It’s a fabulous line up for our Saturday Family Arts Program! There’s something for the whole family with offerings by four of our talented local artists.

For children 5 & under: Life Drawing with Stephanie Dougherty

***Please note: children under the age of 3 must have a caregiver in the room with them. Children between the ages of 3-5 may attend with a caregiver on site, but who may be participating in our Adult Caregiver workshop.

This workshop will introduce the youngest artists to drawing techniques that will help them develop the skills to bring their visions to life. Many young children are highly interested in drawing people and animals, but can also face frustration when their attempts don’t match their imaginings. By helping children to refine their ideas, and by specific techniques for approaching drawings of from life, children will build their artistic capabilities. Very little ones are welcome to explore mark-making techniques free-style!

For children ages 5-10(ish): Filmmaking in the Wild: Using Dreams and Nature to Shape our Stories with Ryan Balas

In this workshop, youth will be introduced to some basic video techniques that can contribute to evocative visual storytelling.

For youth ages 10 - 19 (ish): Photography with Hillary Baack

The multi-talented Hillary Baack will guide participants in cultivating their photographic eye, and introduce techniques for framing portraiture, still lifes, or other subjects, following participants’ interests. Basic photo editing skills will also be shared. Participants may use their own humble phone cameras to learn techniques for beautiful photography, and we will also have some photo devices available for those without their own phones.

For adult caregivers: Mosaic Technique Discovery

Students will be led in a hands-on discovery of working with some different types of materials and tools used in mosaic making. 

We will begin with a lesson in the safe handling of stained glass, ceramic tiles and pottery shards and the different tools used in cutting the material into smaller pieces and different shapes. Small colorful pebbles, gemstones and sea shells will also be available for use. Books from my personal library will be available to look through and hand outs with mosaic information will be given. 

Students can then choose from a variety of materials for their palette of colors and textures to work from. A small wooden base, either a panel or picture frame/ or a large seashell, or a small terracotta pot can be chosen along with a small cup of thin set cement and an applicator. Once the thinset is applied to the base section by section, they can press the tiles into place. Using this method of application  for a one day workshop allows for the completion of a small project. 

We will talk about designs, what makes a good image choice for mosaics, patterns, how the background can make the subject pop out or disappear and how the direction in which tiles are placed affect the feeling of the piece. 

This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of The Of ice of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CREATE Council on the Arts.