Art & Creativity

ART & CREATIVITY FALL In Love With Workshops & Classes

By Laurie Lamont Murray

What do you like best about Fall? Are you thinking beautiful colors, cooler weather, pumpkin-spiced-everything? What about — Back To School? Maybe it's your turn to get out and try something new! Most artists I know are perpetual students. There is always something new to learn, or learn to do better. If art is on your radar, here are some ideas:

Our region has so many wonderful art centers that it is hard to pick a favorite. They each have their distinct ‘personalities', and certain features might appeal to you, or it may just be a matter of finding a class or workshop that fits your schedule. You also might find that the type of class you're looking for or a specific instructor will be at more than one location. Best to visit websites often, and drop by to observe a class in session, get a feel for the environment and check out the art in the galleries. Most of all, enjoy the process, because doing something for yourself should be fun.

This article is designed to help — sort of an Art School tasting menu. Because you are reading this after Fall classes have begun, I'm focusing mainly on workshops and short sessions, and only covering centers where I have been a member and taken classes (discussed in alphabetical order.) All of the art centers I am familiar with offer day and night classes in drawing, painting, ceramics and an ever-changing selection of specialized courses and open studio times. There are classes for kids too and Saturdays offerings. You might have other ideas, comments, favorite locations, and I would welcome your input. Email me at: murraydesignworks@gmail.com Chester County Art AssociationTo me, has always felt like a relaxed environment where artists at all levels can make and exhibit their art. This Fall, many of CCAA's Classes are being offered in very reasonable 4 week sessions, which might leave some breathing room for you before the holidays set in. And there are some great workshops: You could try clay printing, and maybe create a felted necklace! Why not spend an afternoon making a Fall arrangement or a beautiful wreath? There's a zen pumpkin class for kids and teens and a special pottery class for them as well. I've been wanting to try alcohol inks — there's a workshop for that. And how about spending a Saturday or two with Patricia Halsey making, repairing or repurposing jewelry? Or take a seminar to learn more about the Italian Renaissance. For students ages 10 to adult with sensory differences, CCAA is offering Expressing the Senses, a very special new course customized to each person's unique sensory profile. Calendar alert: If you're reading this in time, head over to the Chester County Art Walk in East Goshen on Sept 24th to see the work of 40 artists. Then on December 2-3 it's Chriskindlmarkt, a not-to-be-missed holiday fair at CCAA in West Chester. (chestercounyarts.org)

Let's come back to the present: Community Arts Center in Wallingford has

some intriguing Zoom workshops for people who prefer online. The Spiritual Practice of Art Making sounds inspiring — taught by Michelle Rothwell, whose clientele includes several universities and many major U.S. corporations. On site, in the clay studio Wallingford is noted for, there are so many options, from Intro to ready-for-bronze and there's a wood fired kiln to learn about. Want to try Zentangle? That new Pet Portraits class might help you paint a pretty amazing holiday gift! Cartooning for kids should be great fun. You might like Monotype Printing, or maybe try a class in Digital Photography. After all that, if you are ready to get up and move, CAC has yoga and West Coast Swing dance classes for every fitness level. It's easy to see that Community is integral to CAC, with Tri-State Jazz concerts, Friday night music events, festivals, poetry readings and Art-To-Go outreach programs offered throughout the year in tandem with CAC's many community partners. They do it right. (communityartscenter.org) Fall lineup comes to Main Line Art Center's you on a colorful, user-friendly website with a whole roster of classes you'll want to take! Online this Fall there's an Art On The Periphery lecture series, or maybe Painting the Horse? I've seen some beautiful mosaic art in MLAC's galleries so I want to try one of those on site classes. And Japanese Mixed Media Techniques!! Or Etagami cardmaking? Martha Kent Martin is teaching a wonderful Metals, Jewelry and Glass class — b.y.o. gold, silver and gemstones! Main Line has tuition free classes for people with disabilities of all ages and awards two (6)-months residencies each year to disabled artist candidates 18 years old and above. They also offer Art For Everyone tuition-free classes for people who have suffered pandemic-related economic hardship. And MLAC has an Accessible Art education program which pairs teaching artists with visually and hearing impaired individuals, people with alzheimers and other partner communities. It's great to see that giving back is an important part of the curriculum. (mainlineart.org)

Wayne Art CenterAt , Stuart Shil's workshop, Observation and the Cultivation of Being Lost promises to be fascinating. Visit the WAC website to read the description: Relearning how to think visually. Discovering your own resources as a painter. The lecture that precedes the seminar is available for a small fee. There are 17 other workshops this Fall at Wayne, and many of them are over-the-top excellent. I can personally recommend Kassem Amoudi's Color Matters, which will enhance your knowledge and use of color. Kassem has an uncanny ability to navigate problem areas in his students' work and he is generous with his time and ideas in his one-on-one critiques. Photography on Location? Water Soluble Oils? How about Clay Camp? Or building your own easel! You might want to try an open studio and go at your own pace. It's worth checking to see if you can still get into the many excellent full-semester courses too. Art instruction for underserved and special needs individuals is an ongoing part of WAC's extensive outreach. The Adult Culinary Arts events are a mouth-watering new twist for your date night. (wayneart.org) Hopefully this has given you a taste of some of the creative opportunities in our area. All of the art centers we've talked about have survived COVID and are stronger and better than ever. So I'm hoping to see you in class!