Welcome to SPACE, our adult continuing education program which offers interactive monthly courses for personal enrichment! Learn more here.

Art Portal

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Art History – A Thousand Stories Non-Sequential Series

Whenever we see a painting or a sculpture we might think many different things; we might wonder why we like or dislike it; what is its meaning; and why the artist created it in that way.

In this series we will explore different art periods, movements, and artists. We will discuss the context, symbolism, style, and what each of these periods/ movement/ artists tells us today.

Some of the questions we will ask during these modules are: what is art? How is art different from arts and crafts? What is the purpose of art? Why are some art pieces famous? What are some of the most prominent styles? Why are some artists, such as Vincent Van Gogh, so popular today but not during their own time? How and why do we relate to different pieces in different ways and with different emotional responses?

Each module stands on its own and no previous knowledge of Art History is required. The idea is to engage with the different topics from different lenses and to share different ideas and opinions about them.
Precepted by Pilar Barrera

Art History – A Thousand Stories: Dutch Golden Age

In this particilar module of the series Art History - A Thousand Stories , we will study and discuss Dutch Golden Age of painting. We will talk about the different art genres that emerged such as still life, landscapes and genre painting. We'll also pay special attention to Rembrandt Van Rijn and Johannes Vermeer.

The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:
Outline 8-Session Structure
Week 1 Session 1: Introduction to Dutch Golden Age: Context and Art genres
Session 2: A look at still life
Week 2 Session 3: Rembrandt Van Rijn – Part 1
Session 4: Rembrandt Van Rijn – Part 2
Week 3 Session 5: Genre paintings: Adriaen van Ostade, Jan Steen, Pieter de Hooch
Session 6: Johannes Vermeer – Part 1
Week 4 Session 7: Johannes Vermeer – Part 2
Session 8: A look at landscapes: Hendrick Avercamp, Aert van der Neer, Paulus Potter
Precepted by Pilar Barrera

Art History – A Thousand Stories: Italian Renaissance

In this particilar module of the series Art History - A Thousand Stories , we will talk and discuss Italian Renaissance. We will overview the context focusing on the work of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael Sanzio, and Michelangelo Buonarroti.

The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:
Outline 8-Session Structure
Week 1 Session 1: Introduction to Italian Renaissance: from the Middle Ages to Humanism and the importance of Giotto
Session 2: Il Quattrocento: Domenico Ghirlandaio and Sandro Botticelli
Week 2 Session 3: Leonardo da Vinci – Part 1
Session 4: Leonardo da Vinci – Part 2
Week 3 Session 5: Il Cinquecento: Raphael Sanzio – Part 1
Session 6: Raphael Sanzio – Part 2
Week 4 Session 7: Michelangelo Buonarroti – Part 1
Session 8: Michelangelo Buonarroti – Part 2
Precepted by Pilar Barrera

Art History – A Thousand Stories: Post-Impressionism

In this particilar module of the series Art History - A Thousand Stories, we will study and discuss Post-Impressionism focusing on the life and artwork of Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and Paul Cézanne.

The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:
Outline 8-Session Structure
Week 1 Session 1: Introduction to Post-Impressionism
Session 2: New Horizons in Art: a brief overview of Georges Seurat, Degas and Paul Signac
Week 2 Session 3: Vincent Van Gogh – Part 1
Session 4: Vincent Van Gogh – Part 2
Week 3 Session 5: Paul Gauguin – Part 1
Session 6: Paul Gauguin – Part 2
Week 4 Session 7: Paul Cézanne – Part 1
Session 8: Paul Cézanne – Part 2
Precepted by Pilar Barrera

Introduction to Watercolor Painting

Do you love to look at paintings, but aren’t sure how to make them yourself? Do you want to paint, but you don’t have room to store flammable, smelly chemicals like turpentine? Do oil/acrylic canvases and easels take up too much room for you to work in a small space? If you’ve painted watercolor before, have you wondered why they looked washed out or why you get certain unexpected textures in your color mixes? Then this module is for you!

This class is an introduction to the materials, tools, and methods of watercolor painting. Whether you're brand new to making art, a seasoned painter who wants to connect with other makers, or you just want to find out how Tolkien created many of his Middle-earth illustrations, you’ll find a place in this module!

The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:
Outline 8-Session Structure
Week 1 Session 1: Defining Watercolor – What makes Watercolor different from other art media?
Session 2: Materials and Terms – What you need and where to get it
Week 2 Session 3: Prep – What to do before you start painting
Session 4: Composition – Tips for visually interesting paintings and how to save your whites
Week 3 Session 5: Values – How to get good tone, range, and contrast
Session 6:Color Mixing – Sediments vs. stains and how to make harmonious paintings
Week 4 Session 7: Texture – Tips for interesting textures and brushwork
Session 8: Overflow, Resources for Further Research, and Final Q & A
Precepted by Praise Moyer
If you have any questions about the SPACE program, please reach out to [email protected].