The Northport Arts Association (NAA) is packed with different workshop and class offerings, both new and old, this year. People of all skill levels are welcomed to attend any of the classes and are encouraged to RSVP if interested in participating.
A new art club, led by various NAA board members and artists, that will meet once a month in the evenings was created as a way to collaborate on art within the organization. The group will gather at the Village Art Building, where there will be snacks and libations, giving people the opportunity to share ideas and create artistic projects. Jan. 8 was the first club session and people made a photo collage using black and white images. The second club session is coming up on Feb. 12, but will be a discussion on the book called “Your Brain on Art” by Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen. Each monthly session will feature a different activity.
“They wanted to launch it (the club) just to reach and get more people involved and maybe expand their mediums in a different way… If you didn’t want to take a big class or you haven’t been previously involved with art, this is a good introductory way to get involved with different mediums,” said Northport Arts Association Executive Director Hadley Dickinson. “Our theme this year is to create, educate, and celebrate art.”
Along with the launch of a new art club just last week, there’s also a two session workshop on Jan. 15 and 22 called Neurographic Art with Jen Evans that is focused on mindfulness, creativity, and self-discovery. The class will explore the interplay between the conscious and subconscious mind and aims to unlock new pathways to express emotions, thoughts and experiences through visual art.
Starting on Jan. 14 through Feb. 18, there will be a six-evening writing seminar with published author Marshall Thornton. First time writers and those that want a refresher on the basics of writing and story structure are welcome to join, with the class fee $200 per student. In addition, there is a beginner basic paint class with Michelle White scheduled at the end of the month, which will give people the opportunity to develop their artistic confidence through easy paint on canvas techniques. The cost of the painting class is $75 for NAA members and $110 for nonmembers.
There are also many continuing NAA programs and classes available that people can always sign up for. The weekly figure drawing studio, a time for those with a passion for sketching to gather, is every Monday evening. There’s typically a model that poses in the two hour session, so participants can sketch various angles and features in the moment.
“We just hit our 200th session, so it’s been (the figure drawing studio) very successful, and it’s kind of one of our staple programs,” she said. “Chris Woomer still runs it and she does a fabulous job. We welcome any ages available too.”
The relatively new clay studio is another outlet for artists that continues to be popular to this day. A class on the art of mandala, or dot art on ceramic tile with glaze, will be led by Linda Bayer on Jan. 17, with all proceeds going to the support of the NAA clay studio.
For more information on upcoming classes and rates, go to www.northportartsassociation. org/class-sign-up.
