Art Classes Offered by the Arts Alliance

REGISTER ON LINE

The Arts Alliance is now offering a wide variety of Arts classes. Whether you are interested in learning new skills or advancing the ones that you already have, we have classes available for you. We also have classes that fulfill the Arts requirements for students who are home schooled.
Classes are held at the Arts Alliance Gallery, unless another location is specified, - 716 Main Street in Downtown Elk River.
Click here to register online, or register in person at the Arts Alliance Office or by phone at 763-441-4725

Fall is a Great Time to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing!

FALL CLASS SCHEDULE

Class Changes will be posted here. Please remember to check the register by date. If you miss that date, please call the office for registration info.

 Great New Drawing Series for Kids!

F301 Learn to Draw What you See!

Suitable for kids 8 to 12 years old

Because young artists, at some point in their development, become dissatisfied with their ability to draw realistically, they need guidance in drawing what they see.
 In this 6-week series, kids will learn to look at real objects as abstract shapes which they will reproduce and later assemble like pieces of a jig saw puzzle to make a pleasing whole. As the series progresses, they will experiment with line, value and color masses to create their original, more developed artwork. Students will work with Harvey Schroeder, a life-long visual artist (who remembers winning boxes and boxes of crayons as a kid artist himself) and career art teacher (who enjoys the vitality and creativity youngsters bring to class). Supplies needed:  two 6B pencils, a kneaded eraser or art gum eraser, a 9 X 12 pad of drawing paper, and a box of at least 12 colored pencils.4

Mondays October 4, 11, 18, and 25. From 4 to 5:30 PM
Register by September 17
Class Fee:  $83 ($75 members)
Instructor:  Harvey Schroeder 

F103 Cartooning with Duane Barnhart

Suitable for Grades 2 through adult

Join professional cartoonist Duane Barnhart as you learn how to draw both popular cartoon characters and invent your own using easy to draw shapes.  You’ll be introduced to the same techniques Disney and comic artists employ, and you’ll learn to draw quickly and confidently.  This session is designed to help beginners and experienced sketchers.  Parents who wish to accompany their youngsters are welcome, but must register as well. Space is limited, so register early. 

Monday, November 1 from 4:00 to 5:30 PM

Register by October 27

Materials:  Bring your own supply of white paper, pencils, and extra fine point, black felt tip pens.

Class fee:  $15 ($13 members)

Instructor: Duane Barnhart

 F104 Creating Cartoon Strips, Comic Books,  and Graphic Novels

Suitable for students twelve through adults

Some ideas are bigger and more complex than a single cartoon can convey.  Have fun with Duane Barnhart as he shows you how to develop a concept into a multi-panel strip of your own.  Interested in comic books or graphic novels?  Duane will show several examples of what works and what doesn’t.  You’ll leave with a good grasp of  basic principles that can be applied to all three cartooning genres.

Wednesday, November 3 from 4:00 to 5:30 PM

Register by October 27

Materials:  Bring your own supply of white paper, pencils, and extra fine point, black felt tip pens.

Class fee:  $15 ($13 members)

Instructor: Duane Barnhart

F413 Graphic Novels—The Hot New Literary Genre
This class is appropriate for students 12 years old through adults.

"Join Chad Corrie, author of The Adventure of Corwyn, The Divine Gambit, Tales of Tralodron, and other writings in this workshop that focuses on graphic novels.  Students will broaden their understanding of the nature of graphic novels and the process of creating them by previewing several examples of this innovative genre.  Chad will refer students to a podcast series to view on their own which features insights from several people involved in the creation and production of Tales of Tralodron.  Students are encouraged to bring with them their own questions about the graphic genre, processes and teamwork used in creating them, and ways to get them published, as ample time for questions is built into this workshop."

Thursday, November 18 from 5 to 7 PM
Register by November 15

Class Fee:  $19 ($17 members)

Instructor:  Chad Corrie

Painting / Drawing

 F100 Watercolor Color Tools and Materials
This class is perfect for the novice who wants to work with watercolor but is confused by all the options for paints, brushes, and papers. Learn to select materials for your watercolor kit. Get tips on purchasing and using watercolor papers, finding brushes that will work for you; and understanding the differences in watercolor paints. Students will try out different watercolor supplies, mixing colors, learning about color charts, and will end the evening creating watercolor sketches. Materials will be provided for you. Suitable for student 16 through adults.

Monday, September 20 and 27  from 6 to 9 PM
Register by September 15
Class Fee:  $55 ($50 members)
Materials fee: $7 payable to instructor
Instructor:  Kim Pietrzak

F101 I’ve Purchased Watercolor Supplies, Now What?
Spend the evening creating watercolor painting while learning the basic watercolor techniques. Focusing on the beginning watercolor enthusiast, this class will have students exploring flat washes, graded washes, glazed washes, wet into wet, and dry brush techniques. Supplies required: Basic watercolor kit to include: basic palette, round, rigger, and flat brush, and 140lb cold press paper 9 x 12 or larger. (Selecting these materials learned in “Watercolor Tools and Materials” class). Miss that class? For a recommended supply list, call the Arts Alliance Gallery at: (763) 441-4725

Monday, October 18 and 25 from 6 – 9 PM

Register by October 14

Class Fee:  $55 ($50 members)

Instructor Kim Pietrzak

 F102 Watercolor and Stained Paper Collage
By combining watercolor with collage innovative opportunities arise to respond to working on a textured surface while exploring creativity and design. We'll begin by staining a variety of beautiful oriental papers with water media that will be used to create layers of brilliance and texture. Add glazes of watercolor to unify your work and define form and detail. A great exercise in color and design.

Tuesday, October 26 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM

Register by October 21

Class Fee:  $28 ($25 members)

Materials fee of $5 will include all materials and specialty papers.

Instructor:  Cherene Bebeau       

F106 Acrylic as Watermedia--The "NEW" Watercolor
Acrylic is gaining popularity as the "new" water-media. Experience the versatility of the medium, as well as the similarities and differences between acrylic and watercolor while painting with time-honored watercolor techniques. Discover the fun unique effects you can achieve when you "mingle" the two mediums.Bring your watercolor paper and brushes. Paints will be supplied.

Tuesday, November 9 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM
Register by November 4

Class Fee:  $28 ($25 members)

Instructor:  Cherene Bebeau

 F107 Planning and Executing the Watercolor Painting
A two-session class, this watercolor experience has students selecting a subject, planning the watercolor composition, and the executing the painting. Guidance will be provided in adapting a concept or reference image into a workable watercolor composition. Use of value and color sketches will be taught and practices. Students will work through selecting color schemes and use of watercolor techniques in creating personalized paintings. Students are encouraged to bring along reference photos to use in planning their painting. Supplies required: Basic watercolor kit to include: basic palette, round, rigger, and flat brush, and 140lb cold press paper 9 x 12 or larger. (Selecting these materials learned in “Watercolor Tools and Materials” class). Miss that class? For a recommended supply list, call the Arts Alliance Gallery at: (763) 441-4725 

Monday, November 8 and 15^th, 6 to 9 P M

Register by November 3

Class Fee:  $55 ($50 members)
Instructor: Kim Pietrzak

Book Arts

F700 Japanese Paste Paint--A Book in a Box 

Paint beautiful textured papers that are so often seen on designer journals and treasured boxes. Paste Painting is a centuries-old paper decorating technique that uses unconventional tools to displace paint on paper creating a variety of unique patterns and images. Then incorporating your own painted papers you will construct a meandering journal and a box (from scratch) to hold your book securely. An inspiring combo for you or to share as a special gift. All materials included.

Tuesday, November 16 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM

Register by Novemberj10

Class Fee:  $28 ($25 members)

Materials Fee: $3 (Pay to instructor in class)

Instructor:  Cherene Bebeau

Writing

F 401 Capturing Memory Continued  
In this workshop students will delve deeper into techniques for triggering memory and generating material. We’ll use various techniques for accessing memory and crafting stories. If you were not part of the earlier workshop, no matter, there’s plenty to learn and to benefit from for all writers. Come to class prepared to spend a significant amount of time writing and sharing.  Students may also bring a 5-6page double-spaced piece of writing for critique by the instructor.

Saturday, September 11 from 9 AM to 1 PM

Register by September 11

Class Fee:  $37 ($34 members)

Instructor:  Alison Bergblom-Johnson 

F402 Is It Any Good?  How to Critique Your Own (and Others’) Creative Nonfiction ch
To get better writing we must ask better questions.  Learn to ask the questions that lead to improved writing in what the late, great Carol Bly called the long middle stage of writing.  Bring 5 manuscript pages (double spaced) to class.

Saturday, September 18 from 9 AM to 1 PM

Register by September 13

Class Fee:  $37 ($34 members)

Instructor:  Alison Bergblom Johnson

 F403 Writing Great Beginnings
There's a rule in publishing: If you don't grab your audience in the first chapter, you never will. Sounds unfair, doesn't it? But there are tricks to pulling your audience in and keeping them hooked. We'll examine these tricks by examining the first chapters and paragraphs of successful books like The Da Vinci Code and Silence of the Lambs and then put them to work in a writing exercise. 

Thursday, September 16 from 1 to 3 PM

Register by September 12

Class Fee:  $19 ($17 members)

Instructor:  Britt Aamodt
 

F404 *When Characters Speak: Writing dialogue     
We talk all the time, but when it comes down to writing it…well, let's just say sometimes our characters could use a little dialogue coaching. In this workshop, we'll look at how other authors tackle the challenge of writing dialogue that sounds natural, fits the character and drives the story forward. We'll work on our own dialoguing exercises, with examples from Charles Dickens and Jane Austen.

Thursday, September 30 from 1 to 3 PM
Register by September 17
Class Fee:  $19 ($17 members)
Instructor Britt Aamodt

F405 Flash Fiction: Writing the short-short story
There's a new form of short fiction in town. It's called flash fiction, short stories that are anywhere from 250 to 700 words in length. That's about the length of a newspaper article. Flash fiction is an emerging form popular with online literary journals, which should encourage you to try your hand it at. We'll look at published examples of flash fiction, figure out how they work, and attempt our own flash pieces.

Thursday, October 7 from 1 to 3 PM
Register by September 29
Class Fee:$19 ($17 members)
Instructor:  Britt Aamodt

F406 Raising the Stakes:  How Strong Characters Create Strong Narrative
Angela in Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes.  Esther Greenberg in Sylva Plath’s The Bell Jar. We’ll look at how to write strong characters and how that inherently creates conflict.  We’ll also discuss the importance of character’s motivation.  We’ll read from several memoirs with strong characters including Mikal Gilmore’s Shot in the Heart and Maxine Hong Kingston’s Woman Warrior.

Thursday, October 14 from 5 to 9 PM

Register by October 11

Class Fee:  $37 ($34 members)

Instructor:  Alison Berglom Johnson

 F407 Sharing the Past: An Intergenerational Experience

What was your grandmother like when she was a child?  How did your grandfather pass his time before there were computer games? What did they do during the Viet Nam era? When they were children, what did they want to do when they grew up?  What did your mom and dad dream about? Find out this and more as you interview someone older adult.  Perhaps the interview will reveal that despite cell phones, computers and television, childhood today has much in common with childhood in the past.  In turn, adults may interview the younger students and make discoveries about them too.  You’ll be able to learn how to turn those discussions into creative nonfiction stories to share.  We’ll discuss ways to revise writing beyond just tinkering with punctuation. A great opportunity for adults and kids to share productive, quality, discovery time together.

Thursday and Friday, October 21 and 22 from noon to 4 PM

Register by October 14

Class Fee:  $74 ($67 members) per one adult and one younger student

Instructor:  Alison Bergblom Johnson

F408  Breaking Up the Narrative: The art of writing scenes 
Novels, short stories and personal essays are composed of scenes. The trick to writing a great story of any length is to write scenes that compel the reader to go on to the next scene and then the next. Those are the stories that keep us up all night reading. In this workshop, we'll look at example scenes from Harry Potter books see what makes them work or not work and discuss techniques for making compelling scene breaks. 

Thursday, October 28 from 1 to 3 PM

Register by October 22

Class Fee: $19 ($17 members)

Instructor:  Britt Aamodt

 F410 The Past of Our Imagination  
According to the great novelist William Faulkner, “The past is not dead.  In fact, it’s not even past.” In this course we’ll look at how to imagine the past and think about how it impacts the present.  We’ll read excerpts from In Country by Bobbie Ann Mason, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie, The Lost by Daniel Mendelsohn and Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates thinking about how to portray a past we never experienced.  Students will write about a past event that has triggered their imagination. 

Thursday, November 4 from 5 to 9 PM

Register by November 13

Class Fee:  $37 ($34 members)

Instructor:  Alison Bergblom Johnson

 F412 This Is Where My Character Lives: Writing Setting  
Descriptions are an integral part of storytelling. Descriptions delve into the territory of our senses: sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch. In this workshop, we'll concentrate on descriptions of setting and place. We'll read examples from Willa Cather and Anton Chekov, and engage our own senses in exercises designed to teach us about using our own senses to say something about the literary worlds we're creating. 

Thursday, November 11 from 1 to 3 PM

Register by November 5

Class Fee:  $19 ($17 members)

Instructor:  Britt Aamodt

 F414 Writing Action Sequences
Most of us don't get in fist fights. We don't jump from a tall building, somersault through the air and land two feet from our nemesis blade drawn, ready to tangle. But wouldn't it be great to spend two hours figuring out how the pros write believable and well-thought-out action sequences? We'll consider action sequences from authors like Donald Westlake and Joe Hill, and discuss what action is in the context of different types of stories, such as a domestic drama, a comedy and a suspense novel. Exercises will put our new-found knowledge onto the page.

Monday, November 22 from 1 to 3 PM

Register by:  November 17

Class Fee:  $19 ($17 members)

Instructor: Britt Aamodt

F415 Writing the Feature Article      

Many authors first break into writing with articles. And why not? Opportunities abound to write for the local paper, an organizational newsletter, online journals and even national magazines. But how do you write a basic news article? We'll look at format and style, with examples from the local paper and magazines like Rolling Stone, as well as discuss the business of finding markets for your writing and contacting editors. Exercises will teach us the pyramid format and outlining a feature piece.

Thursday, December 9 from 1 to 3 PM

Register by December 1

Class Fee: $19 ($17 members)

Instructor:  Britt Aamidt

Music

F500 Billy McLaughlin Guitar Workshop
Join the great Billy McLaughlin for an intimate guitar workshop held in conjunction with his concert later in the evening. (tickets available at elkriverart.org) Never will you have such a great opportunity to learn from one of America ’s greatest guitarists at such a low cost. Bring your guitar. We are limited to 10 students for the workshop, so register early! 

Thursday October 7 from 4 to 5:30 PM (at the ERHS Band Room)
Class fee: $15 ($13 members)
Register by October 4
Instructor:  Billy McLaughlin

Fiber Arts –

F800 *Felted Vessels, Vases & Bowls

No knitting, no sewing! Learn the fascinating art of seamless 3-D wet felting. Using wool and a variety of other natural fibers, felt a small vessel to hold trinkets, chocolates or to simply adorn any shelf. Choose bright or natural colors, then “sculpt” your vessel into any shape from organic to contemporary. You can even make it reversible. We’ll be working with water, so dress comfortably and get ready to roll up your sleeves. Bring from home: 2 hand towels,1 old bath towel, pair of sharp scissors, plastic bag to carry home wet items. Optional: apron (waterproof or cloth), snack.

Saturday, September 25 form 11 AM to 3:30 PM

Register by September 21.

Class Fee: $42 ($38 members)

Materials fee: $20 (includes all fibers and supplies and is payable to instructor in class)

Instructor:  Leslie Granbeck

F801 Scarves to Dye For!

Dye your own silk scarves in the morning, then design a Nuno felted scarf in the afternoon. Learn color theory and silk dyeing basics, safety tips and eco-friendly dyeing methods. After a short “setting” period, your silk will be beautifully dyed and ready for an afternoon of felting. With your dyed silk as a base, apply soft wool and other exotic fibers to the surface and learn the steps to bond them into a beautiful Nuno felted scarf. Dress for mess and be ready to roll up your sleeves. Bring from home: sharp scissors, 2-3 old hand towels,1 old bath towel, plastic bag to carry home wet items. Optional: apron (waterproof or cloth), bag lunch or snack

Saturday, October 23 from 9 AM to 4 PM

Register by October 20

Class Fee:  $64 ($58 members)

Materials fee:   $40 (includes 3 silk scarves, all fibers and supplies, and is payable to instructor in class)

Instructor:  Leslie Granbeck

  Holiday Ideas

F805 Needle Felted Gifts Workshop--Morning Workshop

Learn to needle felt with wool fibers and special barbed needles (yes, they’re sharp!). Design jewelry, ornaments, gift tags and more. Go green and embellish recycled wool sweater parts for a variety of accessories, adornments and gifts. You’ll be delighted at the possibilities.  Bring from home: Pair of sharp scissors.

Saturday, November 6 from 9 AM to 12 noon

Register by: November 3

Class Fee:  $28 ( $25 members)

Materials fee:  $10 (includes all fibers and supplies and is payable to instructor in class)

Instructor:  Leslie Granbeck

F806 More Felted Gifts: Traditional Wet Felting—Afternoon Workshop

Learn to make a variety of felted gifts using traditional wet felting techniques: beads, bracelets, cup cozies and other colorful wooly items. Make some to keep and some for your friends and family. $20 materials fee includes all fibers and supplies and is payable to instructor day of class. Bring from home: sharp scissors, 2-3 old hand towels, 1 old bath towel, plastic bag to carry home wet items. Optional: apron (waterproof or cloth).

Saturday, November 6 from 1 to 5 PM

Register by November 3

Class Fee:  $38 ($34 Members)

Materials fee:  $20 (includes all fibers and supplies and is payable to instructor in class.)

Instructor:  Leslie Granbeck

Just Fun

F502 Envelope Milling and Mail Art—Go Green! 

Mail art is art that uses the postal system as a medium and has become quite the phenomenon. Mail artists typically exchange ephemera in the many forms, and even have on-line networks. Transform your ordinary communications into art and jazz up your mail while "saving a tree"! Envelope milling is the special craft of recycling printed papers, painted papers, magazine pages, retired calendars, posters, etc. into beautiful custom-made envelopes. Mail art is fun to send, even more fun to receive, and may bring a smile to your postman!! You'll be surprised by what is "mailable". Leave inspired and loaded with templates and ideas you can use to create your own mail art. Materials included.

Tuesday, October 19 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM

Register by October 14

Class Fee:  $28 ($25 Members)

Instructor:  Cherene Bebeau

Click here to see Art Classes offered by ISD-728 Community Education