To see previous videos of demos recorded for WVAG, click on the YouTube link below.
Dinner Demos are held at the Los Robles Greens - 299 S. Moorpark Rd, Thousand Oaks
Doors open at 5:30.
$34 for members and $40 for non members.
The last day to register is the Thursday (5:00 PM) before the upcoming Dinner Demo.
Cancellations must be made no later than the Friday before the dinner demo to receive a refund. Contact Dennis Griffin
October 6, 2026
Dinner Demo with Carmen Lamp
Last day to register is Thursday, October 1st
Carmen Lamp is a pastel artist whose work is inspired by the beauty, movement, and emotion found in nature. Working primarily in soft pastel, she is known for her expressive coastal scenes, ocean waves, shorelines, and landscapes that capture fleeting moments of light, color, and atmosphere.
Carmen discovered her passion for painting later in life after inheriting her mother's art supplies. What began as a way to honor her mother's memory evolved into a dedicated artistic pursuit and an active exhibition career. Although largely self-taught, she continues to refine her skills through workshops, study, and engagement with the artistic community.
Painting in soft pastel on sanded paper, Carmen is particularly fascinated by the energy and movement of water and the challenge of capturing its ever-changing patterns of light, color, and motion. Her work seeks not only to depict a scene, but also to convey the feeling of being present within it.
Carmen maintains a studio in Westlake Village and is an active member/Board member in numerous Southern California art organizations. She is a long-time member and former board member of the Westlake Village Art Guild. Her artwork has been recognized in numerous juried exhibitions, earning awards throughout Southern California and inclusion in the international exhibition 99 Voices in Pastel. She is a signature member of the Pastel Society of the West Coast.
November 3rd, 2026
Dinner Demo with Carol Roulard
https://www.youtube.com/@CarolRoullardArt
805.279.6977
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Southern California artist Carol Roullard has been an avid art enthusiast and photographer since high school. Through the years, Carol has continued to hone her compositional skills, focusing mainly on nature, looking forward to the day when she could merge her creative skills with her passion for art and science.
Since retiring, Carol expanded her nature photography to include the microcosmos. Using a high-powered microscope, Carol captures an extraordinary, intricate world—a world of dazzling tiny crystals. Many of the captured images mimic land and seascapes; all will stimulate the viewer’s imagination to conceptualize how the micro-world relates to the macro-world.
Along with printing her art to be hung on walls, Carol’s micro-crystal art is printed on tote bags, plates, coasters and note cards and made into unique micro-crystal jewelry.
Carol has expanded her art mediums to include creating and teaching fluid acrylics out of her studio in Thousand Oaks, CA. She constantly explores many fluid acrylic techniques and often combines them into one art piece. Carol has exhibited and sold her art locally, nationally and internationally. Her art has received numerous awards and has been featured in video, print and online publications.
Another passion is writing. Carol has coauthored with her husband, Brian Matsumoto, nine camera-related books.
December 1st, 2026
Dinner Demo with Suparna Sain
Working in pastel and oil, Suparna creates landscapes and seascapes that explore the quiet interplay of light, atmosphere, and color. Her paintings are inspired by places that invite reflection where changing light reveals new relationships between land, sky, and water, transforming familiar scenes into moments of discovery.
For Suparna, a landscape is more than a location; it is an experience of connection. Whether painting en plein air or in the studio, she seeks to capture not only the visual beauty of a place, but also its character and emotional resonance. Rather than simply documenting a scene, Suparna strives to convey the feeling of being present within it and inviting viewers to pause, reflect, and experience the quiet rhythms of the natural world.
January 5th, 2027
Dinner Demo with Craig Nelson
For over 51 years, master painter Craig Nelson has created stunning portraits, unique figures, and vibrant landscapes that attract spectators from all backgrounds. His signature oil technique—rich color, vivid brushwork, and emotional depth—has made him one of the most compelling contemporary artists working today.
Craig’s career began with a rapid rise in Hollywood, where his ability to capture likeness and mood landed him poster commissions for major studios including Universal, Disney, and Columbia Pictures. His work has promoted films such as Dirty Harry, Slap Shot, Homeward Bound, Alive, Moscow on the Hudson, and more. His Broadway posters for Neil Simon productions now reside in Simon’s private collection.
His artistic range extends from film to music, with album covers created for Capitol, Sony, and MGM, featuring icons like Natalie Cole, Neil Diamond, Rick Nelson, Sammy Davis Jr., Loretta Lynn, and Motorhead.
A nationally recognized fine artist, Craig has earned more than 200 awards, including five gold medals, four silver medals, Best Figure Painting (California Art Club), and the prestigious Grand Teton National History Award in Arts for the Parks. His work appears in top galleries and major collections across the country.
Craig is also a celebrated educator, teaching since 1974 and now serving as Executive Director of Fine Art—Painting and Sculpture—at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. With over five decades of teaching experience, he is a mentor to thousands of emerging artists.
His high-profile commissions include James Garner, UCLA, UCSF, the Toyota Corporation, Samuel Adams, The Hyatt, The Ritz-Carlton, Mayor Willie Brown, and a U.S. Air Force painting housed in the Smithsonian.
In 2020, Craig launched weekly live 90-minute painting sessions to keep artists inspired through the lockdown—now continuing after more than 280 sessions. His newest book, Ninety Minute Live Paintings, features 206 of these works. It joins his other acclaimed titles 60 Minutes to Better Painting and The Drawing Bible.
Craig leads sought-after plein air workshops throughout Europe, with past adventures in Italy, Sicily, Holland, France, Austria, Amalfi, Ischia, and a new journey planned for the summer of 2027 in Cotswolds and Cornwall.
Craig Nelson’s work continues to energize and inspire collectors, students, and art lovers around the world.
Reserve & Pay for your Dinner Demo
Members $34 and Guests $40.
Reservationsare required and must be made OR cancelled no later than Thursday (5:00 PM) prior to the event.
Dinner / Demos
Westlake Village Art Guild
The WVAG's monthly buffet dinner and art demos are held the first Tuesday of each month from September through June.
Location
West Ballroom
Los Robles Greens
299 S. Moorpark Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91361
Schedule
5:30 PM Check-In Opens
6:00 PM Buffet Dinner
7:00 PM Demonstration
8:30 PM End
Great food, demos and friends at the WVAG Dinner Demos!