Aside from over 35 adult art workshops offered at duCret, the summer season also features several Open Studio opportunities. Local artists, beginners, art pro's and students (16+) can attend any of the four open studios running throughout summer; Open Studio's include: Takumi Ceramics and Pottery Wheel, Hand Building Ceramics, Portrait Painting & Drawing Open Studio and Figure Drawing Open Studio.
SUMMER 2012 OPEN STUDIO SCHEDULE
MON EVE - Running Continuously thru summer from 6pm - 8pm "Takumi & Pottery Wheel Open Studio". Remember the movie 'Ghost' with Demi M. and Patrick S? Always wanted to try the pottery wheel? It's SO much fun! Put your hands in clay dug straight up from Mother Earth, and learn how to shape her into something beautiful on the wheel. Enhance your experience with the flavor of Japan's ceramic history shared by our moderator, Simon, a Japan trained ceramics artist. Glaze and fire Mother's clay into editable pottery or plates. That's right - you could even make a dog bowl for your pets to drink from! Fee: $30.00/$25 students and alumni.
TUES EVE - Running July 10th - Aug 14 from 6pm - 9 pm "Portrait & Anything Goes" Open Studio. Live musicians play mellow tunes and sing to inspire artists. Here you can paint, draw or sculpt a live still (clothed & costumed) model, or paint the moving musicians or you can bring in your own unfinished artwork to work on. Models are booked usually three weeks in a row to allow completion of a painting and pose for 20 minutes at a clip. The mood is relaxing, upbeat and artists are encouraged to mingle during breaktime. Beginners to pros all welcome. Fee: $15.00 per / $10.00 duCret students and alumni.
WED MORN - Running June 6 - July 25 from 9am - 12pm "Ceramics Open Studio". This Open Studio focuses on hand-building methods. Spending time in the ceramics studio is just a fun and productive way to relax and be creative. As no formal instruction is offered in Open Studio, some prior experience is recommended. Fee: $ 30 per session.
WED EVE - Running June 20 - Aug 15th from 7pm - 9:30pm "Figure Open Studio". A live nude model poses for five minutes at a clip giving artists the opportunity to fast sketch the full human figure and work on developing skills with regards to all aspects of the human anatomy. Based on classical and legendary art history, the honor of working with a nude form allows a maturity of artristy to unfold. Set to mellow music, this environment is quieter in nature, yet ever inspiring and welcoming of all newcomers. (This Open Studio is drawing only.) Fee: $15.00 per / $10.00 duCret students and alumni.
CBS Living Large TV features homes that most of us can only dream of. Yet some individuals such as artist Christine Myshka, an instructor at the duCret School of Art, are afforded the experience of walking within the ‘larger-life’ reality, sans having to carry the hefty mortgages that go along with it. How could this be, one might ask? For several years, Christine has been contracted via a mural design company ‘Three Designing Woman’, to paint fantasy scenes in lavish and luxurious homes throughout the tri state area. Last year she spent most of her summer on scaffolding, painting scenic trees on 24 foot walls. These were not outside walls mind you, but were the interior walls of a NJ mansion, whose heights could match the panoramic perspective of a three story building rooftop level. Her job was to artistically enhance a huge foyer and stairway entrance of a $14 million dollar home in Colts Neck, NJ. By summer’s end, trees that would tower the average home had manifested in full bloom within the mansion. The job didn’t end there. According to CBS 2’s ‘Living Large’ host Emily Smith, who gave TV viewers a virtual tour of the home that was broadcast recently, several other areas of the home were touched with Christine’s artistic renderings as well. This included an eye catching stairwell and basement hallway that resembled a large Broadway theatre mezzanine, which leads to an actual theatre within the home.
Christine credits the vivid writings of Edgar Allen Poe as her childhood inspiration to become an illustrator. It is often said that the dreams of a child tell the soul what to do in life, if one but follows them. Apparently, Christine was listening carefully, for her work as a career artist now enables her to constantly explore and paint as many fantasy images as she likes, while getting paid quite nicely for it. As part of her professional training, Christine attended Parsons School of Design, where she earned a BFA in Illustration. She continued her studies at Parsons Paris, Du Cret School of Art and Grand Rapids Community College program in Greece. Christine has been freelancing as a professional artist since 1982. Her clients have included Davis Publishing Inc. Ideal Graphics Inc, The Home News & Tribune, Suburban Golf Club, Arcola Country Club, Rockaway River Country Club, T' Leon Advertising and EJs Bar and Grille. In addition to editorial, architectural and advertising illustration, Christine continues to be commissioned to paint murals. She is a long-time member of the Graphic Artists Guild. During the school year, Christine teaches ‘Life Drawing’, ‘The Business of Art’ and runs Wednesday Evening ‘Figure Drawing’ Open Studio’s at the duCret School of Art. This summer Christine will be teaching a one day course called ‘The Business of Art Boot Camp’ scheduled to run on July 6th and again on August 3rd. Those interested can download a Summer Art Workshop catalog and can register by walk-in, mail-in or phone-in between 9 – 4pm, Mondays – Fridays. duCret School of Art is also currently accepting registration for entry into Fall 2012 Semester. Visit www.ducret.edu or call 908-757-7171 for more info.
