Classes for Students

 2-D Art Explorations and Beyond

 Grades:  K-8
 Class Time:  4 weeks, on Fridays from 3-4pm
 Class Dates:  Session 1:  March 22-April 12; Session 2:  April 19-May 10
 Location:  Chestertown RiverArts classroom, 315 High St., Suite 106
 Number of Students: Minimum of 5, maximum of 8
 Cost:  $35 per session, $25 for each additional sibling per session

Registration Deadlines:  Registration and payment must be received by 3pm on Friday, March 15, for Session 1 and by 3pm on Friday, April 12, for Session 2 

Class Description:

In this class each student will be offered the opportunity to explore the process of art-making through painting, drawing, and assemblage projects. Each child will have a chance to develop his or her skills and confidence in various media such as pencil, watercolors, pastels, ink, and collage materials. Also, concepts such as mark-making techniques, composition, shading, rendering and portraiture will be introduced and explored. The materials and concepts will be presented in an open format with an emphasis on discovery and developing one’s ability to use art as a way of expressing thoughts, ideas, and feelings.

Instructor:  Emily Kalwaitis

Creating strong personal pieces with a delicate hand and light washes of color, Emily’s work seems to tell a story all its own. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Wisconsin and has shown her work both locally and in various galleries and alternative spaces around the country.  She also creates commissioned portraits, mostly of children.

Along with her own work as an artist, Emily has also continually worked with children through art for almost 15 yrs.  She designed an art program for 2–8 year olds at an arts-based childcare center in Wisconsin and was the Applied Art Specialist there for 8 years.  Locally, she has taught many classes including working with the youngest of our artists at Shared Opportunity Services, at the Judy Center, and with private students.

Fine Art Exploratory Course

Grades:  3-8
Class Time:  Saturdays, March 23-May 25; 10-11:30 am
Location:  Chestertown RiverArts classroom, 315 High St., Suite 106
Number of Students: Minimum of 5, maximum of 15
Cost:  $12 per session, or inquire about group pricing
Registration Deadlines:  Registration and payment must be received by 3pm on Friday the week prior to the session
Class Descriptions:

Each of the sessions below are designed as standalone lessons enabling you to pick and choose which lessons are of most interest to your child or to sign up for the entire series.  Each session will introduce your student to artists and their work, build your student’s art vocabulary, and provide instruction on specific techniques and guidance as they complete a piece of artwork applying what they’ve  learned.  Taken individually, they allow students to target an area of interest.  Taken as a series, they provide a comprehensive foundational introduction to drawing and painting. 

Weeks 1-4: Introduction to Drawing

Each session begins with a slideshow of works by various artists exemplifying the technique to be learned, followed by a brief summary of a specific artist’s life and work before moving on to demonstration and application. 

Week 1 (March 23):  Still-life in Graphite

Objectives:  Students will create a value scale and learn different shading techniques. Students will understand light vs. shadow and gray scale to show modulation. Students will complete a still life drawing of props with a light source.  Registration Deadline:  Friday, March 15 by 3pm

Week 2 (March 30):  Self-Portrait in Charcoal

Objectives: Students will learn different shading techniques with different types of charcoal and will understand how to draw a face in proportion. Students will complete a self-portrait with a hand-held mirror in charcoal.  Registration Deadline:  Friday, March 22 by 3pm

Week 3 (April 13):  Pen and Ink

Objectives: Students will learn about different shading techniques done with pen and ink to show contrast between light and shadow. Students will chose an image from an assortment of tear sheets and duplicate the image with a pen and ink drawing using methods learned.  Registration Deadline:  Friday, April 5 by 3pm

Week 4 (April 20): Oil Pastels/ Intro to Impressionism

Objectives: Students will learn about the Impressionistic period and its effect on modern art. Students will be given a brief introduction to color and different methods of smudging and blending to show value and form with the oil pastels. Students will chose an image from an assortment of tear sheets showcasing impressionistic art and duplicate the image with oil pastels.  Registration Deadline:  Friday, April 12 by 3pm

Weeks 5-8: Introduction to Painting

Most sessions begin with a slideshow of works by various artists exemplifying the technique to be learned, followed by a brief summary of a specific artist’s life and work before moving on to demonstration and application.  

Week 5 (May 4): Color Theory and Color Mixing

Objectives: Students will be shown an experiment of mixing primary colored food coloring to create secondary colors, and will also learn about Complimentary Colors and Analogous Colors. Students will create a Color Wheel that showcases all the colors learned and their value scale using tempera paint.   Registration Deadline:  Friday, April 26 by 3pm

Week 6 (May 11): Still-Life in Tempera Paint

Objectives:  Students will use their learned understanding of color mixing to create a painting of a still-life.  Students will understand how to use color to create light and shadow and show value.

Registration Deadline:  Friday, May 3 by 3pm

Week 7 (May 18):  Self-Portrait/ Intro to Watercolor

Objectives: Students will learn about the watercolor medium and different painting techniques. Students will understand how to create flesh tone by mixing colors.  Students will create a self-portrait in watercolor by using a hand-held mirror.

Registration Deadline:  Friday, May 10 by 3pm

Week 8 (May 25): Watercolor Landscape/ Intro to Surrealism

Objectives: Students will view a slide show of examples of landscapes and learn about the surrealistic movement and how it affected modern art.  A brief summary of the life and work of Salvador Dali will be presented. Students will use all the methods of color and drafting learned to create a landscape in watercolor in a Surrealistic fashion. Students will draw from their mind’s eye and use their imagination and creativity to duplicate their vision.

Registration Deadline:  Friday, May 17 by 3pm

Instructor: Lauryn Cunningham

Lauryn Cunningham is a member of Chestertown River Arts and has been teaching a similar course at the Carter Center and at the Extended Day Program at Galena Elementary.  She has a Bachelor of Fine Art degree from the Columbus College of Art and Design.

A fine artist and a mother of three, she is also the owner of Luna Creek which sells original paintings, bags from reclaimed fabric, and crocheted accessories. She has worked as a freelance fashion designer and illustrator, and has illustrated a children’s book titled “Cuddly Finds a Home.” She also paints custom commissioned pieces, mostly landscapes and portraits.