ARTS ALLIANCE LAUNCHES NEW SERIES OF DRAWING, PAINTING CLASSES

Moving in a bold new direction which maximizes the use of its home classroom and gallery space, the Arts Alliance will launch a dynamic series of drawing and painting classes in November, including instruction for students as young as 7 and continuing through adults.

The first offerings, designed primarily for home schooling families, will be offered weekday mornings beginning November 5 and will conclude December 11. Jessica Henry Davis, the series instructor, says,” I have spent six years developing this program of classes and have seen great results in the students that have gone through it. As a home schooling mom, I know quite well the need for a great art program. The methods that I use, geared to students beginning with little or no artistic experience, are designed to take them through several years of progress to prepare them for truly enriching artistic futures in classical fine art.” This exciting, high-energy series is open to the general public as well, however.

The program focuses on classical art traditions that Henry Davis has honed to the needs of several age and skill levels. It includes, for example, beginning drawing instruction for students aged from 7 to 15 years of age while other courses range all the way to advanced painting for students 16 through adults. Her watercolor class features methods employed by Victorian masters such as Blanche Fisher Wright, illustrator of Mother Goose tales and Beatrix Potter, author and illustrator of the Peter Rabbit stories. Courses may be taken as single experiences or may continue over a longer period of time throughout the year.

The Arts Alliance welcomes Henry Davis and her family back to the area and is pleased to introduce her fine work and experienced teaching to the area. She was raised here and trained in Elk River at the Schroeder Studio and at Atelier LeSueur. She has taken master painting classes with David Leffel, Wanda Kemper, and Skip Whitcomb and has studied sculpture with George Carlson and drawing with Sam Savatt. Her work has been featured on WCCO in Minneapolis and KPDQ in Portland, Oregon. She has taught in Wayzata, Minnetonka, and Elk River as well as at Master’s School of Art and Providence Academy in Oregon.

Detailed information regarding the drawing and painting series is available at the Arts Alliance office Thursdays through Saturdays from 12 to 5 PM at 716 Main Street, Elk River or by phone at 763-441-4725. Link to Class List and Online Registration.