Artist Katie Walsh of Petersham will share her talents to teach two children’s classes at the Petersham Art Center.
On Monday, July 26, from 10 to 11 a.m., she will teach Gesture Drawing for children ages 6 to 9 years old. This class will have children moving, laughing and observing their surroundings in a new way. Students will learn to draw in the fast-paced approach of gesture drawing. These quick, timed “gesture” drawings allow all students to be successful and young artists may be surprised at how much they can draw in a short amount of time.
On Monday, July 26, and Tuesday, July 27, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., there will be a two-session class to create Plaster Creature Sculptures, for children ages 9 to 12 years old. Students will create plaster sculptures of their favorite creatures. Students will make a foil armature, shaping their creature of choice, using basic sculpting techniques. They will paint and embellish their sculptures to make their one-of-a-kind creatures come to life. This hands-on, three-dimensional class will allow students to learn basic sculpting and painting techniques.
According to a press release, Walsh has been teaching art in community art centers, museums, and the public school system for 10 years to students of all ages. Her teaching style promotes a growth mind set, where all students are successful learners and artists wherever their current skill level may be. “I want each of my students to feel like they are important and valued members of the group and that the sky’s the limit for their creative pursuits,” Walsh said.
She attended the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, where she earned a BFA in Painting/2D Studies and a BFA in Art Education. After an art career in Montana, she taught art in Worcester Public Schools for four years while completing her Masters of Arts in Integrated Arts and Education. Walsh currently teaches art to middle school students at Murdock Middle School in Winchendon, as well as to elementary-aged students in Petersham, through two grants from the Petersham Cultural Council.
Sign up soon for these summer sessions by calling Chris for more information at 978-724-3365. There is a fee for each class.
The Petersham Art Center is located at 4 North Main Street, off Route 32, in Petersham. PAC is a non-profit center for the arts of the North Quabbin region, featuring instructional classes, artist exhibits, and an art and gift shop, which is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.