Designed with beginners in mind, the Averitt Center for the Arts offers a variety of art workshops. Centered around both two-dimensional and three-dimensional art forms, the workshops’ instructors guide students step by step in the creation process.
We started years ago offering painting workshops. Paint-n-Party is perfect for the busy professional, who can enjoy the chance to paint without the commitment of attending a class once a week. These workshops are taught by Erika Busbee.
"What I want my students to get out of my workshops is, you don't have to be a professional artist to enjoy making art,” Busbee said. “You can be proud of yourself for the art you made and … have fun making it.”
Linda Murphy has participated in the painting workshops for several years now.
“This is one of the times each month that I take time to do something fun for myself,” she said. “Participating in the workshops made me realize I can do more than I thought I could with painting.”
Not too long ago, we added a wheel-throwing workshop. We call it Give it a Spin!and students get to work on their own pottery wheels. Though many people are intimidated by a pottery wheel, this workshop is designed to encourage students to roll up their sleeves and give it a try. Taught by Lois Harvey, the class teaches students to work with clay on the wheel to create simple items like a small bowl.
“I want people to really explore and have fun making a clay pot on the wheel,” Harvey said. “Pottery is such a physical way to connect with clay, and it’s all about exploring creating something with your hands. Whether it’s your first time touching clay or you’re returning like an old friend, clay is for everyone!”
Still, not all pottery pieces are created on a wheel. Our newest workshop entitled Try Your HAND at Clay! is centered around building items out of clay by hand, without the use of the pottery wheel. Instructor Georgina Osuna Diaz creates a project in advance, and a photo of that project is used to advertise what the students will be creating in class.
“Clay is a material rich in history, and the possibilities for art-making are endless,” Osuna Diaz said. “Hand-building is the oldest use of this medium, and I would like to offer a unique way to learn different hand-building techniques for new-to-clay people to experience, welcoming them into the passion of ceramics.”
Visit www.averittcenterforthearts.org to view the workshop schedule or to register, and call (912) 212-2787 with questions.