The JCC’s second fall studio arts season since COVID will offer two brand-new classes to the Upper West Side community: Mixed Level Drawing: Figures + Portraits and Mixed Level Painting: Acrylics Fundamentals + Composition. Taught by experienced artists and teachers, these classes allow students of all levels to try out new mediums or improve their existing skills.
The teacher of Acrylics Fundamentals + Composition, Aston Philip, is returning to the JCC after teaching a wildly popular Paint + Sip class during the 2023 Tikkun Leil Shavuot. This time, he will work with students over ten sessions, during which they will learn the fundamentals and a wide range of techniques, which they will first apply to reproductions of 20th-century masterpieces, then, after gaining confidence, use to create their own masterpieces.
This class is great for all levels, especially beginners—Philip says, “Acrylic painting is an extremely approachable medium that anyone can jump right into without any prior skills.” Philip has won major painting prizes in his home country of Australia and has works hanging in the collections of art and fashion icons around the world.
For those more interested in drawing, Figures + Portraits will introduce students to working with models in live sessions, as well as working from photos, whether of famous figures or beloved family members. Each week, students will learn different techniques, which will contribute to a broad repertoire of techniques and bolster confidence.
Gal Cohen, the instructor of the Figure + Portraits class, has years of experience teaching and is herself an award-winning artist. She has taught at the JCC for several years and has many students returning season after season. Regardless of the level of drawing experience, all students are welcome to join her class.
These two new classes offer an excellent opportunity to hone creative skills and find an outlet for artistic expression—plus, you will end the class with some finished works for your own personal collection! Fall classes start in September—click here for more info + to register. Questions? Reach out to studios@mjccm.org.
