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Lessons and Classes: The Watauga County Arts Council Offers After School Art Activities for Local Children

Oct. 1, 2014. Do you know a creatively minded child? Who doesn’t?   The Watauga County Arts Council believes that all children are creatively minded and, for those who enjoy art or music, we’re offering some wonderful creative options for children after school hours at the Blue Ridge ArtSpace this fall.

After-School Art Exploration

Katherine Marx, an accomplished artist and experienced art teacher, has been teaching drawing classes for children at the Blue Ridge ArtSpace since January 2014. Now she is expanding her offerings to include a new and broader approach for children who might enjoy a variety of arts activities. Through the After School Art Exploration classes, she will provide guided activities in arts and crafts. Personalized guidance will be offered for each participant and the children will have opportunities to select activities and assignments. A variety of creative experiences will be provided to allow children opportunities to explore new art forms.

The After School Art Exploration classes will be offered for 2 days per week initially, with the possibility of adding in more days with sufficient interest and enrollment. Initially it will be offered on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3-5 p.m.   The cost will be $288 for twelve weeks of instruction (or if there are less available weeks when the child is enrolled the cost will be prorated by the number of remaining weeks).

Drawing Lessons

Anya is really proud of her acocomplishments in Drawing ClassThe wonderful drawing classes which Katherine Marx has been teaching are continuing, but on a new day of the week. This fall the classes are being offered on Wednesday afternoons from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and additional classes will be offered with sufficient enrollment.

This is an ongoing series of drawing classes for children. Basic drawing techniques using a wide variety of media, including pencil, colored pencil, pen & ink, and more! Emphasis is on accurate rendering of subject, and proper shading. Graphic design projects including logo design and package design are also included in the curriculum. Class size is limited to ensure lots of individual attention for each child.   This is a class for children who want to develop their drawing and design abilities and the first question Marx asks children is, “Do you like to draw?” If the answer is no, they need to consider whether they would really enjoy being in the class.   It is evident that Marx has great teaching skills when you see the work that some of her prior students have produced. As Marx has agreed, “Drawing is learning how to see,  more than how to guide your hand.”

The drawing classes are being offered with two options from which the parent and child can choose: For one hour of instruction with ½ hour of guided free drawing, the cost is $78 for a six week series of weekly classes. For a 1 ½ hour structured lesson the cost is $90 for a six week series of weekly classes. Because this is a class, for parents who enroll their children after the start of a series, the cost will be pro-rated by the remaining number of classes in the series.

Mandolin and Guitar Lessons

David Smith, an accomplished performer and teacher, is offering guitar and mandolin lessons at the Blue Ridge ArtSpace. With a Master’s degree in Music Performance with Classical Guitar from ASU, Smith himself performs classic, jazz, and popular styles and is open to teaching his students in these same styles. Students also learn to read music notation, tablature, picking styles, and finger styles. Smith is continually expanding his own exploration of new instruments and musical styles, which also expands the scope and instrumentation he can impart to his students.

Lessons are arranged at the mutual convenience of the teacher and student. Tuition for ½ hour lessons is $276 for a 12 week session (or $23/lesson), $396 for ¾ hour lessons (or $33/lesson), and $516 for one hour lessons (or $43/lesson).   If a student registers during the 12 week session, the cost is pro-rated by the remaining number of lessons in the series.

Teaching Opportunities

The Arts Council is inviting other music teachers who would like to utilize the Blue Ridge ArtSpace for teaching music lessons (or arts teachers who would like -to teach arts and crafts classes or workshops) to contact them. In order to get the Spring Series organized in time to release the upcoming classes, workshops, and lessons to the community by the holidays, they are asking that teaching artists get in touch with them prior to mid-November.   For the Summer Series, they will be accepting proposals by mid-April. Information about teaching at the Blue Ridge ArtSpace is also located on their website under the heading of “Workshops, Classes, and Lessons/Artists’ Application to Teach”.

For information about these learning opportunities and other workshops, check the WCAC website at www.watauga-arts.org, email the Arts Council at wcac@watauga-arts.org, call them at 828-264-1789, or simply come by the Blue Ridge ArtSpace at 377 Shadowline Drive in Boone.