Monday, September 10, 2012

Back To School!

Today we have a guest blogger - Virginia from Ceruleanblue is here to remind us that it's never too late to learn something new.
from Fabrication Beacon - Gwenno James

There are many opportunities for those who want to hone their skills, or even learn a new craft. They range from ongoing classes at local studios to online workshops and travel-study tours.  Here in Beacon, we have Hudson Beach Glass, which offers a wide range of glass-related classes, including glass blowing and lampworking.

Recently, a private studio near my home, owned by textile designer Gwenno James, has begun offering a range of classes and workshops in silkscreen and digital fabric design - Fabrication Beacon.

The Garrison Art Center, where I currently teach, offers a wide array of classes and workshops in a range of areas, including painting, sculpture, bookbinding, printmaking, and glass, as well as ceramics.
For total immersion-why not try a study/travel tour? Next spring, the 92nd ST. Y will be offering a jewelry tour of Japan!

Increasingly, more and more learning opportunities are offered online. This past spring, I enrolled in a class aimed at practicing potters and advanced students, which focused on surface design. The class was led by a potter in San Francisco, and 129 of us from around the world viewed an online tutorial each week, then posted images each week of our completed assignments on Flickr. We continue to share news and information through a Facebook group.

I recently became aware of creativebug.com, an online site which offers a wide array of classes. For a flat monthly fee, subscribers can access unlimited lessons! Of course, there are many more classes around including from suppliers-i.e. yarn and bead shops -offer instruction and/or workshops.

Virginia from Ceruleanblue

8 comments:

  1. So many excellent ideas, thank you for sharing, Virginia!

    ReplyDelete
  2. We are blessed to have these & so many other great choices for learning in our beautiful Hudson Valley.
    Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  3. There is nothing more inspiring and motivational than learning something new! Thanks for sharing these resources!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you for this info Virginia. There are a few choices that I will look into.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Garrison Art Center is so lovely! An inspiring place to learn. I think a studio atmosphere, with so many other artists to bounce ideas off and receive encouragement is the BEST!

    ReplyDelete
  6. It is exciting to see so many different types of classes that are available! while being able to attend something in person feels like the most fun, having online flexibility and range is a great option!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for your article. It is always great to see what's going on in our backyard.

    Great photos, Fabrication!

    ReplyDelete
  8. This post makes me want to get back in the studio ASAP!

    ReplyDelete