Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Summer Classes at OTAC

Beat the heat with
cool summer art classes
FOR KIDS, TEENS & ADULTS
at the
OldeTowne Arts Center!

For more information, contact
Charlotte Collins, Director of OTAC,
via e-mail at info@OTACenter.com or by calling 985-649-0555.

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OTAC Pottery Studio
New classes forming for children and adults


Michael Jolley: Wednesdays, 2-4 p.m. for six sessions beginning July 2.

The class will focus on techniques to explore a range of ways to use clay creatively, and fire and glaze ware. $35 supplies fee includes 25 pounds of clay, firing and glaze. Limit 6.

Introducing Jane Hill's Summer Clay Camps

Jane Hill: moved to New Orleans in 1991, teaching in the Talented Visual Arts Program until Hurricane Katrina. She returns to teach at OTAC this summer from Baltimore, MD, where she teaches part time at Maryland Institute College of Art, and Baltimore Clayworks. She is the recipient of a "Restoration Residency" Fellowship at A Studio In The Woods-A Program of Tulane University, and grants from the Joan Mitchell Foundation and the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation. Ms Hill has an MFA in Painting from Pratt Institute of Art, and extensive experience teaching two and three dimensional media to students of all ages and backgrounds.

Her passion is helping students of all backgrounds discover and nurture their unique creative voice. For her class offerings, all materials are provided. All clay work will be fired and available for pickup within one to two weeks of the course's end.

CHILDREN: June 9-June 13, morning & afternoon sessions
Clay for Kids Session I: "How my Garden Grows"
Class time: 10:00 am-12:00 noon, daily.
Ages: 5-7
In this introductory clay class, little hands will examine things big and small-all from the garden. From beautiful flowers to the insects and animals found in their own backyard, young clay artists will learn simple hand-building ceramic techniques while exploring in sculpture the beauties of the ordinary-yet extraordinary-garden.
Clay For Kids Session I: "Tall Tales and Fairy Tales-Stories in Clay"
Class Time: 1:30-3:30 daily
Ages: 8-12
Come learn how to sculpt your favorite stories. From Cinderella's castle, to a fire breathing dragon, students will use favorite tales to create a rich array of sculptural forms, while learning the basics of hand-built clay construction and surface decoration.

CHILDREN: June 16th-June 20th, morning & afternoon sessions
Clay for Kids Session II: "Feather and Fin"
Ages: 5-7
Class Time; 10:00am-12:00 noon, daily
In this class, young students will explore in clay the imagery of birds, fish, and other animal friends. Students will release their creativity using simple pinch, coil and slab techniques in the exploration of all manner of creatures that swim and fly.
Clay for Kids, Session II: "Facing the Figure"
Ages: 8-12
Class Time: 1:30-3:30, daily
How do you build a head? A super-hero? An action figure in motion? In this class teen students will use the human-and sometimes inhuman-form as the basis of examining sculptural ceramic techniques and surface decoration.

CHILDREN: June 23rd-June 27th, morning & afternoon sessions
Clay for Kids, Session III: "Dans La Louisianne!"
Ages: 5-7
Class Time: 10:00 am to 12:00noon, daily
Louisiana is one of the most interesting places on earth. From the food, the people and the fascinating natural world, there's a lot about our state to explore in clay. Young clay artists will learn how to make an alligator, sculpt a swamp, and enjoy their creativity while celebrating Louisiana.
Clay for Kids, Session III: "Masks and Myths"
Ages: 8-12
Class Time: 1:30-3:30 daily
Stories from myth and legend will serve as the inspiration for this class, where students will create masks and sculpt mythological creatures. Ceramic skills will build as students work to bring legend to life.

ADULTS AND KIDS: one-day workshops:
Family Explorer Session I: Father's Day Celebration
Date: Saturday, June 14
Time: 1-3 pm
Ages: Child ages 5-12 and an adult helper
In this special adult-child workshop, participants will create a double self portrait-"Me and My Dad". Kids will learn the basics of making a face in clay and will create with their adult helper a fired and glazed ceramic piece to celebrate Father's Day.
Family Explorer Session II: On the Street Where I live.
Date: Sunday, June 22
Time: 1-3 pm
Ages: Child ages 5-12 and an adult helper.
In this special adult-child workshop, kids, and their adult helpers will work together to create a relief tile showing themselves and their neighborhood. Both a family and neighborhood portrait, children and parents will create together to produce a fired and glazed work of ceramic art.

ADULT AND TEEN CLASSES:
Adult/Teen Basic Hand-building
Date: June 12-July 3rd (Thursdays)
Time: 7-9:30 PM
This class will introduce students to basic hand-building skills in ceramics. Focusing on functional and non functional ceramic forms, students will learn pinch, coil and slab techniques as well as low fire glaze techniques. Open to adults and interested teens over the age of 13. Excellent to familiarize students with clay before beginning on the wheel.


Drawing Workshop

Begins June 1 and June 2 with an closing reception for student showing, July 11, 6-9 p.m.

Level I:
9-12 year olds Sunday or Monday, 2 - 4pm

Level II:

13+ year olds Sunday or Monday, 4:30 - 6:30pm

This course focuses on the fundamental strategies used in drawing with a variety of media. Working from observation, students will compose three finished drawings throughout the
course, introducing new techniques and materials to incorporate into their work.

$35 supply fee for materials. Limit 8 students.

Topics Covered: contour line drawing, line variation, blind contours, modeling/massing, proportion and scale, positive and negative space, life drawing, using color, mixing media, uncommon techniques in drawing
art history.


Poetry/Performance

we are hunters after things unseen
players of sounds unheard

give us a myth and we will move

-Dennis Formento

DENNIS FORMENTO: Poet, performer, publisher of Surregional Press. He teaches English at Delgado Community College in Slidell. A New Orleans native, he lives Post-K, in Slidell, La., with his wife, Patricia Hart. He has appeared at Dramarama with his performance ensemble The Frank Zappatistas and dancer Nanette Ledet. Formento got his introduction to multidisciplinary collaboration at the Naropa Institute and has a graduate degree from the University of Colorado. He is the author of eight chapbooks of poetry. Most recently, Dennis provided the 'afterward' to "Full Moon Night," a collection of John Sinclair's mid-60s poetry on jazz giant John Coltrane.

POETRY WORKSHOP: Ages 18 and up, Saturdays, 1-3 p.m. Six weeks beginning June 7. No session July 5. Poetry reading in conjunction with student show, July 11, 6-9 p.m. $15 supply fee for anthology.


Textile & Fiber Arts


Cherie Bills is a returning local artist, just graduated from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth with a degree in textile design and a love for all things fiber.

Intro to knitting: Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. with six sessions beginning June 19.
The class is an introduction to the basic techniques and materials of hand knitting. Students will complete a dishcloth and their choice of a scarf or hat. Needles and yarn included in $20 supply fee. Limit 6.

Market bag knit-along: Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. beginning July 24.
Who needs plastic bags to go the new Camellia City Market in Olde Towne Slidell? Fight the battle of the plastic bag by knitting an expanding market bag. The bag is designed to fold up and carry in a purse or stash in a car until needed. A basic knowledge of hand knitting is required. The $20 supply fee includes needles, yarn, and a copy of the pattern. Limit 6.

Want to know more about the new Camellia City Market? Open Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 333 Erlanger St., Griffith Park in Olde Towne Slidell, more information is available at the Web site.
Click here: CamelliaCityMarket.org


New Media

A Digital Arts initiative begun this spring with the exhibition Eyes on Olde Towne continues as a multimedia collaboration with artists, educators, historians, residents and others involved in the rebuilding taking place throughout the Olde Towne Historic Preservation District. From the bayous of Bonfouca to the train depot; early trading posts to the homes of city fathers; historic churches and educational sites to the merchent center - the Preservation District encompasses much of Slidell's history and is an area where intensive efforts are being made to reshape its future since Hurricane Katrina.

INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL ARTS:

Eyes on Olde Towne Project Director Sharon Sharpe will conduct six, two-hour sessions in shooting and editing video, audio and photography in a variety of projects. Participants will have the opportunity to explore their interest in the Digital Arts through this hands-on workshop. Ages 13 years and older. OPEN HOUSE May 31, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for information and registration. Interested students can come find out more about the project. $35 supply fee required. Limit 6. Classes begin in June.

ADVANCED MEDIA STUDIES: Students and artists of all ages can work on self- directed media projects to pursue their own interests and for assistance in completing or furthuring their own work. OPEN HOUSE May 31, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to arrange course of study with instructor. Six, two-hour sessions. $35 supply fee required. Limit 6.

Sharon Sharpe works in digital media creating pieces for the web. She is a communications major in radio television film from the univeristy of texas and has taught Media Arts in a variety of settings for high school and college age youth. She has directed multi-cultural initiatives in Texas and the southwest to bring diversity into media production.


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P.S. - CLASS SPACE IS LIMITED!
"Eyes on Old Towne" Opening Reception Photos

From left: Artist Daniel Kirk, artist & OTAC instructor Patricia Hart, poet & OTAC instructor Dennis Formento




The crowd!!



Local artist Susan Needom enjoys a glass of wine among friends at OTAC
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"Eyes on Old Towne" exhibit a real eye opener!

If you were lucky enough to make it out to Old Towne a few weeks ago for the first opening at OTAC, chances are you enjoyed the live music, dug the amazing cars and crafts on the street, and were reminded of how charming the historic downtown area of Slidell really is.

Here are some photos from opening night! Congrats to all the jury winners, and to everyone who made the exhibition possible.

Don't miss the next opening at Old Towne Art Center. Get out, bring the kids, and be part of the new art scene in Slidell!