Vashon Center for the Arts has recently opened registration for online winter classes, taught by a line-up of notable and talented islanders.
“We are fortunate to have such highly regarded and skilled professionals teaching classes,” said Wendy Finkleman, VCA Director of Arts Education. “They bring years of experience, creativity and dedication to their work with students.”
A class taught by Bruce Morser, “Fearless Drawing,” will start on Jan. 21 and is open to students ages 15 to 100.
An award-winning illustrator, Morser has had clients such as National Geographic, NASA, Nike, and the Smithsonian. He has previously taught illustration and drawing at the Art Institute of Seattle, Cornish College of the Arts, and the School of Visual Concepts.
Morser believes that drawing is much more of a mindset than a skill.
“Ask a class of first graders ‘anyone want to draw?’ – they’ll all scream ‘yes!’ Ask a bunch of adults … not so enthusiastic,” Morser said. “What happened? Drawing is at the core of so many creative activities and even though our brains are actually wired to succeed at it, so many of us lack confidence.”
“Fearless Drawing” requires no experience and will guide students through the process of starting up a drawing practice with joy.
In February, acclaimed essayist and cookbook author Shauna Ahern will lead a memoir class titled “Writing Your Own Story.”
Ahern is the author of five award-winning books, and her essays have been published by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Bon Appetit, and The Guardian. Her recent memoir, “Enough,” has earned praise in reviews from The Washington Post and Booklist.
Ahern’s aim in the class is to create a community of writers. Students will receive daily writing prompts and group feedback to support them in the telling of their stories.
Amy Broomhall, who supplied Café Luna with tasty cookies, cakes, pastries and croissants for more than a year, will share her skills in two fun-filled baking adventure classes, “Cupcakes with the Fun Baker,” which starts on Jan. 22. The class, which will end with a cupcake challenge, will teach the basics of baking, frosting flavoring and decorating, and is open to students aged 10 and older.
For more experienced bakers, another class, “Celebration Cakes” will explore everything from piping techniques to beautiful decorations in the making of professional-looking cakes.
Robyn Smith, a former Vashon resident, will teach “Drawing Manga” for students ages 8 to 13, starting Feb. 4.
Manga, an illustrative style originating from Japan, involves different drawing styles, developing characters, and storyline development. No experience in manga is required. Smith is a long-time professor and artist who has taught at museums, arts centers, colleges and high schools both in the Pacific Northwest and across the country.
Carolina Silva will teach a class focused on three-dimensional projects in the styles of different famous artists. Her class, ”Box Full of Art!” will guide kids ages 7 to 12 through an exploration of a variety of sculptural techniques inspired by piecing together bits and bobs from a box full of materials provided.
Originally from Spain, Silva is a teacher at Gage Academy and teaches bilingually, making the class ideal for ESL students and students studying Spanish.
Emalia Hinden, a recent graduate of Hofstra University’s film studies and production program, with a concentration in film directing, will teach two filmmaking classes, one for younger students and one for adults.
Students will learn camera techniques, story-boarding, shooting and editing with technology that is on most smartphones. Both classes will culminate in students creating a short film.
A lifelong member of the Vashon film community, Hinden showed her first film at the Vashon Theatre when she was 11 years old and has been working on films ever since.
Scholarships are available to make VCA classes affordable for any student interested, regardless of age or income. For more information or to register, visit VashonCenterfortheArts.org or call 206-259-3005.
