SESSION

The project was an exploration of Relief Printing. We  reviewed the concept and tradition of creating a Mandala and used the relief printing process to create our own block prints and mandalas.

VISITING ARTIST

Byron is an educator and artist born, raised and educated in St. Louis, Missouri. He received his BA in Art History from Webster University, Master ‘s in Art Studies from Fontbonne University and a Master’s Degree in Education emphasis in Curriculum Design from University of Missouri St. Louis.

He continues to work to make a difference in the community and inspire change through the arts.

SESSION

This session was an exploration of self-discovery and identity delving into the power of Symbols… we constructed symbols for our unique identities in the form of logos and crests.

VISITING ARTIST

James Kaegel is an Art Educator. He has also worked for nearly 40 years as a commercial artist. He’s an avid photo editor and has been  playing with a lot of AI Art recently. 

SESSION

We tapped into mixed media exploration with a zine making activity exploring the themes of "home" or what a home can be. A zine is a self-published print work or booklet usually produced in small batches. Artists created a zine that is personal and significant to them, for a fun and relaxing evening of art making.

VISITING ARTIST

Kat is a St. Louis based Artist well versed in mixed media, especially oil paints and ink. She seeks to illustrate a narrative of decay and how the human body as a vessel interacts with decay metaphorically and physically. Additional themes in her body of work include exploring organic form.

SESSION

In this workshop we explored the idea of flexibility and letting go. Many times as people and artists we want to be in control of everything, even though art and life are a process. Sometimes you have to let go and go with the flow, moving according to what is thrown at you. During the session we started an art piece based on a prompt given, and then made additions to other participating artist work until we have several finished pieces that have the ideas of many different artists per artwork. 

VISITING ARTIST

Tyler Harris, also known as E7tash, is an artist from St. Louis, Missouri. He is a middle school art teacher, graphic designer and illustrator. His style is heavily influenced by comic books and street art. His vivid use of color and style are highly expressive. His work deals with his take on spirituality and representation of different cultures within art. Tyler received his Bachelor degree in Art Education from Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO_'16). He continues to uplift the youth and the community through his art.

SESSION

Self-portraits allow for reflection on your own personal identity. Inspired by the life and work of Nathaniel Mary Quinn, we created collage self-portraits. Participants selected resonant images and arranged them into a composition which gives viewers a closer look at how they see themselves. We incorporated journaling and discussion to encourage further reflection and practice proudly sharing ourselves with each other.

VISITING ARTIST

Hannah is a St. Louis-born art therapist. Through her work with children, teens, and families, she has reinforced her belief that creative expression is a birthright and helpful for anyone seeking to know and understand themselves more deeply. She is constantly honored to work with brave, passionate, and unique individuals. If she’s not making art in her free time, Hannah enjoys spending time outside, listening to podcasts, or binging TV with her cat.

SESSION

Participants got to hear about Elijah's journey into this novel and unique medium and then explore what could be built with thousands of cups for themselves. Color, design, repetition, balance - many different areas of creativity were highlighted during this workshop with ample opportunity for collaboration and expression. Of course, what goes up must come down so we had some fun demolitions at the end of the workshop!

VISITING ARTIST

Elijah is a local artist with a passion for encouraging creativity and engaging the community through art. His own artistic journey began during his teenage years and its expression has continued to be an outlet in his adult life. Elijah has taken his art to schools, art festivals, and local shops - sharing his story to provide inspiration and to advocate for creativity in any endeavor.