Art Workshop Schedule for Winter-Spring 2013

Now you can keep up to date on all my course offerings by clicking on the Art Classes tab at the top of my blog!
 
Here is the list of art workshops and classes I'm offering this Winter-Spring 2013 season at The Visual Arts Center of Richmond and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Studio School. Click on the name of the workshop to be directed to the course page and/or a link to online registration.

The Visual Arts Center of Richmond

1812 West Main Street, Richmond, VA 23220

(804) 353-0094

You may register for classes online or by phone.

VMFA Studio School

2911-15 Grove Avenue (across from VMFA)

at the corner of Sheppard Street, Richmond, VA 23220

(804) 367-0816

For Spring classes, mail-in registration begins Jan 2 and phone-in registration begins Jan 22.
Note that Fall students are given the opportunity to register early. Find detailed registration info here.

Gelatin Printmaking Postcard Workshop

Beginners

Saturday, January 26
12 – 4 pm

at The Visual Arts Center of Richmond

Create one-of-a-kind postcards using gelatin slabs as your printing surface. Experiment in a no-mistakes atmosphere, working with hand-cut stencils and found objects such as lace, string, and leaves to create colorful patterns and texture. Then make a simple book structure to store your prints. Have fun with this loose, surprising approach to printmaking. All materials will be provided.

Linocuts – Exploring Color and Pattern

All Levels

6 Wednesdays
January 30 – March 6
6:30 – 9 pm

at The Visual Arts Center of Richmond

Discover the fun of printing in color using a spontaneous approach. Carve a few background patterns to print in different colors and combinations, and then print a strong final image on top to bring it all together. Learn the basics of design, carving, printing, and paper selection. All tools and materials will be provided for the first class, but you may need to bring your own papers for subsequent classes.

Dream Book Workshop

All levels

2 Saturdays

February 16 & 23

10 – 4 pm each day

at the VMFA Studio School

Image Coming Soon!

Experiment with printmaking, bookbinding, and the written word in a fun, no-pressure atmosphere. Using dreams as inspiration and with guidance from the instructor, students make monotypes, collages, and found poetry using words cut from old books.

Paper Bead Jewelry Workshop

Beginners

Saturday, March 2

10 – 4 pm

at the VMFA Studio School

This workshop teaches you to create fun and funky jewelry from decorative and recycled papers, such as magazines, newspapers, and wallpaper. Simply cut paper into strips and roll it into beads or experiment with some simple techniques for origami jewelry. Using yarn, thread, beads, and vintage buttons, students assemble their creations into necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. Tools and materials for simple beading provided. If you want to get fancy, bring your own findings, accent beads, and wire.

Printmaking Lab – Independent Projects

Intermediate

4 Thursdays
April 4 – 25
6:30 – 9 pm

at The Visual Arts Center of Richmond

If you have prior experience with printmaking methods produced on the etching press, such as linocut, collagraph and monotype, this is your opportunity to carve out some work time, receive artistic and technical input, and experiment with new ideas. Demonstrations will be provided according to the needs of students. Some materials and tools provided.

Zine Sampler: Creative Self-Publishing

Beginners 

2 Saturdays
April 20 & 27
12 – 4 pm, each day

at The Visual Arts Center of Richmond

Creativity + everyday materials + photocopier = ZINE! A zine is like a magazine, but its content is only limited by your imagination. We’ll experiment with several exercises – some silly, some serious – merging art and writing to jog the mind and fill the pages. We’ll discuss how to generate content, design pages, and produce and distribute zines. You’ll leave with a copy of a collaborative zine and ideas for starting your next one!

What I Did This Summer

This has been one of my busiest summers yet. Here is a recap of how I spent my time from spring through the end of August.

This Spring, I took an Intro to Watercolor class at The Visual Arts Center of Richmond, taught by the lovely and thorough Susan Quinnild. I have done watercolor all my life, but never received formal training for it. Getting all the basics was a great experience for me. After the class, I wanted to test my skills in glazing and layering color and contribute a piece of art to the People's Portrait Project at the VisArts - a project where anyone could donate a 5 x 7" portrait. My boyfriend buys and sells records for a living, and I was inspired by an Art Blakey record that he brought home one day:

 

Thinking this would be a "test," I used paper that I had previously painted on which you can see a bit in the right side of the paper during the early stages. I really enjoyed the process of creating this painting. However, there are a few things I learned from it. One: I need to map out my composition better before painting! I left out his ear and didn't fix it because I didn't want to have to re-do my drawing. Also, I rather liked the looser, low-key (not as much contrast) version right before the final version. Next time, I'd like to build my painting so it incorporates more of the looseness and color blossoming. But overall I'm happy with it.

I created this small watercolor for a friend's baby shower. I think of the dog as a guardian, protecting the little one on his long and adventurous travels.

From May to July, I was busy assembling Golden Moth Illumination Decks for my Kickstarter backers. This took an incredibly long time, and stretched into mid-June when I started teaching classes to children during VisArts' ArtVenture summer art camp. I was hoping to have decks for backers finished before then, so it was a busy time for me with teaching and assembling decks during every spare moment. Luckily, I received a lot of help from friends and my boyfriend, and my dad single-handedly corner-rounded 50 sets of decks when I visited my family in Rochester! Here is the mess that was my kitchen:

It was physically and psychologically draining to have hundreds of unfinished cards in view for months on end. I have since put them away in a big box and only take them out when I need to assemble more. There are still over 100 decks to assemble.

On June 16th, I had a Golden Moth Release Party at the Blue Elephant, a vintage and home decor boutique. Friends visited, people bought decks and artwork, and I gave several Intuitive Card Readings (similar to tarot readings). Patsy, owner of Blue Elephant, and her daughter Jessica, manager, provided refreshments and a colorful array of tasty donuts. They are awesome people, and so is their store which has relocated to 119 Robinson St between Grove and Floyd Avenues in Richmond, VA. The new space is even bigger and better than the last. It is such a fun experience to sift through all the treasures in their shop. There will be a similar event at their shop coming up on Saturday, September 15th from 1-4 pm. I will be giving readings and selling decks and art.

As I mentioned before, I began teaching art workshops to children in June through the end of August. Here are some images from my Paper Toys class for youth ages 6-8.

This student spent all class working on his elaborate pop-up card: "Ryan Lochte crushing Michael Phelps." I myself did not follow the Olympics, so it was fun hearing the kids talk about it.

A student came up with this cute paper turtle. Note that the mouth opens to reveal a tiny pink tongue.

I also taught a Paper Bead Jewelry Workshop at the VMFA Studio School.

Some cool jewelry made by students in the class. The paper beads were made using recycled magazines, comics, and maps.

Most of you probably don't know that my parents have their own Paper Bead Jewelry business. They sell at craft shows and in shops around the country. As the story goes, my mother was inspired by me - when I was a child she saw me creating paper beads for fun. She and my dad took the craft much further and have a multi-step process of selecting papers, painting them, rolling beads quickly using a special drill that my dad created, applying several layers of varnish, and creating jewelry designs. I am proud that I can spread knowledge of this craft through my classes. Most of my students find the process of rolling beads to be soothing and even addictive! Here is a picture of a student rolling beads during a spring workshop at The Visual Arts Center of Richmond.

In July, I visited my hometown of Rochester, NY. One of the best things about going home is how accommodating my family is. They understood that I was utterly spent from The Golden Moth Project, and they helped me assemble decks and encouraged me to do some heavy relaxing.

It was perfect timing to be able to see art exhibitions featuring my sister Olivia Kim and her boyfriend Dario Tazzioli. Olivia had some sculptures and painting in a group show at Nazareth College. 

 

Here is an example of the new direction in her work - a more gestural approach to figural sculptural. Olivia is currently investigating the intricacies of the human body and how it moves. I have trouble enough drawing a moving figure, let alone trying to sculpt it! But Olivia has never taken a challenge lightly.

Dario had a solo show, The Inner World of Dario Tazzioli, at Ock Hee's Gallery in Honeoye Falls, NY. He is a stone carver, in heart and soul. I learned so much by reading descriptions of his process and inspiration for each piece. At the age of 16, he apprenticed with a stone carver who told him that a pyramid was the most challenging form to carve. So of course he went ahead and secretly carved a pyramid.

Dario draws inspiration and design from the stone itself - allowing the striking forms, color, and individuality of each piece to reveal itself in the artwork.

He also created fresco portraits of people from the small village where he lives in Frassinoro, Italy. The process of fresco painting is much different than traditional painting. Pigments are mixed into wet plaster, creating an image that is embedded permanently.

And here's Greg outside of Ock Hee's Gallery, communing with a stone buddha.

On August 2nd, I had the unique opportunity of giving Intuitive Card Readings at the Artist's Reception of two woman who I greatly admire, Robin Kranitzky and Kim Overstreet, at Quirk Gallery. Their elaborately-detailed assemblage jewelry was based on the concept of Rorschach Tests. You can read a great article about Quirk Gallery and their show here.

As you can see, their work is just amazing.

And finally, on August 11th I took a Greyhound bus to Gatlinburg, Tennessee to attend a one-week workshop in Embroidery at Arrowmont School of Art and Craft. I have lots of photos for this one, so I'm going to end this entry now and start a new one about my amazing experience there.

Summer Art Classes 2012 in Richmond

I'll be teaching these workshops at the following locations in Richmond, VA. Please register AT LEAST ONE WEEK EARLIER THAN CLASS SESSION in order to guarantee your enrollment in the class.

ADULT CLASSES:

At The Visual Arts Center of Richmond
1812 W. Main St
(804) 353-0094

Paper Bead Jewelry Workshop

 

2 days

Saturday, June 23 12 – 4 pm
Sunday, June 24 1 – 3:30 pm

Bookbinding Intensive

5 days
June 25 - 29th
6:30 - 9 pm daily

Gelatin Printmaking Postcard Workshop

1 Day
Saturday, August 4
1 – 4 pm

Printmaking for Painters: Monotype Intensive

5 days
August 20 – 24
6:30 – 9:00 PM, daily

At The VMFA Studio School

2911-15 Grove Avenue (across from VMFA) at the corner of Sheppard Street

804-367-0816  

Handmade Books

1 day
Sat, 10 am – 4 pm
June 9  

Paper Bead Jewelry

 1 Day
Sat, 10 am – 4 pm
July 7

YOUTH CLASSES

Summer ArtVenture - Youth Art Camp at The Visual Arts Center of Richmond

Click here to view the entire schedule online.

Paper Toys

Ages 6 - 8  

Week 2: June 18 - 22, 12:45 - 3:45 pm

Week 6: July 16 - 20, 12:45 - 3:45 pm 

Week 9: August 6 - 10, 12:45 - 3:45 pm

Fun with Printmaking 

Ages 6 - 8

Week 12: August 27 - 31, 12:45 - 3:45 pm 

Ages 8 - 10 

Week 3: June 25 - 29, 9 am - 12 pm

Week 8: July 30 - Aug 3, 12:45 - 3:45 pm

Handmade Zines

Ages 9 - 12 years 

Week 11: August 20 - 24, 12:45 - 3:45 pm

Style Weekly Article and Art Class Schedule

Hello everyone!

Martha Steger wrote a really nice article about me called "Art as an Everyday Thing" in Richmond's Style Weekly. If you don't have access to the print version, you can read it online here. And if you're looking to see some sun - in painted form, that is - during the holidays, Steger also reviews the Impressionist show for the Muscarelle Museum in Williamsburg here.

For those of you in the Richmond, VA area - I am teaching many classes during the winter/spring semester at the VMFA Studio School and the Visual Arts Center of Richmond.

At VMFA Studio School:
Introduction to Relief Printing Workshop - 2 days, Feb 18 and 19
Introduction to Relief Printing - 6 Wednesday, Mar 21 – Apr 25

At The Visual Arts Center of Richmond:
Printmaking Classes
Introduction to Bookbinding Intensive - 5 days, January 23 – 27
Introduction to Relief Printing Intensive - 5 days, February 6 – 10
Introduction to Relief Printing - 6 Thursdays, February 16 – March 22
Monotype Printmaking - 6 Thursdays, April 5 – May 10
Make Your Own Bookplates Relief Printing Workshop - 2 days, Jan 21 and 22
Monotype Valentine's Day Card Workshop - 1 day, Feb 4
Paper Bead Jewelry Workshop - 2 days, April 28 and 29

 Paper Bead Jewelry Workshop

Make Your Own Bookplates Relief Printing Workshop

Taking an art class is a great way to break up those cold, grey winter days and learn a new skill. I am offering both one and two-day workshops, intensives (5 consecutive days) as well as longer sessions that take place weekly over the course of 6 weeks. In order for a class to run, enrollment must be at least 50% capacity and you must sign up one week ahead of the scheduled class. So don't hesitate to sign up (and invite a friend, too!) because classes start as early as

I wish everyone a wonderful holiday and hope that everyone gets a chance to relax and enjoy time with friends and family.

Best,
Aijung