STUDIO TOUR: Barb Schmidt, orchids instructor
Studio Arts instructor Barb Schmidt shows us a few of her orchids at her home in Pennsylvania!
STUDIO TOUR: Lauren Kingsland
Our quiltmaking and fiber arts instructor Lauren Kingsland shares a bit of her background and approach to fiber as an artform!
STUDIO TOUR: Mïa Vollkommer, jewelry instructor
Studio Arts instructor Mïa Vollkommer show us her jeweler's studio where she creates her magnificent pieces of jewelry! Who else wants a set earrings?
Keep an eye out for Mïa's jewelry classes in the fall! And if you haven't already, check out Smithsonian Associates Streaming online at SmithsonianAssociates.org/streaming
STUDIO TOUR: Bonnie Fitzgerald, mosaics instructor
Studio Arts instructor Bonnie Fitzgerald of Maverick Mosaics takes us on a tour of her home studio, where she breaks dishes, cuts glass, and glues it together to create beautiful mosaic pieces.
SmithsonianAssociates.org
Solitude by Duke Ellington
“The idea is to make the best out of what we have, and share some beauty with the world." -Smithsonian Associates lecturer and instructor Paul Glenshaw recently launched the The Seven Tones Project pairing quarantined musicians and filmmakers to make short homemade films based on Duke Ellington pieces.
Why Duke Ellington? He led a band nonstop for over 50 years—usually in difficult, uncertain times—all the while creating beauty. Ellington wrote: “Any time you have a problem you have an opportunity. If you had just seven good tones, those were the tones that had to be used…”
The film in this post is “Solitude” shot by Glenshaw in Washington D.C., performed by Alex Hamburger and José Luiz Martins. The footage was captured on his phone just prior to the stay-at-home order.
Interested filmmakers and musicians (both student and professional) who would like to participate are encouraged to contact Glenshaw and his filmmaking partner Darroch Greer at [email protected]. Each film will be posted with links back to the artists’ websites or social media pages.
View the full project: https://bit.ly/SevenTonesProject
Work-In-Progress / Delna Dastur
Watch this painting come to life! Our abstraction instructor Delna Dastur documented one of her latest work's from start to finish. Show us your works-in-progress in the comments below! #WIPwednesday
Holiday Card Workshop
Want to go beyond simple store-bought cards this year? Watch on! We wrapped up two sold-out holiday card workshops last Saturday. Check out the video to view expert crafter and instructor Karen Cadogan’s process.
We have a number of other holiday workshops coming up:
Dec. 8: Orchids for the Holidays
Dec. 16 and 17: Wreath Making with Smithsonian Gardens
Dec. 18: Centerpieces with Smithsonian Gardens
Learn more: https://s.si.edu/HolidayWorkshops
How to Tie a Bow | Smithsonian Studio Arts
Want to learn how to tie a bow? Or maybe you need a refresher after the wreathmaking class? Sarah Dickert from Smithsonian Gardens guides us through the process!
Yesterday in our Nuno-felted scarf workshop, students learned to “shingle” wool, then embellished and bathed their fabric. They strengthened their muscles by kneading their rolled scarves 600 times 💪 to create enough friction to felt the wool (or fast forwarded the process by using a modified electric sander). Later, they stretched and blocked their scarves to create their desired length and shape. At the end of the day, everyone went home with a wearable masterpiece.
Smithsonian Spotlight: Relief Printmaking
The most sculptural of all printmaking techniques, woodblock printing and linocut printing are ideal for creating bold images made up of patterns and textures. Relying on your hands, from carving the image to pressing it, woodblock and linocut are the most direct ways to create images because they don’t rely on mechanical processes.
Enroll in a #studioartsSI class today to enhance your skills in a number of techniques that are sure to inspire you! Register here: http://ow.ly/10ADVF
Smithsonian Spotlight: Coptic Book Binding
Coptic binding is ancient book structure developed in Egypt by the Copts and used from the 2nd century A.D. through the 11th century. In this style of binding, the sections of the book are sewn through the fold and attached to each other with link stitches. The spine is exposed creating a decorative element out of the sewn structure. Students are guided through the book construction process from start to finish.
Enroll in a #studioartsSI class today to enhance your skills in a number of techniques that are sure to inspire you! Register here: http://ow.ly/10kiwA
Smithsonian Spotlight: Contemporary Mosaics
This class brings together the ancient art of mosaics with the international contemporary mosaic movement, much of which has abstraction at its heart.
Enroll in a studio arts class today to enhance your skills in a number of techniques that are sure to inspire you! Register here: http://ow.ly/103cTA
Studio Arts Spotlight: Calligraphy
Beginning with basic tools and mechanics, students discover how to develop their skills and to recognize the small details that make this style of writing so appealing.
Enroll in a #StudioArtsSI class today to enhance your skills in a number of techniques that are sure to inspire you! Register here: http://ow.ly/ZP0Gx
Studio Arts Spotlight: Knitting
There’s nothing better than knitting with other people and making friends through knitting. It gives you an opportunity to experiment and learn in a way that you could never learn from the computer. Students can expand their knitting know-how in a relaxed and supportive setting as they work on a project of their choice. #StudioArtsSI Enroll in a class today: http://ow.ly/ZehRy
Studio Arts Spotlight: Open Darkroom
This darkroom-focused class is geared for photographers with basic darkroom skills and beyond, who are interested in taking their work to the next level. Students benefit from small-group lectures, individual instruction, and independent work to gain confidence in a specific area. #StudioArtsSI
Learn more: http://ow.ly/YTKsj
Basket Weaving: Smithsonian Studio Arts
Exploring Abstraction with Delna Dastur
Explore the basis of abstraction by studying color, line, and shape as they relate to composition. Learn to create exciting and innovative works of art using a series of drawing, painting, and collage exercises designed to examine nontraditional ways of handling traditional materials and subject matter. The time-honored media of charcoal and pastel, as well as the newer liquid acrylic glazes and media, are used.
Enroll in a studio arts class today to enhance your skills in a number of techniques that are sure to inspire you! Register here: http://ow.ly/OekEK
Introduction to Watercolor: Smithsonian Studio Arts
Beginning students as well as experienced painters explore new materials and techniques in watercolor painting in this course. Painting still-lifes and landscapes from direct observation or photographs, they explore basic watercolor techniques and learn new approaches to painting through classroom demonstration, discussion, and experimentation. #StudioArtsSI
Enroll in a studio arts class today to enhance your skills in a number of techniques that are sure to inspire you! Register here: http://ow.ly/OekEK
On Location Photography with Joe Yablonsky
The Smithsonian Associates offers photography classes geared towards all levels of experience, from the occasional snapshot clicker to the darkroom expert. As well as offering both introductory courses and open darkroom sessions, we also have an array of special topics courses that include portraiture, landscape, pinhole photography, on-location photography, photo-trekking around the D.C. area, and photo theory. Classes are both digital and film-based. Sign up Today: http://ow.ly/OefPB
Drawing in Museums: Claire Fuller
Check out our latest video featuring drawing student Claire Fuller and her perspective on art! All sessions are taught by professional artists and experienced teachers, and focus on skill-building and creative exploration in small studio groups or on location. Enroll in a studio arts class today to enhance your skills in a number of techniques that are sure to inspire you! Enroll Today: http://ow.ly/OekEK
