This class is designed for people who want to tap into their creative flow more regularly! Wether you are someone who wants to work through ideas for a new body of finished pieces or just want to establish a regular creative practice by “art booking” this class is for you!

I have been an ardent “art booker” for at least 20 years. I have found some of my best ideas while playing in my book. My art book practice has allowed me access to an endless stream of creative potential. My goal is to lead others to this source!

I will share my favore practices to encourage free flowing creative energy as well as my art book philosophy.

I call it an art book because: It’s more than a sketchbook, not exactly a journal, but somewhere in-between. We will work with ways to allow our personal ideas and narratives to take visual form. We will do this through working with collage, water media, acrylic paints, drawing media and more.
As the course progresses- I will work individually with students on how to turn these raw ideas into more finished pieces, maintaining the vital energy of the original idea. 

You may pay the tuition here to reserve your space. Class has limited spots.
Cost- $250. Thursday evenings- 5 classes- 6-8:30- May 4- June 1 2023

Materials included in tuition- scraps for collage, water media and acrylic paints to use during class, glue, scissors, pens, colored pencils, and other media.

Students are asked to bring a sketchbook of their choosing, preferably one with thicker paper that can withstand collage and gluing. As class progresses, you may want some art paper or a canvas on hand if you plan on beginning a piece.

Syllabus:

Class 1 (May4)

We consecrate our art books! We will set a creative goal or intention for ourselves and decorate the cover to reflect that, or to reflect the aesthetic we are drawn to. 

We will do a drawing exercise that shows us the differences in drawing from our minds and imagination and one that is drawn from reality. Students are encouraged to bring a loved object or photo of one to use for the “from reality” drawing. 

We will do a third drawing that combines reality and imagination. 

We will strategize and develop plans on how and when to incorporate an Artbook practice into our busy lives! 

Class 2 (May 11)

Watercolor! We won’t be using watercolor in a traditional way. Watercolor has been one of my favorite fluid and spontaneous Artbook drawing mediums.  We will do exercises with pen and watercolor to connect to our creative intuition.

We will be somewhat limited here due to drying times and not being able to turn the page.  I will provide some extra sheets of watercolor paper for further exploration! 

Class 3  (May 18)

Collage! Collage is a great way to explore aesthetics as well as to break up the visual field (white space). Sometimes a clean white page can be intimidating. Collage is a great way to get a start- that first idea can be a picture, color, shape, texture, pattern that already exists! I find that that initial idea is something I can easily build on.  Students will also be invited to combine collage with the intuitive watercolor drawing. 

Class 4 (May 25)

Conceptual Artbooking! My ideas for this class are kind of hard to explain in the written  format but suffice to say we will be cutting, rearranging, taping , and using ephemera. I will give a little preview in class 3 so if there’s items you want to have you can gather them. 

Class 5 (June 1) 

Extrapolating! We will take time to review what we have enjoyed working in in our art books and discuss how to take those explorations further- you may want to start a painting or mixed media piece in this class. We will discuss ways to keep the fresh energy of our art books alive in our “real work”. 

Some students may not have interest in creating “real work” and that’s ok too! We will continue to build on our idea generating processes in our books- by layering some acrylic paint into some of our previous pages. 

I will be showing a selection of paintings at the Mebane Center. Opening TBA.

I will be showing a large selection of paintings at the college’s gallery. Opening October 20th at 7 pm.

I will be showing a selection of paintings at the Pullen arts center. Closing Reception- August 27. 2:30-4:30

Anna Podris creates vivid paintings inspired by dreams, from the world around her, and from active play in her sketchbooks. Join her as she guides participants through the process of using a sketchbook and journal for capturing ideas and keeping them flowing. The first class is dedicated to sketchbook techniques, inspiration, and idea generation. The second class considers how to apply that creativity and free thinking to starting a painting.

This virtual workshop consists of two 90-minute Zoom sessions (Saturdays, December 12 and 19, 1:30–3 pm each day). All skill levels welcome; most appropriate for age 16 and up.

We are working to make our online content accessible. If you need live captions or an ASL interpreter, or have another request, email Felicia Ingram. 

Email Angela Lombardi with questions about the program.

Materials needed

First session

  • Sketchbook
  • Preferred drawing media: pens, pen and ink, pencils, colored pencils, watercolors, acrylics
  •Collage ephemera: magazines, photos, interesting papers, old book pages, thin fabric, etc.
  • Brushes
  • Glue; gel medium or PVA, or any preferred glue
  •Scissors

Second session

  • Canvas, paper, canvas board, or preferred painting support
  • Paints: oil or acrylic, your preference, but not watercolor; in primary colors plus black and white, and any preferred secondary colors
  • Brushes in a variety of sizes and shapes

About the artist

Anna Podris received her BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She allows her surrealist style to evolve as it needs to. For many years she maintained a studio at Artspace in downtown Raleigh; these days she has a private studio and exhibits as part of the City Market Artist Collective. She and her husband, painter Keith Norval, bounce ideas off one another and work together helping kids do big art projects with North Carolina's Artist in the Schools program.

$47.19 Members

• $53.36 Nonmembers

• Taxes and fees included

TICKETS

Painting – Introduction to Oils Age: 16yrs. and up. This class is an introduction to oil painting, intended for anyone who is curious about this medium and needs a place to start. The course will cover the basics of oil painting, including: materials used, basic color theory and color mixing, form, value, perspective, composition, themes and painting techniques. The class will include brief lectures and instructor demonstrations. Supply list available on Sertoma's webpage. 6 sessions. Course Fee: $95 Instructor: Anna Podris #244428 Sep 12-Oct 17 Th 6:30pm-9:00pm

Register at Sertoma arts center-

https://www.raleighnc.gov/parks/content/Arts/Articles/SertomaArtsCenter.html

My husband Keith Norval and I will be teaching several “school’s out” workshops at Wild at Art this fall as well as Art and Pizza nights. Check the website for date, descriptions and to register.

School’s out- http://www.wildatartkids.com/schools-out-workshops/

Art and Pizza nights- http://www.wildatartkids.com/earth-day-workshops/

We will paint some more traditional still lives as well as subjects of our choosing. We will learn to “draw” with paint as well as paint with paint. We will discuss composition and color harmonies.

Register at Five Points Center for Active Adults.

This class is for students with experience working in oils. We will be doing less still lives and more personally directed work. We will discuss color mixing and harmonies, composition and other formal art elements but also talk about the reasons why we paint certain subjects.

Visit the Sertoma Arts Center to register.

I will focus on teaching the technique of painting with wax. We will cover the tools needed to apply and fuse wax, and also cover wax medium recipes. We will try different styles of painting with encaustic, incorporating collage items and transfer techniques.

Visit the Cary Arts Center to register.

Six classes to explore the wonders and joys of oil paint. There will be some assignments and some self- directed projects. I will be there to coach and guide you through challenges you face along the way! 

Learn the fundamentals of painting with encaustic (wax) paint. Each class I teach a new technique. Techniques can be combined in infinite ways to create an individual expression. 

Contact Cary arts center for more info and to register. 

Thursdays from 6:30-9. 

Learn the ins and outs of oil painting. Using your own paints, learn how to mix colors, layer colors and express yourself with this somewhat challenging and mysterious medium! I have been painting in oils for over half my life and am happy to share tricks of the trade. 

Contact Sertoma Arts Center for more information and to register. 

Focus on animals in your art! Drawing from art history for inspiration we will work in rendering animals in paint with personal expression and individualistic color harmonies. You are welcome to paint with oils or acrylic paints. 

Contact Sertoma Arts Center for more information and to register. 

Introduction to Encaustic Painting (age 16 & up) Encaustics is an ancient painting medium. Pigmented beeswax, melted on a heated palette, is applied with brushes. It hardens immediately and must be fused with a heat gun. It can be layered, scraped and incised. Also works beautifully with collage. The class is technique oriented, students are free to explore their own imagery and aesthetic. Visit the Cary Arts Center's spring catalogue to register. 

Oil painting is messy and  toxic, but very fun. Learn more about this medium in this continuing class. 

See Sertoma's site for details on registering. 

Gelli Plates allow an artist to create mono prints without a press! We will cover lots of techniques to create original, painterly monoprints. We'll use objects to create textures in the paint, We'll do photo transfers and use brayers to make color gradients. Class is 6 weeks long- starting on Wed. March 7- April 18. Evenings. Register through Sertoma Arts center.

We will explore abstract painting while being inspired by abstract expressionists such as Rothko, Diebenkorn and Joan Mitchell. 

Register in person or online- https://www.raleighnc.gov/parks/content/ParksRec/Articles/Parks/FivePoints.html

My work was accepted into a group show with Joe Coates and David McRary. There will be 2 Third Friday receptions for the show- January 19th and February 16. 6-8pm. 

Get your start in oil painting- the most lush colors and longest drying time of any paint. Oil painting is messy and hard- but you'll fall in love with this medium!

See sertoma's site to register

I have a group of 4 paintings on display behind the front desk in the Library. Also check out Keith's work on display in the hall between the kids and adults section. 

We will paint with acrylics on fabric and use applique to adhere them to a cloth background. We will paint and use embroidery to embellish our work. Beginning sewers ok!

To register visit- Sertoma Arts Center

Learn beginning and intermediate encaustic techniques at the Pullen Arts Center. Encaustic is a textural and versatile medium that lends itself to mixed media work. Come try you hand! Some painting experience is helpful. 

Come express your self with color, pattern and imagery while making your own art book! You will learn several skills in this class- monoprint using gelli plates, coptic stitched bookbinding, and some creative book altering and customizing techniques. The monoprints we create will become the cover and some of the pages of our books. 

An artbook/ sketchbook is the foundation for your creative practice. It's a portable record of your thoughts and ideas, a judgement free repository for your daily emotions, and a reference to pull from when creating bigger artistic endeavors! I have consistently kept a sketchbook since my college years and I can attest to it's power to keep one focused on artistic goals. In the beginning I used store- bought books that I would alter to personalize, but found that creating my own book from the ground up offered me more creative options. I would love to share my bookmaking process with you! 

Class is all 5 Saturdays in September from 1-4pm. Class is held in my studio (#220) at Artspace.  I will offer one make up class for scheduling convenience- date yet to be determined. Class is limited to 4 students. Class fee includes the use of these supplies- acrylic paints, brushes and tools for monoprinting, collage materials, scissors, book altering materials, book board for book covers,  all bookmaking supplies and any other supplies needed except:

Students must bring to class- 6-10 large sheets of paper and a Gelli plate of any size.  Specifics on supplies will be discussed via email. 

Class tuition is $200. A non- refundable deposit of $50 is due to reserve your spot, the balance is due on the first day of class. Please email me to register.   

annapodris@gmail.com