May 21, 2009

Face and Figure Workshops to Consider

Here is some information on two upcoming Figure workshops this year. The first is at Red Deer College in central Alberta and deals with the figure in costume.
The second workshop deals with the face and figure at Dillman's resort in beautiful Wisconsin.

Red Deer
Welcome to Series 2009 and Red Deer College!
We are delighted that Series Summer School of the Visual Arts will be the first occupants in our new Visual Art Building. New painting, sculpture and ceramics studios, classrooms and gathering areas, along with the current studio spaces, have allowed us to expand the variety of workshops in our summer program. You can help us spread the word about our great workshops. If you know of someone who might be interested please direct them to our website at www.rdc.ab.ca/continuingeducation or email us at arts@rdc.ab.ca . If you belong to an organization or know of one which would like to distribute our brochures or let their members or clients know about the program we will follow up with them.

We’ve listened to previous participants and we are cutting down on paper usage as much as possible. We are regularly updating our website www.rdc.ab.ca/continuingeducation with information regarding events, food services, accommodation, and materials for workshops. If you can’t find what you’re looking for please contact us at arts@rdc.ab.ca

The cancellation policy is outlined in our brochure. Please contact us as soon as possible if you need to cancel since some workshops are very popular.
Our goal is to run every workshop we offer but if we do have to cancel due to low enrolment, we will provide 30 days notice and try to accommodate you in another class.

Getting to your workshop
Red Deer College is just off the QEII Highway (Highway 2) at 32nd St. If you are staying in Residence please go to Residence Administration any time after 2pm on Sunday and check in. There are no food services available at the College on Sunday but we’re planning to light the BBQ for an informal gathering of participants staying in Residence. Details will be posted at Residence Administration and on the Website.

You are welcome to get set up in your workshop on Sunday evening. Series summer staff will be on hand to direct you to your workshop and provide assistance.
Your workshop is from Monday – Friday, 9am – 4pm. The studios are open in the evening until approximately 10pm (8pm for the glass studio) for you to practice your skills. Due to the nature of art classes, schedules are flexible and your instructor and/or the technician will keep you informed of any schedule changes.

Series is not just about workshops!
· Bilton Contemporary Art Gallery, Red Deer will be exhibiting the work of selected Series instructors.
· Red Deer College will showcase the work of Series Instructors in the annual Series Faculty Exhibition.
· Series Instructors present their own work in an audio visual presentation on Monday evening.
· Series welcome dinner on Monday evening.
· Thursday evening is the highlight of the week as participants present their work to fellow participants and the Red Deer community and celebrate the week’s accomplishments with a cheese and wine reception.
· Special events will be posted on the website and your instructor will keep you informed.

Series Visual Art Workshops
Your supply list is online at www.rdc.ab.ca/continuingeducation Please check before you come in case your instructor has added any last minute items. Red Deer College Bookstore sells basic art supplies and there is an excellent art store in town. In some workshops the supplies required to complete the projects planned will be provided and the cost has been included in the fee.


Dillman's
For information call: 403.356.4900
or e-mail: continuingeducation@rdc.ab.ca
To register call: 403.357.3663

Pederson October 5 – 11, 2009 (Five Teaching Days) Faces and Figures in Watermedia
New to Dillman's http://www.jeanpederson.com/
This course is designed to open the door into exploration of various combinations of water media while dealing with the face and figure. You will be encouraged to take risks beyond the traditions of watercolors in the pursuit of your own personal language. As well as working with traditional watercolor, we will be mixing it up by exploring how everything from watercolor to gouache, gesso, inks, and mark making tools can work together. These techniques can be applied to a variety of styles to create your own unique artistic statement. Emphasis will be placed on personal style.
Jean has been painting for over twenty years, balancing her strong teaching and writing abilities with her continuing aspiration to convey her ideas in visual form. Jean's portrait paintings are based on people who have influenced her in some way. These subjects often reflect different walks of life as well as diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. Expressing the human figure in a language that reflects the twenty-first century is perhaps the greatest challenge in figurative work today.
Jean's traditional practice includes referential imagery of people, still life, landscape and non-referential imagery. Layering of various media offers Jean an assortment of possibilities; quality of edge, line and texture all play a role within her imagery. Although well known for her mastery of watercolors, mixed media has become an important vehicle for her creative expression.
Jean has been honored with numerous National and International awards over the years, and has work placed in the Royal Collection in Winsor, England. In 2005, she was the first recipient of the Federation of Canadian Artists Early Achievement Award, recognizing her many honors and awards for consistently exceptional painting, and for her international writing to promote art education.
Jean has exhibited her work internationally in London, England, Stockholm, Sweden, New York, United Nations, San Francisco, Mexico and across Canada. Outside Jean's traditional practices, she recently completed an exhibit dealing with the changes that have occurred within the social fabric of Rural Canada. Slated to travel to various public galleries, Farm Fragments is as eclectic as the people who made up the rural society. Jean has included paintings, collage (using the old documents to symbolize all that is left of the family farm), and Polaroid transfers of old and new photographs, and installations using the pieces of the old house to tell this story. The people who broke the land are the real story, they immigrated, toiled and nurtured the land it’s community. Any experimentation that you practice will ultimately creep into your traditional practice to keep it fresh.
N E W S R E L E A S E
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FROM: Dillman’s Creative Arts Foundation, P.O. Box 98
Lac du Flambeau, WI 54538 (715) 588-3143
http://www.dillmans.com/ art@dillmans.com

May 12, 2009

4th Annual Mentors' Day


4th Annual Mentors' Day

On May 9th I participated for the third time in the 4th annual Mentors Day and the Leighton Centre.

This project was initially conceived to honour the teaching and mentoring legacy that the Leighton Art Centre is built upon and the artists of today who have taken on the important task of passing on their own legacy by teaching others. Join us for this special day which has become an annual spring event at the Leighton Art Centre.

The Mentors presented this year are a wonderful example of the talented teachers found in the Calgary area.
Jean demonstrating layering using abstraction.

May 05, 2009

Fernie Workshop

Students watching Jean doing a demonstration.
I had a great time teaching at the old Train Station for artists in Fernie.

Although the weather was a bit chilly, the enthusiasm was great and everyone had lots of fun with mixed media!
Workshop painting!