Collaborative Theater with Nadia Buyes This is not just your average drama class. This class focuses on getting everyone to write and produce a play collaboratively. Utilizing a democratic approach; participants will create an original story (with or without Musical elements) and produce the play together, including casting, art direction, costuming and more.
Building Healthy Relationships with Jennifer Thelander Ideal participants are looking to improve their understanding of romantic relationships and friendships. This class covers basic rights, non-negotiable standards in relationships, self-esteem building and understanding mutual respect. Parties will learn assertiveness skills, recognizing and respecting personal space and how to solve conflict with others. Each person will be provided with a work book containing handouts, positive affirmations, vocabulary words and resources. This class will also briefly define sexual,psychological, physical and financial abuse. Participants are asked to be able to handles these themes with respect and sensitivity. The topic of abuse is for learning purposes and personal stories shared with the whole group are discouraged as they may trigger other participants.
Contemplative Arts with Natasha Terranova Contemplative Arts at Public Annex combines meditation, yoga and art by structuring each class with the common thread of mindfulness: During the first half of the class meditation practices serve to bring attention to our physical bodies, breath, and inner awareness. With meditative focus as a foundation we continue to incorporate movement, yoga and play. In the second half of class, we bring the observations of mindfulness into art exercises which are paired with each class’s theme. We may make a foot collage, or a lung dance. We can write stories about balancing, compose poems to our bodies, sing from our hearts and draw our shadows. Each class will close with a brief meditation to recenter body and mind using that day’s theme, bringing us full circle.
Experimental Drawing with Rachel Mulder This class will explore the many paths that drawing can take us. By experimenting with a variety of non-toxic media and materials, through both individual works and collaborative projects, together we will discover “what drawing is” for each of us. We will celebrate the end of this course with a group-curated exhibition. No artistic talent or drawing experience is required for this class.
Open Studio with Biz Miller Open studio hours are a time to practice a wide variety of art making. For beginners who want to explore new materials and practices or more experienced artists who are looking for the time and space to continue to develop favorite ways of working. Open art studio is a great time to create work for community art shows, to build your portfolio, to work alongside other artists and participate in a professional art studio. We will provide materials for drawing, painting, collage and welcome suggestions for new materials and processes to explore.
Professional Practices for Artists with Lauren Moran In this class we will focus on thinking about and developing skills that artists use. There are many things that go into having an art practice (besides the making of artwork) to further an art career or to get more involved in the art community. Based on the interests and goals of those who attend the class, we will explore a range of topics and skills including documenting work, social media, collaboration, how to build a basic website, curating, hanging and designing an art exhibition, publication and zine making, business card making, community building and networking, and connecting with artists and galleries in Portland. Any of these things are possible and the direction of the class will be determined by its participants.
