The focus of this workshop is to give students, grades 6 – 12, the opportunity to create a wearable piece of art that explores cultural trends, nontraditional materials, and fine art processes. Similar to the Project Runway design style, students make wearable art by reconstructing clothing, found objects, and recycled materials. Inspiration comes from the VMFA collection, artists, and fashion designers. Workshop attendance also gives students a snapshot of the annual Teen Stylin’ runway show held each year in December and open to all teens living in Virginia.
Request ProgramGuidelines and Booking Info: Visual Arts Workshops and Performances
The VMFA Statewide’s Visual Arts Workshops and Performances are designed to stimulate greater community involvement in art and to provide opportunities for individuals to work closely with noted professional artists of exceptional talent. These artists have been selected for the merits of their work, their serious commitment to professional excellence, their teaching experience, and their communication skills. The many types of workshop and performance options allow the sponsor the flexibility to schedule programs that meet specific audience needs, and to satisfy different levels of skills and/or experience. To request a workshop or performance, simply click “Request Program” under the program description and complete the Form.
Fees and Costs
For each visual arts workshop, there is a non-refundable materials fee of $150 mailed to VMFA on receipt of an invoice near the date of the presentation. Performances are $250.
VMFA Statewide pays the artist’s fee of several hundred dollars and covers gas mileage.
Driving distances can occasionally necessitate that the Partner provide suitable overnight accommodation and meals for the artist.
VMFA Statewide Programs must be free and open to the public. Partner may suggest the students to pay a nominal fee, termed “Additional Materials Fee” or “Donation.”
Space Requirements
Artist workshops require a well-ventilated studio space with covered worktables, seating, and access to running water and electricity. Additional equipment needs are listed separately under each description. A staff member from the Partner must be present throughout workshops to introduce and assist the instructing artist or performer.
Length: VMFA Statewide workshops are designed to last about 5 hours to be a complete dive for the more engaged art student. The goal is for attendees to have a finished project to take home. Our artists are skilled at developing the students’ creativity with this in mind.
Lunch: Lunch break should be worked out with artist. Some prefer a lunch break, while some are okay with students snacking while working. It is highly recommended that the Partner venue provide lunch for the artist.
Cancellation: VMFA Statewide must be made aware of any type of cancellation at least five days before the event date or the host Partner must pay the fee. VMFA Statewide may cancel the workshop due to inclement weather or artist illness.
Scheduling
Workshop and performance dates are determined in consultation with VMFA Statewide, the Partner, and artist.
Priority is given to Virginia Partners beyond a 50-mile radius of VMFA. Our budget is limited, and our mission is to serve the entire state of Virginia. We invite those Partners within a 50- mile radius of VMFA to apprise their constituents of classes and activities given on VMFA campus.
Any VMFA Partner may host 3 programs per year. If our budget allows, VMFA Statewide can send 4-5 per year, if requested.
Please request a program at least two months prior to your desired program date and allow 2-3-weeks for confirmation. In case of urgencies, we will try to work with Partner requests made as little as 2 weeks in advance.
Availability
Artists and performers should be available July 2024–June 2025, with most available beyond those dates.
Publicity
For the Partner’s use in promoting the workshop or performance, images of the artists and/or their work may be available from the VMFA Statewide representative.
Acknowledgment Requirement
All publicity materials, electronic and/or printed, relating to the artists include the following credit line: This program has been organized by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and is funded, in part, by the Paul Mellon Endowment and the Jean Stafford Camp Memorial Fund.
Audience
Due to the one-on-one nature of the Visual Arts Workshops, there must be a minimum of 10 and maximum of 15 participants. If there are fewer than 10, request approval from VMFA Statewide. For performances, there is no limit on number of audience members.
Checklist of Partner Responsibilities
The success of VMFA Statewide’s workshop program depends on strong audience development efforts, made well in advance of the event. To ensure success, the sponsor’s initial responsibilities are to:
- Email the Artist and VMFA Statewide with a complete itinerary at least two weeks before the program date.
- Have the art room in order and ready to go for the artist upon arrival. This includes any audio-visual needs.
- Have a representative of your organization introduce the artist to the students.
- Become a VMFA Partner (or renew). Simply complete a brief Partnership form at this link. No charge applies.
Evaluation
Within five days after the workshop or performance, the partner must provide VMFA Statewide with an evaluation of the program. These can be emailed to VMFA. Please include information about the attendance figures and publicity arrangements, as well as comments and suggestions on the overall workshop. When this is sent, the partner must include copies of some related publicity and printed materials. Some photos of the event would be greatly appreciated.
Address all questions to:
trent.nicholas@vmfa.museum or call 804-204-2681.
Mixed Media Sculpture
Participants in this workshop are asked to bring 10 objects that can fit into a backpack. Using those objects plus a variety of provided “treasures,” students will enjoy a day of creating sculpture! Concepts such as connections, texture, focal points, stability, longevity, and other elements involved in developing mixed media sculpture will be explored. Students will walk away with new brainstorming techniques as well as the information and skills needed to create sculpture using a variety of materials.
Request ProgramWriting an Effective Artist’s Statement
The daunting challenge of writing an artist’s statement can cause even the most accomplished artist to lose confidence. How long should it be? What should it include? Should it be creative or just state the facts? This workshop helps visual artists craft statements about their work that are effective and express their individual personalities. Participants learn how to critique their current statements, how to avoid common pitfalls, how to determine the requirements of particular tasks — from exhibition statements to grant applications, how to select and manipulate words to create a lively sense of who they are, and how to compose a general statement easily adapted for different purposes. Above all, this workshop takes the fear out of writing and replaces it with self-assurance and fun.
Request ProgramProfessional Practices for the Visual Artist
This workshop is devoted to the needs of the individual artist. Topics include photographing artwork, funding opportunities, developing professional relationships with galleries and publications, copyright issues, and marketing on the web. This workshop can be offered as a day-long workshop with a strong focus on photographing artwork or in a half-day or evening format that focuses more on gallery relationships, funding, and the business of art.
Request ProgramPainting Portraits in Oil
Discover how a portrait is so much more than simply recording proportions, it can be one of the most expressive paintings you can create. We will focus on identifying the simple patterns and forms that are the basis for a well-designed portrait and learn how to use oils to capture the character of your subject. Students will learn from demonstrations of color mixing and technique. Students should bring a printed photo or an image on iPad/tablet to work from. Images with clear lighting are easiest but working with images in all lighting situations will be addressed.
Request ProgramPortrait Drawing in Charcoal
Discover how a portrait is so much more than simply recording proportions, it can be one of the most expressive drawings you can create. We will focus on identifying the simple patterns and forms that are the basis for a well-designed portrait, students will learn through demonstration to use form, value, and line to develop expression. Students should bring a printed photo or an image on iPad/tablet to work from. Images with clear lighting are easiest but working with images in all lighting situations will be addressed.
Request ProgramOil Painting Basics
This class provides insight into oil painting for beginners starting out in oils to experienced painters developing techniques. During a demonstration of developing composition, participants discover the results of painting wet in wet and creating form with color. By understanding how the paints work, students will be able to translate what they see into finished oil paintings. Emphasis will be on employing a full range of techniques to create an expressive painting. Students can choose to work from their own photos or from still life.
Request ProgramLandscape Painting
How do artists capture the mood and light effects in landscape? In this workshop, participants explore how to use color and form to create an expressive landscape painting. A demonstration shows how to see color and simple shapes as a starting point and how to create atmospheric perspective and depth while developing individual styles. The class can be offered as an oil painting or a watercolor class.
Request ProgramExploring the Mellon Collection: I Spy through Herbert Haseltine’s Eye
This workshop begins with I Spy with My Artist’s Eye, a warm-up game that helps students see the world of nature through their “artist eyes.” Through this exercise, students learn to identify an “artist’s alphabet” of the elements and shapes found in nature. (A poster serves as a quick reference during the sessions.) Once the students have begun to use their “artist eyes,” they explore Herbert Haseltine’s animal sculptures through slides and photographs. Inspired by his work, they create an animal using the “animal alphabet.” These drawings are transferred to watercolor paper and painted with watercolors and oil pastels using a resist technique. The finished work is mounted on a brightly colored card stock, which “frames” the piece. A dramatic finish (optional) is provided as the students use colored paper clips to join the squares to form a paper quilt.
Request ProgramExploring the Mellon Collection: I Spy through George Catlin’s Eye
In this workshop, students study the paintings of George Catlin through slides and photographs. After learning about Catlin’s interest in preserving and documenting the life and culture of the North American native tribes, students explore aspects of their own lives that they would most want to document and share with another culture, as Catlin did when he visited Europe. Students create tempera paintings on cardboard that reflect what they have learned and discovered.
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