Thursdays, 7-9 pm
May-Aug
$25 Materials included
Adult Open Studio classes are casual, social drop-in art workshops offered weekly, featuring a new project and theme connected to current exhibitions. These workshops explore the technical and conceptual side of art-making and give participants opportunities to experiment and explore new ideas and materials in the studio.
May 5 | Summer Garden Party
Be inspired by the approaching season and document your ideal garden in a series of sketches using watercolour and ink. Register here.
May 12 | Carve, Print, Repeat
Explore current exhibitions before heading down to the studio for a brief introduction to relief printing. Using a reductive method, carve into your lino block and print your first layer. Watch as subsequent carving and printing layers transform your composition into a suite of limited-edition prints. Register here.
May 19 | Art Journals
Record, sketch and capture the world around you in a book made by you! Learn the basics of bookbinding from simple stitches to assembling a block. Create your own front and back covers to complete your personalized art journal. Register here.
May 26 | Kinetic Sculpture
Rooted in early 20th-century art movements of Dada and Constructivism, an exploration of kinetics resulted from an interest in movement and interactivity between art and the viewer. Work with mixed media materials, and compositional devices such as balance, repetition and pattern, to create a hanging sculpture. Register here.
Jun 2 | Figure Drawing I
Using charcoal, conté and inks, sketch from a live model. Begin the session with expressive and loose renderings and finish with a longer, more sustained study, focusing on the fundamentals of tone, form and perspective. Register here.
NB: This class features a nude model.
Jun 9 | Alternative Images
Use a variety of image manipulation and transfer techniques to create an image that references contemporary culture. Experiment with image transfer, photo manipulation, and collage techniques to combine found and drawn images. Register here.
Jun 16 | Slow Stitch
Slow down and experiment with a range of fibres and upcycled materials, composition and collage techniques to create a one-of-a-kind work of art. Learn a few hand stitching techniques before selecting and incorporating a colourway and textural palette into your artwork. Register here.
Jun 23 | Acrylic Painting
Visit the exhibition of Manuel Mathieu for some inspiration and in the studio, experiment with acrylics on canvas and discover the versatility of this medium. Register here.
Jun 30 | Zine Workshop
Looking for a new, fun summer read? Expand your summer library in our zine-making workshop where you’ll learn to turn a piece of paper into easy-to-make comics, chapbooks and more! Customize your zines using mixed media and collage techniques and then reproduce your creations into multiples to trade with other participants. Register here.
Jul 7 | Textured Collagraph
Collagraphy is a type of printmaking where the plate is built from layers of collage before printing. Work with a variety of textures and collage strategies such as overlap and juxtaposition to create a tactile map of your neighborhood. Begin the process by building up textures on a collagraph plate and then work your way to a final print edition. Register here.
Jul 14 | That’s so Surreal!
Collaborate and participate in these sometimes wacky and often intriguing surrealist activities. Tap into your unconscious with automatic drawing, exquisite corpse and other wonderful exercises. Register here.
Jul 21 | Clay Figures
Work with clay to layer, build and mold a figurative sculpture inspired by literature. Use additive, subtractive techniques and levels of exaggeration to render a dramatic version of a famous character. Register here.
Jul 28 | Printed Patterns
Experiment with composition and pattern before silkscreening your own unique image onto fabric. Learn the basics of silkscreen including: making and cutting stencils, pulling a multi-layered image and registration. Bring extra fabric pieces to experiment on! Register here.
Aug 4 | Folded Architecture
An amazing thing happens when you crumble paper, it transforms into a voluminous sculpture form. Using only paper and tape, re-create an iconic building by folding, ripping and crumpling this humble material. Register here.
Aug 11 | Figure Drawing II
This session uses wire, plaster, metal and wood to explore the shapes and postures of the human body through 3D lines and mark-making. Register here.
NB: This class features a nude model
Aug 18 | Framing your artwork
Framing can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be if you do it yourself. Take this crash course with AGA experts to frame your artwork and see how a simple process can elevate your work from toss-away sketch to gallery wall-worthy. Register here.
Aug 25 | En Plein Air
Some of the best light is at dusk and dawn. Begin this session with an introduction to watercolour basics before heading out to Churchill Square*. Take advantage of the fleeting summer night, and lovely evening light, by documenting the people and the city around you in a series of watercolour sketches. Register here.
*Weather permitting