2024 WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS

Experimental Approaches to Observational Drawing (October 17-20, 2024)

with DAVID MODLER

This workshop will explore a variety of experimental approaches to observational drawing. Working methods will include, but not be limited to, blind contour, cross contour, partial peak, analytical line, cropping, and masking techniques. Drawings will begin with charcoal and then incorporate charcoal pencil, graphite, ink and colored chalk pastel. Participants will utilize the still life as subject matter to start a series of 'beginnings' for drawings, and then through guided practice with materials and techniques, be encouraged to transform the work into resolved abstract compositions.

All skill levels welcome.

Felted Wool (October 17-20, 2024)

with TAYLOR PAINTER-WOLFE

In this workshop, we will delve into the exciting world of felted wool. We will explore a variety of techniques for turning wool into felt such as; wet felting, Nuno felting, 3-D needle felting and 2-D needle felting, as well as several different dyeing processes. Participants will get acquainted with a number of different fine art and craft uses for felted wool and learn what types of dye can be used on wool. This workshop is perfect for anyone looking to establish or add to their own fiber art practice or for teachers interested in bringing fiber art lessons into their classrooms. All techniques will be presented with options for how to use them with adults or with children of any age group.

All skill levels welcome.

Filmmaking: A Foundation for Learning (October 3-6, 2024)

with VICTOR CABALLERO AND BRYAN CARDINALE-POWELL

Making movies can be an effective way to nurture important habits of mind and skills like creativity, productive collaboration, and leadership. This workshop will offer participants a chance to try their own hand at completing film and video projects they might adapt for use in their own classrooms. We’ll also discuss strategies for dealing with the technical demands of filmmaking and managing student projects, and after the workshop, participants will be well-positioned to apply for a micro-credential in Media Arts Education administered by the Oklahoma State Board of Education.

All skill levels welcome.

Intro to Native American Beadwork (October 10-13, 2024)

with JOE BAKER

This studio will focus on the two needle appliqué stitch used in Eastern Tribes beadwork. Students will learn basic skills in design and construction of a beadwork sample. Lenape aesthetics will be the foundational inspiration for this workshop. Students will be encourage to design their own personal expression which could be figurative or abstract.

All skill levels welcome.

The Magic of Monotype (October 10-13, 2024)

with ART WERGER

This course will explore a wide variety of approaches to creative printing. Unlike direct painting, monotype involves painting and drawing on a separate surface (the matrix) and then transferring the ink to another surface (usually paper). Something magical happens in this transference. While we can anticipate and control outcomes to some extent, another creative force comes into play with the printing process. When it works, it is magical. We will explore a wide variety of techniques including the trace monotype, the single run through the press and CMYK multiple run printing. Students should come prepared with ideas, sketches, source material and creative energy as they will be encouraged to expand beyond their comfort zones!

All skill levels welcome.

The Photo Essay (October 17-20, 2024)

with MARK EDWARD HARRIS

Successful photo essayists have to wear more photographic hats than perhaps those working in any other genre of the medium. In a single photo essay they might be required at times to be many types of photographer – architectural, wildlife, music, documentary – the list encompasses every possible type of photography. The Photo Essay teaches students the necessary techniques to create cohesive picture-driven stories, using images that go far beyond "I was here" photographs. From establishing shots to environmental portraits, this workshop incorporates the techniques and concepts necessary to create professional looking images in various genres. Covering issues such as story creation, lighting, and workflow, award-winning photographer and writer Mark Edward Harris explains how to marry photos with words, telling a cohesive, clearly-defined story through a series of photographs.

All skill levels welcome.

Practical Strategies for the Inclusive Art Room (October 10-13, 2024)

with CHRIS HALL

As the art room embraces the power of inclusion, art educators will have the pleasure of educating students with disabilities in their classroom, along with English Language Learners, and students with perceived behavioral concerns. This workshop will help prepare art educators for this shift by providing a more diverse perspective on neurodiversity and showcase how they can harness the power of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to create a classroom environment where all students can be successful. This workshop will begin with an introduction to the challenges that art educators may face when educating students with disabilities in an inclusive art room and will provide practical strategies to overcome these challenges to meet the needs of all learners. Art educators for all age groups will benefit from this workshop, particularly those teaching grades 5- 12.

All skill levels welcome.

Watercolor: Abstractions in Nature (October 3-6, 2024)

with JAN HEATON

Capture what you observe as you interpret nature with fluid contemporary watercolor. Learn to simplify and abstract subject matter with minimal marks, and a broad spectrum of techniques to create bold and captivating works on paper. Develop color palettes and imagery to stretch your preconceived ideas of these elements and their initial meaning. This workshop guides artists through how inspiration translates observations into abstract, graphic, and bold watercolors. Students learn how to economize their mark-making and focus on elements such as line, color mixing, pattern, and composition with watercolor, observing details in nature with a new perspective. 

All skill levels welcome.

Woodcut Print and Stencil (October 3-6, 2024)

with JEANINE COUPE RYDING

Woodcuts prints dating back to 9th century China and hand prints stenciled onto cave walls during the Paleolithic era are the earliest known forms of artistic expression. These direct and expressive media offer a vast array of possibilities to the artist. This workshop is an introduction to both and will provide necessary information on carving, cutting, inking and printing as well as combining the two to expand expressive possibilities. Demonstrations, examples and handouts will enable participants to bring new methods to their own practice which can be done with minimal equipment. Focus is on how to use these media for personal expression of ideas.

All skill levels welcome.

Acrylic Abstractions (October 3-6, 2024)

with MICHAEL ELIZONDO JR.

This workshop will focus on the processes of acrylic abstract painting. Non-objective and abstract distortions will be demonstrated, along with examples of finished products. Students will work on the experimentation and observation of acrylic paint applications by layer building, hard edge line work, and a mixture of textured surfaces. Further exploration of acrylic paint will be done with brushes, palette knives, water, mediums, and other painting tools. Many of these techniques can be done with other types of paint, such as oils, tempra, and wall-paint. Art educators can share these methods and applications with lower level and higher level learners.

All skill levels welcome.