Workshops, not just for kids anymore. Welcome 3 months of Adult fun!

Space is limited. Call (415) 596-5546 or email studio4artmarin@gmail.com to preregister now!

Oil Painting Workshop

In our oil painting workshop, students will work on a painting for 3 hours, 2 consecutive Sunday's. We will demystify the techniques of oil painting, learning and practicing:

• Underpainting
• Glazing
• Translating an image into a tone and value system
• Composition
• Layers

Taught by our own in house expert, Marilyn Burkholder Creamer. All materials provided. Come and experiment before you buy all of your supplies! A win, win.

• Ages 9-Adult Sunday, January 15, 2012 12:30pm-3:30pm
• Sunday, January 22, 2012 12:30pm-3:30pm $150

Space is limited. Call (415) 596-5546 or email studio4artmarin@gmail.com to preregister now!

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Machine Sewing Workshop

Have you ever looked at those colorful, fancy aprons and thought you would love one? Well, now you can make your own and learn the techniques to make more for friends and family.
Upon registration Studio 4 Art will let you know amount of fabric needed, once we understand what style you would like to create. All other supplies provided. Some sewing experience a plus, but not mandatory. Bring your own machine, or use one of ours. Taught by our own in-house sewing expert, Susan Poer.

• Ages 11-Adult Friday, January 20, 2012 6:30pm-9:30pm $50

Space is limited. Call (415) 596-5546 or email studio4artmarin@gmail.com to preregister now!

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Large Hanging Globe Shaped Bird Feeder, Herb Planter or Vase Workshop

One of our favorite mediums at Studio 4 Art is clay. It is so versatile and fun, you begin to see the world as, "Hey, that would be awesome made from clay." This is one of those workshops. This shape is so beautiful that you will want to create one of each: a bird feeder, herbal pot and vase. For this workshop, you will have to choose just one.
Techniques learned in hollow form construction, 3 dimensional applications, relief carving, stamping and drawing onto the clay form. These are fairly large. Dimensions are approximately 6-8 inches in diameter.
All supplies included in this One day workshop, but you will come back and paint at your leisure on any of our dropin days, Monday through Saturday.

• Ages 7-Adult Saturday, January 28, 2012 11:00am-12:30pm $40

Space is limited. Call (415) 596-5546 or email studio4artmarin@gmail.com to preregister now!

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February 2012

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Decorative Glass Workshop

Decoupage Art; learn how to create decorative plates and bowls using glass and beautiful papers. Taught by our expert Ann Gerrard. Great idea for a Valentine's gift.

• Ages 6-Adult Saturday, February 11, 2012 11:00am-12:30pm $35

Space is limited. Call (415) 596-5546 or email studio4artmarin@gmail.com to preregister now!

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Valentines Dream Pillow Workshop

A dream pillow is the perfect gift for anyone, family or friend. Hand sewing with wool felt, hearts will be designed by you, giving your dream pillow the look of handmade and arty. We will fill the pillow with lavender and other herbal combination's. Stitching and embroidery details will be shown. A great gift (but one you may want to keep). All materials included.

• Ages 6-Adult Saturday, February 11, 2012 12:30pm-2:00pm $30

Space is limited. Call (415) 596-5546 or email studio4artmarin@gmail.com to preregister now!

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Acrylic Painting Workshop

In our acrylic painting workshop, students will work on a painting for 3 hours. We will demystify the techniques of oil painting. learning and practicing:

• Underpainting
• Glazing
• Translating an image into a tone and value system
• Composition
• Layers

Taught by our own in house expert, Marilyn Burkholder Creamer. All materials provided. Come and experiment before you buy all of your supplies! A win, win.

• Ages 8-Adult Sunday, February 19, 2012 12:30pm-3:30pm $75

Space is limited. Call (415) 596-5546 or email studio4artmarin@gmail.com to preregister now!

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March 2012

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Mosaics Workshop

Learn about Substrates (things to create on), pique assiette (pottery, tiles and other clay items used to create design), adhesives, direct methods (application to make a mosaic) and grouting techniques. Students will create a 12"x12" Art Mosaic to take home. All supplies included.
The following Saturday will be when we learn about grouting and will grout our piece. This is optional as you may purchase supplies from the studio and complete at home also.

• Ages 6-Adult Saturday, March 3, 2012 11:00am-1:00pm $35

Space is limited. Call (415) 596-5546 or email studio4artmarin@gmail.com to preregister now!

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Oil Painting Workshop

In our oil painting workshop, students will work on a painting for 3 hours, 2 consecutive Sunday's. We will demystify the techniques of oil painting, learning and practicing:

• Underpainting
• Glazing
• Translating an image into a tone and value system
• Composition
• Layers

Taught by our own in house expert, Marilyn Burkholder Creamer. All materials provided. Come and experiment before you buy all of your supplies! A win, win.

• Ages 8-Adult Sunday, March 11, 2012 12:30pm-3:30pm
• Sunday, March 18, 2012 12:30pm-3:30pm $150

Space is limited. Minimum of 5/Maximum of 10. Call (415) 596-5546 or email studio4artmarin@gmail.com to preregister now!

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Non-traditional Screen Printing on Fabric Workshop

Come and learn how to create your own graphic t-shirt. This is a beginner course where Studio 4 Art will introduce you to a non-traditional technique using recycled items. Our goal is to show you how fun this is and how you don't need expensive screens or fancy emulsions. We love bringing you new ways to create! Studio 4 Art will supply all materials, except the t-shirt(s). Once you have a design created, you will have the opportunity to create multiple items. Cotton works the best.

• Ages 5-Adult Saturday, March 24, 2012 11:00pm-12:30pm
$35

Space is limited. Call (415) 596-5546 or email studio4artmarin@gmail.com to preregister now!

Our First Student Art Show

Studio 4 Art is priviledged to work with many local school's offering After School Enrichment Art. We have just finished up our first 8 week course of the 2011-2012 school year and wanted to show off the student art that was created in our new addition, the Annex. We offered live music (compliments to the Magic Flute of Terra Linda for supplying!) and hors' deurves to set the mood for this special night. I love teaching these classes as the energy is always exciting and our usual full classes of 16 always offer a different experience every week! A special shout out too to our after school instructors: Marilyn Burkholder Creamer, Ann Gerard, and Susan Poer. And thank you also to the schools that welcome us in. This show was with 5 Novato California elementary schools; Hamilton Elementary, Pleasant Valley Elementary, Olive Elementary, Loma Verde Elementary and San Ramon!

With over 100 pieces of artwork, it was exciting to see the space come alive with color. The work looks amazing and the students have worked hard learning a lot of techniques while having fun and studying about Mr. Picasso.

Each session Studio 4 Art brings something new and exciting to students in our After School Enrichment programs. This session we studied and looked at Pablo Picasso, learning about his style, technique and what kind of art mediums he liked to experiment in. Students created a print using a foam plate while learning about Picasso's blue and rose period. They studied Picasso's cubist paintings looking at such work as "The Guitar Player". We took this idea and brought it to a new level of cubist painting. Beginning with acrylic painting (encompassing learning about composition and color mixing) student began their adventure with linear angled lines and then painted inside if this design. The next layer of this painting was to have the children fully explore the creative process by dividing their painting into pieces by cutting with scissors, to then put back together creating a completely different cubist type painting. We ended our session with clay and sculpture work. The emphasis in this exercise, continuing with Picasso, was how the artist loved to exaggerate features and figures, sometimes creating a more comic like piece and learning his reasoning for this exaggeration was in part due to perspective. The clay project is using clay that is a porcelain type clay and was fired in Studio 4 Art's kiln.

Studio 4 Art is very excited to have a space where we can let the students see their art work framed, hung and lit up. It gives them a sense of pride and accomplishment when their work is up for all to see. Looking forward to the next show in about 2 1/2 months.

How Studio 4 Art came to be... and a bit about me

It is amazing to me to think that I opened Studio 4 Art when my son was just 18 months old (he is now 4; and 3/4 as he will explain) because I had a vision of what I felt our children deserved and were not getting in any school. It has been a fast changing, ever thrilling ride so far. The doors of Studio 4 Art swung open in September 2008 with the power of one, myself. I was being mom to 3, teaching, marketing and learning the ropes of being a business woman, all because I believed in what Studio 4 Art could do for children. To look at the shop now, with our ever expanding group of 7 teachers, it is humbling to think that they work for Studio 4 Art. I don't know how so many awesome people have come our way, but I am thrilled, honored and extremely appreciative of each and every one of our instructors.

Now, on with the story of how I felt compelled to take this adventure on. Although Studio 4 Art is going into it's 4th year, I have been teaching for over 14 years. It all began 17 years ago when I attended Mill Valley Nursery School with my now 21 year old son. It was so inspiring to see the creatively through play and an open ended art curriculum. The children just thrived in this environment. As the years passed and my second child (now 18) attended this same school, I was beginning to realize it was not just the two of them that were growing, I too was gaining invaluable knowledge. Part of the requirement of this school was to teach once a week. So not only was I gaining information as a parent to my kids, but I was also "finding" myself in this environment. It wasn't long after this inspirational experience that I went back to school to begin getting credits for a teaching credential. For fun, as I was engaged in early childhood educational courses, I decided to take an art class. This is when the heavens opened, angels began to sing and my passion exploded.

Not soon after going back to college, I found myself a single mom. Trying to figure out what I wanted to do to support myself while going to school and my two kids, I decided to begin teaching after school programs in art. I started teaching at my own kids school in Mill Valley and I focused on painting, drawing, mosaics, paper making, sewing, printmaking and any combination of these. They were very successful and grew and I took on many more schools and joined efforts with the Mill Valley Recreational Department. I was jazzed every time I taught a class. It was so fulfilling to see the students create something from nothing. Something I was enlightened with back in my clothing design days at Kebby Kids.

So, the path of teacher had begun. I gained my degree and focused on art and child psychology as I thought that child psychology would be a knowledgeable base that would put me ahead. And boy has it come in handy over the years. My next adventure would be joining a new business called doodlebug. At the time it was a paint it yourself pottery studio. I was hired to be the education coordinator and put together a program that is still followed 10 years later. I was the teacher for 90% of the program and loved connecting with the students, but felt suppressed and challenged with the organization of the establishment. I had such strong visions of what I thought a learning environment should be for children that I needed to move on.

Eventually my path lead me to Studio 4 Art and the opening of a studio in San Rafael. This was short lived due to the sale of the building. But, it did give me a taste of the possibility and the desire of having a permanent brick and mortar studio.

Juggling my two older children and their many commitments in school, gymnastics and my own schooling, I continued Studio 4 Art, but took it on the road as Studio 4 Art on Wheels. I traveled all over Marin and even into Sonoma County teaching after school programs, home schooling groups and private classes. It was challenging, but I loved teaching art and felt that I could still teach while creating my own schedule around these other activities.

Time went on and this pattern continued, but something new and exciting was now in my life. A wonderful man, and surprisingly someone I had known for over 12 years. Sparks flew, love grew and in a short amount of time we decided to marry and have a baby. Now, call me crazy because I sometimes do too, because my two older kids were 14 and 17. But, it is the best gift I have been given yet. And with the strength and support of my now husband, I felt that it was time to grow Studio 4 Art into the vision that I had seen for years. My family is the greatest blessing of all, but I also feel so blessed to have a job that I absolutely love and find so extremely important in changing how our children are currently being taught in our schools. I feel that I have to stand up and not only be a voice for them, but to also give them a voice. The voice of choice in their creative exploration and the gained knowledge of the creative process that art teaches.

My path has been windy from being obligated to teach at a nursery school, to being enlightened by the creative learning process. From being employed as an educational coordinator for a different business, to then trying to open a Studio 4 Art in San Rafael. From being challenged and having to shut the doors to getting back on the horse to teach after school programs yet again. All leading me to the finale, the brick and mortar we now call home. Whew, I get dizzy trying to follow my own story. But, I do hope you find it entertaining and now have a better understanding of what you can do with a vision, passion, patience and determination. And my story is not over yet. I continue to have inspiration that I feel compelled to follow.and determination.

It takes a Village, Oil on Canvas, 4' x 4', Kebby McInroy