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.
May 16 | Portraiture
Visit Aïda Muluneh and Meryl McMaster: Ebb and Flow to discover how portraiture can be used to speak to larger ideas of water, violence, history and time. In the studio, take a brief lesson on portrait photography including lighting strategies, composition, and camera angle. Create a series of unique portraits with the time that is left. Register here.
May 23 | En Plein Air
Some of the best light is at dusk and dawn. Begin this session with a visit to Tom Thomson: North Star and an introduction to watercolour basics before venturing out to Churchill Square (weather permitting). Take advantage of the longer evening light, by documenting the people and the city around you in a series of watercolour sketches. Register here.
May 30 | Dipped Sculpture
Inspired by the work of Eric Cameron, featured in AGA100 Act 1: Earth to Eternity, construct a sculpture from everyday materials. Dip the sculpture into paint to unify and complete the night’s artwork. Register here.
June 6 | Bookbinding
In the studio and with summer on the way, learn the basics of bookbinding and construct a travel journal. Then explore our galleries to give your journal a whirl. Try out a few sketching techniques and easy-to-transport materials to prepare you for your art-filled adventure! Register here.
June 13 | 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. Register here.
NB: This class features a nude model.
June 20 | Pinch Pot Animals
Learn a few clay hand-building techniques before creating a pinch pot bowl that evokes your favorite animal. A bowl shaped like a duck, or one with a hippo head popping out, or however you imagine that pot taking shape. Take it one step further by visiting The RBC New Works Gallery to see how local artists Boyd Dymchuk and Aaron Harvey inspired each other. Register here.
June 27 | Carve, Print, Repeat
Did you know Edmonton is known for its printmaking? View artwork from our collection 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.
July 4 | 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.
July 11 | Figurative Drawing II
Hone your figurative drawing skills with a series of gestural ink drawings. Choose to stay in a loose, expressive style or try your hand at a sustained tonal drawing. Focus on methods such as sight measuring to achieve representational proportion. Learn about the many ways to create a figurative drawing and the various strengths in gesture and representation. Register here.
July 18 | Architectural Outlines
Discover the architecture and design of the AGA through sketching and photography. In studio, use line and perspective as a framework for your composition, then add mixed media elements to interpret the gallery in a new way. Register here.
July 25 | Collagraphy
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 memories. Begin the process by building up textures on a collograph plate and then work your way to a final print edition. Register here.
August 1 | Paint Party!
“Paint Only” in this class! Use acrylic paint to create an abstract work using line, shape and texture. Play with viscosity and application on canvas using brushes, sponges, palette knives and more! Register here.
August 8 | 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.
August 15 | Printed Patterns
Investigate the possibilities of composition and pattern before silkscreening your own unique design 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.
August 22 | 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! Register here.
NB: This class features a nude model.