Classes & Workshops – Maryland

Workshops with Cathy Hirsh – Try something new and also make faster progress.  For beginning and intermediate artists or experienced artists new to the topic area.

QuickStart to Painting with Media Exploration

1 day ($200) or 2 day ($250) workshop with all supplies included.  Students also receive art tools helpful to their future painting efforts.

For the beginning and intermediate artist.  An excellent way to begin or continue painting lessons.  Strongly suggested for all students–regardless of the media they plan to use (or are using) or the type of art they want to produce (representational, impressionistic, or abstract).  Covers art fundamentals (composition, value, color theory), contemporary media, art supplies, and resources, sketching methods, key references, framing tips, and other tools/techniques–all topics important to help emerging artists achieve success from the start.

This class is approximately 50% lecture and 50% exercises. Class exercises reinforce the lessons covered and also includes painting exercises using different media (watercolor, oil, acrylic) to allow student experimentation and to help students decide what medium they want to explore further in the future.

Depending upon student interest, it can be given as a 1-day session, 9 to 5, or as a 2-day session, 10 to 4 both days.  Cost for the 1-day session is $200 and for the 2-day session $250.  The content for both the 1-day and 2-day sessions is essentially the same, but the 2-day version presents the material with a shorter day schedule and also provides additional time for more reinforcing exercises.

All supplies are included.

Additionally, students receive a number of important art tools that will be helpful in their future painting efforts.  Limited to 5 students/session.

QuickStart to Mixed Media

1 day hands-on workshop introducing the myriad approaches and materials used in creating mixed media art.  $200

Techniques in collage, layering, and mark-making will be explored while students create at least 2 mixed media pieces using provided materials and tools.  Students will also learn how to create their own unique collage materials, stencils, and stamps that they will take home for use in making future mixed media art pieces.

Supplies included. $200.  Limited to 5 students/session.

QuickStart to Abstract Painting

1 day hands-on workshop with all supplies included.  $180.

There are as many approaches to abstract painting as there are abstract painters.  What makes a good abstract painting, where do artists get their inspirations, and how do artists grow their abstract painting skills?

The components, processes, and techniques used to create and evaluate abstract paintings will be reviewed. Students will create three paintings using acrylic paint and three different techniques.

All supplies included.  Limited to 5 students/session.

QuickStart to Painting Flowers

1 day workshop exploring different flower structures and methods to paint them, individually and in bouquets. $150

Flowers come in all shapes–spheres, disk-shaped, cone-shaped, and sometimes a combination of all of these.  We will explore the techniques available to the artist to render good images in each of these cases.

Single flower set-ups and bouquets will be provided.   Cathy will also provide demonstrations as well as coaching and critique.

Students will bring the media, supports (canvas/paper), and tools (brushes/palette knives) of their choice.  $180. Limited to 5 students/session.

Weekly Painting Classes

For Acrylic, Gouache, Watercolor, or Mixed Media

Tuesday and Thursdays 1:00 to 4:00 pm.   Or by appointment.  A friendly learning environment while building your painting skills!

Students can choose what they would like to do during class–paint from a photo reference or try a new technique.  Cathy works with each student to understand their current learning goals.  Based on student interest, class can also include a discussion of a key concept, a technique demonstration, or a relevant DVD presentation followed by student painting time with teacher interaction/class review as appropriate.

Because painting still lifes and florals is an excellent way to build artistic skills in technique, composition, and color, there will be a still life or floral setup available for most classes.  It can be a terrific skills builder.

Students may paint the still life/floral display provided, use photographs or other subject matter, or paint abstractly, if they prefer.

Rate:  Weekdays:  $40/class.  Weekend:  $50/class.  Students pay and come to class based on their personal schedule–no need to sign up for a session of multiple classes.

HirshStudio.com for more information.

Contact cathy@HirshStudio.com

The Mosaic Box

Workshops with the Potomac Fiber Arts Guild

Education

The Potomac Fiber Arts Guild meets at 10:00 AM on the second Saturday of each month from September through June. Most meetings are held at St. James Episcopal Church. There is a brief business meeting followed by a lecture by a distinguished speaker on a fiber art topic. Programs for the current year are described here.

The Guild hosts a series of workshops throughout the year.  The workshops are generally given by the artist who presents the program at the Guild meeting.

Mini-Workshops are held beginning at 1 p.m. at the Guild meeting site (St. James Episcopal Church), following the Guild meeting and social hour.  They are 3 hours long.

Workshops last from 1 to 3 days, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day, unless otherwise noted.  The locations are given with each workshop description.

Workshop attendance is limited based on space availability and instructor preference.  The workshops are open to all Guild members, with registrations on a first come, first served basis. Registration opens to non-members at least 3 weeks prior to the workshop, if space is available. When the class-size limit is reached, a wait list is established.

For all workshops, advance registration and full tuition payment at the time of registering are required. There may also be an additional materials fee payable to the instructor at the time of the workshop.  A supply list, if appropriate, is available with each workshop description below.

Workshops for the current year are described here.

Cancellation Policy:  Participants who need to cancel prior to the start of the workshop must contact the Registrar first in order to receive the Wait-List (if there is one). Tuition reimbursement must be coordinated between Participant and their Replacement (not the Guild).

For last-minute registrations and cancellations (within 24 hours of the start of the workshop), please contact the registrar through email to the Registrar or by phone using the phone number listed in the Potomac Fiber Arts Guild Yearbook.

For inclement weather:  read our inclement weather policy.

If you have trouble with registering, contact our Registrar

Visit the Potomac Fiber Arts Guild website here.