Rita Shimelfarb - Portrait Painting
Rita Shimelfarb - Contemporary Approaches to Portrait Painting on Glass - Thursday
Service Description
Thursday August 6th, 2026 9:00AM - 4:30PM GlassRoots Single-Day Workshop, Thursday Session Description: This one-day intensive glass painting workshop is designed for experienced painters ready to push beyond traditional methods and materials. Participants will explore non-traditional media and experimental techniques while learning how to render a portrait on glass with confidence and depth. This class will emphasize curiosity, risk-taking, and expanding your personal visual language. All materials are provided, including a curated brush kit. Intermediate glass-painting skill level is required. Please submit 3-5 images representative of your painting experience, not all of which need to be on glass. You are strongly encouraged to submit your portfolio prior to the registration opening date. An accepted portfolio does not guarantee a spot in the class. You must register to secure your space starting on April 18. Seats are available first come first served to pre-screened students. Please submit via the form here: www.americanglassguild.org/rita-portfolio-submissions Please copy and paste this address into your browser if link doesn't work. Rita Shimelfarb is a Chicago-based glass artist who blends centuries-old glass painting traditions with bold contemporary experimentation. Born in the USSR and arriving in the U.S. as a refugee in 1989, her work is shaped by layered histories, a fascination with light, and an ongoing exploration of collective archetypes and shared human stories. With a background in Mathematics and Computer Science, Rita brings both precision and play to her practice—solving complex technical challenges while inventing new ways to paint, form, and manipulate glass. Trained by master glass painters, she honors traditional techniques while continually pushing them forward. Her work has been exhibited nationally and is held in public and private collections. Rita also teaches workshops in the U.S. and abroad, inviting artists to explore the expressive, mythic, and light-filled potential of painted glass.
Cancellation Policy
- Registration to the 2026 AGG Conference is REQUIRED in order to register for a workshop. - No refunds on workshops, and no switching. - Registration will open on April 18. Workshops are spots are booked on a “first come, first served” basis. ***Scholarship applicants should register and pay for conference and workshop in order to secure a spot, and if applicant is awarded a scholarship, they will be reimbursed for the awarded amount. If you are not awarded a scholarship, you also have the option for a refund in full.***