Sculptural Lantern Making with Myra Rasmussen

IN PERSON

1 Class: Feb. 4

Saturday 9:30am – 3:30pm (1hr lunch)

Course Description:

Explore a lantern making technique that combines wire, string and paper, which instructor Myra Rasmussen learned from artist Chiba Sakuryu at the Aomori Nebuta Lantern festival. Participants will make a wire frame, cover it with paper, and paint with ink, wax, and dye. Lanterns will be lit with battery powered LEDs. Myra will demonstrate how to make a wearable headpiece resembling a frog. Students can follow her example, or make their own shape. Following the class, we encourage all participants to bring their lanterns to the Polka Dot Dragon Lantern Festival, held at Lakeside Park on the evening of Feb. 11th, 5 – 7pm.

All Materials provided by The Polka Dot Dragon Arts Society

TOTAL FEE: $75

Butterfly Lantern Making

IN PERSON

1 Class: Feb. 5

Sunday: 1 – 3pm

Course Description:

Join us in making a beautiful butterfly lantern to bring to the Polka Dot Dragon Lantern Festival taking place on Saturday, February 11th. Together we will cut silhouettes of butterfly wings and sandwich them together with layers of tissue paper and LED lights. The butterflies will then be attached to the end of a bamboo stick so you can easily carry your butterfly creation above you at the festival. All ages welcome. Materials and guidance provided by Polka Dot Dragon Arts Society.     

TOTAL FEE: $10

Art Speak – Peer to Peer Work Sharing 

Facilitated by Emilie Leblanc Kromberg

IN PERSON

4 Classes: Feb. 16, 30, Mar. 13, 27

Mondays: 5 – 6:30pm

Course Description:

Artists of all disciplines (professional or not) are invited to share their work in a safe space and engage in contemporary art dialogue with other open-minded art loving individuals. Themes will be proposed as a potential starting point for exchanges and artistic practices to grow collectively. The objective for this workshop is for artists to make, share, discuss, and learn together. 

TOTAL FEE: $40

Moth Catchers with Jim Holyoak

ONLINE

5 Classes: Feb. 6 – Mar. 6

Mondays: 8 – 10pm

Course Description:

Moth Catchers is a nighttime sketchbooking club. As a relaxed, exploratory practice, drawing can be an effective form of mindfulness. Via Zoom, and with a webcam above his hands for demonstration, artist Jim Holyoak will lead participants through weekly sketchbook exercises, including: warmups, air/water drawing, speed/pressure/cadence, drawing two-handed and with the non-dominant hand, blind self-portraits by touch, automatism, asemic writing (handwriting without semantic content), synesthetic drawing (drawing from sound, touch, etc.), modes of hatching, modes of contour drawing, drawing from video/film, drawings as gift exchange, negative-space creatures, hybrid drawings (such as animal/machine and house/mountain), scale (microcosm/macrocosm), drawing from memory, and approaches to drawing cartoons and comics. 

These exercises will be punctuated with discussion, creative writing exercises, and presentations about nighttime as subject matter, including Nocturnes, Lullabies, and ecologies of silence and darkness. 

Material Fee: Material List

Course Fee: $120

TOTAL FEE: $120

Writing What We Love with Susan Andrews Grace

ONLINE

5 Classes: Feb. 8 – Mar. 8

Wednesdays: 1:30 – 3:30pm

Course Description:

This workshop will prompt students to bring poems that they love and admire to then develop skills and techniques to develop your own craft. Together we will investigate theory and poetic form. Through this course students will develop skills to move beyond self-consciousness in composition and come to see poetry with fresh eyes. The formal response to your study will be in your own writing. 

TOTAL FEE: $120

Fantastical Futures: Drawing from the Imagination with Deborah Thompson

IN PERSON

4 Classes: Feb. 8, 22, Mar. 1, 8 (no class Feb.15)

Wednesdays: 5:30 – 8:30pm

Course Description:

This four week playful, process-based drawing course will focus on drawing from our imaginations to create a variety of hybrid creatures. Numerous prompt-like exercises from photographs, dreams, text, sound, and a model will aid in the development of an imaginative world in your drawings. Students will engage in collaborative drawing exercises to encourage a non-rational mind. Each class will highlight the work of a contemporary artist whose work exemplifies the ideas and processes presented. Some attention will be given to drawing materials and techniques such as line quality, proportion, scale, tonal range, and texture development, as well as the use of graphite, ink, chalk, and pencil crayon.

Material Fee: $25 + Material List

Course Fee: $180

TOTAL FEE: $205

Figure Drawing #1 (no instruction)

IN PERSON

4 Classes: Feb. 12 – Mar. 5

Sundays: 6:30 – 8:30pm

Course Description:

Figure drawing sessions will provide the opportunity to draw from a model with poses ranging from 1 minute to 20 minutes.  No instruction is offered. Students are expected to provide the drawing materials of their choice.

TOTAL FEE: $60

Solo Performance Development with Bessie Wapp

IN PERSON

8 Classes: Feb. 16, 23, Mar. 2, 9, 30, Apr. 6, 13, 20 (no classes Mar. 16 & 23)

Thursdays: 7 – 9pm

Course Description:

Is there a particular story you’re burning to tell? An entire show already written in your head? Or maybe just a few words scrawled on a scrap of paper? Whatever the starting place, through writing exercises, improvisation, and supportive peer feedback we will move everyone’s projects forward, and share what we get up to with invited guests in the last class. 

Material List: Notebook pen/pencil

TOTAL FEE: $230

Beginner Drawing with Catherine McIntosh

IN PERSON 

6 Classes: Feb. 24, Mar. 3,10, Mar. 31, Apr. 14, 21 (no class Apr.7)

Fridays: 5:30 – 8:30pm

Course Description:

Through a mixture of experimental exercises and longer observational drawings, this course will cover the basics of drawing to build awareness of line, volume, and form. Whether you are doing this for pleasure or wanting to develop your drawing technique, this is a great foundational course that is broadly applicable to a range of creative processes. 

Material Fee: $25 + Material List

Course Fee: $260

TOTAL FEE: $285

Investigating the Actor’s Process with Valerie Campbell

IN PERSON

1 Class: Feb. 18

Saturday: 10am – 4pm (1/2hr lunch)

Course Description:

This workshop will offer an immersive day of exploration and investigation to open the doors to actor’s work.

The course will increase spontaneity, playfulness, and freedom with the intention to move out of comfort zones towards an expanded, fuller expression of your creative self.

Suitable for both aspiring actors and those interested in the creative process.

TOTAL FEE: $90

Painting from a Model #1 (No Instruction)

IN PERSON

1 Class: Feb. 19

Sunday: 1-5pm

Course Description:

Participants will have the opportunity to work from a model holding a single pose for an extended session (3.5 hours).  No instruction is offered. Participants will be asked to bring their own materials in their preferred medium.

TOTAL FEE: $35

A Brush with Colour with Deborah Thompson

IN PERSON

2 Classes: Feb. 25 & 26

Sat. & Sun.: 10am – 4pm

Course Description:

This two-day painting course focuses on a specific approach to painting–the exploration of colour!  The study of colour mixing followed by its application through hands-on painting exercises will be the central working process of the course. It is perfect for students who have some painting experience and wish to expand both their understanding of colour mixing and their application of paint. Some of the ideas covered will include: colour as value or tone, warm /cool colour contrasts, complimentary colour palette, and how to create movement and depth in a painting. The class will include demonstrations on colour mixing, paint application, and underpainting techniques. References from artists throughout history will be utilized to illustrate the ideas presented. Ongoing feedback and sharing work will be part of the class.

Material Fee: $25

Course Fee: $145

TOTAL FEE: $170

Painting from a Model #2 (No Instruction)

IN PERSON

1 Class: Mar.12

Sunday: 1-5pm

Course Description:

Participants will have the opportunity to work from a model holding a single pose for an extended session (3.5 hours).  No instruction is offered. Participants will be asked to bring their own materials in their preferred medium.

TOTAL FEE: $35

Figure Drawing #2  (no instruction)

IN PERSON

4 Classes: Mar. 26 – Apr. 16

Sundays: 6:30 – 8:30pm

Course Description:

Drawing sessions will provide the opportunity to draw from a model with poses ranging from 1 minute to 20 minutes.  No instruction is offered. Participants are expected to provide the drawing materials of their choice.

TOTAL FEE: $60

Art Speak ONLINE – Peer to Peer Work Sharing

Facilitated by Emilie Leblanc Kromberg

ONLINE

4 Classes: Mar. 27, Apr. 10, 24, May 8

Mondays: 5-6:30pm

Course Description:

Artists of all disciplines (professional or not) are invited to share their work in a safe space and engage in contemporary art dialogue with other open-minded art loving individuals. Themes will be proposed as a potential starting point for exchanges and artistic practices to grow collectively. The objective for this workshop is for artists to make, share, discuss, and learn together.

TOTAL FEE: $40

Low-tech Printmaking with Natasha Smith

IN PERSON

4 Classes: Mar. 28 – Apr. 18

Tuesdays: 5:30 – 8:30pm

Course Description:

Explore the basics of low-tech printmaking to investigate processes that can be done without the use of a printmaking press. Simple plate-making and image transfer methods will be demonstrated and students will learn a variety of printmaking techniques including monoprinting and collagraphy. This is a very fun, process-based course and is appropriate for artists of all levels.

Material Fee: $20 + Material List

Course Fee: $170

TOTAL FEE: $190

Intro to Screen Printing with Marcus Dénommé

IN PERSON

4 Classes: Mar. 29 – Apr. 19

Wednesdays: 6-9pm

Course Description:

Intro to screen printing is an open and welcoming course to all folks regardless of creative and artistic experience. It will take place over four sessions and cover every step involved in the screen printing process. Each member of the class will leave with a limited edition run of their artwork printed on a variety of substrates and a thorough understanding of how to silkscreen.

Material Fee: $60

Course Fee: $170

TOTAL FEE: $230

Intro to Bolex Camera, Film Processing + Cameraless Animation with Brian Lye

IN PERSON

2 Classes: Apr. 1 & 2

Sat. 10am – 4pm & Sun. 10am – 3pm

Course Description:

In this two-day, hands-on workshop participants will be introduced to the Bolex film camera and how to process black and white 16mm film using a non-toxic, homemade film developer consisting of instant coffee, washing soda, and vitamin C powder. 

In groups of three, participants will shoot and hand process two 100-foot rolls of film in a DIY darkroom. Participants will also learn and experiment with cameraless animation by drawing directly on clear 16mm film. The course is suited to those curious about film and/or wanting to process film at home.

No experience necessary. 

Material Fee: $55

Course Fee: $155

TOTAL FEE: $210

Lino Printing – Reduction Technique with Myra Rasmussen

IN PERSON

1 Class: Apr. 15

Saturday: 10am – 4pm (1hr lunch)

Course Description:

In this class students will use one lino block and print it multiple times, carving a bit away each time. Through this process we will create a print with multiple colours, each layer overtop the previous one. This class is appropriate for all skill levels, whether you have experience with relief printing or if this will be your first time.  

Material Fee: $20

Course Fee: $80

TOTAL FEE: $100

The Open Studio – Making time for the Actor’s Work with Valerie Campbell

IN PERSON

1 Class: Apr. 22

Saturday: 10am – 5pm (1/2hr lunch)

Course Description:

This workshop will offer a rare opportunity for actors–one that is the norm for visual artists–a full day in an open studio setting to work and play with an emphasis on process over product. Explore your ART, work on your CRAFT. Flex your creative expression muscles, loosen up your imagination, and cultivate responsiveness, spontaneity, and authenticity.

Suitable for experienced and aspiring actors with an interest in creative process and for those looking for a place to practice away from the constraints of a production.

TOTAL FEE: $95