ONSITE: Encaustic Painting (A)
Explore encaustic painting for the first time or return to expand your skills. You will work with opaque and transparent colors, layering, using stencils and creating patterns using hot wax.
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ONSITE: Darkroom Photography Crash Course (B)
Learn to take photographs using 35mm film, process the film, and print photographs in a darkroom, all within one weekend.
read moreONSITE: Hinged Pendants in Metal Clay
Learn the basics of metal clay hinge-making as you design a simple, 'strap' hinge mechanism to add movement to a custom pendant. Bring a thumbnail size image (magazine or photocopy) to set into the frame.
read moreONSITE: Wheel Throwing for Everyone (F)
Have you always wanted to try wheel throwing? Come throw a pot using white stoneware, then fire and finish your pieces using food-safe glazes.
read moreONSITE: Figure Drawing (BBB)
These drawing sessions are open to anyone interested in drawing from a live figure model. A studio monitor guides the model and overall experience, but drawing instruction is not provided.
read moreONSITE: Sculptural Basketry
Learn the basics of basketry with an emphasis on using the techniques to make 3D sculptural forms. We will cover the basics of weaving and dyeing with reed, coiling with raffia, and looping with waxed thread. We will use these skills as the starting point for thinking about baskets as sculptures. Plan to leave class […]
read moreONSITE: Building a Better Beast
Use components of hand building to design and make clay creatures. We'll build our creatures from the ground up using a hollow slab form technique. We'll use an additive process to flesh out the forms. Students should have basic hand building experience and a willingness to explore new ideas.
read moreONSITE: Keum-boo: Korean Gilding
Keum-boo is an ancient Korean gilding technique that applies thin 24k gold to silver using heat and pressure. Learn the preparation, application and finishing steps in the keum-boo process for jewelry and add this technique to your repertoire of skills .
read moreONSITE: Figure Drawing (TH-G)
These drawing sessions are open to anyone interested in drawing from a live figure model. A studio monitor guides the model and overall experience, but drawing instruction is not provided.
read moreONSITE: Figure Drawing (HH)
These drawing sessions are open to anyone interested in drawing from a live figure model. A studio monitor guides the model and overall experience, but drawing instruction is not provided.
read moreONSITE: Frame Weaving with Unconventional Materials (this class will only be offered a few times a year)
Anything can be a thread and anyone can be weaver. This class is designed for anyone who has a desire to weave in a creative and artistic way. The instruction will focus on methods for warping and weaving with a frame loom, and traditional tapestry weaving techniques. Gather mixed materials from nature or in your […]
read moreONSITE: Introduction to Natural Dyeing
Learn about natural dyeing and the household materials make the most vibrant colors for your fabric! You will learn how to prepare your fabric, make mordant baths, dye with scraps, foraged goods, powdered pigments and items you can find in your kitchen. You will leave this class with a book of all of your dyed […]
read moreONSITE: Figure Drawing (II)
These drawing sessions are open to anyone interested in drawing from a live figure model. A studio monitor guides the model and overall experience, but drawing instruction is not provided.
read moreONSITE: Introduction to Journaling for Artists, Writers + Photographers
This workshop is designed for anyone interested in the history and practice of visual journaling. Participants will be introduced to exercises that explore sequential text, automatic drawing and collage as aspects of the journaling process. We will begin the session with a short presentation on visual diarists, their techniques, and their significance.
read moreONSITE: Christmas Watercolor for the Absolute Beginner
Learn the basics of watercolor painting while we make Christmas themed watercolor paintings, such as wreaths, ornaments, stockings and Christmas trees. Topics covered include brush stroke techniques, painting wet on wet and wet on dry, glazing, ink with watercolors, and flooding and blending. We will touch on adding calligraphy to your small paintings, which will […]
read moreONSITE: Introduction to Digital Photography
Students should bring a digital camera with manual adjustment capacities (no phones). For storage and processing photos, students need to have access to a personal computer.
read moreONSITE: Tintype Photography
Use one of the earliest forms of photography to create tintypes, which are direct positives printed on an aluminum sheet using large format cameras. Learn the basics of this 19th century process, including how to pour and sensitize collodion, properly expose and develop plates, and apply a protective varnish. Plan to walk away with two […]
read moreONSITE: Introduction to Glass Fusing Workshop
Learn to fuse and slump glass in the kiln. We'll create designs by cutting colored sheet glass, using glass stringers, rods and frits. By layering patterns and firing glass in kilns, students can create tiles, bowls, plates or panels. No previous experience needed.
read moreONSITE: Storytelling in Comics
Explore the artistry and mechanics of comics by reading and discussing contemporary works and completing guided exercises to create our own pieces. Learn how text and image collaborate to tell a story that is greater than the sum of its parts. We will work on fast and fearless in-class exercises to stretch our minds and […]
read moreONSITE: Glass Fusing + Slumping for the Absolute Beginner
Learn to fuse and slump glass in the kiln. We'll create designs by cutting colored sheet glass, using glass stringers, rods and frits. By layering patterns and firing glass in kilns, students can create tiles, bowls, plates and panels. No previous experience needed.
read moreONSITE: Gelli Plate Printmaking (this class is only offered a few times a year)
In this class, students will learn how to create beautiful monotypes without a press. Students will practice developing images with stencils, stamps, and drawing utilizing bands of color and texture. Students will use pre-made stencils and will also create some of their own. Come experiment and see how accident and intent can play into our […]
read moreONSITE: Exploring Richmond Parks Through Drawing (this class is only offered two times a year)
Let’s get outside and explore Richmond's parks! Whether you new to the city or a native, this is a great way to see more of your community and practice your drawing skills. As a class we are going to meet up and wander through three different parks, capturing spring and documenting what we see.We welcome […]
read moreONSITE: Figure Drawing (FF)
These drawing sessions are open to anyone interested in drawing from a live figure model. A studio monitor guides the model and overall experience, but drawing instruction is not provided.
read moreONSITE: Painting with Gouache: Opaque Watercolor
Learn how to use gouache paint as we create works from observation. Gouache is an opaque, flat, color medium with beautiful possibilities. We'll start with a one-subject painting from observation and then move through projects with a variety of subjects like still-lifes with fruits and vegetables, flowers and botanicals, interiors and furniture, and outdoor landscapes. […]
read moreONSITE: Writing is Magic: A Creative Exploration
Whether you're currently working on a literary project or trying to get inspiration, this generative workshop will serve as a gentle and fun way to push yourself creatively. Through prompts, mini-lectures, readings, supportive discussion, group members will work towards realizing their prose visions.
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