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Many fall Studio School classes close Sunday — sign up now for a new creative adventure

Registration for many fall Studio School classes ends at 11:59 p.m. THIS SUNDAY (Sept. 19), so the time is now to enroll in great classes that will start you on a new artistic pursuit or help you hone an existing talent. Whether you are interested in ceramics, fiber, painting, songwriting or drawing, Studio School has something creative to offer for fall.

We’re highlighting a few standouts from Studio School’s wide range of fall classes. Save your spot now —some classes have already filled, and Sunday night will be here soon!

Jordana Brewster and Vin Diesel in F9: The Fast Saga. Photo courtesy Universal Pictures.

Feature Presentation

With How to Watch Movies, Ward 2 Oklahoma City councilmember, film critic and educator James Cooper shows how watching movies with an active mind can offer real insights into the human condition. Rather than see them escapism, Cooper suggests that watching films can provide insight into the period in which a movie was made, including our own.

For instance, Cooper and his class will study George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road. While apocalyptic movies have existed nearly as long as movies themselves, the fights over fuel and water in the film reflect current concerns over climate change. In essence, this near-future dystopian vision says as much about our present as it does about Miller’s vision of the future.

With this in mind, Cooper said that the skills he will teach in How to Watch Movies can help participants identify elements in the films they watch that say something about real life.

“So, for me, then, we need to study the Fast and the Furious films, you know?” Cooper said. “Not to say that they're the best things ever, but let's start unpacking them so we can figure out what's being transmitted, and now we're in that anthropological maybe even philosophical or theological area of meaning and purpose in humans and arts – and that sounds fun.”

To discover a more active way to watch movies, register here.

Metal Mania

Making your own jewelry can seem intimidating — most pieces are relatively small and can involve precise detail work. But in Jewelry Making and Metalsmithing, instructor Taylor Martin will teach you how to work with the tools and materials that experts use to make the jewelry we see in stores every day.

“Students can expect to learn foundational techniques of metalsmithing and jewelry making, like texturing, sawing, soldering with a torch, setting gemstones and polishing finished pieces,” Martin said. “They will design their own rings, cuffs and pendants while I demonstrate skills, share tips and provide help they may need while creating their one-of-a-kind jewelry.”

Jewelry Making and Metalsmithing could give your holiday gifting a major boost — this year and in the future — thanks to new skills and the ability to create something completely unique. Sign up here.

Strokes of Genius

Watercolors require a different touch than oils and acrylics, and discovering the skills and techniques involved in painting and layering can make all the difference. While people often encounter it first as children, watercolor can be difficult to master.

“It's kind of challenging,” said Chrystal O’Boyle, instructor of the Watercolor Landscapes class. “It causes you to have to have patience. If you don't wait for a layer to dry and you just go into the next layer, it can get very runny because it reacts to the water. If the page is still wet, it just gets really muddy and mushy everywhere.”

O’Boyle said that patience is rewarded once students see the benefits of watching paint dry. They will also see some benefit to introducing something they might find on their dinner table into the painting process.

“We're going to learn how to use salt on the wet pigment,” O’Boyle said. “It kind of picks some of the color up and add makes a really interesting texture.”

To discover new skills and techniques in watercolor, register here.

If none of these classes speak to you, a deep variety of creative options abound in Studio School’s fall season. See the full slate here or explore by discipline here. And don’t forget to register by Sunday night!

Images:
1. and 2.) Photo by Jackie Bell.
3.) Photo courtesy Universal Pictures.
4.) Photo by Vikki Penix.

Tags
watercolor movies film studies jewelry making metalsmithing Studio School Oklahoma Contemporary James Cooper Taylor Martin Chrystal O'Boyle

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