FAQ: Adventure Art Academy

How does the classes membership work?

Members of the Adventure Art Academy get access to the entire library of adventure painting classes (over 40 with a new one released each month) plus access to Claire's studio classes and series. Membership is a monthly subscription like Netflix, but for a library of art classes - as long as you are a member, you have access the classes. You can cancel anytime and there is no minimum commitment of months. And, because the main classes are all pre-recorded, you can explore them on whatever schedule you need.

Current students also get access to lots of bonus content including mini classes, recordings from previous studio classes, the series like the Ink Sketching and Alpenglow Courses.

How many classes do I get access to as a student?

As a member you get access to everything; the classes from previous months, the recordings from all previous live sessions, all bonus classes and resources, and all future classes as long as you are a member.

The only content not included in the membership are classes that Claire hosts with an outside event partner. But, often there is something similar to these already in the library!

If I am new to watercolor will I be able to do the classes?

Yes, absolutely!! Every class walks you through a painting from start to finish, and you can pause the video at any time if I move too quickly for you. In addition, I created a Start Here Guide series of lessons that share the foundational skills you need to start working with watercolor. We have a beautiful mix of students currently of all levels.

How do I access the classes?

After you sign up for the Adventure Art Academy you can start learning right away! All the classes are located in your library. The link to the library is located in the top menu, and you login with the credentials you used on the registration page. Then, scroll past the header image and click on the "Adventure Art Academy" class heading / image and it will take you to the library of our classes!

Can I cancel my membership anytime?

Yes! The Adventure Art Academy is like most other media content subscriptions. You can cancel your membership payment anytime, and you retain access to the class content through the end of your billing cycle, after which date your access will be gone.

Please note that during your first month of membership, if you take any of the classes (or part of a class) I cannot refund that month if you cancel, as you have already utilized the content offered. The exception, of course, is any extenuating circumstances. If this happens, please email me and we will work something out! (for example, a student broke her wrist so she got a month of free membership because she had not been able to participate in any classes yet).

If I fall behind on the classes, can I pause my membership payments while I catch up?

Unfortunately, no, I am unable to grant free access to the class content (unless there are some extenuating circumstances).

If it is helpful, think of your membership like a Netflix for art: you are paying for access to the library of classes, which includes a new class every month. Just as Netflix doesn't give free access because we get behind on a show or don't watch TV for a month, so too am I unable to support free access to the class library. I work really hard to keep the classes super affordable with a minimal paywall, and appreciate your understanding.

I also work hard to design classes that you can do in any order, so please don't feel stressed if you haven't taken every class. I encourage you to start with whichever class is the most interesting! (If you are new to watercolor, the start here guide can be very helpful, however).

If you have experienced extenuating circumstances that meant you viewed zero or almost zero of the content, you are welcome to reach out to me ([email protected]), and I will be happy to help work something out!

When I cancel my membership, can I access the classes I didn't do?

No. As a member you are paying for access to the entire library of classes, and your subscription payments do not correspond to any one class.

The website also does not have any way for me to give access to individual classes.

What supplies do I need to follow along?

Whatever you have on hand will work great! During the classes I often use a limited palette of colors, and I encourage you to use whatever colors you have that are the closest. If they aren't exact matches that is ok! You might get different results, but that is part of the fun of our versatile and unpredictable medium. For paper I recommend a watercolor paper of some kind, and most brushes out there will work just fine. I don't want you to go out and buy a lot of supplies if you are just starting out! Instead, I recommend using what you have, and then intentionally adding to your supplies collection over time once you have an idea of what you really want to try!

Are the live Q&A and community gatherings recorded?

Yes!! All live events are recorded and can be found in our basecamp library. They are saved/ located with the corresponding month's lesson, as the content of the live session is tied to the adventure class that was launched earlier in the month.

How can I contact you if I have any questions or issues with the classes?

Please email me anytime at [email protected]

I have an idea for a class/ a technique I would like to learn. Are you open to ideas?

Always! I love to hear what you all are interested in learning about. I can't guarantee that I'll be able to travel to the landscape you want to learn, but I will do my best! Please email me at [email protected] with any and all ideas and feedback!

Will you ever have in-person gatherings?

Possibly! Last year I held a one-day gathering at a beach on Puget Sound that was free for current students. If I host any single or multi-day outings current students will be the first to know!

With that said, my primary focus is on online classes because these have the greatest accessibility and do not exclude anyone due to geographic limitations.

Can I download the classes?

Unfortunately, no. My website does not have a way to allow this option.

Can I gift a membership to someone?

Yes! Please email me and I will send you the unique registration link. You can choose from two, six, or one year options.

Do the classes have subtitles?

All the main adventure painting lessons released August 2023 and later will have subtitles that are edited by Claire for accuracy to create a good learner experience. Because the subtitles take a very long time to edit, Claire will add them to other classes on request.

How do I cancel my membership?

You can cancel anytime. To do so, you are welcome to email me and I will take care of it for you! Or - Login to the Adventure Art Academy. From that first page you see, before you click in to the Academy dashboard, click the little circle icon on the upper right and that will bring you to account settings. You can also click here and login.

How do I update my credit card info?

Go to your account settings page (linked here, or when you login, on that first page click the circular face icon in the upper right corner). Then, navigate to the billing tab at the top of the page and you can update everything there!

Can I get a refund if I don't do many of the classes while I am a paying member?

In most cases I am unable to offer refunds for content students did not utilize, just as Netflix does not refund folks if they don't watch TV for a month. I keep the doors to the classes open all the time, so students can come and go according to their schedules, and many do! There are many students who only paint with me in the winter!

With that said, I of course make exceptions for extenuating circumstances and students are always welcome to reach out me with any billing questions or concerns.