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Workshops are available for
students in elementary, junior high, high school and also for
adults. They can be all day workshops, half-day workshops or 2
to 3 hours long. Minimum number of students to make a class is
10 students and maximum 35. Fee for the workshop would be
dependent on number of students and length of workshop. Special
adult workshops are geared for teachers in the elementary or
secondary grades to provide art projects for Spanish classes,
Dual Language classes, history or social studies classes. The
workshops can be geared for beginners or advanced
students/artists. |
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Repouseé (French), Repujado (Spanish), Foil Embossing (English) |
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This workshop focuses on the
ancient art of embossing or pressing shapes into metal to create
a design. Aluminum metal foil is the material used for this
workshop. This technique requires applying pressure to the metal
foil with a special tool to stretch the metal to create a three
dimensional design. This process is finished by adding an
antique look with acrylic paint or adding color with permanent
ink markers.
This technique called repujado, arrived in Mexico during the
Spanish colonization. It was born out of the necessity to
protect the icons of the churches from the chandelier smoke, the
environment, and time itself. Mexican and South American
artisans have used copper and tin for centuries to produce
jewelry and ornamental items. Religious images were embossed on
tin metal sheets initially and today this technique is used for
many decorative popular arts.
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Colored Pencil Repoussé |
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This is another form of embossing
(Repujado) in which a design is pressed into a sheet of metal to
create a 3-dimensional surface. In this particular technique,
instead of the silver aluminum foil, a matte-black aluminum foil
sheet is used for the embossing surface. After the embossing
process is finished, the design can be colored with soft colored
pencils. The finished design with the black outlines and bright
colored pencil design areas resembles stained glass or enamel
inlay. This workshop teaches the embossing process and how to
finish the design with the colored pencils.
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Papel Picado |
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The word means “Punched Paper” in
Spanish. Papel Picado also describes the traditional folk art
used in Mexico to decorate altars, tables, ceilings, and plazas
during festivals and special occasions. In this workshop,
scissors are used for cutting simple designs out of thin tissue
paper. More intricate designs can be created with a variety of
scissors. Banners, place mats, cards, and posters can be created
with this cut paper technique. The workshop teaches the basic
designs of papel picado.
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Dia de los Muertos |
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Translated to English, this is "The Day of the Dead". In
actuality, Dia De Los Muertos is not one, but two days in
November spent in honor of the dead. The first day
celebrates infants and children who have died. This is a
group which is believed to have a special place in heaven
and are referred to as "Angelitos" or little angels. The
second day is in honor of adults who have passed away.
In the U.S., Halloween is a holiday where creepy creatures,
ghosts and goblins take center stage in a celebration that has
become a favorite to many children. Dia De Los Muertos is
celebrated in Mexico at the same time of year as Halloween is
celebrated in the US. But the celebration in Mexico is an
opportunity to celebrate the death and the life of loved ones
and friends they knew in this world. And it is a day of
celebration, not a day of mourning. It is meant as a way of
honoring deceased loved ones. The Chinese as well as other world
cultures also celebrate their dead in a similar manner. |
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This workshop teaches about the holiday and the many different
ornamental items that are used in the celebration such as sugar
skulls, Calaveras, Catrinas, altares and papel picado. Also, the
art of Jose Guadalupe Posadas is covered as the originator of
the Catrina and calacas popular with Dia de los Muertos
celebrations. Simple classroom projects are demonstrated.
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Watercolor Painting |
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Beginning and advanced classes in transparent watercolor
painting are presented to introduce the student to a media that
is very versatile and inexpensive. Various techniques are
presented such as dry brush, wet-on-wet, wash, salt, stencil,
and mixed media. A short history on watercolor is also
presented.
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Mexican Bark Painting |
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This workshop will focus on
Mexican (Amate) Bark Paintings as one of the many Folk Arts of
the Latin American Culture. Students will explore the history of
bark paintings in South America as well as the purpose,
processes, and symbolism found in typical bark paintings.
Students will discuss and explore the creation of Bark paintings
in Latin America. Students will follow up by producing their own
version of an Amate Bark Painting using traditional paint and
brush to create a design on real amate bark paper. |
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