Information about after-school art classes

I teach after-school art classes for children at my place in Mahina Bay. If you are interested in your children attending, have any questions or would like to receive my emails about these classes send me an email (dorapapersart@gmail.com). If you are looking for information on my Gift Hutt Marbling Workshops, go here.

My classes run weekly, by the school term. Group classes (2-5 children) are $20 per child per week, normally an hour and a half long. I also run individual hour long classes for $30. Most of my classes are for children aged 7 and up, but I do occasionally run ones for younger children too.

My main focus with these art classes is to give children an opportunity to have fun and experiment with art. 

I pick at least four different mediums each term (generally acrylic paint, oil or soft pastel and pencil/charcoal, with some form of print making, marbling or sculpture every few terms), and cover some basics of technique, colour theory and composition, usually using a couple of artists as examples and inspiration.

Because my class sizes are very small, all lessons are tailored to individual abilities and interests. I also have an overarching term theme to capture imagination – mainly for those moments when you can’t think what to draw!

For 2017, the term two theme is sketching animals. Lots of fun pencil, charcoal and pastel work! My Tuesday class has also dived off into model making, and is working with salt ceramic and card building amazing 3d sculptures.

Classwork collages

Here's some of the amazing work from my term three and four after school art classes last year.

Term four's theme was jungles and desserts, and we all spent a lot of time looking at Rousseau's jungle paintings. These pictures are done with acrylic paint, soft pastel and charcoal.

The weather cooperated with a few fine days for marbling, and I got a new marker-airbrush kit the kids used with great success

Term three's theme was mermaids and sea-monsters. Lots of fantastic water scenes made with soft and oil pastel. Can you spot the Hokusai influence?

Finally polymer clay and mixed-media dioramas, all photography and photo-editing also done by the kids! 

Markets and Events

I've had a lot of people ask me lately when my next market is, or what markets I'm doing. I'm always very happy to answer - but there are a lot of them in the next couple of months, so I thought listing the all here might help people track me down. I'm always happy to see familiar faces, so do drop by and say hi.

This post will float at the top of my blog till the end of 2015, so scroll on down for new content

Gift Hutt Marbling Workshops

Come along to Gift Hutt for an exciting afternoon marbling workshop with me!

The workshops are for everybody! Children and adults. If the children are 7 years old or older no adult supervision is needed, but all parents are welcome to stay and observe. If you would like to take part as well, please say so when registering as it effects class numbers and equipment. 

I'll be running three workshops. Attending all three will allow you build on skills learnt in the previous workshops, but all can be understood on their own and people are welcome to come to just one or two. 

The first one on Sunday the 8^th November, is an introduction to marbling and will include how to make some basic patterns. You can also do a bit of origami.

The second workshop is on Saturday 28^th November. As well as creating further marbled papers you will have the opportunity to make your own marbled fridge magnet (please note, one wooden base for each student will be provided as part of the class fee, more will be available for purchase on the day).

The third workshop is on 13^th December. It will, in addition to marbling, include some simple bookbinding with everyone learning how to make a stitched notebook. 

Cost $25 per person, or $65 for all three workshops. They will all run from 2p.m - 3.45p.m at Gift Hutt, on High St, Lower Hutt.

To sign up, or if you have any questions, email me at dorapapersart@gmail.com

Term 2 Art

A very belated round-up of the fantastic art my classes produced in term 2. If they look familiar to you it's because I've already posted them on facebook... or perhaps because it's your children's art and is currently on your wall.

The term theme was bugs and butterflies, and the main mediums covered were acrylic paint, charcoal sketches, stencils and potato print making. I really love how the prints and stencils turned out - lots of great designs, and the children got very interested in experimenting with colour and patterns.

potato prints and stencils

More Trees

Spring, with a few earrings on it. The flowers are quilled

I really like my paper tree jewllery stand, so I’ve been making a few more this year. Here are a couple that are finished. The one currently underway is a gold leafed tree to complete the seasons. Of course, I doubt I'll stop there. 

Winter

A smaller green leafed one will probably be next, so they will really be a set - my first tree is a bit larger than the others.

Original 'Summer' tree in use at market