San Diego CA— The first classes in a unique series of low-cost, entry-level art programs are scheduled to begin this Saturday at Mission Trails Regional Park. Registration is now open for the classes, which are designed to teach the fundamentals of drawing and painting while exploring science, nature and the connection between the two. The “Art Smarts” program allows both children and adults to spend two hours developing their creative abilities against the scenic backdrop of Mission Trails Regional Park. The program is offered as part of the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation’s ongoing efforts to position the park as one of San Diego’s premiere educational and recreational resources.[Click here for class reservation form]
Each day will be divided into two sessions; one designed for children ages seven to seventeen and the other, a more advanced session, for anyone above the age of seven. There will be four different days featuring sessions on a wide range of art topics. Those who take part in the afternoon sessions are encouraged to bring their own art supplies. [Click here to download supply list] However, supplies will be provided for a low cost of five dollars if attendees do not have access to their own materials. Class registrants will also be provided with a coupon for Michaels Arts and Crafts for up to 50 percent off art supplies in the store.
Experienced arts educator BetteAnn Pierce has been providing after school arts programs for more than three years. Years of art and teaching experience have enabled Pierce to develop engaging art programs for both children and adults.
“I look forward to creating a wonderful atmosphere for our students,” said Pierce. “This program is a fun way for San Diegans of all ages to learn the fundamentals of art while gaining a greater appreciation of nature. Mission Trails Regional Park is the perfect setting from which artists of all levels of experience can draw inspiration.”
The first class for beginners, entitled “Nautilus Shells in Watercolors,” is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. this Saturday, July 11. This class will use pencils and watercolors to explore simple mathematical patterns that are commonplace in art, including “The Golden Ratio” and “Divine Proportions.” Students will also learn how these mathematical phenomena are commonplace in both art and nature. The advanced afternoon class begins at 2:45 p.m. on July 11 and is entitled “One & Two Point Perspective.” This class will explore how artists can make images “pop out” on a flat surface by appearing three dimensional. The course will make use of charcoal for drawing and shading, though students are encouraged to use any media they wish.
The next session is set for July 25. The beginner class, “Tigers on Faux Leather Hides in Oil Pastels,” will teach students to transform ordinary brown groceries bags into a canvas for painting. The students will use oil pastels and learn blending techniques to create their own unique piece of art. The advance class will learn how to draw works of still life. In “Rendering in Still Life,” Pierce will teach students methods to make objects appear round or flat, shaded or lit, near or far, sitting or floating and how to effectively use spacing in art. Students will use charcoal but are also encouraged to experiment with other media of their choice.
On August 1, beginner art students will learn a technique known as “wax resist” in the “Iris in Mixed Media” session. This technique involves the careful combination of oil crayons and watercolor paints. In the advanced session, students will learn how to use acrylic paint to create landscape paintings. Mission Trails is a particularly apt location for this lesson because, weather permitting, the session will be conducted outdoors where students can draw upon the sweeping landscapes of Mission Trails Regional Park for inspiration.
During the last sessions on August 29, beginning students will use their creativity in a class entitled “Fairies and Dragons.” Students will use colored pencils to make stories that they create come to life. The advanced class will make use of the microscopic perspective to improve their art in a session entitled “Macro and the Micro.” To uncover the microscopic perspective, students will use an innovative origami microscope or “foldscope.” This ingenious invention was developed by an assistant professor of bioengineering, Manu Prakash, from Stanford School of Medicine. Foldscopes will be provided to students and will allow them create nature themed art that is visually representative of the natural world on both a macroscopic and microscopic scale.
Beginning sessions are geared towards children aged seven to 17 and will last approximately two hours long, running from 12:30pm to 2:30pm. Advanced sessions are geared towards any individual aged seven and up, and are also two hours long, taking place from 2:45pm to 4:45pm. Each session costs $25, but students will receive discount rate of $88 if they registered for four classes at once. All sessions will begin at the Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center. For more information about the “Art Smarts” program, as well as other programs at Mission Trails Regional Park, please visit the “More News” section on the homepage of www.mtrp.org.