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The Guild of Saint Catherine, is a community of women artists across Northern California devoted to shared expertise, creative growth, and the practice, preservation, and revitalization of traditional sacred art. Founded by artist and studio instructor Rachel Pineda, the Guild serves as a welcoming sanctuary and classical atelier where women of all generations and backgrounds gather within local parish communities to master rare and enduring studio traditional techniques and materials.

Members are trained in historic studio materials such as drawing, color theory, pigment and panel preparation, egg tempera, gilding, and luminous oil painting, with room to grow into additional sacred art media in time. Through faith, fellowship, and technical mastery, the Guild offers ongoing classes, structured apprenticeship options, and community workshops, cultivating artistic excellence within a living, supportive environment where sacred craftsmanship is learned, shared, and passed down to the next generation of creators.

While the majority of our members fund their own tuition and workshop places, a dedicated bursary fund exists to offer financial assistance. A set portion of these funds is specifically earmarked to prioritize religious sisters, alongside emerging artists committed to serving the Church through sacred art.

Looking ahead, in years to come, the Guild holds a long-term vision to expand its outreach—offering specialized art classes for women who have suffered trauma, particularly survivors of human trafficking, using art as a vehicle for healing, once the proper foundation is established and qualified personnel are hired. Ultimately, the Guild's vision extends beyond technique alone: a living, sacred community, sustained and shared for generations to come.

Welcome to The Guild of St. Catherine

Ernest Quost, Roses, Oil on Canvas