Tag: events

Jumpstart Your Art with Mixed Media Collage

Post author By Wet Paint
Post date October 13, 2016

This blog post is from Virginia, our Programming Manager at Wet Paint:

Join us in the Wet Paint classroom on Saturday, October 22nd for a 3 hour mixed media workshop with visiting artist Dana Brown. You will make (and take) two unique mixed media pieces while exploring the potentials of Ampersand’s fantastic panels. The workshop is offered twice – from 10am-1pm and again from 2pm-5pm – choose the one that’s best for you!

Mixed media collage allows you to experiment with dynamic compositions while you explore new techniques and materials. The change of approach from more conventional processes is great for generating original ideas that impact both the collage itself as well as your regular drawing and painting practice.

Dana is well known for the fun he brings to teaching, as well as his extensive knowledge of artists’ materials. This workshop is suitable for any level of art maker. It would be a great way to expand your experience of using a variety of media on the same surface, or just to try something different.

The $48 class fee includes all of the supplies we’ll use in the workshop: an 8×10 Claybord and an 8×10 Encausticbord for each participant, as well as Golden acrylic paints, Claybord/Scratchbord inks and the full line of Scratchboard tools, magazines for collage, drawing supplies, random materials for mixed media techniques, and essential studio supplies like brushes, glue and scissors. Register yourself – or your group – here.

More about Dana and Ampersand:

Dana Brown is an artist from Austin, TX. He has worked with Ampersand Art Supply for the past nine years educating artists and conservators from all over the world about Ampersand’s innovative contemporary artists’ panels. Dana’s personal art work is in a variety of media, ranging from oil painting to paper collage.

Originally from rural Iowa, Dana moved to Portland, Oregon, after completing his degree in studio painting. While there, he spent almost six years with oil paint company Gamblin Artists Colors, before moving to Texas to join Ampersand Art Supply. He loves working in the constantly evolving world of artists’ materials. He finds that this work reinforces his belief that access to information about the materials that we use helps support our personal, artistic intentions.

Ampersand Art Supply began hand-making museum quality panels in 1993, with the goal of offering artists rigid, versatile, and permanent supports. Initially beginning with smooth, absorbent Claybord, Ampersand now offers ten different surface options; rejecting the, “one size fits all,” approach to painting surfaces. Ampersand hand-makes museum quality panels in Buda, Texas.

Tags Ampersand panels, classes, Dana Brown, events, Virginia McBride, Wet Paint, Wet Paint Class

Community Enthusiast Events at Wet Paint

Learn to Paint from a Modern Master

Post author By Wet Paint
Post date September 29, 2016

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

At Wet Paint we are fortunate to know so many incredible artists, many of whom are also great teachers. Carl Oltvedt is one of them.

Reflections II

Carl taught at Minnesota State University, Moorhead, where he was a Professor in the School of Visual Arts for 32 years. Back in the day, he worked for an art materials retailer in Minneapolis so his knowledge of art materials and uses is extensive. You can see some of his paintings at Groveland Gallery where he is currently represented. His work is in national and international private and corporate collections. He currently has his painting Reflections II on view through January 2017 in the US Embassy in Olso, Norway.

Carl has a lot of credentials but he’s not intimidating…he is one of the most caring, attentive and skillful teachers you’d ever want to meet.

And here’s an opportunity to do just that when you sign up for Carl’s multi session Introduction to Acrylic Painting class at Wet Paint, Tuesdays from 4:00-7:00pm, October 4th-November 1st.

In this class you will learn basic painting fundamentals – how to build a painting from start to finish, simple color theory and composition, and how colors mix and relate to one another. The class starts out simply and more advanced technique is added in as the course progresses. You’ll be working from a still life. Paint and some shared supplies will be provided, though a few additional materials are required.

Starting a new medium can be daunting. Acrylic colors and mediums offer a huge array of choice which can be overwhelming. So it’s great to have expert guidance, a stretch of time to absorb it all, and materials chosen with your experience in mind.

I believe that real, long term enjoyment of a new medium comes from gaining knowledge of how to use the materials, combined with basic principles of art. These foundations give the aspiring artist the best chance to realize their vision. Whether you are new to painting or painted years ago and want to get back into it, there is no time like the present to begin or begin again. I hope to see you there. Click here to find out more and register online.

Virginia McBride
Programming Manager

Space is limited…please register no later than Sunday, October 2nd

Tags acrylic paint, Carl Oltvedt, events, Virginia McBride, Wet Paint Class

Community Enthusiast Events at Wet Paint

Cornucopia of Classes

Post author By Wet Paint
Post date September 2, 2016

This 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.

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.

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!

Tags events, Events at Wet Paint, Virginia McBride, Wet Paint

Community Enthusiast Events at Wet Paint Professionals

Spring Classes at Wet Paint

Post author By Wet Paint
Post date March 14, 2014

Wet Paint has two definite camps of customers, one of learners and one of teachers. There is a regular quest for classes and demos from those who hunger for more knowledge. I believe it is the nature of many artists to be on a continuous path of learning. At the same time there are artists who are so enthusiastic and passionate about their art that they cannot contain themselves from sharing their knowledge and experience. I believe for many, being a teacher is synonymous with being an artist. Wet Paint is a perfect place to introduce these two camps to each other and we are actively experimenting with different formats where these creative individuals intersect.

We are fortunate to bring Ioana Stoian to Wet Paint for two origami workshops. Ioana’s passion is paper and folding. A professional and an active member of the International Association of Hand Papermakers and Paper artists, Stoian has written a book, Origami for All, Elegant Designs from Simple Folds, which contains her own original origami designs. Each workshop has unique seasonal designs which you will learn from a master yet requires no previous experience. We are trying out some new time slots on these classes, one on Tuesday evening, March 25^th and one on Wednesday morning on April 16^th.

Joyce Francis needs no introduction. A master calligrapher in search of new artistic outlets, Joyce found the art of contemplative patterning, Zentangle, to be her new passion. We have had other Zentangle workshops with Joyce and the participants always ask for more. We have two sessions of the same class coming up on Saturday, March 22. No experience required.

These classes at Wet Paint are all hands-on 2 hour workshops. Materials are included and you will have a finished project at the end of the class. There are workshop fees and registration is required. You can sign up online, by phone or in person. If classes don’t meet a minimum enrollment 3 days before the session begins, the class will be cancelled and your class fee will be refunded.

Special offer through March 16

If you sign up for one of these 4 classes over this weekend, you will receive a coupon to be used on a future purchase at Wet Paint. Click here to go to our Events page.

Wet Paint At Large

Over the past few years we have helped bring Sumi-e artist and teacher Yuming Zhu to the Twin Cities. His following is so great we need to partner with other members of our creative community who have more space. This April, Yuming is not only teaching a 2 day Sumi-e Painting workshop at Bloomington Theatre and Art Center (BTAC), he will also lecture to accompany an exhibit of his artwork at the Eagan Community Center.

Plus Yuming is offering a unique class on Mounting Techniques for Sumi-e Art on Monday, April 14^th, at BTAC. Many artists who have studied with Yuming have asked for training on this specific sumi-e technique of traditional wet mounting. This is an intermediate to experienced class, focused on those with a sumi-e and/or framing background. This is a unique opportunity to get hands-on experience at a master’s side.

The programs at BTAC and Eagan require registration through those respective venues.

Tags art supplies, Bloomington Theater and Art Center, Eagan Community Center, events, Ioana Stoian, Joyce Francis, Origami, Sumi-e, Wet Paint St. Paul, Yuming Zhu, Zentangle

Community Enthusiast Students

Most Often Asked Question at Wet Paint

Post author By Wet Paint
Post date September 26, 2013

Susan Rostow demonstrating Akua

If you were to ask Darin, General Manager at Wet Paint, what customers ask for the most that we don’t provide, it would be “classes.” Besides not having classroom space, we at Wet Paint also believe the Twin Cities offer many options for further artistic learning. We have come up with some unique partnerships to connect those who manufacture art supplies with a number of organizations to bring new learning experiences to our customers and our community. There are a number of classes and workshops we have helped develop this October featured at existing educational venues with our friends in the art materials industry, our customers and the Twin Cities community.

St Paul Community Education still has space open in “Almost Intermediate Drawing & Color Pencil” with Mary Esch. An internationally recognized artist who has art in the Walker Art Center’s permanent collection, Mary Esch worked at Wet Paint a long, long time ago. This is a hidden gem of an opportunity to work with this talented artist at Community Ed prices. The class is held Monday evenings at Creative Arts High School.

Another Community Ed opportunity is “Open Studio Painting” with Dan Mackerman starting October 9^th at Edgcumbe Rec Center. Professional artist Mackerman will help beginning artists decide which is the best wet media for them. This is a way to experiment with watercolor, acrylic and oil without having to purchase 3 ranges of color.

Brian Buell, president of Logan Graphic Products will teach a ½ day class on DIY mat cutting. The class, held at Macalester College on October 26th, will take you through border calculation, mounting and cutting both single and double mats. Brian comes armed with mat cutters and materials for everyone in class to have hands on training. This workshop is also part of St Paul’s Community Ed. Click here to see the entire Community Education Catalog!

Wet Paint is pleased to bring Susan Rostow, founder of Akua Inks to the Twin Cities. Susan became concerned about health safety issues surrounding printmaking and created soy based printing inks which are highly regarded in college printmaking departments. Besides offering a free talk at Wet Paint the evening of October 11^th, Rostow is teaching a workshop at Highpoint Center for Printmaking on Saturday October 12^th. At this writing, there are still some spots open in this workshop. Read more here!

Yuming Zhu, master of Sumi painting, has come to the Twin Cities for a number of years doing demos at Wet Paint and teaching workshops at some of the art centers in the area. October 29 and 30, Yuming will teach a two-day workshop called Golden Leaves at White Bear Center for the Arts. Yuming is a mesmerizing teacher and quite witty, too. This is a way to experience White Bear Center for the Arts’ new building which I saw last week and it is fantastic. Read more here!

All these classes have fees and registration through the organizations presenting the classes and workshops. Wet Paint is happy that we can pool our resources and bring these opportunities to our community.

Tags Art Education, art supplies, Brian Buell, Dan Mackerman, event, events, Highpoint Center for Printmaking, Logan mat cutter, Mary Esch, Partnership Classes, St. Paul Community Education, Susan Rostow, Wet Paint St. Paul, White Bear Center for the Arts, Yuming Zhu

Community Enthusiast Events at Wet Paint News & Media

Revisiting Pastel

"Make Your Mark" Lake Country Pastel Exhibition at BTAC — “Make Your Mark” Lake Country Pastel Exhibition at BTAC

Who would have thought that July would become a hot soft pastel month? Out at BTAC (Bloomington Theater and Art Center) our friends with the Lake Country Pastel Society have presented a wonderful member show called “Make Your Mark.” Over 40 artists represent an amazing breadth of imagery and technique using soft pastels. There are landscapes that are distinctly Minnesotan, as well as several that remind me of a recent road trip to the Pacific Northwest. There are portraits, one of which incorporates new media by starting with a digital photo. There is an abstract image that pushes the boundaries of both the stick and the surface: pastel – a media with little adhesive property- adhered to the slick surface of Yupo with water. There is subject matter for any taste. And it is amazing to see one medium that can create such different results from the density of oil to the airiness of watercolor. It was a real treat to be at the opening reception with so many of the exhibiting artists in attendance. They were truly thrilled with the exhibit as well as being down right verbose about their artistic pursuits, their influences and their techniques. The show is up through August 23. A presentation of awards by the juror, Albert Handell, will take place Tuesday, August 6th, at 6:30 p.m. If you haven’t seen the great gallery space at BTAC, this is a perfect opportunity to remedy that situation.

McCann sidewalk pastel painting at MIA — McCann sidewalk pastel painting at the MIA

Also in pastel, but in a vastly different format, Shawn McCann takes the centuries old Trompe l’oeil technique and his box of soft pastels to the street. Shawn will be at Wet Paint this Saturday, July 27th, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. creating an illusory image on our sidewalk with Jack Richeson’s new big, fat soft pastels called Street Stix. I have to admit that soft pastels haven’t been considered the cutting edge medium in recent years. But 3D street painting brings pastel paintings out of the flat files and museums and into the contemporary art gallery space shared with aerosol painting and stenciling. Just as the Lake Country Pastel Society has a pastel painting to appeal to any esthetic, McCann’s street art will appeal to everyone’s in its populist presentation.

Tags Bloomington Theater and Art Center, events, exhibition, Lake Country Pastel Society, Shawn McCann, soft pastel, Street Stix, Wet Paint St. Paul