YOUR AH HAA MOMENT: A MIXED MEDIA JOURNEY

16 Oct YOUR AH HAA MOMENT: A MIXED MEDIA JOURNEY

“Finding ones’ individual voice is a journey of discovery and strength,” says Ah Haa School for the Arts Marketing Director Lauren Metzger.  “To look within and embrace what you see and feel and then share it with the world is a process that demands courage, spirit and respect,” she continues. “It is in this vein that our new Telluride Painting Academy was born as a place to help dedicated artists discover and express their creative voice while learning from master artists in a very deep format.”

Since opening its doors to its first students in September, the Telluride Painting Academy has offered two three-and-a-half week sessions: Figure Drawing and Limited Palette, Unlimited Color, both taught by visiting instructor Kathy Hirsh. For its third block class, visiting artist Lauren Mantecon will teach Painting & Mixed Media: Through Idea Generating Processes, in which she will lead students on a creative exploration to discover their own unique visual vocabulary and narration using mixed media.

Mantecon holds an MFA in painting and a BA in photography, and is an established mixed media artist and educator dedicated to transformative process. A former painting instructor at University of Portland, she has exhibited nationally and internationally and has received numerous fellowships.

During Mantecon’s courses on October 30th and on November 20th, students will combine wet and dry materials, paint, collage, color and form to create a body of work that represents their inner creative voice and speaks to their passions and spirit. The course is designed to help artists connect deeply with their personal narratives so they have greater access to their strengths within the creative process. Students will also explore historical, modern and contemporary artists in reference to content, styles and historical significance.

“Mixed media is a wonderful area for people to learn to really express themselves,” says Metzger, noting that students may find more freedom working with multiple materials, versus trying to master figurative drawing and painting. It’s more about portraying a feeling or emotion or scene, as opposed to capturing a perfect hand or still life.

“We’re excited about the personal power Lauren will nurture in our students during these three focused weeks with her,” she adds.

“To enter Mantecon’s world is like entering a sacred space,” writes one of Mantecon’s former students. “She is gifted in her ability to soothe the soul and call forth fearless exploration and artistic expression.”

To grow your painting skills and find your creative voice, sign up for Mantecon’s Painting & Mixed Media course, open to both resident and visiting artists, whether participating in the full four-month Painting Academy or not. Classes meet in four-hour sessions, with mornings dedicated to open studio time; accreditation is optional. The final course of this fall’s Painting Academy is titled, Special Topics in Studio Art: Painting From Within, by Robert Weatherford, Nov. 26-Dec. 18.

For more detailed course information and to enroll, visit ahhaa.org or call 970/728.3886.