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La Foret – Art and Acting in the Forest
Enjoy outstanding arts education with instructors from the Fine Art Center’s Bemis School of Art set in the lush forest at the 400-acre La Foret Conference and Retreat Center. Experience a variety of artistic styles and techniques, including painting, printmaking, and mixed-media art while exploring elements of composition and design. Cultivate your acting skills, voice, movement, and characterization with theater games, mime, and improvisation. Art and acting will come together on Fridays with a special showcase performance and art exhibit for friends and family. Ages 6-11
Peter and the Wolf
Students will create illustrations for the presentation of Peter and The Wolf at the Colorado College Summer Music Festival. Drawing skills are required as well as a love of making art. This class will focus on creating art inspired by the classic children's story Peter and The Wolf. During the music festival, a special children's concert presentation will feature the illustrations created in this class. While the orchestra performs a musical composition and a narrator reads Peter and The Wolf, the illustrations will be shown on a screen for the audience to view. This is a unique opportunity for young creatives and their families to enjoy. Ages 9-12
Enchanted Textures of Taos, New Mexico
Taos’ light, color, and culture have inspired modern artists for over 125 years to create inspirational and memorable paintings. Taos is especially stunning in the autumn with glorious textures and colors. Professional artist and instructor Martha Mans will concentrate on watercolor and gouache painting with a special small presentation about how she creates her casein paintings. We will visit a different location each day with a demonstration by Martha to encourage you to try water media techniques designed to help you hone your painting skills. Martha will take great care in making sure your experience as a painter in Taos is rewarding. She will work with each of you in the group and as an individual painter. You can expect her to help you work out your individual painting challenges and develop better ways of seeing subject matter to create more dynamically designed paintings. Adults
Splatter Watercolor Paintings
Learn how to create action-packed splatter watercolors! Great for creating visual movement and excitement in a watercolor painting. The instructor will provide you with reference images to inspire you as you create and bring your own unique piece to life! Adults
Red Hot Poppies
Paint these beauties by touching undiluted watercolor to still damp paper for a stunning bleed with the deepest, darkest tones! Create petal curves and ruffles by building up and pulling out using the correct combination of paint and water. Incorporate an unpredictable background. We will use brush control to portray hard, soft, and lost edges. Add sparkle with highlights. Red often dries dull, but there are tricks to make the color sing! Ages 16-Adult
Basic Mountain Landscapes and Watercolor Techniques
Discover unique watercolor techniques and try something new! In this class, we will examine and practice the style of contemporary artist Jen Aranyi, known for drawing simple, abstract mountain ranges and painting skies with watercolors using special techniques. We’ll explore the diverse ways to finish the foreground which will require some drawing skills but don't let that intimidate you, this class is for everyone! Ages 12-16
Oil Painting: Portraits
Inspired by Rembrandt’s palette and layering techniques, this class will provide a solid foundation for developing portrait painting skills or expand and enrich your current practice. Informed with the instructor’s years of personal development and experience, the approach is a simple, step-by-step process designed for minimal anxiety and a solid foundation to continue to expand your skills confidently after the class ends. Non-toxic alternatives to the traditional mixing mediums and paints will be covered. As the course ends, adding one’s distinctive mark to these fundamental oil painting techniques and color palettes will be discussed and implemented. Please note the last day is a virtual class which will include 45-minute one-on-one sessions with the instructor after the scheduled class. Adults
Make a Garden Gnome
Once dried, gourd shells are hard and thick like wood and are easy to paint, decorate, and are weatherproof. All participants will create at least one indoor/outdoor art piece using a dried gourd. Ages 16-Adult
Garden Concertina
Create a garden-themed concertina folio with pockets. Acrylic paints and stencils will be used to embellish the mixed media paper and then apply the folds to create a concertina. Distress tags with paint, collage images onto the tags and tuck them into the pockets to complete the creative process. Designed for all levels, this class will provide step-by-step instruction and give you an opportunity to explore your creative skills. Ages 16-Adult
Acrylic Painting Workshop
This fun workshop will launch you into an exploration of acrylic painting. You will be guided on how to hold the paintbrush to make a variety of paint strokes, textures, and layers to create depth in your compositions. Explore traditional and non-traditional paint techniques like dry brush, wet on wet, and more! Introduction into color theory will help create a sense of depth in your paintings. We will learn how to use light sources to bring your paintings to life. Ages 12-16
ArtTrax: Painting II
In addition to reviewing topics in Painting I, this course also covers the basics of acrylic painting including materials needed, color mixing, pigment choice, brush-handling, and palette-knife techniques. Bemis ArtTrax is a new curriculum created to provide equitable and accessible pathways to the arts. ArtTrax courses introduce the fundamental concepts of painting, drawing, and sculpting through a series of engaging exercises. Emphasis is not on producing finished works of art but rather on developing a basic skill set through practice and repetition. Ages 16-Adult
Painting From Photographs
When rendering an image, using photographs is a preferred method today. There are many tips and tricks to using photographs as a tool for creating art. This class will use acrylic paint on canvas and will create two paintings. Bring your own photographs, or use the ones provided. Adults
The Natural World
The imagery of the natural world will serve as our inspiration for this class. Think science colliding with art, and where this can lead the imagination! The images explored include butterfly wings, sea creatures, bugs, galaxies, and more. By looking up close at nature's gifts and using pastels, colored pencils, paint, and gel pens, we will discover how the world around us is full of ideas for making colorful art. Ages 6-9
Wand Making
Do you believe in magic? We will be using our imaginations to design and create our own magic wand! Will it be similar to a wand in Harry Potter? Perhaps it resembles a fairy godmother’s wand? Or maybe you will create something totally new! Join me to create your own magic wand. The possibilities are endless. Ages 9-12
Exploring Watercolor
Discover the unraveled and endless possibilities of watercolor. Build a repertoire of skills from choosing proper materials to creating brilliant colors, radiant blends, shadow and light, all while incorporating traditional and experimental techniques. No need for natural talent, just come with the desire to learn the limitless possibilities of this magnificent, versatile medium. Ages 16-Adult
Introduction to Watercolor Techniques
This introductory course is designed for beginners who want to learn watercolor painting techniques. If you are more advanced, you might learn something new or brush up on some skills! Through various exercises and demonstrations, participants will learn about the medium and techniques for creating their own watercolor paintings. Ages 12-16
The Secret Garden
Using inspiration from the classic book, "The Secret Garden" by Frances Burnett, learn to draw the main character Mary Lennox, build the graffiti garden with collage and paint, blend colorful art tissue with acrylic paint to make the blossoming garden, and design a keyhole peeking into the garden. A floral headpiece will be supplied for each student to wear for a tea party hosted by the instructor on the grounds of the Fine Arts Center. Ages 7-11
Basic Mountain Landscapes and Watercolor Techniques
Discover unique watercolor techniques and try something new! In this class, we will examine and practice the style of contemporary artist Jen Aranyi, known for drawing simple, abstract mountain ranges and painting skies with watercolors using special techniques. We’ll explore the diverse ways to finish the foreground which will require some drawing skills but don't let that intimidate you, this class is for everyone! Ages 16-Adult
Heroic Icons
Who are your personal heroes? Create an icon-like art piece emphasizing a loved one, friend, or pet whom you want to honor. This multi-media project uses a variety of drawing mediums, and possibly a photo collage. The foam core frame will be painted with gold acrylic paint. Each parent and child will make their own art piece. Ages 7-12 with a participating adult
Adult Painting Class
Do you remember the last time you painted? Was it during childhood? Do you want to try painting again? Look no further! In this three-hour course, we will learn how to paint Garden of the Gods. This will be a step-by-step course, where I will guide you on how to use acrylic paint. Adults
Textures in Painting
Techniques like texturing can elevate your paintings extensively. Learn multiple ways to add exciting and intriguing textures to your paintings with color techniques, added substances, glazing applications, and more. Know when to add and remove areas in your work to create true depth, interest, and wonder. We will study our favorite artists’ techniques and discover new and exciting ways to make your paintings superior. Adults
Line Work and Glowing Watercolor
In this class we will bring the line work of drawing and the luminosity of watercolor together in this addictive technique. We will practice layering sections of color to represent shapes or draw first and drop in paint. Or try the experimental approach by throwing paint randomly and allowing it to speak to you. Matched or mismatched, the results will add interest and movement to your painting. Finish by adding the details like layering more paint or more drawing. The choice is yours! Ages 16-Adult
ArtTrax: Painting I
This course covers the basics of using watercolor including mixing colors, creating texture, and basic painting techniques. Bemis ArtTrax is a new curriculum created to provide equitable and accessible pathways to the arts. ArtTrax courses introduce the fundamental concepts of painting, drawing, and sculpting through a series of engaging exercises. Emphasis is not on producing finished works of art but rather on developing a basic skill set through practice and repetition. Ages 16-Adult
Introduction to Watercolor Techniques
This watercolor introductory course is designed for beginners with a desire to learn watercolor painting techniques. If you are more advanced, you might learn something new or brush up on some skills! Through various exercises and demonstrations, participants will learn about the medium and techniques for creating their own watercolor paintings. Ages 16-Adult
Watercolor in Nature
Welcome to watercolor in nature! A class that combines the beautiful outdoors and teaches us how to paint from what we see. Be prepared to start in a studio learning new techniques and then head to a park to practice what you just learned. Ages 16-Adult
Introduction to Murals Workshop
This fun, two-day workshop is all about how to create murals! We will walk through the entire process of executing a mural including working as a team, finding a wall location, talking with the building owner, formulating a proposal, concept drawings, and the final production of the collaborative interior mural will be executed on an interior wall at Bemis School of Art. Ages 12-16
Watercolor in Nature
In this course, we will be explorers of the world! We will learn new watercolor techniques as we are inspired by the nature around us. Every day we will take our sketchbooks out to the park and paint from observation, so be sure to wear sunscreen! We will observe and paint Pikes Peak from the park, and we may even find flowers and paint them up close as Georgia O'Keeffe would. So, grab your paints and some paper, and let’s create in nature! Ages 9-12