Are you interested in learning how to make unique designs for cartooning, video games, comic books, or costumes? The foundation for these fields is a strong character design. In this class you will learn the basic concepts that guide character design. We will cover fundamental shapes, symmetry and asymmetry, poses, expressions, color, and more. The class is open to teens and adults ages 13 and up. The fee for the 5-week course is $135, which includes pencils and erasers.
Students are required to bring a 11 X 14 spiral bound sketchbook – not high quality.
***Students must be registered and paid in full three business days before the start of the class/workshop. Exceptions only with permission from the Director of Fine Art/Photography.
Jesse Smolover graduated from RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) in 2004 with a BFA in Illustration. Since then he has worked as a freelance illustrator, graphic designer, and as an on-site illustrator for an archeological dig. For the past fifteen years he has taught traditional and digital art to students of all ages in subjects ranging from beginner drawing, to figure drawing, comic book art, to sculpture.
With acrylic pours, you can create dreamscape paintings, frames, ornaments, and more! Learn new techniques and have fun.
The instructor will cover the basics of the pour painting process and review everything you will need to get started. Next there will be step-by-step instructions to create your own one-of-a-kind painting.
The fee includes an 8 x 8 canvas and all supplies. Additional canvasses will be available for purchase.
The fee for the 2-hour workshop is $60. Class size is limited to 10 students.
*Students must be registered and paid in full three business days before the start of the class/workshop. Exceptions only with permission from the Director of Art Programs.
Christy Bonaiuto is a member of The Great Hollow Photographer’s Cub, the Sherman Artists Association, and Gallery 25 in New Milford, CT.
This 3-part workshop introduces the Zentangle method through drawing intentional structured patterns and creating beautiful personal works of art. Through the art of doodling, students will learn tangles and simple techniques that will inspire and spark their very own inner artist to glow! Zentangle is a very portable mindful activity that can be accessed at any time. Not an artist? No worries! No artistic experience is needed!
The second session continues the lessons learned in the first class and builds upon the methods and techniques unique to Zentangle. Students who have completed the beginner class or have some experience in Zentangle can take the second and third session.
The third session will help you hone your skills and try new methods. Want to take your skills to a 3-dimensional level or work on speciality paper? The sky is the limit! The instructor will have items available for purchase.
Students can sign up for one, two or all three sessions!
Students should bring their own supplies. If you have any questions, please call Sandie Daignault, Art Director at 203-586-1474.
*Students must be registered and paid in full three business days before the start of the class/workshop. Exceptions only with permission from Director of Art Programs.
Kothy Haferstat is a certified Zentangle instructor who has taught hundreds of students the principles of the sophisticated and specific “doodle” unique to this art form.
The Open Studio Workshop is for all levels of acrylic and oil painters with award-winning artist, Anda Styler. The class is designed for students to work at their own pace with the guidance of the instructor in a warm, non-judgmental environment. Classes will begin with a demonstration of color mixing, values, composition and brush strokes. Acetate overlays will be used as a tool to illustrate various possibilities. This class will focus on understanding the relationship between values of light and shadows in landscape painting. Anda will supply reference photos prior to class for those students who would prefer to work on the same painting as the instructor.
Students are required to bring all supplies.
Paper towels and water containers are provided.
All questions can be addressed to Sandie Daignault, Art Director, at 203-586-1474.
The fee for the five-week session is $295 or students are welcome to register as a drop-in prior to the class at $65 per class. Please use the dropdown menu when registering. Workshops are limited to 10 students.
Bring a friend and save 10% – please call 203-586-1474 to register.
*Students must be registered and paid in full three business days before the start of the class/workshop. Exceptions only with permission from the Director of Art and Photography Programs.
Artist/ Instructor Anda lives in Sandy Hook, Connecticut and has been painting in oils and acrylics since she was 16. Acrylics, however, remain her favorite medium. Anda graduated from the Parson School of Design and has been devoted to her art ever since. She has many accomplishments in the art world, including interviews with both local and national publications, such as American Art Collector, Who’s Who in America,Country Gardeners Magazine, Victoria Magazine along with numerous awards and recognitions for her work as a painter. Anda’s paintings and techniques are published in two books by North Light Publications. Her works are currently represented by several galleries in and around New England and to her credit, she has had many one-woman shows with great success. Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago is lucky to have four of her large paintings in their permanent collection. Link to Anda’s website www.andastylerfineart.com/home
Impressionism is a style of painting that originated in France in the 1860’s. It focused on depicting the visual impression of the moment, especially in terms of the shifting effect of light and color.
In this full day workshop students of oil paint or acrylics will have the opportunity to create three pieces. In the morning session students will set up an impressionist’s palette and complete 2 small paintings using a still-life or reference of choice. In the afternoon students will select an impressionist painting and use it for inspiration while creating a piece on a larger canvass. There will be a discussion of who the impressionists were and why they painted outdoors.
Students should bring their own supplies (oil or acrylic paints, brushes, canvases, palette), and lunch.
The fee for the one-day workshop is $120 and is limited to 10 students.
Roberta Shea is a Newtown painter known for her highly-textured vibrant paintings of the natural world. Her abstract paintings are about the physical process of painting inspired by Impressionism and Abstract Expressionism.
Roberta studied at Southern Connecticut State University, Creative Arts Workshop, Washington Arts Association, and Society of Creative Arts in Newtown. She has taught art at Masuk High School, adult education and afterschool programs and conducted tours at the New Britain Museum of American Art.
She has exhibited locally in Connecticut, New York, and New Hampshire and is represented by Gallery 21 at Arts Escape.
*Students must be registered and paid in full three business days before the start of the class/workshop. Exceptions only with permission from the Director of the Arts/Photography Program.
Spend a creative morning experiencing the beautiful gardens at Hollister House Washington, CT. These lovely gardens, part of the Garden Conservancy, are a hidden jewel in this part of Connecticut.
The three Arts Escape instructors on site that day to guide your creative work are Marisabel Artieda for artists painting in acrylics, oils, or watercolors; Sandie Daignault for pastel artists; and Nancy McMillan for writers doing nature journaling.
Cost is $20 per student plus a $10 donation is required by Hollister House upon arrival.
Students should bring all their own supplies, including easels. We recommend you also bring sunscreen, a hat, and water.
*Students must be registered and paid in full three business days before the start of the class/workshop. Exceptions only with permission from the Director of Art/Writing Programs.
RAIN DATE is Thursday, July 2710:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Spend a creative morning experiencing the beautiful gardens at Hollister House Washington, CT. These lovely gardens, part of the Garden Conservancy, are a hidden jewel in this part of Connecticut.
The three Arts Escape instructors on site that day to guide your creative work are Marisabel Artieda for artists painting in acrylics, oils, or watercolors; Sandie Daignault for pastel artists; and Nancy McMillan for writers doing nature journaling.
Cost is $20 per student plus a $10 donation is required by Hollister House upon arrival.
Students should bring all their own supplies, including easels. We recommend you also bring sunscreen, a hat, and water.
*Students must be registered and paid in full three business days before the start of the class/workshop. Exceptions only with permission from the Director of Art/Writing Programs.
RAIN DATE is Thursday, July 2710:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Painting a still life in pastel can be a daunting task. In this class, you will learn how to light and design a still life set up,and how to layer color to give structure and harmony to your work. The workshop will begin with a short instructional demo. Students will bring their own pastels or can purchase student sets at Jerry’s Artarama, Dick Blick or Amazon. Pastel paper and easels will be provided. All levels welcome.
Materials:
soft pastels (Nu pastels and other brands) *SEE BELOW
paper towels
a soft inexpensive brush for corrections on the pastel
Suggestions for student pastels; Students will need a lot of colors in different consistencies and shapes. The suggestions below are reasonably priced for the quality and can be found at Jerry’s online.
Faber Castell goldfaber soft pastel set of 72
Nu pastels(about 1.00/stick), single sticks in the following colors: ochre, cordovan, bottle green, spruce blue, black, white, greys, nut brown or cocoa brown
Mungyo Gallery Extra Fine Soft Pastel, Set of 60
Mungyo Gallery Semi hard pastels Squares set of 12
Mungo gallery artists soft pastel squares set of 12
Rembrandts half stick set of 5 (they are about 8.00 for each set of 5)..(yellow ochre , burnt sienna, dark shades, are useful sets
The fee for the one-day class is $135. The workshop is limited to 10 students.
*Students must be registered and paid in full three business days before the start of the class/workshop. Exceptions only with permission from the Director of Fine Art/Photography.
Karen Israel
Karen Israel’s pastel paintings are defined by their dynamic compositions and unique viewpoints. She is influenced by the light and mood of the subject and lets those elements dictate her approach. These subjects are rendered with a strong appreciation for the rigors of formal design coupled with a fearless array of color choices.
In addition to numerous awards, Karen’s work has garnered the honor of Signature Member with the American Artists Professional League, Master Circle with the International Association of Pastel Societies, and Master Pastelist with the Pastel Society of America. Karen is an artist member of the Salmagundi Club, NYC, The Copley Society, Boston, and the Lyme Art Association.
Karen conducts many teaching demonstrations and workshops throughout the United States and has served as juror for many national competitions.
For students who have completed Writing Memoir-Let’s Begin, this is a writing group where students can workshop their pieces at a weekly gathering. Students will bring in material to read aloud and receive feedback from fellow students and the instructor.
Prompts will be given for students to use at home during the week.
Payment options are for 4-weeks, 3-weeks, or 2-weeks. Please use the dropdown menu to make your selection. The workshop is limited to 7 participants.
Nancy McMillan of Bethlehem is the award-winning author of March Farm: Season by Season on a Connecticut FamilyFarm (www.marchfarmthebook.com). She holds a graduate degree in writing from The Graduate Institute and one in music from Lesley University, where she studied historical women composers. She also studied in the MFA program at Manhattanville College. Her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her essays and articles have appeared in Connecticut newspapers and magazines as well as online. In her writing classes, she helps students embrace and inhabit their innate creativity. She is the Director of Writing and Literature Programs at Arts Escape. Find more at www.nancymcmillan.com.
Because Americans are often not well informed about countries that influence our foreign policy, these lecture/discussions will focus each week on a different country briefly outlining their history and culture to increase our understanding of the context of geopolitics. In these sessions we will consider Turkey, Iran, South Africa, and Cuba.
The series is for adults who are looking to engage in lively conversations about newsworthy issues in a friendly and open-minded environment. Each participant should be willing to learn and listen and will come away with myriad perspectives to consider, as well as a better understanding of the world we live in. Handouts and at-home reading will be provided.
Dr. Alfred Hunt, who will moderate the discussion, is a retired Professor from SUNY Purchase. He has given lectures throughout New England for over 20 years. He is an author, has twice been a Fulbright scholar, and was a host of an award-winning cable TV Show.
The fee for the four-week series is $75. A minimum of 8 participants is required, with a maximum of 20.
*Students must be registered and paid in full three business days before the start of the class/workshop. Exceptions only with permission from the Director of Writing Programs.
COVID POLICY – Until further notice, proof of vaccination is no longer required to attend classes and workshops. Masks remain optional.
