California, Santa Clara County, and the SF Bay Area.
Artist Presentations
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If you would like an artist & poet to visit your classroom or workplace to give a presentation, I can display some original art and talk about the art, my poetry, and/or my arts career journey. The presentation can be interative with a poetry prompt and/or Q&A. I've visited as a presenter at Ohlone College, Mission College, Santa Clara Valley Water District's OLA, and various elementary school classrooms in the Bay Area. Presentations last a minimum of 1 hour.
Paint Nights
Lotería Card Painting Workshop
Master Artist Paintings
Would you like your class or workplace group to paint together? I can guide you through a painting step-by-step. We paint on canvas with washable paints! I provide easels, canvas, paint, table covers, and everything else needed. It's a fun, stress-free community-building arts activitiy. Subjects include Lotería cards, hummingbirds, master paintings, my own artwork, and other themes by request.
Oil Painting
Oil Painting Landscapes
Would you like to experience oil painting with a palette knife? I provide paint, canvas, and instruction. The class is limited to 8 people, ages 12 and up, and is offered rarely (usually by request from a private group.)
Day of the Dead ~ Día de Muertos
Art Workshops & Activities
Art Workshops & Activities
Mini Ofrenda (Altar) Workshop
Great for celebrating Day of the Dead, these workshops offer a guided opportunity to build ofrendas (offerings) for Día de Muertos. The ofrendas, often known as "altars," include skulls, candles, flowers, fruit, papel picado, and other traditional items. Information about the history and meaning of the items will be shared as we form everything with paper and clay.
Ceramic Sculpture Workshops
Aztec-inspired Ceramic Sculptures
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Aztec-inspired Ceramic Sculptures
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Mesoamerican-Inspired Ceramic Pottery
In these workshops, we make sculptures inspired by Mesoamerican art, including Aztec/Mexika art. We use clay or a modeling compound to form the items which can be painted and used to decorate your home.
Animal Drawings
Animal Drawings
Guided animal drawing workshops can be adapted for children as young as 5 all the way to adult participants. These workshops have been provided in schools for up to 30 students at a time. We draw with pencil or charcoal and add color with color pencils and markers.
Nahuatl Glyph Art
Nahuatl Glyph Art
Tonalli Art (Aztec Day Sign)
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Tonalli Art (Aztec Day Sign)
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Learn about the glyphs of the Mexika people who lived in what is present-day Mexico, who are commonly known as Aztecs. Their language is Nahuatl which is to this day spoken by over 1.5 million people in Mexico, including monolingual speakers. The glyphs can be found on the 16 authentic pre-colonial handpainted books that survived the mass book burnings by the Spaniards over 500 years ago. In addition, some of the glyphs survived on buildings, sculptures, and stone carvings such as the Tonalmachiotl or Aztec Sun Stone (also known as the Aztec Calendar.) In the workshops, we create the glyphs with painting, collage, mixed-media, and other media, as prefered.
...additional themes by request!
Art Activities for Events
Calaverita Cookie Activity
For events, especially cultural events, Art Activity booths are a great way for people to enjoy family time or let the children make a short project. The activity can take as little as 10-20 minutes to complete. Supplies are provided and the theme can match the event. A popular Art Activity is Skull Cookies or Skeleton Marshmallows for Day of the Dead events. I also offer masks, stick puppets, and more!
Poetry Readings &Workshops
Poetry workshops are a great opportunity to write, express emotions, learn more about subjects, create community, and relax! I offer guided poetry workhops on a variety of subjects and themes, such as "Empowerment Through Identity," "Peace in Chaos," and "I Am Woman." I also adapt workshops to themes by request. Poetry workshops can be in person or online via zoom! Participants are encouraged to send their work for publication, especially to La Raíz Magazine, a poetry and arts literary journal which I founded in 2021.
About the Workshops and the Artist
Workshops
Art workshops facilitated to spark creativity, imagination, and planning skills; enhance transferable dexterity and problem-solving skills; increase overall confidence, self-esteem, and motivation; encourage organizational habits and environmentally-friendly art practices.
Attention to craftsmanship and use of art-specific language is encouraged during creation of beautiful artwork. Most projects are specifically designed to be culturally-relevant to students of Mexican, Central American, Caribbean, and South American heritage.
Workshops can be offered in English, Spanish, or bilingual.
Art workshops facilitated to spark creativity, imagination, and planning skills; enhance transferable dexterity and problem-solving skills; increase overall confidence, self-esteem, and motivation; encourage organizational habits and environmentally-friendly art practices.
Attention to craftsmanship and use of art-specific language is encouraged during creation of beautiful artwork. Most projects are specifically designed to be culturally-relevant to students of Mexican, Central American, Caribbean, and South American heritage.
Workshops can be offered in English, Spanish, or bilingual.
Artist Bio
Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo is a visual artist, poet, and arts facilitator. She has facilitated painting, drawing, sculpture, and poetry workshops for schools, programs, and non-profits in Santa Clara County. She enjoys offering arts workshops in a patient and motivating manner for children, families, and intergenerational groups. Elizabeth earned a BFA in Fine Art (Pictorial Arts), from San José State University as well as a BA in French. Elizabeth has exhibited her work in over seventy exhibitions in galleries and museums from California to New York. Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo served as 2021 Creative Ambassador of the San José Office of Cultural Affairs. In 2022, her solo exhibition of 32 paintings was on view at Centro de Artes in San Antonio, Texas. She was selected as Creative Corps Invitiative grantee by California Arts Council and YBCA. She currently lives and works in Santa Clara/San José, CA.
Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo is a visual artist, poet, and arts facilitator. She has facilitated painting, drawing, sculpture, and poetry workshops for schools, programs, and non-profits in Santa Clara County. She enjoys offering arts workshops in a patient and motivating manner for children, families, and intergenerational groups. Elizabeth earned a BFA in Fine Art (Pictorial Arts), from San José State University as well as a BA in French. Elizabeth has exhibited her work in over seventy exhibitions in galleries and museums from California to New York. Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo served as 2021 Creative Ambassador of the San José Office of Cultural Affairs. In 2022, her solo exhibition of 32 paintings was on view at Centro de Artes in San Antonio, Texas. She was selected as Creative Corps Invitiative grantee by California Arts Council and YBCA. She currently lives and works in Santa Clara/San José, CA.
Download a Full List of Workshops:
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