Working with Selkirk College, the VISAC Creative Art Space is happy to see spring classes back in full bloom!

INTRO TO PAINTING with WKCFCA artist Barb Pistak
Mondays, 6 sessions, March 26 - May 7, 6:30-8:30pm

INTRO TO SCRATCH ANIMATION with multi-media and visual artist Nyla Raney
Saturday, one session, April 14, 10:00am - 2:00pm

INTRO TO SKETCH BOOK with Nyla Raney
Saturdays, 3 sessions, April 21 - May5, 10:00 - 2:00pm.

All classes take place in VISAC's Creative Art Space unless otherwise notified. We look forward to all the great work that is bound to happen with such wonderful and talented instructors!  For more information on these courses, please call the Selkirk College Trail campus at 250.364.5770 or the VISAC office at 250.364.1181.

This is a five week introductory course in creating beautiful and functional pottery using the potter's wheel. Students will learn basic techniques in wheel throwing and have the opportunity to create bowls and mugs. The finished projects will then be bisqued and glazed and filled with soup or hot chocolate for years to come!

Dates:     (Sundays) January 15th, 22nd and February 5th, 12th, and 19th (no class on January 29th)
Time:       1:00-3:30pm
Where:     Pottery Guild Studio across from the VISAC Gallery 1501 Cedar Ave. Downtown Trail
Fee:        160.00 + 25.00 for clay. Clay can be purchased directly from the Pottery Guild on the first day of classes.

An empty ice cream bucket is required for storing clay.

A maximum of four students is required for enrollment. Registration deadline is Tuesday January 10th 2012. For more information, please call the gallery at 250.364.1181 during regular winter office hours (Tuesday-Friday 10am-2pm).

Because we received such a positive response from our last set of children's pottery classes, VISAC pottery member Theresa LeRose is back instructing winter classes! "Clay With Kids" is aimed for children aged 6-12 years old who want to have a real hands-on experience creating with clay. Three working styles will be taught: "coils", "pinch" and "slab". Theresa is looking forward to all the creative energy her class will bring to the pottery room; we hope you will, too!

Dates:    (Saturdays) January 14, 21, 28 and February 4, 2012
Time:      1:30-3:00pm
Place:     Trail Potters Guild Studio (located across from the VISAC Gallery)
Fee:        70.00 per child (clay included)
Ages:      6-12 years

Class size: a minimum of four to a maximum of eight

For more information, please call the gallery at 250.364.1181 or email us for a registration form.

The VISAC Creative Art Space welcomes Selkirk College Continuing Education for another fabulous fall/winter course season. We have four new courses that are as different and diverse as our own Greater Trail community!

"Drawing and Illustrations" 9 classes: October 3 - December 5, Mondays 6:30-8:30pm NO CLASS OCTOBER 10
Instructor Barb Pistak, President of the West Kootenay Chapter of the Federation of Canadian Artists, will give a thorough overview of drawing and illustrating with a variety of drying mediums: charcoal, graphite pencil, pen and ink and pastels.
189.00 + HST supplies extra, list provided upon registration

"Monotype with Watercolours" 1 class: Saturday October 29 from 1-4pm.
Instructor and West Kootenay Chapter of the Federation of Canadian Artists member and FCA medal winner Wilma Brooks Hughes is offering a fun and easy introduction to printmaking. Monotypes were made popular by the French Impressionists, especially Edgar Degas, who often used monotypes to depict his local landscapes.
45.00 + HST plus 25.00 supply kit

"Intro to Scratch Animation and Film Manipulation" 1 class: Saturday October 8 from 10am-2pm
Want to be the next Norman McLaren? Let instructor Nyla Raney show you how! Scratch animation is the process of drawing and scratching designs directly onto film; other techniques include stenciling, etching and the use of found footage spliced directly into film. We'll look forward to your debut screening at the 2011 Rossland Film Festival!
45.00 + HST materials provided

"Introduction to the Sketchbook" 3 classes: October 15, 22 & 29 Saturdays from 10am-12pm
Another fantastic offering from Nyla Raney is her introduction to the joys and versatility of a working sketchbook. As a journey begins with a single step, so does a finished work begin with a small sketched image. Ladies and Gentlemen, start your pens and pencils!   
65.00 + HST Supplies needed: easy to handle hard bound sketchbook, pen/pencil, scissors and glue stick/tape. Your class may venture outside so bring comfortable shoes and a jacket.

On Sunday, April 3, WKCFCA artist and printmaker Wilma B. Hughes taught four VISAC members the art of block printing and her class produced some amazing works. As a result, she has scheduled another printmaking workshop October 29th through Selkirk College Continuing Education; if you missed the opportunity to explore the world of printmaking and can't wait until the fall, call the gallery at 250-364-1181 and let us know you're interested in another class. We'll do our best to accommodate another blockbuster workshop!   

Does the possibility of life drawing sessions in Trail give your body shivers? The VISAC Gallery is seeking expressions of interest regarding a series of life drawing sessions taking place in the creative centre. In the words of artist Robert Sloan: "Figure drawing is as important today as it ever was for artists. It can help even for landscape and animal artists. Figure drawing teaches good observation and sketching, it's very easy to see what even minute errors cause in the way of distortions and it is the best way to break down the social filter and learn to see the way artists do".

For more information or to register for a series of life drawing sessions, please call the gallery at 250-364-1181. 

Lino cutting and block printing is a bona fide artistic medium. Picasso and Henri Matisse helped to establish the use of line among professional artists and more recently, artists such as Josh MacPhee and Stanley Donwood have continued this tradition.

The VISAC Creative Art Space is proud to host "Lino-Cutting and Block Printing" with FCA artist and printmaker Wilma B. Hughes on April 3rd from 10:00-4:00pm. This all day Sunday workshop will provide a solid foundation for the beginner printmaker as well as reigniting the passion of intermediate and experienced linocutters.

Cost:    $45.00 for workshop plus $35.00 for supplies

Lino material and proofing paper will be provided by the instructor and class supplies may be bought locally at Hall's Basic in downtown Trail or through the instructor.

For more information and registering, please call the gallery at (250) 364-1181

As we usher in the new year, classes that offer everything from beginning quilting to charcoal drawing are ready for take-off. Working in partnership with Selkirk College Continuing Education, VISAC proudly offers the following courses in our creative art space. Buckle up and get ready to explore your creative side!

INTRODUCTION TO CHARCOAL WITH BARB PISTAK
An introduction to the drawing medium of charcoal including how to use various types. Includes a review of basic drawing techniques.
Four classes: Mar. 9-30, Wed. 6-8pm
Please call 250-364-5770 for more information and registration.

POTTERY-AN INTRODUCTION WITH MELISSA MARRANDINO
The basics of "building with clay" for the beginner. Build a minimum of 2 projects to completion. All supplies provided.
Eight classes: Mar. 22-Apr. 14 Tues. and Thur. 6-7:30pm
Please call 250-364-5770 for more information and registration.

Artist Bookmaking Workshop Is Now A Demonstration!

Instructor Jenn Hamm has rescheduled her workshop to January 22, 2011 from 12:00-3:00pm and it is no longer a workshop but a demonstration. So come on down and see how a few pieces of paper and fabric can be transformed into a beautiful, handmade book that can be passed down through the generations!