The clubs meet monthly through April
A pair of monthly After School Art Clubs for students who want to improve their skills, explore different media, learn new techniques, and build their portfolios start a new series on Aug 28 and 29 at the Albany Museum of Art.
“These courses focus on building fundamental skills in drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, and more,” AMA Director of Education and Public Programming Annie Vanoteghem said. “Each class will focus on a new discipline to allow students to explore different media and techniques.”
The classes are designed for all skill levels, she said. “This series of classes is beneficial to all students, even if they don’t think they are ‘good at art,’” Vanoteghem said. “Art takes repetition and practice, and our clubs will help them develop and hone many new skills.
“Our students will have access to quality materials and they will benefit from the creative space needed to learn and make mistakes together. We will engage in large-scale painting, printmaking, three-dimensional work, textiles, and learning how to utilize mathematics to improve drawing skills.”
Each club is set up for a specific age group, she said.
The After School Art Club for middle and high school students meets on the last Monday of the month, with a couple of exceptions, from 4-6 pm in the AMA Classroom. Its first meeting for the 2023-24 school year is Aug 28.
The After School Art Club for elementary school students meets on the last Tuesday of the month, also with a couple of exceptions, from 3:30-5 pm, also in the AMA Classroom. Its first meeting for the 2023-24 school year is Aug 29.
“The clubs do not meet in December because of the winter holidays and our winter art camps,” Vanoteghem said. “Also, both clubs meet a week earlier than usual in October because the elementary class would fall on Halloween.”
Dates for the middle and high school club are Aug 28, Sept 25, Oct 23, Nov 27, Jan 29, Feb 27, March 25, and April 29.
Dates for the elementary school club are Aug 29, Sept 26, Oct 24, Nov 28, Jan 30, Feb 27, March 26, and April 30.
The cost of each class is $15. The cost per class for AMA donors and legacy members is $12. Online registration links may be found HERE.
Vanoteghem, who teaches the classes, said she was impressed with the progress that students made during the 2022-23 school year workshop series.
“It’s wonderful to see young artists explore new media and techniques, and then use them as avenues of expressing their creativity,” she said. “It’s an enriching experience for the students, opening their minds to new possibilities, and it’s exciting to see them build their skills over the year.”
