Silvermine Arts Center Holds Open House

From Silvermine Arts Center: Summer Art Studios at the Silvermine School of Art, for students ages 4 through 17, offer extraordinary opportunities for young children as well as high school students. Younger ones will gain new competence and meet new friends; older students can deepen knowledge of technique and composition or strengthen a portfolio for college.

All Silvermine students learn from regionally and nationally-known artists. At every level, from beginner to advanced, enjoyment, participation, and play are givens, and Silvermine’s 5-acre campus with its Sculpture Walk and many landscape views adds to the experience of attending workshops at one of the oldest artist communities in the country.

Silvermine School of Art will host an open house on Sunday, March 12, from 2-4 p.m. where parents and prospective students can meet faculty, roam the campus, see demonstrations, tour the studios, and participate in hands-on art activities. The event is free and open to the entire community.

Summer Art Studios are in session from June 19 to August 31, and are divided into Junior and Teen categories. Classes run for ten consecutive weeks and children can participate for one or more weeks. Junior Art Studios, for ages 4 to 12, encourage children to engage their imaginations. The teacher to student ratio is approximately 1 to 4, allowing for the development of individualized artistic expression and effective dialogue. Students will develop knowledge of a variety of techniques. Art studio activities include workshops on art and literature. Art and drama are also offered this year.

Teen Summer Workshops for ages 13 through 17 are an opportunity to stretch imaginations while strengthening drawing and painting skills. Students will discover the fundamentals of drawing and painting and their relationship to each other with emphasis on individual perception and exploration. They will also discover new concepts and master basic skills while gaining confidence, pride and self-discipline.

The Teen Summer Workshops will offer a variety of media: oil painting, portrait/figure drawing & painting, photography, wood and metal sculpture, jewelry-making, ceramics, and illustration. Oil-painting workshops will provide a complete overview of painting with oils, and students will be guided through the process of creating a landscape painting. In portrait/figure drawing & painting students will work with a clothed model exploring both the face and the figure, and will learn proportion, shading and composition. Included this year: fiber arts, metal sculpture and woodworking in the Bill Sessions Woodworking Center.

One-week summer art studio sessions range from $275 - $475. Registration in person at the open house is welcomed and encouraged. Meet faculty members, tour the campus, engage in fun art activities and schedule your summer activities early at the March 12 open house. General camp registration begins March 15. For more information and to register for the many Summer Art Studio programs available at Silvermine School of Art, call 203-966-6668, ext. 2 or visit www.silvermineart.org.

Silvermine Arts Center is one of the oldest artist communities in the United States. Its five­ acre campus in New Canaan, Connecticut, consists of a nationally renowned artist guild, an award­-winning school of art offering classes for all ages, an arts and fine crafts shop, and a gallery offering over twenty contemporary and historic exhibitions annually. Silvermine is a non­profit 501c3 organization that also offers an educational outreach program, Art Partners, and hosts lectures, film screenings, and special events.

Gallery Hours: Silvermine Galleries are open Wednesday through Saturday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.For more information, call (203) 966­9700 ext. 20 or visit the website: www.silvermineart.org. 1037 Silvermine Road, New Canaan, CT 06840

Photos courtesy of Silvermine Arts Center