Oil & Pastel - Art Camp (Age 8-13) - August 14-17

In the last week of the Creative Heart block, we start experimenting with the immersive nature of our being with the world at large. We would take inspiration from nature walks and sceneries, and experiment with the fluidity of oil and its interaction with oil pastel.

The class will start with nature walks, material gatherings, and vegetable/fruit scraps composition to stimulate imagination and experiment with different combinations of color, form, and texture. This initial exercise will serve to inspire the painting of the following days.

This week, we will explore the interaction between different sets of materials. We will experiment with the texture and different levels of thinning of the oil paints, and observe how that interacts with different forms of Resist (ice, water, nature objects etc.) on the canvas.

We will not be using brushes. We will be using nature found materials as our brushes on the paper, which allows our art-making process to be intimately connected to what nature has to give.

Sample Schedule:

13:00 come into the space

13:00 - 13:40 movement/game/circle

13:40 - 14:00 transition to outdoor space for art-making

14:00 - 15:00 tale/art/integration

TIME: AUGUST 14-17 (Monday - Thursday), 1:00pm - 3:00pm

VENUE:  South Whidbey Community Center

CLASS SIZE: min 5, max 10 students 

NOTE:  Ticket already includes $30 for buying materials

ABOUT CREATIVE HEART (2-hour block for age group 8-13)

In Creative Heart, we connect with the materials from an experience-based and comprehensive perspective. Each week will have a theme based on the medium of art-making, which will build upon each other and integrate world philosophies/legendary tales, culture, and exploratory techniques. A typical block starts with movement/game, and moves into circle/tale, art-making, and ends with journaling/movement integration.

THE CREATIVE HEART ART BLOCK IS TAUGHT OVER 3 WEEKS. YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR ONE OR ALL OF THESE WEEKS.

Week I - Hands and Earth

Medium: Clay and Earth Pigments

In the first week, we will start with clay to anchor the bodies into the space. We will experiment with the weight and malleability of the material, and practice building structures individually and in teams in alignment with the legend/story themes we will explore that week.

Week II - Inner Balance

Medium: Charcoal and watercolor

In the second week, we move into charcoal and watercolor. By working with their completely opposite elemental nature, we would practice inner balancing and outer balancing.

Week III - Immersion

Medium: Oil and Pastel

In the last week, we start experimenting with the immersive nature of our being with the world at large. We would take inspiration from nature walks and sceneries, and experiment with the fluidity of oil and its interaction with oil pastel.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Jiuyu Xiao is an Integrated Creative Art Instructor with backgrounds in various medium. Her art follows an integrated approach combining Body-based Arts, Buddhism, Taoism, Yoga, and Waldorf Education. A Chinese native born to a Buddhist family, Jiuyu spent her childhood and teenage years traveling and living around the globe, where she found her passion for nature, community building, meditation and contemplative art-making. In teaching art, Jiuyu uses elements of movement, storytelling, meditation, art-making, and weaves together multiple aspects of the creative being.

Jiuyu graduated from the School of the Arts Institute of Chicago. She has experience in teaching both young children and adults.  She believes that for young children especially, art is one of their primary languages of communicating with the outside world. Through art, children can process emotions and soften their approach to the world.  They build capacity for reverence,and learn to express love in a non-linear way.