VMFA offers a variety of programs throughout the year, from films to lectures to art classes. For more information about these programs, please call Visitor Services at 804-340-1400 or visitorservices@vmfa.museum. Also, keep in mind that some events may change and the best way to find an updated list of programs is on our website.
Recurring Events
Thursday Jazz Café
Groove to an eclectic mix of jazz ensembles every Thursday, 6 – 9 p.m., at VMFA’s Best Café. The Jazz Café is presented to the public by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, in conjunction with the Richmond Jazz Society, free of charge! Light fare and beverages available for sale. Artists subject to change.
Friday Art & Wine
Now you have more reasons to hang out at VMFA on Friday nights! Head to the museum and enjoy discounted beverages and free half-hour gallery tours at 7 and 7:30 p.m. On the first Friday of each month, check out our First Fridays entertainment, too.
First Fridays: Performing Arts
The First Fridays series features an eclectic mix of multicultural performing arts showcased in different spaces within the museum. Take advantage of extended hours on Friday evenings (open until 9 p.m.) to also stroll through the galleries, explore the VMFA Shop, or enjoy dinner and drinks in Amuse Restaurant or Friday Art & Wine at Best Café.
Second Fridays: Wine Tasting
Taste different wines from around the world as Tony Karabaich, VMFA Restaurant and Service Manager, pours his choices of interesting wines-reds, whites, sparkling, and more. Refine your palate and learn about different wines and winemaking regions from a variety of wine experts, who will be available for discussion and questions. Also enjoy discounted beverages and guided tours as part of Friday Art & Wine.
Third Fridays: Tango After Work
Join in the fun and exotic beauty of the tango with Richmond’s tango community, while enjoying the food and social atmosphere in Best Café. You can also take advantage of half-price beverages as part of Friday Art & Wine.
Fourth Fridays: Meet Up with Art
Connect with newcomers to Richmond and those new to the arts scene as you make new social and professional contacts. You’ll enjoy delicious café cuisine as well as discounted beverages and guided art tours as part of Friday Art & Wine.
Walk-In Highlights Tours
Mon – Wed: 1 p.m., 3 p.m.
Thurs – Fri: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 6 p.m.
Sat – Sun: 11 a.m., 2 p.m.
JUNE 2015
June 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17
Young @ Art: World Travelers
Tuesdays or Wednesdays, 11 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
Ages 2 ½–5, accompanied by an adult, enrollment limit: 12 children
$10 (VMFA members $8) per child/adult pair
Travel around the world at VMFA! Explore different cultures and the art from those cultures while using artifacts to inspire your own works.
June 2
Gallery Program
3 in 30: Organic: Photographs of the Natural World
11 a.m., Meet at the Visitor Services Desk
Free, no reservations required
Join photo collection educator Frank Saunders for a gallery talk that explores works on-view in the exhibition Organic: Photographs of the Natural World. This talk will examine the diversity of artistic responses to nature and the array of historic photographic processes the artists have used to achieve their vision.
June 3 – July 8
Art History Classes
Caravaggio and the Realism of Baroque Art
Wednesdays, 2 – 3 p.m. | Pauley Center Parlor
$90 (VMFA members $75)
Michelangelo da Caravaggio, the wayward artist from Lombardy who came to Rome for the opening of the era we call the “Baroque,” introduced a new awareness of the natural world into the visual arts, influencing nearly every artist who came after him in one way or another. This class investigates the life and career of the fascinating unstable character known as Caravaggio and will look at both his private works, meant to remain hidden, and his great public works whose effects were felt by contemporaries like Artemisia Gentileschi and foreigners in Rome such as Georges de la Tour and Diego Velázquez, and even extended to great Italian masters including Bernini and artists who had never visited Rome, such as the incomparable Rembrandt van Rijn.
June 4
Tots of Art: Animal on the Farm
Ages 14-30 months, accompanied by an adult, enrollment limit: 12 children
Thursday, 11 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$10 (VMFA members $8) per child/adult pair
Find farm animals in the galleries, sing your favorite farm animal songs, and make some animals of your own come to life back in the studio.
June 4 & 11
Art History Classes
Understanding the Art of Tattoo: The Perseverance of Traditions in Contemporary Japanese Art
Thursdays, 6:30 – 8 p.m. | Conference Suite & Galleries
$50 (VMFA members $45)
Dr. Margaret Richardson, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Fine Art and Art History, Christopher Newport University
Many modern tattoo artists, like contemporary Japanese painters, sculptors, and performing artists, have drawn on traditional Japanese motifs to inspire their work. For all of these artists, various aspects of tradition have been used to reflect the persistence, relevance, and continuing evolution of their work, while they have turned to outside influences to help them conceive new forms and concepts. Drawing from works of art in VMFA’s collection and from the special exhibition Japanese Tattoo: Perseverance, Art and Tradition, this two-part class will explore the use of Modern and Contemporary Japanese art and introduce students to artists and themes in Japanese art from the mid-20th century to the present. This class complements the special exhibition Japanese Tattoo: Perseverance, Art and Tradition and the exhibition ticket is included in the price.
June 4
Gallery Program
3 in 30: Organic: Photographs of the Natural World
6:30 p.m. | Meet at the Visitor Services Desk
Free, no reservations required
Join photo collection educator Frank Saunders for a gallery talk that explores works on-view in the exhibition Organic: Photographs of the Natural World. This talk will examine the diversity of artistic responses to nature and the array of historic photographic processes the artists have used to achieve their vision.
June 7
Open Studio Sunday
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
All ages, children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult
Free, no reservations required
Make Open Studio Sundays part of your family routine! Come by the studios anytime between 1 and 4 p.m. to enjoy “make-it, take-it” art activities inspired by objects from the VMFA collection. A new art project is offered every month, with assistance from VMFA volunteers.
June 11
Tots of Art: Under Construction
Thursday, 11 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
Ages 14-30 months, accompanied by an adult, enrollment limit: 12 children
$10 (VMFA members $8) per child/adult pair
Build using blocks and roll vehicles during free play, observe engineering elements in works of art and architecture, and then construct your own objects in the studio.
June 18
Artsy Infants: Color Me Glad
Thursday, 11 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
Ages 3-13 months, accompanied by an adult, enrollment limit: 12 children
$10 (VMFA members $8) per child/adult pair
Learn why bright colors are better than pretty pastels for your baby’s eyes. Play with colored instruments, view vibrant paintings in the galleries, and create a colorful work of art. You’ll be amazed at your baby’s wide-eyed responses.
June 18 or 25
Art History Classes
Topics in Ancient Mediterranean Art
Thursday, 6 – 7:30 p.m. | Conference Suite & Galleries
$15 (VMFA members $12)
Dr. Peter Schertz, Jack and Mary Ann Frable Curator of Ancient Art
Learn about two to three works in VMFA’s Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan, Roman and/or Byzantine art collections from VMFA’s curator of Ancient Art, including how the works were made and how they functioned in their original contexts. Classes will begin in the Ancient Art Galleries, with further discussion in the classroom. Sign up for one or both sessions.
June 20
Family Day: Celebrate African and African American Art: All Good!
11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Free
To the Ndebele people of South Africa “good” and “beautiful” mean the same thing. At this celebration of diversity, we will introduce themes of pattern and design in African and African American culture and show how these themes relate to daily rituals, rhythm, folkloric motifs, and mathematical concepts across continents. During your visit, view the mural art of Ndebele artist Esther Mahlangu, who spent two months in residence at VMFA. It is very good!
June 25
Artsy Infants: Silly Smiles
Ages 3-13 months, accompanied by an adult, enrollment limit: 12 children
Thursday, 11 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$10 (VMFA members $8) per child/adult pair
Discuss the development of your baby’s personality and self-awareness, view expressive portraits, and make faces to express different emotions in the galleries. Watch babies delight while creating a painting in the studio.
JULY 2015
July 5
Open Studio Sunday
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
Free, no reservations required
All ages, children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult
Make Open Studio Sundays part of your family routine! Come by the studios anytime between 1 and 4 p.m. to enjoy “make-it, take-it” art activities inspired by objects from the VMFA collection. A new art project is offered every month, with assistance from VMFA volunteers.
July 6 – 10: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
Art Essentials
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 |Have a blast experimenting with colorful paints and tactile modeling materials! These activities are designed to enhance visual perception, dexterity, and most importantly, imagination.
Crafty Cultures
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Be inspired by the ingenuity of cultures from around the world and create works similar to coil baskets from early America, instruments from Africa, and other fine craft objects throughout the museum.
Principles of Painting
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | From still life to abstract painting, try out a range of techniques, mediums, and brushes to achieve different effects in finished works.
Drawing Compositions
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Improve skill and technique in drawing while building artistic confidence and style. Discover how to arrange interesting compositions, illustrate perspective, and apply tonal value in a series of drawings.
July 6 – 10: TEEN CAMPS
Design: Inspired by Sustainability
9 a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | What can you do as an artist or designer to help the environment? Explore creative mixed-media solutions for water filtration, reuse of materials to create something new, and environmental advocacy through digital graphic design.
Drawing: History of Manga
9 a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Learn the history, style, and characteristics of manga and anime through expert instruction and guided practice. Then apply these methods to illustrate stylistic comics and characters.
Digital: Filmmaking
1 – 4 p.m. | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Work with a professional filmmaker to develop your own film through screenwriting, production, and editing. This experience provides a unique perspective on the museum campus and collection.
Painting: Techniques in Oil
1 – 4 p.m. | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | From classical to contemporary oil paintings in the galleries, discover traditional techniques and explore alternative applications to integrate into your own works.
July 6 – 10
Connect-a-Camp
Mon – Fri, noon – 1 p.m. | MWV Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
For students enrolled in both morning and afternoon youth camps, this program provides supervised activities such as drawing in the galleries and playing games as well as supervision during lunch. Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
July 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22
Young @ Art: Spy the Sea and Sky
Tuesdays or Wednesdays, 11 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
Ages 2 ½–5, accompanied by an adult, enrollment limit: 12 children
$10 (VMFA members $8) per child/adult pair
Delve into underwater adventures and aquatic animal life while painting seascapes.
July 9
Tots of Art: Rock-a-Bye Boats
Thursday, 11 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
Ages 14-30 months, accompanied by an adult, enrollment limit: 12 children
$10 (VMFA members $8) per child/adult pair
Ahoy, toddlers! Get ready to rock and row your way through the galleries in search of seascapes. Use the colors of the ocean to create a work of art in the studio.
July 13 – 17: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
Animal Adventures
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Animals in a museum?! Discover the habitats of the creatures you find in the galleries to draw, paint, and model animal art of your own.
Architecture & Design
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Explore architectural design and engineering with emphasis on dome construction. Inspired by past and present structures, work on dome creations—both in collaboration with classmates and on your own—using a variety of interesting materials.
Beginning Painting
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6| This camp puts the fun in the fundamentals of painting! Find inspiration in the lines, shapes, and colors seen in modern masterpieces, and then use these elements in your own paintings.
Drawing Studio
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9| Develop personal style, boost artistic confidence, and improve skills in drawing. Learn more about composition, lighting, and perspective, and experiment with a variety of tools and papers.
Drawing in the Galleries
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | What better place to strengthen your artistic talents than in an art museum?! Young illustrators enhance their technical drawing skills and focus on principles of design while drawing from observation.
July 16
Tots of Art: Over Under
Thursday, 11 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
Ages 14-30 months, accompanied by an adult, enrollment limit: 12 children
$10 (VMFA members $8) per child/adult pair
Develop a deeper understanding of where objects in the galleries, studio, and classroom are in relation to your body. Toddlers will play movement games, view the museum from new heights, and mold dimensional art materials.
July 13 – 17: TEEN CAMPS
Digital: Museum Animations
9a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | From classical to contemporary oil paintings in the galleries, discover traditional techniques and explore alternative applications to integrate into your own works.
Fashion: Sewing Essentials
9 a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | From basic hand stitching to using a sewing machine, learn the fundamental skills you need to get your start in fashion.
Digital: Graphic Design
1 – 4 p.m. | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Discover the world of graphic design and learn the basics of professional digital tools like Photoshop and Illustrator. After creating a unique brand, combine graphics with imagery for your very own gallery poster and brochure!
Drawing: Depth & Perspective
1 – 4 p.m. | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | After exploring the galleries for inspiration, learn techniques for depicting space, volume, and depth on a flat surface to help give the illusion of three dimensions. Recommended for students interested in fine arts or manga.
Fashion: Salvaged Love Jewelry
1 – 4 p.m. | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | With artist and owner of Salvaged Love Jewelry, conceptualize innovative designs using salvaged accessories and found objects. Then apply jewelry-crafting techniques as you create your own wearable art. Salvaged jewelry and materials are provided, but students are encouraged to bring from home old jewelry, watches, and objects that reflect their personal style.
July 13 – 17
Connect-a-Camp
Mon – Fri, noon – 1 p.m. | MWV Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
For students enrolled in both morning and afternoon youth camps, this program provides supervised activities such as drawing in the galleries and playing games as well as supervision during lunch. Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
July 14 or 21
Art History Classes
Dig Deeper
Tuesday, 1 – 2:30 p.m. | Conference Suite & Galleries
$15 (VMFA members $12)
Celeste Fetta, VMFA Chief Educator and Lulan Yu, VMFA Adult Programs Coordinator
Inspired by the introductory course, Dig Deep, this follow-up class focuses on visual and contextual exploration of selected works of art in VMFA’s permanent collection. Through a variety of facilitated, in-gallery activities, as well as group interaction and conversation, participants “dissect” works in VMFA’s collection and learn new ways to connect with art. Sign up for one or both sessions.
July 20 – 24: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
Colors of the Season
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Enjoy painting, collaging, and mixed-media projects that center around the seasons. Exploring colorful artworks, create warm landscapes, cool ocean scenes, and more.
Fundamentals of Photography
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Learn the basics of digital photography—from camera settings to photo editing—and develop a series of photographs that reflects an original concept. Students are encouraged (but not required) to bring their own DSLR camera and user manual.
Dance into Art
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | See artworks that depict movement and dance, such as Edgar Degas’s Little Dancer. Take part in movement exercises, group activities, music making, story time, and creating colorful collages.
Creative Caps
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | This captivating camp encourages earth-friendly habits, creative thinking, and proper use of power tools! Work with repurposed material such as plastic bottle caps and vinyl records to construct innovative projects and sculptures.
Ancient Art Studio
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Experience the wonders of the ancient world. Inspired by Olympic sports, royal emperors, and the everyday life of early civilizations, make clay vessels, royal attire, and more.
July 20 – 24: TEEN CAMPS
Fashion: Vintage Throwback
9 a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Bring in old or vintage clothing from home that you can deconstruct to create a new look that expresses your personal style. Build outfits from the planning stages to completion, while also learning basic hand couture sewing techniques.
Drawing: Figures & Faces
9 a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Increase your proficiency drawing portraits and figures. Work from clothed models in the studio and objects in the galleries to practice proportion, tone, and line quality.
Digital: Photography & Design
1 – 4 p.m | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Interpret artistic concepts, improve shooting techniques, and explore editing tools for enhancing digital images and designs in Adobe Photoshop. Also gain insight into portfolio development and professional photography. Students are encouraged (but not required) to bring their own DSLR camera and user manual.
Painting: Experimental Applications
1 – 4 p.m. | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Try out a wide range of tools, applications, and acrylic mediums, alongside unexpected materials and textures, to create large-scale, expressive paintings. Students are encouraged to think outside the box!
July 20 – 24
Connect-a-Camp
Mon – Fri, noon – 1 p.m. | MWV Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
For students enrolled in both morning and afternoon youth camps, this program provides supervised activities such as drawing in the galleries and playing games as well as supervision during lunch. Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
July 23
Artsy Infants: It All Makes Sense
Ages 3-13 months, accompanied by an adult, enrollment limit: 12 children
Thursday, 11 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$10 (VMFA members $8) per child/adult pair
While caregivers discuss the developing five senses, babies discover the world around them by playing with instruments, texture samples, and more in the galleries and studios.
July 27 – 31: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
Passport to Art
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Take a trip through a different gallery each day, celebrating works from Asia to the Americas. Improve your artistic skills through culturally inspired decorative and functional arts.
Painting with Style
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Study artistic styles of famous painters such as Vincent van Gogh and Georgia O’Keeffe. While using a range of mediums and techniques, create stylized still lifes, picturesque landscapes, and abstract images.
Museum Treasure Hunt
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Search the museum for inspiration in creating your own Ancient Egyptian charms, Art Nouveau belt buckles, and many other exciting art objects and artifacts.
Sculpture & Design
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Fascinated by sculpture, building, or simply using your imagination? Learn about three-dimensional objects and the fundamental principles of sculpting. You’ll be amazed by your own creations!
Art without Limits
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Experiment with nontraditional processes in drawing, painting, and mixed media. Activities include gesture drawings, abstract renderings, and altering books to make creative works of art. This camp is messy; students are encouraged to wear old clothes!
July 27 – 31: TEEN CAMPS
Printmaking: Process & Style
9 a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Explore a range of applications and processes for printmaking that center around composition, creativity, and identity. Investigate printable dyes and quality inks for creating your own personalized, graphic T-shirt and series of prints.
Animation: Stop Motion Picture
9 a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Make your drawings come to life! Explore the history, language, and technique of animation through exploratory exercises, stop-motion works, and more.
Digital: Filmmaking
1 – 4 p.m. | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Work with a professional filmmaker to develop your own film through screenwriting, production, and editing. This experience provides a unique perspective on the museum campus and collection.
Fashion: Illustration & Style
1 – 4 p.m. | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Learn how to conceptualize your own “product line” from a professional designer, and illustrate a collection of cohesive looks that reflect mood and your inspiration.
July 27 – 31
Connect-a-Camp
Mon – Fri, noon – 1 p.m. | MWV Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
For students enrolled in both morning and afternoon youth camps, this program provides supervised activities such as drawing in the galleries and playing games as well as supervision during lunch. Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
July 30
Artsy Infants: Music Makers
Ages 3-13 months, accompanied by an adult, enrollment limit: 12 children
Thursday, 11 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$10 (VMFA members $8) per child/adult pair
Watch your infant’s eyes light up as you sing, play musical instruments, and view musically themed works in the galleries. Afterward, create a melody-inspired masterpiece in the studio.
AUGUST 2015
August 2
Open Studio Sunday
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
All ages, children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult
Free, no reservations required
Make Open Studio Sundays part of your family routine! Come by the studios anytime between 1 and 4 p.m. to enjoy “make-it, take-it” art activities inspired by objects from the VMFA collection. A new art project is offered every month, with assistance from VMFA volunteers.
August 3 – 7: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
How to Draw Manga
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Discover the history and visual language of manga! Through art talks, tutorials, and drawing exercises, learn the specific techniques that define this popular Japanese comic art.
I Love Textiles!
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Did you know that textiles are considered art? After discovering the beautiful textile art in VMFA’s galleries, explore the basics of “fabricating” your own art, including weaving, silk painting, stamping, and stenciling, back in the studio.
Beginning Drawing
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Learn to use lines, shapes, and textures to illustrate objects from observation and imagination, building confidence, creativity, and skill in the process.
Hands-On Design
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Discover the history and visual language of manga! Through art talks, tutorials, and drawing exercises, learn the specific techniques that define this popular Japanese comic art.
Plaster Masters
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Transform your artistic ideas into unique sculptures and designs. With planning and preparation, build objects using recycled material and plaster. Finish them with colorful paints and patterns.
August 3 – 7: TEEN CAMPS
Pottery: Wheel Throwing
9 a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Wheel throwing is a challenging yet rewarding experience that teaches about not only art but also discipline and self-awareness. Learn to center clay, make basic forms, and paint pots with colorful slips and underglazes. Finished pottery will be available for pick-up in the Pauley Center on Fri., Aug 21.
Fashion: Sewing Essentials
9 a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | From basic hand stitching to using a sewing machine, learn the fundamental skills you need to get your start in fashion.
Pottery: Hand Building
1 – 4 p.m. | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Unearth basic methods of hand building with clay and enjoy experimenting with surface textures and underglazes to add dimension, color, and creativity to original forms. Open to all levels of experience. Finished pottery will be available for pick-up in the Pauley Center on Fri., Aug 21.
Fashion: Creative Apparel
1 – 4 p.m. | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Personalize your apparel in this unique fashion design course and learn techniques to construct wearable art from recycled materials and textiles. You’ll be ready for the runway!
August 3 – 7
Connect-a-Camp
Mon – Fri, noon – 1 p.m. | MWV Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
For students enrolled in both morning and afternoon youth camps, this program provides supervised activities such as drawing in the galleries and playing games as well as supervision during lunch. Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
August 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19
Young @ Art: The View From Here
Ages 2 ½–5, accompanied by an adult, enrollment limit: 12 children
Tuesdays or Wednesdays, 11 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$10 (VMFA members $8) per child/adult pair
Observe how objects look from up high and down low as well as from a normal perspective. Participate in spatially themed movement activities and songs, and then create works of art that really pop.
August 10 – 14: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
Studio Art Challenge
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | The challenge: Choose one work of art each day to recreate using a different medium, including drawing, painting, felting, printing, and sculpture. Discover how the medium influences your interpretation of the art, the obstacles, and the rewards of creating!
The Art of Native Americans
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9| Through hands-on art activities and gallery explorations, learn about the first peoples of America—their traditions, cultures, and their regard for the natural world.
Drawing in the Galleries
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Discover lines, shapes, and textures found in works by master artists throughout the museum. With helpful tips and techniques, draw from observation as you create your own artworks.
Stepping Outside the Box
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Go beyond your artistic limits and experiment with nontraditional applications of drawing and painting. Focus on abstract works, self-expression, and the creative process.
Sensory Studio
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Experience multisensory art activities using a sight, sound, smell, and touch. Paint to music, play your own instrument, and match scents to colors and colors to moods.
August 10 – 14: TEEN CAMPS
Digital: Photography for Beginners
9 a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Explore the history and art of photography and digital media through practical demonstration and hands-on experience. Use Adobe Photoshop for postproduction work. Students are encouraged (but not required) to bring their own DSLR camera and user manual.
Drawing: Botanical Arts
9 a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Botanical arts is where science unites with art. This class, led by a certified botanical artist, focuses on detailed observations, craftsmanship, and techniques used to illustrate realistic botanical images.
Pottery: Wheel Throwing
1 – 4 p.m. | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Wheel throwing is a challenging yet rewarding experience that teaches about not only art but also discipline and self-awareness. Learn to center clay, make basic forms, and paint pots with colorful slips and underglazes. Finished pottery will be available for pick-up in the Pauley Center on Fri., Aug 21.
Drawing: History of Manga
1 – 4 p.m. | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Learn the history, style, and characteristics of manga and anime through expert instruction and guided practice. Then apply these methods to illustrate stylistic comics and characters.
August 6
Tots of Art: My Five Senses
Ages 14-30 months, accompanied by an adult, enrollment limit: 12 children
Thursday, 11 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$10 (VMFA members $8) per child/adult pair
Learn about your five senses, identifying the body parts related to them, and then put your senses to work to explore the museum. Use sensory art materials to create your own sensational work of art int he studio.
August 10 – 14
Connect-a-Camp
Mon – Fri, noon – 1 p.m. | MWV Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
For students enrolled in both morning and afternoon youth camps, this program provides supervised activities such as drawing in the galleries and playing games as well as supervision during lunch. Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
August 13
Tots of Art: Musical Arts
Ages 14-30 months, accompanied by an adult, enrollment limit: 12 children
Thursday, 11 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$10 (VMFA members $8) per child/adult pair
Explore music in art! After hearing sounds and learning about rhythm, create an artistic composition inspired by beats.
August 17 – 21: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
Botanical Arts for Beginners
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Botanical arts combine art and science. Using the proper tools and techniques, learn the significance and aesthetics of this type of illustration, observing, documenting, and illustrating botanicals on VMFA’s grounds.
Picture This…
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | While exploring a new story and artistic style each day, gather inspiration from talented authors and illustrators like Eric Carle and Dr. Seuss. make colorful collages, creative characters, and much more.
Land of Imagination
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Inspired by art movements, cultures, and natural environments, this mixed-media camp encourages creativity and self-expression through making masks, air-dry clay pots, and whimsical creatures.
BooksBeyond Words
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Stitch, bind, and design your way from traditional bookmaking to experimental “books of art.” Each day offers new concepts and artistic challenges that strengthen creativity and talent.
Cartoons & Characters
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Learn fundamental drawing and animation techniques from an award-winning illustrator. Develop your own entertaining characters, as well as your creativity and originality.
August 17 – 21: TEEN CAMPS
Digital: Museum Animations
9 a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Help bring selected works at VMFA to life through digital animation. No experience is required but familiarity with animation and Adobe Creative software is beneficial.
Fashion: Jewelry & Accessories
9 a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Conceptualize and create trendy works of wearable art, jewelry, and accessories with materials and methods that may surprise you.
Drawing: In the Galleries
1 – 4 p.m. | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Spend a relaxing week in the galleries sketching and studying new art concepts and history. Each day highlights a different collection and artistic style.
August 17 – 21
Connect-a-Camp
Mon – Fri, noon – 1 p.m. | MWV Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
For students enrolled in both morning and afternoon youth camps, this program provides supervised activities such as drawing in the galleries and playing games as well as supervision during lunch. Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
August 20
Artsy Infants: Fuzzy Friends
Ages 3-13 months, accompanied by an adult, enrollment limit: 12 children
Thursday, 11 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$10 (VMFA members $8) per child/adult pair
Sing your favorite animal songs, mimic mammal movements and sounds, and find inspiration in the galleries to create animal art of your own!
August 24 – 28: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
Brickworkz Art
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Working with friends, construct a two-dimensional mosaic mural out of LEGO tiles, layers of opaque and translucent blocks in a monochromatic color palette, and some cool math formulas. Also make your own mini-mosaic to take home!
Things that Go…
9 a.m. – noon | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Vroom, vroom! After looking at trains, planes, and bicycles in the galleries, construct your own moveable art using wire, cardboard boxes, paint, clay, and beads.
Brickworkz Art
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Working with friends, construct a two-dimensional mosaic mural out of LEGO tiles, layers of opaque and translucent blocks in a monochromatic color palette, and some cool math formulas. Also make your own mini-mosaic to take home!
Painting Pets & Portraits
1 – 4 p.m. | Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | See how famous artists depict their furry friends! Try your hand at painting portraits of animals and people, focusing on proportion, composition, and paint applications.
August 24 – 28: TEEN CAMPS
Art History: Comics to Film
9 a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | Discover the secret origins of movie superheroes, like Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, Captain America, and Hulk, through an art talk, movie, and TV clips of their first adaptations to film and TV. Each day follows a new hero!
Mixed Media: Experimental Arts
9 a.m. – noon | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | This studio class puts a fun and funky spin on art history while using found objects and leftover supplies to do everything from weave bicycle wheels to make mosaics!
Animation: Character Development
1 – 4 p.m. | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | From an award-winning illustrator, learn how to turn illustrated concepts into visual entertainment. With digital animation tools, focus on design principles to bring your characters to life.
Mixed Media: Glass & Metals
1 – 4 p.m. | Meet in Pauley Center lobby
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 17 | After developing a baseline understanding of glass and metal properties, learn to construct your own stained glass artworks and fused glass designs, as well as experiment with cold-working metals and enameling.
August 24 – 28
Connect-a-Camp
Mon – Fri, noon – 1 p.m. | MWV Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
For students enrolled in both morning and afternoon youth camps, this program provides supervised activities such as drawing in the galleries and playing games as well as supervision during lunch. Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
About the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
VMFA’s permanent collection encompasses more than 33,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years of world history. Its collections of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, English silver, Fabergé, and the art of South Asia are among the finest in the nation. With acclaimed holdings in American, British Sporting, Impressionist and Post-Impressionist, and Modern and Contemporary art – and additional strengths in African, Ancient, East Asian, and European – VMFA ranks as one of the top comprehensive art museums in the United States. Programs include educational activities and studio classes for all ages, plus lively after-hours events. VMFA’s Statewide Partnership program includes traveling exhibitions, artist and teacher workshops, and lectures across the Commonwealth. VMFA, a certified Virginia Green attraction, is open 365 days a year and general admission is always free. For additional information, telephone 804-340-1400 or visit www.vmfa.museum.
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