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2023 Workshops for Adults

The Writer's Toolbox

with BRIAN TURNER

In this creative writing workshop, we'll explore a wide variety of craft tools and approaches to generating and revising our work. We'll create new drafts of our own work while using contemporary examples from memoir and poetry as our guides. We’ll also experiment with form as the class progresses, considering fragmentation, collage, the interruption of time, the questioning of narrative space and progression, and more. This will be a fun and engaging class, and it's designed with writers of all levels of experience in mind. If you enjoy writing and you'd like to add new approaches to your creative practice--then this class is for you. If you're a teacher and you'd like to add new approaches to the art of teaching creative writing--then this class is also for you!   

All skill levels welcome.

Mastering Light: Exploring the Art of Photographic Illumination

with TROY WORD

In this workshop, we will delve into the intricate world of lighting, understanding how it can dramatically impact the mood, composition, and overall aesthetic of your photographs.

We will explore the various types of light sources, their characteristics, and how to harness their unique qualities to enhance your visual storytelling.
By blending theoretical concepts with hands-on practical exercises, you will learn how to manipulate and control light to achieve your desired artistic vision. From natural light to artificial lighting techniques, you will gain expertise in utilizing different lighting setups to sculpt and shape the perfect illumination for your subjects.

Key Topics Covered:
1. The Nature of Light
2. Qualities of Light
3. Natural Light Photography: Utilizing ambient light sources to capture stunning images.
4. Artificial Light Sources: Exploring various artificial lighting options and their applications.
5. Creative Lighting: Experimenting with unconventional lighting approaches to add drama and impact.

All skill levels welcome. Some experience with Photoshop preferred.

Creative Movement and Dance: Kinesthetic Learning in the Classroom

with KELLY DOREMUS STUART

This hands-on, interactive workshop will introduce concepts and principles needed for each participant to become a confident and successful facilitator of creative movement and dance activities in their classrooms and inclusive settings. Participants will learn how dance and creative movement activities can be used to engage students' creative thinking skills, provide links to language learning, enhance social and emotional growth, and teach a wide array of topics that support classroom curriculum. 

The workshop material will be particularly useful for early education and elementary teachers, however these practical activities can be easily adapted for older students. Examples of classroom implementation for all students will be given throughout the workshop, as well as suggestions for adaptive strategies and modifications. Prior movement experience is not necessary. Just bring your sense of play and a willingness to explore new, FUN ways of moving. 

All skill levels welcome.

Bird and Patterns

with MARWIN BEGAYE

In this workshop, students will create a single image using multiple woodblock and learning the different registration systems, as well as learning to print by hand and using an etching press. Additionally, they will create a composition using a graphic background pattern and an image of their favorite bird. Students will also learn how to maintain and sharpen relief tools.

Beginning and intermediate levels.

Beginning Acrylic Painting

with FRANK J. WILLIAMS

This three day course will introduce the student to the basic techniques of beginning acrylic painting on canvas panels. Beginning with geometric shapes, to give them a good foundation on which to build from. They will learn how to handle paint from a traditional and contemporary point of view, using different tools, such as brushes and palette knives. 

Students will start by preparing the surface of a canvas panel and by mixing color. They will play with composition, texture, light and shadow, learning how to see shape and form better.  

Finally students will create their own works of art with a combination of experimentation, observation, imagination and practice.

All skill levels welcome.

Classroom Engagement in the Arts

with DR. JENNIFER GEE

Dr. Jennifer Gee’s workshop will bridge the realms of student engagement, classroom management, and community in order to unlock classrooms of engaged, motivated students. Throughout this enriching experience, participants will embark on an exploration of positive classroom management techniques infused with creative strategies. We will discover the link between movement and student behavior, while cultivating an active classroom community through research-based, student-centered, interactive activities. Join Dr. Jennifer Gee to create a classroom environment where the arts and classroom management seamlessly intertwine, nurturing students' engagement, motivation, and holistic development.

All skill levels welcome.