Fall into something new
Unleash your artist with fall classes at the Newport Visual Arts Center
Creativity is right at your fingertips with a lineup of fall classes from the Newport Visual Arts Center.
The season begins Thursday, Sept. 5, with a Painting the Figure course with award-winning artist Jordan Essoe. The course, held on Thursdays from 6 to 9 pm through Oct. 10, will offer participants the basics of painting the human figure, including fundamental color theory and mixing, brush technique, rendering light and shadow and understanding human anatomy. All instruction will be done in watercolor. Each class will be dedicated to creating one painting, alternating between working from photo reference and live nude models.
Adults and kids aged 16 and older are invited to take part in Beginning Drawing with Carol Shenk, running from Oct. 1 to Nov. 5. The course, held on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 pm, will provide students with the skills to draw what they see. Participants will use traditional drawing exercises as well as experimental approaches to consider basic concepts such as space, perspective, shadow, movement and composition.
Beginning on Oct. 2, a new after-school Art Day Drop-In from 3 to 5 pm on Wednesday afternoons will give kids in grades two through eight the opportunity to get creative. A rotating list of instructors will lead art activities including drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, cyanotypes, sculpture and music.
Astrophotographer Jeremy Likness will lead a special Intro to Night Photography workshop from 5 to 9 pm on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 13 and 14. The evening course for adults and kids 16 and older with a participating adult, will cover everything you need to know to plan, take, polish, and present beautiful pictures of nighttime targets. Likness will cover specific strategies for galaxies, meteors, the Milky Way, the moon and more. Dinner is included with each class.
Adults and kids aged eight and older, with a participating adult, can take part in Fancy Fall Foliage led by Rose James on Tuesday, Sept. 10, from 5 to 8 pm. Students will use acrylic paint markers on prepared dried leaves to explore a variety of lines, circles, textures, and patterns and create a pleasing composition.
Beachy Cards: Intro to Watercolor, led by Catherine Hingson on Saturday, Oct. 12, from noon to 4 pm, will give adults and kids aged 12 and older with a participating adult, the opportunity to create hand-made cards with a beach theme while learning watercolor techniques such as lifting out clouds, color mixing and salt interactions.
Sign Painting for All, taught by Khara Ledonne on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 1 to 4 pm, offers adults and kids aged 10 and older with a participating adult, a chance to learn accessible techniques for making a stellar sign, with room for play and personal style. Participants will have the chance to try out a pounce wheel and chalk transfer and practice strokes with various brushes. Each student will leave with their own hand-painted sign.
On Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 6 to 8 pm, Cheryl Horton will lead Printmaking 101 for adults and kids aged 13 and older. Participants will learn various printmaking techniques and try their hand at block printing. Students will transfer and carve a practiced design onto a carve block to be printed. Everyone will leave with a block and at least two prints.
Tuition ranges from $55 to $450 with scholarships available. Early registration is encouraged. The Newport Visual Arts Center is located at 777 NW Beach Drive. For more information, go to coastarts.org or call 541-265-6540.