Experimental Drawing with Melanie Carr

Experimental Drawing with Melanie Carr

Instructor: Melanie Carr

Workshop Information

Dates: Saturdays, from October 30 – November 20

Time: 12 PM – 2 PM

Location: Five Points Arts Center Drawing Lab

Ages: 18+

Cost: $125

Class Cap: 12

Workshop Description

Focus on an experimental approach to materials and mark making in this hands-on workshop. We will expand our understanding of drawing beyond direct observation and increase our awareness of ideas regarding drawing tools, surfaces, and compositions. We’ll make our own tools, and explore mark making methods to include elements of chance, exaggeration, collaboration, and abstraction, to name a few. The format of this workshop consists of a wide variety of mark making and creativity exercises to stimulate the imagination. Be prepared to head back into your studio with a fresh new approach as you discover new ways of thinking about drawing!

This workshop is open to students of all levels and is designed for those who are open to experimentation and want to discover connections between mark making, medium, imagination, and intuition.

Required Materials

• Drawing Paper Pad (14” x 17” or larger)
• Bristol Board Pad (14” x 17” or larger)
• A plastic cup or bowl for water
• Black ink
• Inexpensive brushes, variety of sizes
• Tooth picks
• Small piece of cardboard
• Duct tape
• A few sticks
• String
• Spool of thread
• Variety of drawing (vine charcoal, sharpies, graphite, chalk, pastels, etc.)
• Scissors and/or a blade for cutting paper (x-acto, utility blade, etc.)

Instructor Bio

Melanie Carr is a Connecticut based artist who received her MFA from the College of Art and Design at Lesley University in 2011. Carr began her studies in visual art after serving in the United States Navy as an Operations Specialist. After a10 year career at the New Britain Museum of American Art as a Director of Visitor Experience/Curator of New Media, she is now part of the visual arts faculty at Loomis Chaffee in Windsor, CT. In 2016, Carr began teaching in higher education and continues to work with many of CT’s colleges and universities as an adjunct professor at University of Connecticut, Central Connecticut State University, University of New Haven and Albertus Magnus College where she teaches a number of courses in studio art, art criticism/interpretation and arts administration.

Carr’s work has been featured in solo exhibitions at Soapbox Gallery, NY, City Arts on Pearl, Hartford, CT, Westport Arts Center, Westport, CT, and Pegasus Gallery, Middletown, CT. In addition, Carr’s work was included in numerous exhibits that include The Point, United Kingdom, Gibney Dance, NYC, Gallery Aferro, New Jersey, The Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts in Wilmington, Mattatuck Museum, CT, Hans Weiss Newspace Gallery, CT, and Herter Gallery, MA.

From 2017 to 2020, Carr opened and directed an artist-run hybrid project space dedicated to presenting thoughtfully curated work from emerging to mid-career artists. With Carr’s studio in the back of the gallery, over 150 artists from across the country and abroad participated in programming at MCG.

www.melaniecarr.com