CLASSES-SOUP-HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS

Fine Art Classes Monday-Friday/Ages 2-14

SOUP-The Bowl That Keeps Feeding
Join Studio 4 Art and What's Cooking to help end childhood hunger locally!
Come into the studio between now and November 10th to help glaze these bowls (FREE) to donate to the event! At the event, on November 15th, everyone will have a chance to choose the bowl of their choice to fill with handmade soup AND take that bowl home! Buy tickets now, only $10!!

Handprints and Ornaments
November 7th and 28th 10:00-12:00
Handprint Cost: $25 per pair/$15 for sinle
Ornaments Cost: $18 per pound of clay (average about 10 ornaments)
*Price includes firing and glaze

Gingerbread House that Lasts Forever!
November 14th 10:00-12:00
Work as a family or individually
Drop-off for ages 5+
Cost: $40

Slab Construction/Screen-printing with Clay
November 21st 10:00-12:00
Work as a family or individually
Drop-off for ages 5+
Cost: $18 and up (price varies depending on amount of clay needed)
Menorah's and Candleholders
December 5th 10:00-12:00
Work as a family or individually
Drop-off for ages 5+
Cost: $40

Felt Stockings
December 12th 10:00-12:00
Drop-off for ages 7+
Cost: $18 per stocking

The Creative Child!

Alright, so this post is going to be pretty wordy. That may not be a big surprise to some, I seem to always have a lot to say. But with our school budget cuts continuing to affect our children and the arts becoming a prehistoric thought, I wanted to "enlighten" some to why this is a travesty to our kids. I realize I may be preaching to the choir here, but maybe there is someone you know that may gain some insight about the arts and the importance to our kids through this blog. Our world is now in a place, more than ever before, where we will need people that can help to pull us out of this space we are finding ourselves. People who have more creative thoughts, are self-driven, and push boundaries to find resolutions.

Traits unique to creative people.
Creative people are extremely alert perceptually. That is,
*They are observant of the world about them.
*They are aware of the way things feel to the touch.
*They listen to the sounds of life around them.
*They have a sensitivity for the way things smell.
*They are aware of the taste of things.

Creative people are builders of their ideas. That is,
*They like to construct things in materials.
*They prefer to rearrange old ideas into new relationships.
*They like to experiment with various approaches and media.
*They like to try out new methods and techniques.
*They prefer to manipulate their ideas in various ways.
*They like to solve problems which they set for themselves.
*They seek to push the boundaries of their thinking.

Creative people like to explore new ideas. That is,
*They are very original in their thoughts about things.
*They like to invent new was of saying and telling.
*They like to dream about new possibilities.
*They like to imagine and pretend.

Creative people are confident in themselves. That is,
*They are flexible in their approaches to situations.
*They like to be independent and on their own.
*They are outwardly expressive about what they have to say.
*They are not afraid to have emotional feelings and to show them.

Creative people like to investigate the nature of things. That is,
*They like to search for the meaning of things.
*They question available data and information.
*They like to inquire into unknown quantities.
*They discover new relationships.
*They desire to uncover new meanings.

Creative people are sensitive to aesthetic stimuli. That is,
*They are sensitive to the beauty of man and nature.
*They have a feeling for harmony and rhythm.
*They like to sing, dance, and write.

The creative person has specific attributes, abilities, or skills that he uses during the creative process or art experience. These attributes are sensitivity to problems (awareness), ideational and associational fluency (many ideas), flexibility (ability to change), originality (unusual responses), and redefinition (ability to improvise and adapt). These attributes are unique to the creative process. We can't continue to take these away from our children!

For those that would like to find more information, much of this research is from a book called, Developing Artistic and Perceptual Awareness, by Earl W. Linderman and Donald W Herberholz.

And things that continue to make me smile!!

Designed and hand-sewn. Halloween is coming....
Tongues and toddlers. Everything gets into the action.
Students helping out with our fundraiser for Homeward Bound, throwing lots of soup bowls. November 15th, save the date for eating out of handmade bowls, full of handmade soup at our Soup event. AND you get to take the handmade, hand decorated bowl home! Tickets on sale now for just $10 and all proceeds go to Homeward Bound!!

NEW! So much New New's!

First and foremost, new email contact! New email, studio4artmarin@gmail.com. Please make a note as we are no longer able to get into our Yahoo account. Studio 4 Art has been a victim of email fraud and Yahoo's fix is to shut us down....indefinitely! So, we now have a new email address and soon to come, a new website with a new host. Yahoo is not very customer friendly and as a small business owner of 7 years, paying for their services to support my company, I am truly disheartened. Needless-to-say, it has been a difficult 3 weeks, when we are trying to spread the word about our new classes, lower rates and amazing curriculum.
Phone number is still the same though, 415.596.5546!

Scroll through blog to see all of our classes now being offered.
New rates for all...more than 20% less than last year.
New toddler program!
New longer classes too! Classes are limited in size so please call to registrar.
New studio drop-in times: M-F 10:00-5:00; Saturday's 10:00-12:00
New items at Studio 4 Art, Art Supplies!! Very excited that we can now offer our students and families high quality art materials.

New classes, Just for 2-3 year old's!

While messy is welcomed at the studio, your toddler will also be learning skills in drawing, painting, sculpting and even wheel-throwing. Through experimentation, toddler's will be learning eye-hand coordination, small muscle control, aka "fine-motor" skills, colors, shapes, control and understanding of tools and materials, and of course how to have fun with art (which they probably already know how to do!)

Classes:
M-F 10:00-10:40
M 2:30-3:20
W 4:00-4:40
Cost:
$45 for 4 week session

Drawing/Cartooning

Working from nature, still-lives, photographs and independent ideas, students will be introduced to specific drawing fundamentals and techniques including line drawing, value, shape, pattern, texture, shading, perspective and composition.
Personal style is celebrated.
Cartooning
Learn how to create characters, story boards, perspective, over exaggeration, color theory, and composition to enhance any cartooning idea's!

Classes:
M-Preschool 11:00-12:00, $66 for 4 week session
M-Pre-K/K 1:30-2:30, $66 for 4 week session
M Grades K-2 3:30-5:00, $99 for 4 week session
M Grades 3-5 3:30-5:00, $99 for 4 week session
M Grades 6-8 3:30-5:00, $99 for 4 week session

Painting

Incorporating drawing fundamentals, students will add color mixing, layering, studies from art history and independent ideas into their experience. Mediums explored are water paints, tempera, inks and acrylic.

Classes:
T-Preschool 11:00-12:00, $66 for 4 week session
T-Grades K-2 3:00-5:00, $132 for 4 week session
T-Grades 3-5 3:00-5:00, $132 for 4 week session
T-Grades 6-8 3:00-5:00, $132 for 4 week session

Clay: Sculpture, Hand-building, and Wheel-throwing

Hand-building techniques will be explored in classes using pinch pots, solid build up projects, coiling, slab construction, slumping and draping methods. All items will be created with cone 5 clay, fired in our kilns and then hand decorated with underglazes, then into final firing.
Wheel-throwing begins with learning to center clay, pulling up walls, shaping and the final detail of trimming a foot.

Classes:
W-Preschool 11:00-12:00; $66 for 4 week session
W-Pre-K/K 12:45-2:15; $102 for 4 week session
Grades K-2 2:30-4:00; $102 for 4 week session
Grades 3-5 2:30-4:00; $102 for 4 week session
Grades 6-8 2:30-4:00; $102 for 4 week session

All Art

All art encompasses drawing, cartooning, clay, and mosaics. Each student will have the choice in what they would like to explore and learn more about. Student initiated, with instructor's there to brainstorm, engage, and assist when needed.

Classes:
T-Homeschool 1:00-3:00, $132 for 4 week session
Th-Preschool 11:00-12:00; $66 for 4 week session
Th-Grades K-3 1:30-3:00; $99 for 4 week session
Th-Grades K-2 3:00-5:00; $132 for 4 week session
Th-Grades 3-5 3:00-5:00; $132 for 4 week session
Th-Grades 6-8 3:00-5:00; $132 for 4 week session
F-Homeschool 1:00-3:00; $132 for 4 week session
S-All ages 10:00-12:00; $132 for 4 week session
Sewing

Use felt and fabric to create monsters, dolls, robots, pillows, puppets or anything the imagination brings. Classes will focus on backstitch, over sewing, blanket and running stitches. Also, learn how to appliqué and sew on patches to existing items such as clothes, pillows, canvas backpacks and cloth bags. Machine sewing will be offered to children 7+ yrs. Additional fabric may be needed when making PJ pants, yoga pants, reuseable bags, lunch bags, placemats, napkins etc.

Classes:
F-Preschool 11:00-12:00; $66 for 4 week session
F-Grades K-2 3:30-4:30; $66 for 4 week session
F-Grades 3-5 3:00-5:00; $132 for 4 week session
F-Grades 6-8 3:00-5:00; $132 for 4 week session

Help spread our new new's and THANK-YOU!!

Art from Summer Art Camps and Drop-In Studio

• Art Camps
• Free Choice
• Art Bags
• Drop-in/Drop-off
• Pottery
  

"Eat a still-life" camp was a great success. Everyday students would explore yummy treats through drawing, paint and clay.



Students trained their artist eye to see details that the eye may not have seen before while observing their still-life. For acrylic paintings students matched their cupcake, mixing primary colors to create brown, pink, orange, green, magenta, and more.


















Discussing the layering of color, negative space and composition students went on to create a watercolor paintings.

Clay was also involved in this mouth watering still-life experience. Having a heaping plate of donuts... astonishing focus for students to get involved with their art. Anticipating indulgence in their art experience.


















These are the results of our donuts. Look good enough to eat, but don't, you may break a tooth. Fooled many customers, all wondering if Studio 4 Art was now serving treats.

Recycle, Reuse, Re-purpose Camp.

This camp was great to see the kids explore. Having canisters, cans, boxes, plastics and computer parts to work into designing a sculpture. Once the armature was finished the sculptures were then covered with plaster. The final element was the fun of paint with splatters, blotches, spots and stripes.




Puppet Camp

Drawing their idea, sewing, creating in clay and learning the proportion of the face was our focus. I think these finger puppets showed the diversity, uniqueness and creativity that continues to be the spirit of our studio.

Portrait below is our study of the face. Looking in a mirror, learning how to measure for features, the importance of shape and line, created this expressive piece. Also, in action sewer, stitching his creature.








































Art Bags

Every Friday is create your own recyclable art bag. Something for our students to bring all of their art goodies home in. This was an exploration in screen-printing. Also pictured is my handy, creative, beautiful, amazing, instructor and daughter, Jenessa. Thanks for all of your hard work so far J!!






















This was another Friday Art Bag...this time using a printing plate. Kids had fun putting it through our printing press. This print was created by a soon to be Kindergarten student. Too cool!























Free Choice.

Our camps are designed so that children have an educational, group activity for the first hour to exercise their minds. After that hour the studio is open to explore and create whatever and with whatever materials each child wants.

It is so fun to have both available. After our first hour we will have a few kids painting, a few kids sculpting, a few kids on the wheel and usually a few sewing. The studio becomes ALIVE with creative energy!



Drop-in/Drop-off
Summer Hours for drop-in/drop-off are from 2:00-6:00 Monday-Friday and Saturday from 3:00-6:00. Remember we have air conditioning for those hot Summer days.

This painting was for a mom on her birthday. Exploring color and the stroke of a brush made for a wonderful present. (age 5)
























Pottery
Our potter's wheels are for those with experience and for those that don't have any. Come in and have a messy, muddy, although relaxing time. Items made on a wheel could be cups, mugs, bowls, plates, platters, vases, tea pots and any other round object.

Fun Was Had at Novato's Art, Wine and Music Fest and Our Summer Camps Have Begun

Novato's Art, Wine and Music Festival!!At the festival we (Kevin Breakstone and myself) gave wheel throwing demo's. It was so fun to throw outside and to see how excited, intrigued and interested people of all ages seemed to be. Remember, wheel-throwing is available everyday (Monday through Saturday) at the studio for children and adults. Studio 4 Art can teach anyone how to work the wheel, regardless of age and even if you have tried in the past and feel as though you failed, we especially welcome you. Come have fun and get a little messy!
Recyclable, Reusable, 100% cotton bags that were painted at Studio 4 Art's booth. The weather was spectacular. Met a lot of wonderful people who had not heard of Studio 4 Art yet and had many families come to create a bag specifically because they knew that we would be there. Thanks to everyone! A special shout out to Novato Chamber of Commerce, EmbroidMe (for the great bags) and to Grant Avenue Florist (for flowers to make the booth look extra spectacular)!


CAMPS!!!
Theme of the week, Mosaics
Our Summer Camps have begun. Studio 4 Art's first week was learning about mosaics and campers had a great time creating handmade pieces to incorporate into their designs. Camp attendees ranged in age from 4.5 to 13. In amongst mosaic making, available options were; sewing, drawing, painting, wheel-throwing, sculpting and hand-building. For upcoming weekly themed camps please check out Studio 4 Art's calendar.

Hand-building Station
A wall vase which looks amazing already. Add flowers and you have stunning. All art that was created in the hand-building area were child initiated. Staff was there to facilitate to make their ideas successful.

Sewing Station
Always popular with boys, girls, younger or older kids. Later in the week, puppets began to come to life, very cool!

Painting Station
Abstract, imagination, observation...all explored.

Sculpting Station
The texture that was added to this dog put it over the top for CUTE! Look at that face, so much expression and it looks as though it is even smiling.



Tomorrow is Monday and I can't wait to see what the kids have in store for me this week. Theme of the week "Eat a Still-life". Fresh cupcakes just came out of the oven, decorations to be added and then we paint, sculpt and finally.....we will eat them!

Summer Fine Art Camp!

For Children 5 - 15 Years
M-F 10:30-1:30 $45 day/$195 week

Studio 4 Art's Fine Art Day Camp is for children 5-15 interested in having fun while participating in a rich, educational experience.

This fine art program specializes in giving children the opportunity to explore their creativity under the direction of our enthusiastic and knowledgeable instructors and camp leaders. Each camp encompasses ALL of the following EVERY Summer Day with the addition of a theme each week to introduce new techniques, art mediums and fun surprises that children may not have experienced in art before. It is true that this summer camp is every week-day from June through the end of August and available for daily or weekly times. Sign-up now to reserve your spot(s)!

Drawing
Working from nature, still-lives, photographs and independent ideas, students will be introduced to specific drawing fundamentals and techniques including line drawing, value, shape, pattern, texture, shading, perspective and composition. Personal style is celebrated.


Painting
Incorporating drawing fundamentals, students will add color mixing, layering, studies from art history and independent
ideas into their experience. Mediums explored are watercolors, tempera, inks and acrylic.


Clay/Wheel-throwing
Hand building techniques will be explored in workshops using pinch pots, solid build up projects, coiling, slab construction, slumping and draping methods. All items will be created with cone 5 clay, fired in our kilns and then hand decorated with underglazes and fired to final maturity. Wheel-throwing begins with learning to center clay, pulling up walls, shaping and the final detail of trimming a foot.


Printmaking
Discover the power of art, design and texture through printmaking. Students create their own designs and drawings, and learn about color theory working with different colored inks and paper.


Sewing
Use felt to create monsters, dolls, robots, pillows, puppets or anything the imagination brings. Camps will focus on backstitch, over sewing, blanket and running stitches. Also, learn how to applique and sew on patches to existing items such as clothes, pillows, canvas backpacks and cloth bags.


Mosaics
Mosaics are made up of small objects such as colored glass, stones, recycled materials, tiles, handmade figurines out of clay, handmade tiles, and broken china. Mosaic work will be created on wood mirrors, wooden sculpture forms, panels, stepping stones and flower pots. Terminology and technique will be discussed and color, pattern and design will be emphasized.


There are no make-ups for Fine Art Day Camps. A $45 non-refundable deposit reserves space in camps.


Download a Registration Form (PDF) at studio4art.net.

All About MOM!

It is time to think about Mom and create a work of art to cherish for a lifetime.

Hand prints and Footprints!
This is still one of my favorites. I have children as old as nineteen and as young as 2 and each time we do a print it is a capture of time. Studio 4 Art can help to capture a print of your child and you can then decorate using clay or you can create a painting using acrylic on canvas. Price includes one hand print and foot print or a pair (hand prints and footprints). When using acrylic paint it is on a 8x10 3/4" canvas.

May 1st is the last date to get prints in clay completed. They need to dry slowly and then time for firing.
Our Price: $28

Studio 4 Art and Grant Avenue Florist...A good fit!

Studio 4 Art and Grant Avenue Florist are working together to show our Mom's how much we adore, appreciate and admire them.

Mosaic flower pot

Surprise Mom with a mosaic flower pot that you design with her in mind. Studio 4 Art has handmade tiles, recycled tiles, shiny glass and sparkly gems to help create a piece that will last a lifetime.

Special workshop that includes a $4 gift certificate from Grant Avenue Florist. Our Neighbor! Come in on the week of April 27th through the week of May 4th and you will receive a small flowering plant to pot for your mosaic.

Please note that it takes 1 full hour session to design and glue your pieces plus an extra 1 hour session to grout your flower pot.
Our Price: $25

Handmade Flower Vase

It is said that fresh flowers can bring calmness and joy to a person. Well, add that with a handmade vase and you have a Mom that is not only calm and joyess, but also a mom that knows how much she is loved.

Special workshop that includes a $4 gift certificate from Grant Avenue Florist. Our Neighbor! Come in on the week of April 27th up to May 4th and you can use your gift certificate of $4 to help fill your vase up with beautiful, fresh cut flowers.

Monday May 4th is the latest date to complete your handmade vase due to time for firing in the kiln.
Our Price: $25

$4.00 Gift Certificate For Flowers At Grant Avenue Florist!	Coupon must be present with receipt from Studio 4 Art for Mother's day Workshop redeemed at Grant Avenue Florist, 1129 Grant Avenue, Novato CA. Non-transferable. Gift Certificate not valid after Mother's Day 2009.
Offer Expires: Mother's Day 2009