Adult Open Studio
Thursdays, 7-9pm | $25+GST
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.
January 11 | New Year! New Materials!
Start the New Year off on a creative note! Discover and experiment with our bevy of art supplies in the studio: pick up a piece of vine charcoal, try an oil stick, or craft your very own pen tool. The aim is to get out of your comfort zone and to experiment with drawing materials that are new to you.
January 18 | Carve, Print, Repeat
View work by printmaking maestros like Jacob van Ruisdael and Rembrandt 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.
January 25 | Winter Watercolours
Have you ever noticed the subtle beauty of light in a winter landscape? Join us in the studio as we attempt to capture that elusive quality using classic watercolour painting techniques. Snap a photo before you come to the studio to work from or be inspired by one of ours.
February 1 | 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. Focus on the fundamentals of tone, form and perspective.
NB: This class features a nude model.
February 8 | Heart-Shaped Cards
Join us in the studio for a card-making extravaganza! With our vast assortment of art supplies, create a unique design that tells your friends and family “I love you”. Already have your card picked out, but forgot to nab a gift? Work at a larger scale to craft a lovely hand-made surprise your special someone will remember.
February 15 | Art in the City
Be inspired by the artists featured in 5 Artists 1 Love, an exhibition celebrating the artistic vibrancy of Edmonton’s Black communities. In the studio, create a cityscape collage that reflects your experience of our beloved city.
February 22 | Garden Inspiration
Artist Emmanuel Osahor shows us a garden as a place for creativity and growth; a process and an opportunity to learn; a labour of love and a place for pleasure. Begin the session with a series of sketches inspired by the artist’s verdant canvases before creating mixed-media artwork.
February 29 | Ink Experiments
Inspired by Braxton Garneau’s immersive installation Pay Dirt, experiment with ink, washes, alternative tools and mark-making techniques on paper. Turn your experiments into a sculptural form with a few strategic bends and folds.
March 7 | Art Journaling
Visit Tom Thomson: North Star to see the Canadian landscape through the eyes of this iconic painter and outdoorsman. In the studio, learn the basics of bookbinding and construct a travel journal. Try out a few sketching materials and techniques to inspire your next nature outing.
March 21 | 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.
March 28 | Abstract Painting
Learn to see the world in a stranger, less recognizable way. Create a series of energetic abstract paintings using a variety of methods. Start with materials such as ink and acrylic and branch out to unexplored territory. Get loose and expressive, learn how art can relate and be inspired by music.
April 4 | Woodblock Prints
Learn the classic art of relief printing using woodblocks, study the vibrant history of the medium and analyze contemporary work. Finally, carve a matrix and create compositions designed around a two-layer print.
April 11 | Ink-plosion!
Unleash your inner Ralph Steadman and explore unconventional methods and mark-making techniques using a range of tools. Try out additional techniques such as marbling, stretching, string, paper and resist to fully explore the possibilities of this medium.
April 18 | Art Nouveau Wirework
Curator Ian Dejardin names Art Nouveau as an influence on the painting of Tom Thomson. Learn more about this art movement, and see it manifest in the work of the artist, before making and creating wire jewelry in the studio.
April 25 | Figurative Drawing/Sculpting III
Begin to fine-tune your figure drawing skills with some warmup drawings, then transition into the third dimension and use clay to sculpt the figure. Get in tune with volume and form to create a truly unique clay figure!
NB: This class features a nude model.
May 2 | Drafting Architectural Outlines
Discover the architecture and design of the AGA through sketching and photography. In the studio, use line and perspective as a framework for your composition, then add mixed media elements to interpret the gallery in a new way.