Led by Flushing Town Hall teaching artist Suzanne DeMarco, this workshop is perfect for family groups and available for schools. Suzanne will introduce the basic skills for watercolor painting. Participants will learn how to use a palette of colors to create their own painting. Watercolor or acrylic paints are required for families to participate at home. For all ages!

Cave paintings depicted scenes from the lives of early humans, often focusing on animals and hunting. Since they did not have a calendar and written language had not yet been invented, they used cave paintings as a way to share what they learned. They drew pictures of their prey, predators, and hunting techniques on the walls, to teach future generations how to find food and shelter. Cave paintings are one of the early examples of “collective learning”, which means the sharing of knowledge that is passed on. For instance, if a person came up with an idea that was a new and easy way to make a spear, the knowledge could be drawn onto their cave walls and passed along so everyone wouldn’t have to figure it out again for themselves. For all ages!

Frida Kahlo, born Magdalena Carmen Frieda Kahlo y Calderon, was a Mexican painter who lived from 1907 to 1954. Kahlo’s many paintings represent collages of her dramatic life and passion for her Mexican culture. She used bright colors and animals in her paintings to tell her story. When she was 18, Kahlo was in an accident, which required her to stay in bed for extended periods of time. While recuperating, she started painting to overcome her boredom. She had never received any formal training in art, but the countless hours practicing led to her gaining great recognition to this very day. For all ages!

After this lesson, students will learn that they can draw any person’s portrait they want. Whether it is one of a political person, like Martin Luther King, a famous artist’s portrait, or that of a celebrity like Elvis, it all begins with the letter U. The U gives one the ability to use different styles of hair and also proper placement of all facial features. Although they will be looking at the same examples provided, the end results vary greatly, as each student, through their own rendition, will tell their story through visual art. For all ages!

A study of the Masters. In the First week, students will have the opportunity to draw on the underside of their table to recreate a piece of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, Italy. In the second week, students will learn about master artist Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Starry Night, incorporating the feeling of movement into their drawings, plus the real look of a nighttime scene. During the third week, students will learn how to draw Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, by just starting with an oval shape. In this da Vinci lesson, students will learn how to draw perspective and about negative spaces along with cast shadows, so they can create their own interpretation of the Mona Lisa. This residency program can be offered from one week or two or three weeks long.