Henri Matisse’s cut-paper compositions bristle with color, rhythm, and motion. Following in his footsteps, we’ll paint sheets of paper with acrylic and gouache, cut and shape them, and create a large work of art that each student will contribute to and that will pay tribute to the master painter. The class will collaborate on a theme and together create a large wall piece.

Materials not included. Please bring the following supplies:

Sketch books

drawing tools

acrylic paint

scissors

x-acto knife.

Painterpretations, founded in 2019 by Randiesia Fletcher, MEd.,is an intergenerational social and cultural arts class that has gained international attention for its innovative approach to dialogue and creative expression. The program engages participants across generations in critical conversations sparked by culturally relevant topics, guiding them to write and create visual responses—“Painterpretations”—that reflect personal and collective narratives. Through the integration of sound clips, video, poetry, mapping, and the study of artists and techniques from the African Diaspora, Painterpretations creates a dynamic space where storytelling, history, and art converge.

Explore the wonderful shapes, colors, and textures of insects! We will work in graphite, micron pen, and colored pencil from pinned insect specimens and photographs to create engaging specimen illustrations of insects. We will start by creating accurate graphite drawings of insects from a variety of angles. Then we will practice watercolor techniques in rendering insect exoskeletons, iridescent wings, and insect environments.

Materials not provided. Please bring the following:

- Drawing Pencils (2B, 6B, Ebony Pencil)

- Pencil Sharpener

- White Click Eraser

- Bristol Paper, Smooth Vellum

- Sketchbook for note-taking

- Micron Pen (001, 03, 08)

- Magnifying Glass

- Watercolor set

- Watercolor paper, (hot or cold press 100% Cotton)

- Insect specimens in resin

- Pinned butterflies

- Insect photo references

- Toned drawing paper

- Ruler

Open Print Lab is designed to be a creative exploration space! Open Print Lab is where our intergenerational printmakers, with an established practice, meet with others, share work, tips, and life's journeys! Enjoy access to 3 manual roll-top etching/relief presses for your self-directed projects! This studio session is not a regular instructional class, so we recommend beginners start with one of our various printmaking classes.

Folks are welcome to bring in anything that they wish, just so long as it goes back home with you! A Studio Monitor is available to answer questions and orient you on materials. Some materials are available at cost, so bring cash for additional supplies.

Welcome to “Beyond 27 Seconds, the How, What, and Why of Looking at Art”, our FREE monthly Community Forum where we look at, talk about, and create art!  

For our September forum, teaching artist Tracy Dunbar will discuss the challenges facing women art makers and strategize about what is needed to overcome these hurdles in the modern world and art market, all while learning about imagery created by historically lesser-known female artists, as well as female artists currently creating work today.

ABOUT 27 SECONDS: Do you know that the average time a person views an art piece is a mere 27 seconds?  In that time one may decide “I like it” ,“I don’t get it” “It’s good.” or maybe “My 6-year-old could do that.” But what does one really comprehend in such a short amount of time? In this fun and lively forum series, we will learn how to better engage with, enjoy more deeply, and truly appreciate art – and the artist! Each session will focus on such topics as: process, genre, medium, or group of artists, movement, or time period, with the goal of understanding how and why artists create and how we can view art in new ways to better interpret, connect with, and appreciate what we see! Each month one of our teaching artists will share curated works of art to lead the forum, with the first hour exploring concepts like “What makes a piece of art effective?”  “Do I need to know “what” I am looking at to appreciate it?” “How did they do that?” Once inspired, we will create a simple, yet exciting art piece relating to the topic of the month. Join us each month, August through November at The Drawing Studio. In December, we will have a field trip to a local museum to view real art “in the wild” and practice our new skills of seeing and engaging!

We will use fabric ink to illustrate a design on fabric for a personalized bandana. Class will begin with creating a design, considering composition and contrast. Learn brief art history of Chicano culture and illustrate your unique image on fabric!

Materials provided by The Drawing Studio.

No class on 10/12

Dive into mixed media textile art and learn the traditional Japanese art of Shibori resist dyeing. We will learn several fold and clamp techniques to create intricate patterns on fabric in the dye vat. Then we’ll add a hand-printed image with linoleum or wood block printing. Finally, we’ll practice stitching to add a layer of mark-making, color and texture. You can make a wearable item, a fabric collage to flow freely on or oa the wall, or to stretch over a frame.

Materials not provided. Please bring the following supplies:

pad of newsprint paper for sketching and proofing

pencil

black sharpie marker

eraser

embroidery hoop for the size you'll be working

Optional Materials:

your own 100% cellulose (cotton, linen, hemp, ramie) fabric pieces, tea towels, napkins, scarves, bandanas, totes, or small clothing items, washed in hot water and air dried.

your own embroidery floss and needles

your own pre-carved printing blocks, if you have them

Beginner class! Great for someone just starting out with acrylic paint. I'll walk you through the basics: what to buy, using the materials, simple techniques and approaches, as well as clean-up and storage. This class will focus on mixing paints, working with layers and discovering what makes acrylic so special and versatile. Everything from how to hold the brush to how to create a sophisticated image with step-by-step instructions.

Day 1 will be more technical, with art history and techniques: We’ll start by looking at inspiring images from art history that explore the materials and basic techniques. Then I’ll demonstrate the process and then you’ll try them out. Day 2-4 will be work days, with the whole time for applying the techniques with one-on-one feedback on your artwork This class is perfect for beginners and those who want a refresher course.

Materials not provided. Please bring the following:

Canvas:

Canvas boards - 5 pack of 9”x12” or pad of canvas paper

Stretched canvas - 4 smaller 11”x14” or 16”x20”, one big 18”x24” or larger

Media:

Acrylic set of 12 (good brands: Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Acrylic, Golden Professional Acrylic, Utrecht Artists' Acrylic Paints, Winsor Newton Galeria Acrylic, Holbein Heavy Body Acrylic)

Acrylic Glazing Medium

Graphite pencil for sketching 2B or No. 2

Tools:

Set of brushes - Rounds (Sizes 1, 6, and 12) and one each Liner 2, Angular Shader 1/2, and Wash 3/4 - or similar synthetic set with round, angle, and flat

Palette Knife

Water cup

Rags and wipes

Smock