Spring 2024 Classes
COURSE OFFERINGS – 5 AND 10 WEEK CLASSES
Classes from March 19 – May 24, 2024
Registration opens Saturday, February 24, 2024
CLICK HERE for the spring term digital brochure!
ART HISTORY | CONTEMPLATIVE ARTS | WRITING | PHOTOGRAPHY | CERAMICS | POTTERY LAB | DRAWING | OPEN STUDIO | PAINTING
HUMANITIES
ART HISTORY
TREASURES OF THE PHARAOHS
Chris Fasolino
All Levels
This course will enhance your appreciation for the VBMA’s exhibition Ancient Egypt & the Napoleonic Era: Masterworks from the Dahesh Museum of Art with the stories behind the monuments in the paintings, along with insight into the ancient Egyptian civilization that has so fascinated artists. Gallery visits, combined with PowerPoint presentations, will explore the secrets of the pyramids, the tombs, and the treasures they contained; show how ancient paintings beautifully portrayed the rich flora and fauna of the Nile; and even show family life in ancient Egypt.
Classes meet March 20 – May 22, 2024
Wednesdays, 9:30 – 11:30 am
Location: VBMA Studio 4 and via Zoom
#24SP-02 $310 (VBMA members $265)
EXPLORERS OF THE NILE
Chris Fasolino
All Levels
Gallery visits and PowerPoint lectures will add to students’ enjoyment of the VBMA’s exhibition Ancient Egypt & the Napoleonic Era: Masterworks from the Dahesh Museum of Art. Learn about the adventures behind the paintings, as explored Egypt during the nineteenth century and see how they followed in the wake of Napoleon Bonaparte and Horatio Nelson while trying to recreate the Egypt of ancient times in their art.
Join the adventure!
Classes meet March 25 – May 20, 2024
Mondays, 9:30 – 11:30 am
Location: VBMA Studio 4 and via Zoom
#24SP-01 $310 (VBMA members $265)
NEW! PAINTING THE SEINE, SCULPTING THE LAND: VAN GOGH TO EARTH ARTISTS
Lynn Berkowitz
All Levels
Post-Impressionist artists, van Gogh, Seurat, and others, experimented with innovative ways of painting the sunlight, water, and brilliant colors of the villages, factories, barges, and bridges they encountered along the Seine. Years later, the lure of earthy materials and acreage, freed from the confines of galleries, fueled pioneer Land artists, like Smithson, Holt, Turrell, and Goldsworthy to move mountains, plunge into craters, and align with the sun and stars in ways never seen before.
Classes meet April 25 – May 23, 2024
Thursdays, 9:30 – 11:30 am
Location: Classes meet via Zoom
#24SP-04 $130 (VBMA members $110)
Register for #24SP-04
CONTEMPLATIVE ARTS
QIGONG
Katie Nall
All Levels
Qigong is an 8,000-year-old movement program that exercises the body as a whole. With over 9,000 variations, it is the parent form for Tai Chi, Kung Fu, acupuncture, acupressure, and Emotional Freedom Technique (Tapping). Qigong is known as the Longevity Exercise. No special equipment required.
Classes meet April 23 – May 21, 2024
Tuesdays, 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Location: VBMA Holmes Great Hall
#24SP-08 $75 (VBMA members $65)
Register for #24SP-08
NEW! ART OF THE TAI CHI FORM
John Walcott
All Levels
The art of tai chi feeds body, mind, and spirit. In this course you will learn a series of forms that focus on balance, health, and well-being. A combination of brief lecture and practice, sessions will include opening the energy gate exercises for body, 18-step Qigong for mindfulness, and 24-step tai chi moving meditation for flow of spirit.
Classes meet April 23 – May 21, 2024
Tuesdays, 8:30 – 9:30 am
Location: VBMA Holmes Great Hall
#24SP-10 $75 (VBMA members $65)
Register for #24SP-10
Classes meet April 25 – May 23, 2024
Thursdays, 8:30 – 9:30 am
Location: VBMA Holmes Great Hall
#24SP-12 $75 (VBMA members $65)
Register for #24SP-12
CHAIR YOGA
Elise Mahovlich
All Levels
Students will enjoy an invigorating yoga practice with a slight modification – the chair is the ‘ground.’ Students will employ this everyday prop to take them through the range of motion for full body movement that will include forward bends, backbends, and spinal twists for flexibility; standing and balancing poses to build stability and core strength; and breathing techniques for body awareness and stress reduction.
Classes meet Monday, March 25 – April 22, 2024
Mondays, 9:30 – 10:30 am
Location: VBMA Holmes Great Hall
#24SP-05 $75 (VBMA members $65)
Classes meet April 29 – May 20, 2024 and Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Mondays, 9:30 – 10:30 am
Location: VBMA Holmes Great Hall
#24SP-06 $75 (VBMA members $65)
Register for #24SP-06
STUDIO ARTS
WRITING
NEW! CREATIVE WRITING: DISCOVERING YOUR STORY
Andee Reilly
All Levels
This supportive and interactive class concentrates on the techniques of writing creative nonfiction and fiction through the production of original works followed by discussion and analysis. Students along with the instructor will provide effective critiques, identifying both strengths and areas for improvement. In addition, students will work on creative exercises using specific techniques that will provide the foundation for stories and essays and learn how to transform observation and personal experience into imaginative prose, create dynamic characters and dialogue, and write from different points of view.
Classes meet April 24 – May 22, 2024
Wednesdays, 1:30 – 4:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 4
#24SP-13 $190 (VBMA members $160)
Register for #24SP-13
PHOTOGRAPHY
Stuart Segal Scholarship for Photography Students The Stuart Segal Scholarship is dedicated to aiding aspiring photography students for whom attending class would otherwise be financially challenging. The scholarship will pay tuition fees for any photography course offered via the VBMA’s Museum Art School. For more information or to apply for this scholarship, please visit www.vbmuseum.org/museum-art-school.
PHOTOSHOP FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
Aric Attas
All Levels
Students will take their photography to the next level in this interactive class. They will learn how to organize their images and get the most out of them using Bridge and the power of Photoshop. This class will cover file management, image adjustments, retouching, layers, filters, special effects, and exporting for print and web. Students only need their cameras and notes.
Classes meet March 20 – May 22, 2024
Wednesdays, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 4
#24SP-17 $310 (VBMA members $265)
CERAMICS
PLEASE NOTE: MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES FOR CERAMICS CLASSES
A 25-pound bag of clay is included in class tuition. Registered students may purchase up to two more bags of clay from the instructor during the duration of each course. Only clay provided by the Museum may be used in class or fired in the Museum’s kilns. All tools and materials are the responsibility of the students and are generally introduced through a supply list on the website under the class description, or during the term’s first class. Click here for recommended supply list.
WORKING WITH CLAY
Kent Johnson
All Levels
Open to beginners through advanced students, this class includes both hand building and wheel throwing. Beginners learn the basics, while returning students work on perfecting their techniques. The instructor covers surface decoration, design, and glazing instruction, and will also employ helpful class critiques.
Classes meet March 19 – May 21, 2024
Tuesdays, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 5
#24SP-18 $355 (VBMA members $310)
THROW LIKE A PRO
Kent Johnson
All Levels
This class provides an intensive immersion in wheel-throwing for students of all skill levels. Beginners will learn shortcuts to successfully make pots on the wheel, while students with previous experience can grow their skills. Weekly demonstrations will cover basic forms such as cups and bowls and will move on to advanced forms such as tall vases and larger forms. Instruction on glazing techniques will round out the course, allowing students to finish pieces to take home and enjoy.
Classes meet March 20 – May 22, 2024
Wednesdays, 1:30 – 4:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 5
#24SP-19 $355 (VBMA members $310)
ADVANCED CERAMICS STUDIO
Walford Campbell
Advanced Level
This studio course is geared to the student who is motivated to undertake ambitious individual work in clay and further their understanding of ceramic art. The goal is to provide the advanced student the opportunity to grow and to produce desired but previously unattainable work. Student work will reflect well thought out and executed projects, including aesthetic decisions, an increased ability to handle material, and an increased proficiency with glazing techniques.
Classes meet March 21 – May 23, 2024
Thursdays, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 5
#24SP-20 $355 (VBMA members $310)
EXPRESS YOURSELF WITH CLAY
Walford Campbell
All Levels
This course will introduce fundamental hand-building and wheel-throwing skills that will enable students to make a variety of forms, both functional and sculptural.
Classes meet March 22 – May 24, 2024
Fridays, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 5
#24SP-21 $355 (VBMA members $310)
POTTERY LAB
Labs allow currently enrolled ceramics students to work independently in Studio 5 outside of class time during any lab listed below. A lab monitor will be present.
POTTERY LAB
Walford Campbell
Lab meets March 28 – May 23, 2024
Thursdays, 1:30 – 4:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 5
#24SP-22 $130 (VBMA members $110)
POTTERY LAB
Kent Johnson
Lab meets March 22 – May 17, 2024
Fridays, 1:30 – 4:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 5
#24SP-23 $130 (VBMA members $110)
DRAWING
YOU CAN DRAW
Marlene Evans Putnam
Beginner Level
This course will ensure that beginning students learn to see shapes, understand shadows, and use lines in powerful or delicate ways. Students learn to use their drawing tools properly and confidently and will be amazed at their steady progress as they learn to design and compose their projects. The instructor will teach by both lecture and studio demonstration. Click here for recommended supply list.
Classes meet April 25 – May 23, 2024
Thursdays, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 1
#24SP-25 $190 (VBMA members $160)
Register for #24SP-25
PASTELS – MORE THAN JUST DRAWING
Sherry Haaland
All Levels
Students will learn pastel techniques of strokes/marks, scumbling, crosshatching, dabbing, and blending. By experimenting with these methods, students can experiment on their own individual artworks. Click here for recommended supply list.
Classes meet April 25 – May 23, 2024
Thursdays, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 4
#24SP-27 $190 (VBMA members $160)
Register for #24SP-27
OPEN STUDIO
FOCUSED OPEN STUDIO
Judy Burgarella
All Levels
Students will work independently in this open studio, bringing their own supplies in the medium of their choice and references to work from. The instructor will offer individual guidance along with demonstrations of various techniques and helpful tips and tricks. One of the demonstrations in the studio will be inspired by the VBMA exhibition’s Ancient Egypt & the Napoleonic Era: Masterworks from the Dahesh Museum of Art and students will also experience a guided gallery tour. Click here for recommended supply list.
Classes meet March 25 – April 22, 2024
Mondays, 1:30 – 4:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 2
#24SP-28 $190 (VBMA members $160)
Classes meet April 29 – May 20, 2024
Mondays, 1:30 – 4:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 2
#24SP-29 $190 (VBMA members $160)
Register for #24SP-29
MEDITATE AND CREATE: INNER VISION ENHANCEMENT FOR YOUR CREATIVITY
Gail Lois Jaffe
All levels
In this class, the instructor combines guided, creative visualization meditation, music, and poetry to inspire and invoke inner images to surface. Participants will then journal their images, put them to paper with the medium of their choice, and afterwards have time to present and share with the class if they choose. No previous art experience is needed. The focus of class is on the process of enhancing expression and creativity over product. Each class students will produce a different artwork.
Classes meet April 29 – May 27, 2024
Mondays, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 3
#24SP-33 $190 (VBMA members $160)
Register for #24SP-33
PAINTING
ADVANCED PAINTING TECHNIQUES
Barry Shapiro
All Levels
This course is designed for students who have had experience painting in acrylic and/or oil and who wish to expand their knowledge and technical skills. The instructor will encourage students to explore new techniques and work
in larger formats. One of the classes will include a live model. This class will also include a guided trip to the galleries to view the VBMA’s exhibition Ancient Egypt & the Napoleonic Era: Masterworks from the Dahesh Museum of Art. Click here for recommended supply list.
Classes meet March 25 – May 20, 2024
Mondays, 1:30 – 4:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 1
#24SP-34 $320 (VBMA members $275)
INTRODUCTION TO PAINTING
Barry Shapiro
Beginner Level
This course is designed to teach beginners the art and science of oil or acrylic painting, including perspective, color, and brushwork. Classes cover what students need to know about how to start an enjoyable and successful lifetime of painting. Students will work on assignments in class with specific instruction. One of the classes will include a live model. This class will also include a guided trip to the galleries to view the VBMA’s exhibition Ancient Egypt & the Napoleonic Era: Masterworks from the Dahesh Museum of Art. Click here for recommended supply list.
Classes meet March 20 – May 22, 2024
Wednesdays, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 1
#24SP-43 $310 (VBMA members $265)
INTERMEDIATE PAINTING
Barry Shapiro
Intermediate Level
This course is for students who have completed Introduction to Painting or are relatively experienced painters looking to enhance their skills. Students will learn from well-known artworks and artists as well as from in-class
instruction. Students will study composition through painting exercises in oil or acrylics, including still life, and figurative proportions. This class will also include a guided trip to the galleries to view the VBMA’s exhibition Ancient Egypt & the Napoleonic Era: Masterworks from the Dahesh Museum of Art. Click here for recommended supply list.
Classes meet March 20 – May 22, 2024
Wednesdays, 1:30 – 4:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 1
#24SP-44 $310 (VBMA members $265)
WATERCOLORS AND MORE ON A BUDGET
Stephanie Lovallo
All Levels
This class will give students the opportunity to create wonderful paintings using budget friendly supplies. We’ll use techniques created by the instructor to show movement and motion which helps to bring the paintings to life. We’ll have fun creating happy accidents. Our subject matter will include still life, beach scenes, birds, and sailboats, along with abstract and expressionist styles. Although our supplies are affordable, our finished compositions will be good enough to share or sell. Materials will be provided, and students may bring in any additional supplies they desire.
Classes meet April 24 – May 22, 2024
Wednesdays, 1:30 – 4:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 2
#24SP-46 $190 (VBMA members $160)
Register for #24SP-46
HOW TO PAINT A LANDSCAPE
Pearl Lau
All Levels
Students will be encouraged to “find their own voice”, there is more than one way to create a landscape. We will be looking in the galleries at the latest exhibit of “Ancient Egypt and the Napoleonic Era”. This fabulous collection has terrific examples of how various artists created a sense of depth and atmosphere in their paintings. We will also explore French Impressionists and contemporary artists. Come to class with a favorite photo of a scene you took. We won’t “copy” the photo but create a painting from it. Click here for recommended supply list.
Classes meet April 24 – May 22, 2024
Wednesdays, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm Location:
VBMA Studio 2
#24SP-48 $190 (VBMA members $160)
Register for #24SP-48
WATERCOLOR EXPLORATIONS
Pearl Lau
Beginner and Intermediate Levels
This course will serve as an explorative introduction to the art of watercolor. Students will explore a variety of basic watercolor techniques, color relationships, creating shadows and loosening up through artistic expression
with the watercolor medium. Click here for recommended supply list.
Classes meet April 25 – May 23, 2024
Thursdays, 9:30 – 12:30 pm
Location: VBMA Studio 2
#24SP-50 $190 (VBMA members $160)
Register for #24SP-50
REGISTRATION INFO SPRING 2024 CLASS SCHEDULE
Registration Information
Register online at www.vbmuseum.org.
All registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Materials
Tuition does not cover the cost of materials used for students’ own production unless stated otherwise. Recommended materials lists for each course or workshop(s) are available when registering at the Museum; online registrants will receive an e-mail with any material lists, or they may download them from the website.
Guest Policy
Waiting Lists
Cancellations
Refunds
Requests for refunds are made during the drop/add week, which is the first week of class. There are no refunds after the first week of class, unless approved otherwise.