Archives: Past-workshops

Life Drawing Intensive

All working artists struggle to be more creative.  This course will explain what people are up against though unique working exercises that reveal what is going on during the act of drawing.  This course offers 2 days of intensive drawing from a life model and offers practical solutions that will help any artist draw better as well as overcome creative blocks, unhelpful drawing habits and common preconceptions. There will be ample time for free drawing as well.  This course is based on her book The Creative Eye.

Being willing to take risks, rather than being good at drawing, is the important thing. Learning that you can make new choices about paying attention.

Course cost: $285  Model fee: $43  STUDENT SUPPLY LIST

Tuition includes lunch and daily snacks and is inclusive of all applicable taxes. 

HEATHER SPEARS, a Vancouver-born writer and artist, has lived in Denmark since 1962. Her books: 14 collections of poetry, 5 novels, and 4 books of drawings. Major awards in writing: Governor-General’s Award, three time Pat Lowther Memorial Award, CBC Literary Prize.  As an artist she instructs drawing, writes about drawing and the brain (The Creative Eye, 2012) specializes in drawing premature infants, draws in theatres, concert halls, courtrooms, hospitals and war zones. She has held close to 100 solo exhibitions in Europe and America. She has taught frhe Creative Eye.equently at MISSA.

Monoprints with Coloured Clay Slips

We are very saddened by the news that Mitch Lyons passed away on March 5th, 2018.

We enjoyed his presence at MISSA in 2017 and we were looking forward to welcoming him back. He will be greatly missed.

A celebration of Mitch’s life will be held at the Delaware Contemporary in Wilmington, DE, on April 28th from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM.

• Messages can be left in the Legacy Guestbook

This class has been cancelled.

MITCH LYONS earned his Masters of Fine Arts in Ceramics from Tyler School of Art, and his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Graphics from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. His clay monoprints can be found in numerous private and public collections throughout the United States, including the Brooklyn Museum of Art, Delaware Art Museum, Woodmere Museum, American University and the University of Delaware. Lyons has had exhibitions of his work at the Philadelphia Museum of Art; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; the Noyes Museum, New Jersey; Kalmar Lans Museum, Kalmar, Sweden; and the Vonderau Museum, Fulda, Germany. He is a recipient of a Pennsylvania Council of the Arts visual arts grant. He has taught at West Chester University, Moore College of Art, Rowan University, Alfred University, and the University of Delaware. In the past ten years he has led over 100 workshops.

Art Cloths: Works on Canvas

There is something both traditional and enchanting about painting on canvas to create items that are utilitarian as well as artistic.  In this workshop students will explore the many processes around making art cloths, traditionally called floor cloths, and be guided through their artistic journey painting and applying different colours and textures on cloth and through learning different mark-making techniques such as block printing, screen printing, mono-printing, texturing and stenciling.  Through creative design studies, students will follow design principles and colour theory to choose their colour palettes, decorative elements, original patterning, drawing and marking effects.  Image transfer and collage will also be covered during this 2-day workshop and will serve as inspiration for several art cloth projects.

Ragging, sponging, painting, spraying, sanding, scratching, marking, stamping, printing, stenciling, faux finishing, writing, screening, transferring, masking, ageing, collaging, splattering, deconstructing, stitching, fraying, gluing, colouring, varnishing…   there are limitless variations and possibilities to the layers that can be added to a blank canvas or cloth. Creating complexity, depth, layers, will serve as the exploration for each student’s process, making imprints of their personal experiences and engagement within their artistic journeys.

Students are encouraged to bring imagery, art journals and other creative material that will inspire their work.

All classes run 9 – 4 pm each day. Studios are also open after hours.

Course cost: $285     Course fee: $55   

• Student Supply List

Tuition includes lunch and daily snacks and is inclusive of all applicable taxes.

NATALIE GRAMBOW has an extensive background in design, photography, textile arts and as an art educator.  An accredited interior designer, she spent many years working within the architectural design field.  Her first deep exploration of textile art began during her Visual Arts studies at Ottawa University, when she experimented with non-silver printing techniques such as cyanotypes, transferring her photographs in large format unto cloth.. She completed the Textile Arts program at Capilano University in 2001, and was awarded the BC Craft Association’s Award of Excellence.

Natalie has exhibited her textile art installations in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver, Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.  She has also developed a line of naturally dyed fabrics, under her brand La Cochenille© , and has created a series of textile design and creativity workshops being offered at several art and textile schools.

Natalie is currently living in Roberts Creek, B.C. where she owns a studio and continues her art practice and studies.

Bas Relief Sculpture for Ceramics and Multimedia Artists

Beginner and Advanced Artists will gain a basic understanding of sculpting relief in earthen clay using basic materials. In an easy step by step procedure anyone can learn the process of applying texture and relief to any art form. In this workshop we will begin by hand building a vessel. Students will have the opportunity to choose between two different hand building methods. We will apply a variety of texture and sculptural techniques to build a composition using our clay forms as our canvas. The application of clay accents and design in any creative project can add a unique style to your artworks.

Creatives working in encaustic, jewelry or sculptors wanting to add fine art relief will learn and understand the basic techniques of bas relief and how to achieve greater detail in their work. In this workshop you will learn confidence in applying clay relief to any surface using a variety of mediums. Our focus will be on earth clay but we will discuss the many different modelling mediums that can be incorporated in any project such as jewelry, painting or pottery. Once the process is mastered it can be universally applied to many multimedia and creative art projects. Artists will be encouraged to discover their own artistic voice.

Course cost: $285   Supply fee: $2  Student Supply List

Tuition includes lunch and daily snacks and is inclusive of all applicable taxes.
2018_Clay_Order_Form_for_MISSA

ANGELA PISTRUCCI works primarily as a relief sculptor, designing coins for International Mints.

Angela has passionately studied the time honored approaches to creating art to influence her own mastery of composition and design to celebrate the dawn of a new era in the applied arts.  She has been working towards educating artists and bringing the lost art of wax sculpting to the fore.

Recently in 2016 she was awarded a full scholarship at the Italian Mint, Istituto Poligrafico Zecca Stato – Scuola dell’Arte della Medaglia where she studied Wax Sculpting, Cameo Carving, Glass Enameling, Modelling with a variety of mediums, Moldmaking, Copper Engraving, Repouse and Chase. Angela is an award winning artist as well as has instructed Privately and in the community at Coast Collective, Metchosin International Summer School of Art and Clay Hub Collective. Although she focuses on Bas relief sculpting in a variety of mediums she has instructed and facilitated classes in life drawing and painting. In 2017 her Design for Saint George and the Dragon has been adopted as the National Gold Sovereign in Gibraltar.  Angela’s work is collected internationally and is currently on exhibit in the collection of the Italian Mint Museum.

Zentangle™ – Basics and Beyond

Zentangle® drawings may appear complex and intricate, but learning the step-by-step method shows how simple it really is. Tangling, or pattern-drawing promotes mindfulness – hence “zen” in the name. Unlike doodling, you concentrate on each line, circle or shape. This focus creates a calming effect that helps you forget distractions around you. Many have found Zentangle helpful in managing sleeplessness, stress or agitation, chronic pain, etc. , while others just tangle for the joy of producing satisfying and appealing art. One low-stress feature is that tangled drawings are abstract. There is less stress when there is no pressure to achieve a pre-planned “something”. The finished art may be unexpected, and who doesn’t love a nice surprise?

Zentangle is easy to learn and share and is appropriate for any age group or level of ability from “I can’t even draw a stick man” to accomplished artists who use it to unblock creativity, and/or to enrich other projects. Zentangle adds interest to projects as diverse as scrapbooking, mixed media, quilting,  jewellery, graphic design, cake decoration and pottery.

Zentangle is therapeutic, non-technical, requires few supplies, and takes on a different personality with the style of each tangler. In this two day program , you will learn the basics, then build confidence and skill as you progress through more complex designs and some finishing techniques to add that  “Wow factor”. No previous art successes necessary.

Course cost: $285   Supply fee: $24  STUDENT SUPPLY LIST

Tuition includes lunch and daily snacks and is inclusive of all applicable taxes.

BARB ROUND, a retired registered nurse,  was excited when she was introduced to Zentangle, recognizing that this method had so much to offer people as stress relief, confidence building and skills development. Barb became a Certified Zentangle Teacher in 2012, and since that time has provided instruction in this meditative art to 2000+ keen students in three provinces.

In 2015 examples of her art were included in 4 different books. Barb teaches frequently in schools, and enjoys working with seniors and special needs groups as well as adult classes.

Barb’s goal is to get people in touch with their inner artist – even if they’ve never met him before! She feels that this easy-to-learn and calming art form is perfect for those who are new to arts and crafts as well as experienced artists. Her students’ successes are Barb’s greatest pleasure and her best endorsement. See what they have accomplished on her website.

Introduction to Natural Dyes

Join Hanahlie Beise from Hinterland to explore the magic and history of natural dyes. There are thousands of dye materials available in nature. In this class we will use Cochineal, Indigo, Fustic, and Pomegranate. Hanahlie has studied natural dyes in Oaxaca, Mexico, and has held a series of workshops in both Oaxaca and in Victoria over the past two years. The goal for this class is to achieve a rainbow of colours on wool fibres. You’ll learn how and why we mordant fibres prior to dyeing, how to make an extract, and how to safely dye fibres. Plus, you go home with all of the recipes and instruction to make it all again later.

• Cochineal is a small invasive insect that thrives on the nopal cactus (also known as the prickly pear cactus) native to Oaxaca Mexico. Cochineal has been cultivated, harvested, and used as a natural dye by the ancient Aztec and Maya people of Mexico and Central America. During the Spanish conquest, this dye became one of the most valuable exports in Mexico (second to silver). It is still used in many products outside of textiles including cosmetics, alcohol and food colouring.
• The Fustic tree commonly grows in ditches, on roadsides, or near swamps and rivers in Mexico and Central America. The yellow dye comes from the wood and is used globally as a textile dye and in leather tanning.
• Pomegranates are originally from Northern Iran and India, but are now widely cultivated around the world. Using the skins of the fruit, we can produce sunny or earthy yellows, greens, and even grey and black.
• Indigo is a living dye made of fermented and crushed wild indigo (in this case the indigo is from India). Indigo grows in many places around the world and has been used as a natural dye for centuries. As it’s name describes, the natural dye colour is blue, but indigo can also be used as an over dye to achieve browns, greens, purples, and black.

Classes run from 9 – 4 pm daily. Studios are open after hours.

Course cost: $285       Supply fee:  $10    All supplies are provided

• STUDENT SUPPLIES: Students may want to bring an apron, a notebook and a pen.

Tuition includes lunch and daily snacks. Prices are in Canadian Dollars and are inclusive of all applicable taxes.

HANAHLIE BEISE is a textile designer and fibre artist based in Victoria. For over five years, she has been raising alpacas for their fibre and producing yarn under the brand name Hinterland. With a global network of designers and collaborators, she creates knitwear patterns with Hinterland Yarn, which she sells online. As the growing farm business evolves, Hanahlie studies and practices the tradition of natural dye, teaching workshops locally and in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Practice on the Page: Five-Day Writing Intensive

Find the story you’re meant to write, and dive deeply into your practice.

Practice on the Page’s Five-Day Writing Intensive is your chance to stretch your writing muscles, get inspired and let your creative side come out to play.

This all-levels course offers you a safe space to find your voice and nurture the stories your heart has been waiting to share, with Pedder Bay providing a gorgeous natural backdrop. Danielle Pope will guide you through a progressive series of grounding activities, writing exercises, prompts and reading opportunities to get your words flowing and deepen your level of self expression. By the end of five days, you’ll have the tools to launch a practice, accelerate a project, or breathe life into that book you’ve always been meaning to write.

Come with a project, or a blank page — whether you dream of starting a blog, working on your next novel, or making space for five days of fun, this course is your chance to deepen your commitment to your writing practice. Bring along your favourite notebook and pen, and prepare to dive deeply into this journey of creativity.

Course cost: $665     Supply fee: $0     STUDENT SUPPLY LIST
Tuition includes lunch and daily snacks and is inclusive of all applicable taxes.

DANIELLE POPE, “The Story Midwife,” is a writer, editor, photographer and writing coach in Victoria, B.C.

She believes everyone has a story to tell, and leads writing workshops and retreats to help people find their voice and play with creativity. In addition to Practice On The Page, Danielle was the creator of the Women and Words workshop series, as well as the 30-Day Writing Challenge and the “Write Now” prompt cards — a deck aimed at stimulating creative inspiration.

Danielle earned her degree in writing from the University of Victoria, specializing in creative writing, poetry, non-fiction and journalism. She acts as a coach for new and experienced authors, and has been a journalist in Canada for nearly 15 years. Her writing can be found in publications across the country, and through her instagram account: @TheStoryMidwife.

When she’s not writing, you can usually find Danielle playing with poetry, acrylic paint, chickens or mason jars — but not usually at the same time.