REGISTRATION OPENS FOR FALL 2011 CLASSES AT AGNJ

Registration is now open for Fall classes for adults, teens (ages 12-16), and children (ages 7–11) at Arts Guild New Jersey (formerly The Arts Guild of Rahway). Fall classes begin the week of September 19, 2011. For complete course descriptions and class schedules, access the online course catalog at www.agnj.org (Art Classes page) or call (732) 381-7511 to request a printed flyer. 

Registration is accepted online, as well as in-person or by mail. To register in person, visit the office at 1670 Irving Street in Rahway, on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday, from 9:00 AM – 12 noon or from 1:00 – 4:00 PM (please use parking lot entrance).  Cash and check payments are accepted in person or by mail; credit card payments are accepted online only.

Daytime Adult classes include Drawing from Life & Photos, an introduction to the fundamentals of composition, perspective, proportion, positive/negative space, value, and texture, using still life and reference materials, Expressive Watercolor, in which students create vibrant paintings in their own personal style, and Oil Painting: Basics & Beyond, where students focus on composition/design, under-painting, color theory and color mixing, and using transparent glazes. Daytime adult classes run weekly for two and a half hours each morning (10:00 AM – 12:30 PM), for eight weeks.

Evening Adult classes include two choices for drawing classes: Intermediate/Advanced Drawing, for experienced artists who want to explore challenging perspectives and color usage while developing a personal style, and Open Studio Life Drawing, sessions in which artists work, without an instructor, from different live male and female models each week, in short and long poses.

The Arts Guild offers painting classes in various mediums. Watercolor teaches students to create vivid, original works of art with an emphasis on color, blending, composition, precision, form, light, shade and the use of brushes. Acrylic Painting demonstrates traditional methods, from washes and glazing with acrylic medium, to the use of gels and additives for texture. Painting with Oils is a study of technical, formal, and creative aspects of painting original artworks with oils from still life displays, landscape, and other inspirational sources.

Beginning Stained Glass and Intermediate/Advanced Stained Glass emphasize the skills of glass-cutting, foil wrapping, soldering and finishing techniques to make lampshades, stained glass window panels or even stained glass sculptural pieces and holiday ornaments.

For adult classes, students are responsible for their own materials. Supply lists are distributed upon registration. Most evening classes run for 2.5 hours weekly, for eight weeks.

Teen classes at Arts Guild New Jersey include Painting for Teens, which covers everything from composition to color mixing, working from various subjects using acrylic paint, and Sculpture/3-D Art, where students use wood, cardboard and found materials to create sculpture while learning about design and composition of forms in space, and a weekend Japanese Anime/Manga Style Cartooning class, where students learn the techniques of this popular cartooning and animation style to make their own comic art. All teen classes include materials.

Kids classes include Sculpture for Kids, where students build three-dimensional objects out of cardboard, paper maché, wire, modeling clay and other materials, Cartooning for Kids where students tell a simple story in pictures, creating a comic panel or comic strip page, and Drawing Exploration, which builds students’ skills in drawing realistic and imaginary objects, people and landscapes, while tapping into their creativity and imagination. Children’s classes run weekly during after school hours (4:00 – 5:30 PM). Materials for children’s classes are provided.

The Arts Guild will offer three in-depth one-day adult workshop sessions this Fall. Introduction to Collage will touch upon the history of collage as an art form and will also expose students to contemporary artists working with collage. This workshop, taking place on September 24th, 2011, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, will focus on 2-dimensional work created with existing printed matter, teaching basic collage techniques and how the method relates to other art forms. In Botanical Watercolor, students will learn how to reproduce the colors and textures of live plant specimens, and to appreciate the natural beauty of the cycle of plant life. The session will be held on September 24th, 2011, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Encaustic Painting will be held on October 29th, 2011, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and will include collage, stenciling, and a variety of other uses for this wax medium. Basic techniques will be reviewed and several original pieces can be completed in this session.

All class space is limited, so early registration is encouraged to ensure enrollment. Members receive a $15 discount on adult classes and a $10 discount on classes for children and teens.

Call (732) 381-7511, email artsguild1670@verizon.net, or visit www.agnj.org for more information.

ABOUT ARTS GUILD NEW JERSEY

Arts Guild New Jersey is a non-profit multi-disciplinary arts center located in the downtown Arts District in the City of Rahway, with a mission to provide quality arts programs for the benefit of the Northern and Central New Jersey area. Each year the Guild presents: a fine art exhibition series; a jazz series; multi-week art class sessions in the winter, spring and fall for adults, teens, and children; an on-going series of adult art workshops; summer art workshops for kids; and a variety of other cultural events and activities. Arts Guild New Jersey is accessible from the Garden State Parkway, NJ Turnpike, Routes 1 & 9, Saint Georges Avenue, and NJ Transit via the Northeast Corridor and Jersey Shore lines.

Sponsors of this program include Northfield Bank Foundation and Investors Savings Bank Charitable Foundation.