Newport Visual Arts Center offers workshops, after-school sessions, open studios starting Saturday

By OREGON COAST TODAY

From turning garden-grown indigo into paint to using gold leaf for the holidays, the Newport Visual Arts Center is offering training this fall for young and older artists.

The fall lineup includes six one-day workshops, along with weekly after-school art sessions for young artists and a variety of open studios where adults can pursue their own projects with tools, workspace and fellow artists nearby.

The season begins this Saturday, Oct. 3, with “Shades of Blue: Intro to Indigo Dyeing,” led by Oregon Coast fiber artist and educator Anna Biszantz.

Participants will explore Japanese indigo, one of the world’s natural sources of colorfast true blue, through three different processes. They will dye with fresh leaves, prepare leaves for fermentation to extract pigment then combine extracted pigment with gum arabic to create watercolor paint. Everyone will leave with handmade watercolor paint and a hand-dyed silk handkerchief. The session costs $90, with all materials provided.

Then on Saturday, Oct. 24, Newport artist Cheryl Horton will lead “Block to Paper: Hand-Printed Art,” a beginner-friendly introduction to designing, carving and printing an original block. Participants will explore positive and negative space, mirror images and relief printing before producing art prints or greeting cards. The fee is $65 and all materials will be provided.

In November, there will be three workshops inspired by subjects ranging from mushrooms to boats to animals.

Multi-media artist and illustrator Rena Ekmanis will lead “Fun with Fungi: Drawing and Painting Mushrooms,” teaching students to draw locally foraged mushrooms using basic shapes before adding color with watercolor techniques and exploring the art and science of mushroom spore prints.

Seal Rock painter Robin Berry will focus on the water with “Boats & Harbor Scenes in Watercolor.” Students will learn ways to simplify complex scenes while creating convincing reflections, light and atmosphere. Some previous watercolor experience will be helpful.

Full-time potter Liz Fox will lead “Creative Critters Clay Sculpture,” helping participants use ceramic construction and sculpting techniques to capture the character and expression of a favorite creature. Finished pieces will be fired and available for pickup several weeks later.

The one-day workshop season wraps up in December with a little holiday sparkle. In “All That Glitters,” professional artist Khara Ledonne will introduce the traditional art of gilding. Participants will experiment with gold foil, transfer foil paper and multicolored metal leaf before taking home a collection of hand-gilded ornaments and holiday pieces.

The Newport Visual Arts Center is also offering something for younger artists beginning on Wednesday, Oct. 7. After-School Drop-In Art Days will give students in grades two through eight a different creative experience each week, with rotating instructors and activities. The program continues through May 26. No advance registration is required, with individual sessions costing $20 or families able to reserve a full month for $50.

Artists who want workspace and company rather than a formal lesson can take advantage of the center’s Open Studio classes.

Painting Open Studio provides space to work in any painting medium, with Berry available for guidance. Printmaking Open Studio gives artists access to the center’s tools, presses and materials, with Horton or Christina Carlsen available for technical help.

Victoria Biedron will help artists get started during Greeting Card Making Open Studio sessions, with supplies available for creating cards for fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas or other occasions.

Figure Drawing Open Studio gives adults aged 18 and older an opportunity to work independently from nude and costumed live models. The sessions are uninstructed, although Morgan Brothers will be available to answer questions and manage poses.

Class sizes are limited and early registration is encouraged. Scholarships might also be available through the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts for students who find cost a barrier to participating.

The Newport Visual Arts Center is located at 777 N.W. Beach Drive. For more information, a complete schedule or to register, go to coastarts.org or call 541-265-6540.

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