Sometimes the very best way to create art and bust through any creative problems that arise while painting is to work in an open studio environment.  The creative energy that happens when people create art together is magical!  Learning to give and receive constructive feedback is an integral part of being an artist.  Often, the ideas that we give our peers are things that they haven't yet considered.  It's also helpful for young artists to see a professional artist at work.  Professional artists make the wrong creative choices, start over, and move paintings in different directions from the original plan.  These are valuable lessons to learn.  Artists must be resilient and willing to make mistakes to learn.

Learners will meet weekly with classmates and Cara for an Open-Studio Style class.  Learners can bring work that they're already working on or materials to begin a new project.  

Cara will have ideas and inspiration for any learner who is feeling stuck on where to start.  Ideas about gathering inspiration will be shared.  Painting techniques will be shared as needed.  The process of creating a painting will also be discussed.  Some questions young artists may have are:

*What do I paint?  How do I come up with an idea?
*What materials are appropriate for this project?
*Where do I begin?
*The empty canvas/paper scares me.  How to I move beyond that?
*How do I know that my painting is heading in the "right" direction?
*How can I evaluate my painting along the way?
*When do I know I'm finished with my painting?

These are things that will be discussed in class.  There is not a set schedule of topics/techniques for this class because the organic flow of creating art and conversation will dictate what is needed in each session.  Student paintings, current areas of interest, and situations that come up while we work on our projects will direct the conversation, demonstrations, and ideas.
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Materials
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Cara will be painting with acrylic paints on stretched canvas or canvas board.

*Students are welcome to bring any surface (canvas, paper, wood, objects) to paint on.  
*An apron or "painting" shirt are recommended, but not required.
*Various Acrylic Paint Colors (Michaels and Hobby Lobby both have good quality store-brand tube acrylics (Michaels - Artist Loft, Hobby Lobby - Master's Touch).  Buy these on sale if possible!
*A variety of brushes.
*Water container 
*Paper Towels
*Paint Palette - Cara uses a paper palette (from Michaels) on a cheap clip board

*Optional:  Other mark-making materials - palette knives, sticks, markers, pencils, pastels, scrapers - The sky is the limit here!  Also optional:  masking tape, spray bottles, stencils.