Interdisciplinary Discovery

WEEK 1 — Saturday, March 26, 2022
Message Boards & Course Book

In the introductory session, we’ll cover the course overview with the students and get to know one another making Message Boards.  A take on fridge word magnets, the students will build a Message Board using a wide variety of materials in this fun, fast, mixed media class.  This first class is designed to expose students to various materials, get a sense of each student’s key interests, and create a cool, finished Message Board ready to be displayed.  Students will also personalize their course Inspiration Book, a hardcover sketch book for course notes, ideas and visual resources.

Finished project:Message Board & Course Book

WEEK 2 — Saturday, April 2, 2022
Basic Acrylic Painting techniques

In this session we’ll cover basic pop style painting techniques.  Using “Birds on a Wire” as the subject example, this lesson incorporates both hard-edge and basic blending techniques, using stencils, and creating shadow and depth within minimalist subject matter.  Students will also learn how to properly prep a painting surface, basic colour mixing, and elementary studio set-up and tools overview.

Finished project: Birds on a wire on wood gallery panel

WEEK 3 — Saturday, Apr 9, 2022
Intro to Collage

This week we dive into the wild world of Collage.  The students will be walked through collage examples, basic collage techniques, paper behaviour, cutting safety and layout.  The students will be encouraged to bring in any materials they’d like to incorporate but will also have access to our robust trove of current and vintage papers.

Finished project: Collage on canvas board

WEEK 4 — Saturday, April 16, 2022
Image Transfer Method Basics

This workshop explores various transfer methods including tape transfers and acrylic gel transfer techniques.  Students learn various overlay methods, experiment with applying gel transfer to an alternative surface, and will make tape transfers from a variety of materials.

Finished project: Basic mixed media panel

WEEK 5 — Saturday, April 23, 2022
Mixed Media

We build on the previous two workshops by combining collage, image transfer and simple paint techniques to create a mixed media piece.  Students will prep the gel transfers they made the previous week for application and apply it to an alternative surface.

Finished project: Mixed media piece

WEEK 6 — Saturday, April 30, 2022
Latch Hook

In this workshop we switch gears to soft goods.  Using latch-hook, the most basic rug-making technique, the students will learn to use cutting guides to make their own latch hook yarn, use a variety materials with different lengths and textures and will learn to design, prep and edge a latch hook canvas.

Finished project: Pop art latch hook square

WEEK 7 — Saturday, May 7, 2022
Loom Basics

Students will work on a small hand-loom project.  We’ll cover loom basics and learn how to build a small loom out of cardboard, explore a variety of fiber materials and make a finished square or patch.

Finished project: Small hand-loomed pillow cover or small pocket purse front.  There will also be time to work on last week’s latch hook project.

WEEK 8 — Saturday, May 14, 2022
Portfolio primer, student exhibition prep, final project studio time/instructor help

In our final official class before the Student Exhibition, the class will get a primer on building a well-rounded portfolio for presentation, we’ll walk through the basic prep of a gallery exhibition including writing an artist statement, display cards and art prep, and students will be encouraged to bring their final projects in for help from the instructors and use of studio materials.

Students will be encouraged to participate in a student showcase at the end of the course with an official opening and 2 day exhibition at the Gallery (TBA).