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Prairie Grove, AR, 72753
USA

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Journal

News from Dowd House Studios: places to find our pottery, exhibitions, classes & workshops, new forms and exciting projects.

Filtering by Tag: drawing class

Winter Classes

Jenny Dowd

I’ve been taking a bit of a break to recharge - it was needed because all of a sudden I can’t wait to work in the studio and start teaching classes again!

Already a lot is happening in the studio (new stuff coming soon!) and classes begin this week at the Art Association.

Clay Surfaces: Color, Glaze & Pattern

Jan 10 - Feb 7 | 11:30am - 2pm

This class will cover lots of surface techniques - texture & stamping as well as the many ways to use underglaze and slip: sgraffito, inlay & mishima, stencils, transfers, wax etching… This class is the place to find or enhance your style!

Monotype, Chine-collé, and Hand-sewn Techniques

2 different sessions:

Feb 6 & 13 | 1 - 4pm

April 17 & 24 | 6 - 9pm

Learn the basics of monotype printmaking, a process that can be quick or layered. We will explore techniques to make marks using an etching press as well as techniques that you can do at home without a press.

Monotypes are one-time prints that I find truly special and sometimes haunting. Whether you love to draw & paint or are a little intimidated by paper - you will make interesting designs, patterns, and images that are exciting and one-of-a-kind.

We will also add to the layers of our prints with chine-collé and collage techniques.

Daytime Beginning Throwing

2 different sessions:

Feb 14 - March 21 | 11:30am - 2pm

April 18 - May 23 | 11:30am - 2pm

How does a lump of clay become a mug? Learn all the basics in this daytime throwing class. It will be awkward and messy at first, but you’ll have something you can eat out of by the end of the class!

Drawing Topics

2 different sessions:

Feb 20 - March 13 | 1 - 4pm

May 8 - 28 | 6 - 9pm

I think that drawing is a really important way to communicate. Whether you are doodling while waiting or are giving someone instructions that need a little visual component or you desire to make a realistic drawing of an object - drawing is useful. Learn confidence during this 4-week class as we work through the basics and a variety of techniques to get you started to brush up your skills.

Check out the Events page on the website to see Sam’s classes, and dates for shows and other events as we know them!

Fall Classes

Jenny Dowd

Fall classes have begun at the Art Association! I’m teaching a variety of topics…

Make your own clay and silver jewelry in Melding Minerals. In this 3-part class we will make jewelry components from stoneware and porcelain, highlighting texture, color, and surface design. Then we will put it all together with silversmith Jen McNaughton.

Tuesdays | 5:30 - 8:30pm | Sept 18 - Oct 2

Surface Design on Pottery started this past Wednesday, but it’s not too late to drop in for any topic you are curious about. Sgraffito, inlay & mishima, decals & transfers…

Wednesdays | 6 - 9pm | Sept 12 - Oct 17

Drawing Topics is a great drawing class to refresh your skills or start up a good drawing habit. Each week covers a different topic, sign up for all or just a few.

Tuesdays | 10am - 12pm | Oct 2 - Nov 6

In Handbuilding with Clay - Daytime we will cover all the basic handbuilding techniques - slab, pinch, coil, plus a lot more. Bring your ideas- large and small! Learn how to use studio tools such as the slab roller and extruder.

Wednesdays | Oct 24 - Nov 28 | 12 - 2pm

I’m offering 2 opportunities to make your own cards before the holidays:

Printing & Sewing: Cardmaking In this one-day workshop we will spend the morning making designs, and patterns by making simple screenprints and monotypes. In the afternoon we will collage these prints by sewing them onto cards with other found and handmade papers. No glue! The sewing machine lines can create beautiful attachments and simple lines that add to your design. No sewing or printmaking experience necessary.

Saturday | Nov 3 | 10am - 3pm

Monotype Printmaking: Holiday Cards Spend an afternoon making fun and simple cards to celebrate the holidays (or any event.) Learn simple monotype techniques and make cards or images in multiple sizes. Once the print has dried you can even go back and draw on top of the colors or images… so many options!

Tuesday | Dec 4 | 1 - 4pm

Fall Classes

Jenny Dowd

Fall is approaching and I'm changing my studio focus slightly. This always seems like a good time of year to revisit ideas from before the busy summer while digging into the studio before winter. I'll be teaching 3 classes this fall at the Art Association that cover the basics plus a bit more in drawing and ceramics:

Drawing Essentials

This is a 4-week class and is designed to cover a topic each week, participants can choose to take multiple weeks or drop in for a specific topic. While my drawing is very line based and focuses on telling simple and sometimes funny stories, I truly enjoy the challenges of teaching each of these topics. I also find them helpful for my drawing practice, and am often inspired to incorporate them into sketches and projects.

Oct 10: Line & Shape

Oct 17: Perspective & Space

Oct 24: Value & Depth

Oct 31: Composition

Drawing & Monotype Printmaking

This 4-week drawing class can be approached as an extension of basic drawing, although all levels are welcome. I have been working to incorporate printmaking into some of my work, especially the immediate form of monotype. Slicing up a roasted beet made a neat (although temporary) print on my cutting board. This quick technique can also be a springboard for mixed media drawings- start with a quick print, then work back into it with drawing. This is a truly tactile process, we will work with a variety of materials and will use a press as well as more basic techniques.

4 weeks, Tuesdays, 1 - 4 pm, November 7 - 28

Glaze Chemistry 101

6 weeks, Oct 17 - Nov 21, Tuesdays 6 - 9pm

So, you are looking for a little more in the clay studio? Not super happy with your glaze options or applications? Wondering about the firing process? This is the class for you, a technical course designed to give a peek into the mystery of glazing and kiln firing. We will discuss and explore a variety of firing techniques, learn the basics of glaze materials, and create our own glazes and color variations.