The Shelton Art League
art classes
The Shelton Art League offers art classes every fall and spring, available to members only. Members can sign up for classes at our March 16th meeting, at the Shelton Community Center, 41 Church Street, Huntington, CT 06484.
SPRING 2026
Drawing With Colored Pencils​
Instructor: Carmina Palarino
Location: Derby Public Library
Elizabeth Street, Derby, CT, 2nd Floor
Dates: Wednesdays - April 1, 8, 15, 22
Time: 11:00am - 1:00pm
Cost: $40.00 plus + $1.00 fee for paper. Payment due to instructor at first class.
Class size is limited to 10. Membership required.
Description: How to draw using colored pencil for beginners and refresher for more advanced students.
Decorative Acrylics​
Instructor: Sue Zelanakas
Location: Shelton Community Center
41 Church St, Shelton, CT 06484
2nd floor, Room 2, (elevator in building)
Dates: Wednesdays - March 25, April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, May 6, 1
Time: 11:45am - 1:45pm
Cost: $2.00 supply fee for paint (cost of surfaces to print on vary at each class), and $80.00 class fee, expected at first class.
Membership required.
Description: Teaching the techniques and brush strokes necessary to decorate different items using acrylic paints, various mediums and brushes.
Watercolor Painting​
Instructor: Diane Podrat
Location: Shelton Community Center
41 Church St, Shelton, CT 06484
2nd floor, Room 2, (elevator in building)
Dates: April 1, 8, 15, 29, May 6, 13
Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Cost: $10.00 per class, payable weekly
Supply list will be available when signing up.​ A face mask is required to attend each class. Membership is required​.​
Description: Watercolor classes are open to all levels of ability. We will discover the special features that only watercolor can achieve.We use a variety of different subject matter and students can use my suggestions or their own ideas.
INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHIES
Sue Zelanakas​
Enjoys and takes much pleasure in painting, especially decorative acrylic painting and watercolor. likes to teach the many techniques and skills needed to be able to create a decorative painted piece. Also has experience in early American decoration such as theorem painting and freehand bronzing. Likes to paint on glass and on old or used items such as light bulbs, bottles and jars, and wood fan blades. Has been painting and teaching for many years and sells decorative painted items and watercolors at craft shows and art shows. Has won many awards.
Into painting and related artistic and crafted subjects all through life. Studied art and teaching at Southern Connecticut State College and under many professional artists and instructors teaching various mediums. Taught many classes and workshops other than decorative painting, such as beading, tassel making, frame making using decorative papers, painting on glass, constructing and painting gourd birdhouses and many other projects.
Diane Podrat​
Diane Podrat is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design and has painted professionally since 1969.
Her art is in the collections of the American Red Cross, Heart Association, West Haven Historical Society, Milford Public Library and many private collections.
Since retiring from teaching on Branford, she now paints in watercolor and teaches for the Shelton Art League.
Podrat is an elected member of the Connecticut Watercolor Society, Guilford Art League, New Haven Paint & Clay Club, Clinton Art Society.
She has received awards from Clinton Art Society, Stratford, Waterbury & Stony Creek Art Festivals, Milford & Hamden Art Leagues and Connecticut Watercolor Society.
The artist studied with Charles Reid, Lou Bonamarte, John Massamino, Judi Betts, Ruth Baderian and Leo Stoutsenburger.
Diane Podrat lives and paints in Milford. Her art is displayed at the Gilded Lily Art Gallery, 101 River St. in Milford.
Carmina Palarino​
Carmina Palarino has painted in oils since her early years. In partial retirement she devoted serious time to exploring acrylics, pastels, watercolors, cold wax, and colored pencils. While all are interesting and fun, oils and colored pencils remain her passion. She finds realism in these two mediums inspiring and meditative. Experimenting in the other mediums, however, has produced some jazzy abstract work.
A deep love of gardening, hiking, and bird watching, along with several visits to her native Portugal and travels throughout the United States, allow her the luxury of immersion into nature. These experiences transfer beautiful, memorable moments emanating peace and joy onto a canvas. When the canvas is too small, the walls and stairways of her home will do, with actual birch branches, bird nests, and insects.
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Although not professionally trained, Carmina has studied with a multitude of fine artists. Her art has been exhibited in many group shows and solo shows. She has received several commissions and numerous awards.