Give the children in your life an incomparable gift...a week of fun and creativity at the Redlands Art Association Winter Art Camps! December 17-21
I am teaching the young 6-9 year old group and kids will explore many different media as well as expressing their own creative expression. All materials are provided as well as snacks.
Monday – Friday Children’s Classes (ages 6-9), daily 9:30 – 11:30 – $75

Contact the Redlands Art Association today to reserve your spot! http://redlands-art.org/education/youth-classes/

FREE Playday!

I am starting a new FUN event! My studio partner Nancy Saahira Tedder (marketing whiz) suggested this great idea and I had to run with it...a FREE open studio art day! I will put out all kinds of paint, markers, crayons, pastels. papers, collage stuff. Drop in for a few minutes or stay for the day. Bring a friend. You will find a welcoming sanctuary to experiment with art and unleash your creativity.
What a fun way to give a little back to my patrons, students, and friends! Thanks Nancy!

Open to All! No Experience Needed! All Materials Provided!
You are encouraged to bring snacks...I am partial to cookies with nuts in them myself!
Jo: 951-660-4925

Saturdays after the Arts Walk:10/08, 11/5, 12/03
10 AM-4PM
Studio #36
Life Arts Center
3485 University Ave.
Riverside, CA 92501

Register for Classes on Eventbrite!

I have just added all my upcoming events to the Eventbrite website which makes it easy and safe for you to register and pay for them.

The Calendar to the left will show you the events and you can click on the image or the link above to get to the site. I am so excited to add this to my blog and website.

Summer Art Classes

I am planning a full summer of Art Classes, Salons and Workshops in my studio, #36, in the Life Arts Center, 3485 University Avenue in Riverside, California. Several formats will be offered.

Classes: Passionate Pastels, Watercolor Only Wild, Self-Portraits
Classes are focused on specific media and techniques, and are two, 3 hour sessions long, meeting every other week.

Sunday Salons: Summer Dream Maps, 100hearts Heart-Centered Art, and Mystical Mandalas
The Salons are on a Sunday afternoon and are about creativity, inspiration, centering, and recharging with a 3 hour format which includes meditation and tea!

The Drawing Studio is another format where drawing instruction is offered for 90 minutes on the 1st and 3rd Saturday mornings and will be an ongoing class.

All Classes are open to students of any skill level or experience. You will take home your artwork and handouts listing resources, materials, websites, reading list and more! All materials are provided. Just show up and have fun experimenting and artmaking!!

My classes are relaxed, lively and focused on taking students from wherever they are to where they want to be with their art skills. Click on the link above right to Jo's Calendar for details on my website.

Contact Jo at 951.660.4925 or jothompsonart@gmail.com to reserve your space today!

Passionate Pastels Workshop

Workshop Saturday June 25th 10AM-2PM
Pastels can be a challenge! It can feel like you are drawing with a log. Learning to be comfortable and control this traditional medium can be a joy. I have been working in pastel for decades and can give you the benefit of that experience.

This 4 hour workshop will present the types of pastel which are best to use, the kinds of papers and other supports used for pastel paintings.This medium is very direct and you will complete several pieces. You will have handouts to take home listing materials, websites of interest, a book list and more.

Join us and you will be PASSIONATE about pastels, too!

All Classes are open to students of any skill level or experience.
All materials are provided. Just show up and have fun experimenting and artmaking!!

Cost: $60

Sunday Salons

Sunday Salons: A series of Workshops with a focus on creativity, inspiration, centering, recharging. Less about technique or media and more about being an artistic person. Holding the vision of how art can enhance our lives and facilitate world change.

The format includes a brief guided meditation to create a sacred space within and without, then a presentation of the Salon topic with discussion, artmaking, light refreshments, sharing our artwork if you choose to do so, and ending with a closing circle.

You will take home artwork and handouts listing resources, materials, websites, reading list and more!

All Classes are open to students of any skill level or experience.
All materials are provided. Just show up and have fun experimenting and artmaking!!

Cost:
$45 per session

Drawing Studio

I LOVE to draw and I LOVE to teach drawing!! I have literally been drawing since I could hold a pencil at about age 3. My parents were both artists and they showed me all the tricks they knew. I was fortunate to attend an excellent University Art School for my BFA where drawing was stressed and valued.Drawing is the foundation not only for everything you create but the basis for learning how to see! I.

I am so convinced of the power of enhanced drawing skills...not only for students but for professionals to continue to practice, that I am going to offer this as an ongoing class which meets consistently. You can sign up in advance and get some discounts for taking more sessions or you can also just DROP IN when it fits your schedule.

Whether you are a total beginner or have been drawing for years you can have fun and learn techniques to improve your drawing skills immediately! Practice specific exercises and work on projects designed to enhance your ability and confidence to draw anything you want to: figures, faces hands, still life, landscapes, animals and more. Shape, shading, value, contours: we will do it all. We will have interesting set ups, drawing from the model, life drawing and take some fun field trips around the Life Arts Studio Building!

What I want to create with this class is a drawing community...an artistic support system that you will be part of when you join us! I am creating a blog just for this class which will host resources, materials, links, reading list, exhibition and art contest opportunities and more!

All Classes are open to students of any skill level or experience.
All materials are provided for your first drawing session.

Cost:
$20 per session

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Class a SUCCESS!

I recently taught A Historical Survey of Women Artists at the La Quinta Museum as part of California State University, San Bernardino Palm Desert Campus Osher Institute. The course lasted six weeks and we had a great turnout! Everyone was very positive about having the opportunity to learn about women artists who have been excluded from our history and are now being rediscovered.

We went from Hildegarde of Bingen, through the Guerrilla Girls and the class was astounded at how many there were and how successful women artists had been during their lifetimes. We also saw videos on many of the women and visited online the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC.

These are the details of the course from my website calendar. I also included visits from local living women artists and that was a popular addition to the class. Here is artist Lorraine Klotz discussing her process in developing her popular, colorful paintings.

7th Annual Gather The Women Conference!

Celebrating 100 Years of International Women's Day

Gather at 8:30 at the UU Church on Lemon and Mission Inn Ave. Downtown Riverside

Keynote Speaker: Rowan Storm

I am offering a workshop called: 100hearts Heart Centered Art Path to Creativity

And I will be selling Original Art/Prints/Posters/Jewelry/Books and more!

Workshops on Creativity, spirituality, activism and more.

Women's Marketplace Library Plaza 9-5 Open to the Public

Evening Concert Riverside Women's Club 7pm $10 with Conf. Reg.

Adults $35/Senior/Student $25

Register online at womencreatingpeace.org

New Riverside Studio and Free Introductory Art Classes!

I am so pleased to announce that I am opening a new studio in Downtown Riverside at the Life Arts Center on University and Lemon Streets. In Studio 36 I will be able to expand my art class offerings, be part of the monthly Riverside Art Walk, and have space to display and sell my work!

I will be making a special offer this month, March: a series of FREE ART CLASSES to allow students to explore and experience my fun and personalized approach to teaching art and decide which ongoing class might be perfect for you!

They will be 1 hour each session. No prior experience is needed. All materials are supplied.

All skill levels are welcome!

10-11 am or 11- 12 noon

Saturday, March 12

and

Saturday, March, 19, 2011

Contact me to register and Save Your Spot: jothompsonart@gmail.com

This offer is for adult students and I will be making a similar offer for childrens in April with dates and times to be announced.

New Gallery!

I am very excited about being part of the Incredible Artist gallery family here in the desert.
My work will be in the gallery and I am also teaching several workshops.

Visit the website to see art, register for workshops, and buy art from the online store...with free shipping!

Passionate Pastels
9/23, 9/24 5:30-9:00 PM and 9/25 10:00-1:30 PM

Mystical Mandalas
10/5, 10/12, 10/19 5:30-9:00 PM

For descriptions, class supply list, and to register visit the website:
http://incredibleartist.com/