Tag: Events at Wet Paint

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Community Enthusiast Events at Wet Paint News & Media

40 Years of Collaboration: Wet Paint turns 40!

oldwetpaintstorefrontFrom Wet Paint’s humble beginnings as the art supply section of the Hungry Mind Bookstore to the 5000 square foot wonderland of artists’ materials we’ve become, one thing has remained constant: the reason we’re here.  Serving one of the greatest creative communities in the world has been our honor and passion for 40 years.  As we celebrate this milestone anniversary in October, we simultaneously look forward to the next 40 years of providing the right tools for every artistic expression to the generations of creatives to come.

Like seeing some images from Wet Paint days of yore? We’ve made a little gallery of a few old Wet Paint pictures posted here!

Kicking off the anniversary festivities will be a month long exhibit of art by Wet Paint staffers at Sencha Tea Bar just next door to Wet Paint. There will be a closing party from 5-7pm on Sunday, October 23rd.

corpseeventWe’ve also come up with a number of ways for the community to help us celebrate this momentous milestone.  The most eye-catching activity will surely be our “Exquisite Corpse” project.  Following in the footsteps of the Surrealists who popularized this chance-based parlor game in the 1920’s, we’ve recruited a variety of artists to create a section of a figure.  These sections were collectively assembled to create crazy, mismatched people called Exquisite Corpses.  These near life-size artistic creations will grace the front windows of Wet Paint for the month of October. See photos of them on our Facebook page here. 

Note: want to participate in our Pocket-sized Exquisite Corpse Project?  Click here for information on how YOU can get involved!

The weekend of October 27-30 is when the celebration kicks into high gear!  Look for a variety of family-friendly anniversary events, as well as door prizes, raffles, refreshments, and more!  All events are free and open to the public.  See the tentative schedule below or check out our Events page on our website for more info.

Thursday, Oct. 27th: Exquisite Corpse Art Exhibit Opening Reception from 5:30-7:30pm

-Collaborative Pocket-sized Exquisite Corpse Project (ongoing through October): draw inspiration from the characters in the windows, or invent your own pocket-sized person!

Friday, Oct. 28th: Gel Plate Printing Party from 5:30-7:30pm

-Want to try printing with a gel plate?  It’s easy and fun!  Join Wet Paint staffer, Kate, and create your own monoprint card or artwork.  All materials are provided, just bring your sense of creativity and fun! Plus a sweet door prize!

Saturday, Oct. 29th:  All Day 40th Anniversary Celebration– door prizes, Exquisite Snake Origami Project, and more!

-Join our Collaborative Exquisite Snake Origami Project: led by Origamist, Kathleen Sheridan. Bring in some old coloring sheets, sketches/drawings, or colorful works on paper. Once cut to a square and folded, you’ll add them to become part the giant patchwork kinetic origami snake that will wind through the store! Plus door prizes, Pocket-sized Exquisite Corpse Project, and more!

Sunday, Oct. 30th: Sunday Sketch-a-Thon– all day sketching in the classroom

-The classroom will be set up for sketching  from intriguing artifacts courtesy of the Bell Museum of Natural History and more. Bring your own sketch pad and favorite tools for sketching/watercolor or use shared supplies from the classroom. Stay all day or stay for a few minutes! Drawing-friendly Door Prizes!

We hope to celebrate with you at one or all of these events!

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Community Enthusiast Events at Wet Paint

Pocket-sized Exquisite Corpse Project

Want to participate in the Pocket-sized Exquisite Corpse activity for our 40th Anniversary this October?

You can participate in the store over our 40th Anniversary Celebration weekend Oct. 27-30th, or see the info below if you are not able to stop in.  Wet Paint will provide materials to make an exquisite corpse at the in-store events Oct. 27-29th.

Not local? Can’t make it in the store, but still want to participate?
Here is what you need to know:
biggercorpseexam-We will have a “sticky wall” of corpse sections in our classroom that will be added and moved around throughout the month of October.  We’ll post images of fun combinations on our Instagram page or social media and encourage others to do the same! #WetPaint40th
-Please use a 4×6″ (standard postcard size) piece of paper.
-Artists must choose a section of the “corpse”- head, torso, legs, or feet (see example image) per sheet of paper, but may send multiple sections.
-Paper will be displayed in landscape format as shown in the example.
-Artists are encouraged to fill the entire sheet of paper (perhaps a fun background? or really big hair?)
-Any medium may be used on the paper, but suggested materials are: acrylic paint, ink, marker, colored pencil, or collage.
-Artists have complete freedom over their section- male, female, animal, mystical creature- whatever you can dream up!
-Remember that these will be assembled together, so please create your corpse section to the edge(s) of the paper.
-SIGN YOUR ARTWORK when completed- we want to know who made each section.

Completed “corpse” sections are due to Wet Paint Oct. 29th, 2016

Wet Paint Address: 1684 Grand Ave. St. Paul, MN 55105

Other helpful info:

What is an exquisite corpse?
This parlor game originated with the Surrealists and is a method by which a collection of words or images is collectively assembled.

See some examples of our window display of exquisite corpse art on our Facebook page here!

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Community Enthusiast Events at Wet Paint

Cornucopia of Classes

virginiaheadThis blog post is from Virginia, our Event Coordinator at Wet Paint:

If you’re like me, crickets, cool mornings and long shadowed afternoons still signal that it’s time for returning to the focus of learning.  Fall classes at Wet Paint are just the thing to support your continuing creative pursuits or perhaps introduce you to new materials or techniques for the first time.

wcclasswendy

Here’s a look at what’s in store:

You’ll find multi week courses in watercolor and acrylic painting, lettering, urban sketching, rosemaling and printmaking; daylong workshops  in encaustic painting, silverpoint drawing, and watercolor; and many single session classes ranging from book and paper arts to mixed media collage, mat cutting and alcohol Inks.

There are some new instructors and classes to point out:

Japanese woodblock printing taught by Wisconsin artist John Koch; Airbrush Basics and Airbrush Techniques taught by Rurik Hover; Introductory Rosemaling taught by Julie Anderson; Bullet Journaling taught by Deb Shanilec; Hand Lettering Styles  and Modern Brush Calligraphy taught by Jessica Chung; Beyond Coloring: Intro to Color Basics & Pattern Making with Jill Michell;  and a  series of 3 awesome Origami Projects with Kathleen Sheridan.

We are fortunate to be able to partner with some of our manufacturers to bring you a selection of classes featuring expert instruction and excellent art materials including :

Chicago artist Don Colley’s Master class featuring Pitt Brush Pens and more from Faber Castell; Mixed Media Collage on Ampersand Artists Panels taught by Texas artist Dana Brown; Mat Cutting with Brian Buell of Chicago-based Logan Graphic Products, Intro to Encaustic Painting and Oil and Cold Wax with R+F Handmade paints both taught by the incredibly popular Julie Snidle from St. Louis; Diana Eicher’s Linoleum Block Printing class and Family Print Day with Speedball/Akua printmaking supplies; Airbrush Basics and Airbrush Techniques featuring IWATA airbrush taught by Rurik Hover; and Hand bound Sketchbooks using CAVE handmade paper (from across the river in Minneapolis) taught by Bridget O’Malley.

Intro to Encaustic with Julie Snidle
Intro to Encaustic with Julie Snidle

In addition to classes you’ll find some incredible free demos and events this fall- an art history talk on 17th Century painter Jan Vermeer by Jim Robinson; a review of Faber Castell Pitt brush pens, Polychromos colored pencils and water soluble graphite with Don Colley; an introduction to egg tempera with 2016 Minnesota State Arts Board Grant recipient, Julie Jao; Ampersand Panels: Extraordinary Surfaces for Your Art with Dana Brown; Logan Mat Cutters with Brian Buell; and Water Media with Golden Artists Colors – a hands on demo with Bonnie Cutts.

With 45+ classes and events, It’s going to be a colorful and creative Autumn in the Wet Paint classroom. Hope to see you there!

Click here to see all the upcoming classes and events at Wet Paint!

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Community Enthusiast Events at Wet Paint Professionals

Wet Paint loves Don Colley

DON-COLLEY-Darin-NAMTAThree years ago I returned from a workshop all excited about a product demonstrator working with Faber-Castell.  Don Colley not only knows his product line but knows how to use these materials with great nuance, sketches with daily obsession and shares his sketchbooks for mutual inspiration.  After checking his website we found Don had captured our own manager, Darin Rinne, in a sketch at a recent trade show.  It seemed everything was pointing toward a great relationship between Don Colley and Wet Paint.  Don has visited us many times and offered many programs with great success.  This year’s visit has 3 diverse components.  Hopefully one will fit into your drawing schedule.

On_the_Go_with_PITT_Artist_PensThe Mini Master Class with Don Colley takes place at Wet Paint this Friday May 16th.  In this small group session Don will share his drawing techniques and urban sketching strategies.  You will learn how to capture the figure in everyday settings, shading with markers and the use of the sketchbook page.  Time is also set aside to share your sketchbook for individualized consultation.  This workshop requires advanced registration and a fee.  Space is available but limited.

springcon14Saturday and Sunday Don will join Wet Paint’s mini-store at SpringCon, the Midwest Comic Book Association’s spring celebration at the State Fair Grounds.  Besides being available all day for drawing and chat, Don has a “Big Drawing Session”  4-5 on Saturday.  There will be live costumed characters to draw and everyone is encouraged to join in this drawing session.  Just show a sign at the ticket booth that says “I’m here to draw with Don Colley” and you will get $1 off the admission price.  You may also donate your drawing to the charity auction where 100% of the proceeds benefit the Minnesota Lupus Foundation.

bellmuseumsmallDon has created his own night at the museum with the Bell at the U of MN on Monday May 19th.  This is the last day of the Minnesota legislative session which will determine funding for a new home for the Bell, so this event may have some editorial content.  Join Don for an all-night sketch-a-thon.  Bring your sketching materials as well as camping gear.  Contact Wet Paint or the Bell Museum for entry time and further details.

As you can tell from this lineup, Don is an artist with extreme talent, a true sense of artistic adventure, limitless energy and a big heart.  It’s just the right time for you to collaborate with Don at Wet Paint, SpringCon and/or the Bell Museum.