Octagon Center for the Arts

Creative Explorations, ages older 3’s - 5 years (Thurs. Session 1: SEPT)
2019-09-05 09:15 - 2019-09-26 10:00 (America/Chicago) | Octagon Center for the Arts, 427 Douglas Avenue, Ames, IA, 50010, United States
CREATIVE EXPLORATIONS: THURSDAYS, SESSION 1 (SEPT)
Ages: older 3’s – 5 years
Day/Time: Wednesdays OR Thursdays, 9:15 – 10:00 am (Sign up for the day that suits you best!)
Cost: $60 for each 4 week session below.
WEDNESDAYS
Session 1: September 4 – 25
Session 2: October 2 – 23
Session 3: October 30 – November 20
THURSDAYS
Session 1: September 5 – 26
Session 2: October 3 – 24
Session 3: October 31 – November 21
THIS REGISTRATION IS FOR THURSDAY, SESSION 1 (SEPT) ONLY. Check the class listing for additional sessions. Register for just one or all four; a separate registration is required for each session.
Description.This class is dedicated to the process of exploration through materials such as paint, charcoal, fabric, plastic, sculpture media, cardboard, paper, ink etc…Use of scissors and proper handling of materials will be covered. Practice of arranging materials, and basic color mixing projects will also be explored.
Class Limit: 6
Instructor: Beth Weninger
Location: Hunziker Studio
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 9/3/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

ANGIE HUFFMAN & ROBERT JINKINS
2019-09-07 - 2019-10-26
LOCATED IN SWEENEY GALLERY (3RD FLOOR)

Angie Huffman
I try to render scenes from generally unremarkable life events that bring me joy when I first see them. Though mundane, they reach out with a harmonious balance of composition and color. Quiet and wordless, they imply a visual narrative and ask for further consideration. Transporting these moments in time onto canvas allows me freeze them in a state where others also have the opportunity to reflect on their harmony. Hopefully the viewer will to go forth and find unexpected moments of personal radiance in their daily lives as well, like mindfulness meditation for the visual soul. Beauty and the mundane do not need to be not mutually exclusive.
I have called my work portraits for lack of a more accurate term, but I never feel their environments are subservient to their figures. They work together and do not compete. My source material is captured when life’s visual variables align in a fortuitous way and beg to be documented or (more commonly) is found in photographs previously judged unremarkable and left in storage. Painting a scene gives me ownership over every element in a way photographic reproduction could not, and the level of control I crave in all things.
Some critics have argued that realism is an outdated relic, perfected centuries ago and more recently replaced with photographic reproduction. I have never understood how reality, true human existence, could be unilaterally discounted. Now more than ever (in my short lifetime), reality itself is attacked and called into question. What better time to embrace realism once again?
Everyone sees the world through their own eyes, but the fabric of existence is still the same. With the endless problems and downfalls that life has, I will always focus on and celebrate what positivity it does provide.
Angie Huffman was born and raised near Dallas, Texas. She graduated from the University of North Texas with a BFA in Drawing and Painting in 2010. The school’s focus on contemporary and postmodernist work challenged her to find a way to act on her attraction to realism and portraiture while avoiding banality.
In 2014, after critical evaluation of her everyday life, Huffman relocated to Eastern Iowa. Lower costs of living and a healthier work-life balance have allowed her to devote more time and energy to her paintings. Her work has been included in exhibitions in Texas and throughout the Midwest.
http://angiehuffman.com/

Robert Jinkins
Growing up on a farm that has been in my family since 1849, I gained an admiration and reverence for the land that so many of my family members have worked upon. Like ghosts or spirits that walk the place, monument-like markers exist signifying the actions and lives of those who came before me: a tractor may remain parked as it has been for years since the last time it was driven; a broken crock full of metal now slowly sinks into the earth under years of maple leaves falling from the massive trees that my grandfather planted when he was six year old. I find stories on this farm and record them in my art. Recent additions to the farm and surrounding landscape, like some older relics, have almost cosmic significance to me—a dead cow in a low-lying pasture may represent sin, death, and redemption. I enjoy painting every blade of grass while allowing a disconcerting ambiguity to lurk below the surface in order to encourage viewers into a deeper dialogue with the paintings. The entire world is portrayed within each individual line of graphite or stroke of acrylic ink from which my drawings and paintings are woven.
Robert Jinkins is currently an MFA student at Iowa State’s Integrated studio arts program and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Platteville. Robert Jinkins is an emerging regional artist whose graphite and acrylic mixed media work focuses upon the people and landscape of the Midwest. Much of Robert’s subject matter comes from the family farm in Wisconsin that was homesteaded by an ancestor in 1849. In his work, strives to reflect the strength of the people and their history.
https://robertjinkins.carbonmade.com/

Surface Works PETE GOCHE
2019-09-14 - 2019-11-02
LOCATED IN THE COMMUNITY GALLERY (1st FLOOR/STREET LEVEL)
Artist Statement
Using site-adjusted installations as my primary mode of practice, I deploy an integrated and focused approach to both theoretical and practical questions pertaining to the nature and impact of materiality specific to the re-occupation of post-industrial spaces. My works provoke a temporal-spatial encounter that reconciles the simultaneous and complex nature of cerebral and corporeal experience. Each inquiry utilizes a range of domains including art, architecture and anthropology as a means of exploring not only what material cultivations can be, but also what they, in fact, do. Based on a series of modulated experimental actions (material modalities), each installation is driven by the nascent possibility of a persistent desire to intercourse with existing material surrounds pursuant a philosophical position that leverages perceptual notions of chiaroscuro – the disposition of light and dark. By extension, the conscious and unconscious, the seen and the unseen, focus and open awareness and the made and re-made are factors in the realm of understanding and producing space. It is a full-scale, three-dimensional methodology that is followed by exploratory drawing and photography as a means to express its affects (immaterial harmonics).
Artist Bio
Peter P. Goché is a practicing artist, architect and educator. Goché works with the nature of perception and spatial phenomenon in developing his material practice. His works provoke a temporal-spatial encounter that understand the simultaneous and complex nature of cerebral and corporeal experience. He is founder and executive curator of Black Contemporary, a rural field station dedicated to the study of spatial phenomena and perception. His research on material practices has been published in a number of edited books and journals, including Architecture as a Performing Art (Ashgate, 2013) and Architecture and Culture (Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 2016). Goché has exhibited and lectured on his creative practice and scholarship at many conferences and cultural institutions throughout North America and Western Europe. He has lead multiple academic workshops including “CautionWet Floor: Slipping Into Deep” at the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale (Venice, Italy). As educator in the Department of Architecture and foundational design at Iowa State University, Goché holds both B. Arch and M. Arch degrees in architectural studies from Iowa State University. He taught in the Department of Art at Drake University before joining the faculty at the Iowa State University.
http://www.goche.com/

Wheelthrowing: Ceramic Bowls and Mugs, ages 16+ (SEPT/OCT)
2019-09-17 18:00 - 2019-10-22 21:00
Wheelthrowing: Ceramic Bowls and Mugs
Ages: 16 years old and up
Time/Day: Tuesdays, 6 – 9 pm
Dates: (6 weeks) September 17 – October 22
Cost: $165 includes 25lbs. of clay, all glazes and firing. [Tuition: $135 + Clay/Glazes/Firing: $30]
Description: Students at all skill levels will learn, review and hone wheel throwing techniques from wedging to glazing. Students will have finished bowls at the end of the course.
Instructor: Suzy Block
Location: Ceramics Studio
Class Limit: 7
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 9/13/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Very Silly Monster Creative Adventure, ages 5 – 8 (SEPT)
2019-09-18 16:00 - 17:30
Very Silly Monster Creative Adventure
Ages: 5 – 8 years old
Day/Date/Time: Wednesday, September 18, 4 – 5:30 pm
Cost: $40
Description: Join children’s author and Illustrator Tim Read as he embarks on a Very Silly Creative Adventure. Students will learn how to draw Very Silly Monsters, make puppets, bookmarks, mini books, and more!
Instructor: Tim Read
Location: Hunziker Studio
Class limit: 8
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 9/16/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Intermediate Oil Painting, ages 16+ (SEPT/OCT, 4 weeks)
2019-09-23 18:00 - 2019-10-14 21:00
Intermediate Oil Painting
Ages: 16 years old and up
Day / Date / Time: Mondays, September 23 – October 14(4 weeks), 6 – 9 pm
Cost: $140
Description: Suitable for beginning/intermediate experienced painters who would like to dive deeper and paint with others. This 4 – week intensive class will include work done in the classroom as well as homework between sessions. Each week we will focus on a specific skill: composition, color, paint application, and completing a painting. Please bring an apron or wear appropriate painting clothes. See supply list below for required materials.
Instructor: Sara Merritt
Location: North Studio
Class Limit: 12
Supplies:
Please bring the following supplies. The Octagon will have some palette knives, some brushes, limited student oil painting kits available for students to borrow if needed.

Paint (titanium white, zinc white, alizarin crimson, cadmium red light, cadmium yellow, lemon yellow, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, Prussian or pthalo blue, raw umber, raw sienna, burnt umber, burnt sienna, van dyke brown, mars or ivory black)
Brushes (mostly hog’s hair/stiff bristle brushes in various sizes, and some soft bristle/sable brushes in various sizes)
Paper palettes and cardboard or other support
Masking tape
Color wheel (I can bring this if needed)
12 x 16 stretched canvas per person
Easels (standing and/or tabletop)
Turpenoid or Gamsol
Rags & glass jars with lids
Refined linseed oil
Palette knives (metal, various)
Baby oil (optional)

Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 9/13/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

A Prairie Seed AUTUMN ROZARIO HALL
2019-09-28 - 2019-10-26
LOCATED IN THE SMALL WALL GALLERY
Artist Statement
I first fell in love with the prairie when studying art at UNI. Wandering the twisting paths of the restored prairie calmed my mind. As I drank in grasshopper droning, late summer’s scent of grass, the pollen, the leaves, and the many colors, I felt grounded and renewed. The prairie sang to me in a way that allowed me to simply be. I began my prairie series after I moved to Des Moines. I immersed myself in the local prairie, sketching and collecting photos, and samples for reference. I wanted this series to capture the feelings I had while wandering those prairie paths. This idea blossomed into the series Prairie Seed Dreaming. The series explores the relationship between woman, plant, and pollinator, through botanically accurate renderings of native plants, and dreamlike imagery of women immersed in the prairie
landscape. As the divide between woman and prairie blurs, the roles separating them blur, each becoming wholly dependent on the other. Through these paintings I invite the viewer into the prairie. I will use this series to raise awareness about the importance of prairie restoration and open a dialogue about the benefits of planting natives for both pollinators and people.
Artist Bio
Autumn Rozario Hall is a painter, dreamer, and collector of stories. Autumn grew up by the banks of the Mississippi river. Although she lived in town, she always sought the wild places, where the brambles overran the houses, and the gardens outgrew their yards. These wild places inspire her art which seeks to capture a sense of wonder. Autumn currently lives in Des Moines, Iowa and works in acrylic and mixed media. She had her first solo exhibition in 2014, and has since participated in group shows in several states including, California, Maryland, Texas, Michigan, Iowa, and one international show in Portugal. She also participates in community art projects, and is a member of the Urbandale Art Gallery Committee. Her work explores folklore and human connectivity to nature.
https://www.autumnrozariohall.com/

Comic Book Class, ages 8-13 (SEPT/OCT)
2019-09-28 09:00 - 2019-10-12 10:30
Comic Book Class
Ages: 8-13 years old
Day/Time: Saturdays, 9 – 10:30 am
Dates: September 28 – October 12 (3 weeks)
Cost: $70
Description: Learn the basics of what it takes to create your very own comic book. Students will learn basic layout and design, Story structure, and how to create effective dialogue.
Instructor: Tim Read
Location: Adams Studio
Class limit: 12
Registration closes when the class fills or on at noon on 9/26/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Exploring Art, ages: 18 months – younger 3’s (Session 2: OCT)
2019-10-01 09:15 - 2019-10-22 10:00
EXPLORING ART: SESSION 2 (OCT)
Ages: 18 months – younger 3’s
Day/Time: Tuesdays, 9:15 – 10am
Cost: $60 for each 4 week session below.
Session 1 (SEPT): September 3 – 24
Session 2 (OCT): October 1 – 22
Session 3 (NOV): October 29 – November 19
Session 4 (DEC): November 26 – December 17
THIS REGISTRATION IS FOR SESSION 2 (OCT) ONLY. Check the class listing for additional sessions. Register for just one or all four; a separate registration is required for each session.
Description. Children and their adult partner will explore art together in a relaxed environment. Toddlers will create their own works of art while learning new skills like tearing paper, gluing, cutting, coloring over texture, painting with different objects, moving through transitions and imitating art making processes. Activities will focus on age appropriate, playful, artistic and sensory materials.
Limit: 6 adult/child pairs.
Instructor: Beth Weninger
Location: Hunziker Studio
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 9/27/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Creative Explorations, ages older 3’s - 5 years (Wed. Session 2: OCT)
2019-10-02 09:15 - 2019-10-23 10:00
CREATIVE EXPLORATIONS: WEDNESDAYS, SESSION 2 (OCT)
Ages: older 3’s – 5 years
Day/Time: Wednesdays OR Thursdays, 9:15 – 10:00 am (Sign up for the day that suits you best!)
Cost: $60 for each 4 week session below.
WEDNESDAYS
Session 1: September 4 – 25
Session 2: October 2 – 23
Session 3: October 30 – November 20
THURSDAYS
Session 1: September 5 – 26
Session 2: October 3 – 24
Session 3: October 31 – November 21
THIS REGISTRATION IS FOR WEDNESDAY, SESSION 2 (OCT) ONLY. Check the class listing for additional sessions. Register for just one or all four; a separate registration is required for each session.
Description.This class is dedicated to the process of exploration through materials such as paint, charcoal, fabric, plastic, sculpture media, cardboard, paper, ink etc…Use of scissors and proper handling of materials will be covered. Practice of arranging materials, and basic color mixing projects will also be explored.
Class Limit: 6
Instructor: Beth Weninger
Location: Hunziker Studio
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 9/30/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Creative Explorations, ages older 3’s - 5 years (Thurs. Session 2: OCT)
2019-10-03 09:15 - 2019-10-24 10:00
CREATIVE EXPLORATIONS: THURSDAYS, SESSION 2 (OCT)
Ages: older 3’s – 5 years
Day/Time: Wednesdays OR Thursdays, 9:15 – 10:00 am (Sign up for the day that suits you best!)
Cost: $60 for each 4 week session below.
WEDNESDAYS
Session 1: September 4 – 25
Session 2: October 2 – 23
Session 3: October 30 – November 20
THURSDAYS
Session 1: September 5 – 26
Session 2: October 3 – 24
Session 3: October 31 – November 21
THIS REGISTRATION IS FOR THURSDAY, SESSION 2 (OCT) ONLY. Check the class listing for additional sessions. Register for just one or all four; a separate registration is required for each session.
Description.This class is dedicated to the process of exploration through materials such as paint, charcoal, fabric, plastic, sculpture media, cardboard, paper, ink etc…Use of scissors and proper handling of materials will be covered. Practice of arranging materials, and basic color mixing projects will also be explored.
Class Limit: 6
Instructor: Beth Weninger
Location: Hunziker Studio
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 10/1/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

MAKER NIGHT: Stamped Copper Charms, ages 21+
2019-10-03 18:00 - 21:00
MAKER NIGHT: Stamped Copper Charms
Ages: 21 and up
Date & Time: Thursday, October 3, 6 – 9 pm
Cost: $45 Materials included
Description:
MAKER NIGHTS are for those ages 21 and above. Bring your friends and your favorite beverage & snacks to enjoy while you create! Or come by yourself and make some new pals. Novice and experienced makers are welcome!
Learn to create unique copper charms, dangles or other fun adornments with stamping techniques. Make a fun new necklace. Learn about metalsmithing and the some of the techniques artists use to create their work.
Instructor: Terrie Hoefer
Location: Adams Studio
Class Limit: 12
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 10/1/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Mixed Bag of Art, K-5 (OCT 7)
2019-10-07 09:00 - 15:00
Mixed Bag of Art — One day workshops
Ages: K – 5
Time: 9 am – 3 pm
Cost: $50 for each one day workshop
Monday, October 7
Friday, November 1
THIS REGISTRATION IS FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 7 ONLY. Check the class listing for additional sessions. Register for just one or both; a separate registration is required for each session.
Description: Join the Octagon and get creative on your day off! Bring a sack lunch and drink.
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 10/3/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Art Buffet, ages 7 - 9 (OCT 10-24)
2019-10-10 17:00 - 2019-10-24 18:00
Art Buffet, ages 7 – 9
Day / Date / Time: Thursdays, October 10 – 24 (3 weeks), 5 – 6:00 pm
Cost: $35
Description: Students will have a unique opportunity to create mixed media art pieces using tools and materials from our overflowing trove of art supplies. Elements of 2 and 3 – D art will be covered during the process in a relaxed and creative environment. Students will be instructed on the use of low-temp glue guns and construction techniques. This is your time to choose freely from the buffet line of materials like wire, cardboard, fabric, felt, feathers, beads, bobbles, bric – a – brac, paint, sparkly stuff. Then build, design, arrange and execute your design aesthetic.
Instructor: Henry Crowley
Studio: TBA
Class Limit: 8
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 10/8/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Watercolor Workshop with Jo Myers-Walker
2019-10-12 09:00 - 13:00
Watercolor Workshop with Jo Myers-Walker
Ages: 16 years old and above, All skill levels
Day / Day / Time: Saturday, October 12, 9 am – 1 pm
Cost: $120
Description: Join local artist, Jo Myers-Walker in exploring the fluid and magical medium, watercolor. Jo will guide students with demonstrations on how to paint neighborhoods, backyards, etc. inhabited by people, giving artwork a sense of place. The fall season will be used as a backdrop; taking note of its long lingering shadows and brilliant warm colors. There will be focus on color mixing, composition, value and putting down big shapes first. Bring watercolor supplies you have on hand. Some loaded paint pans and brushes for beginners will be available, if needed. Students will be given one sheet of 22” x 30” 140# Arches watercolor paper. Students may also bring a sack lunch if needed.
Class Limit: 20
Location: North Studio
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 10/10/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Beginning Scottish Country Dance, ages 16+ (OCT/NOV)
2019-10-18 19:00 - 2019-11-22 20:00
Beginning Scottish Country Dance
Ages: 16 years old and up
Day / Time / Dates: Fridays, 7 – 8 pm, October 18 – November 22 (6 weeks)

Cost: $45

Description: Learn the art of the very social and lively Scottish Country Dance with experienced Instructors. After your one hour session, you are welcome to stay and join in with the Scottish Country Dancers. A dance party will take place the last day of class. No experience or partner necessary.

Instructor: Linda Lewis Lieberman

Location: Dance Studio
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 10/16/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

MAKER NIGHT: Radical Rivets, ages 21+ (OCT)
2019-10-22 18:00 - 21:00
MAKER NIGHT: Radical Rivets
Ages: 21 years old and up
Day/Date/Time: Tuesday, October 22, 6 – 9 pm
Cost: $45 materials included
Description: Learn how to drill and rivet metal. Create designs on copper or bring your charms that you made in Copper Charms class and rivet different elements together to create fun and expressive designs. You’ll explore surface textures and embellishments and learn how to cold-connect them together in different ways. Add beads, and found items to further embellish your designs.
MAKER NIGHTS are for those ages 21 and above. Bring your friends and your favorite beverage & snacks to enjoy while you create! Or come by yourself and make some new pals. Novice and experienced makers are welcome!
Instructor: Terrie Hoefer
Location: Adams Studio
Class limit: 8
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 10/18/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Handmade Booklets with Decorated Papers (OCT)
2019-10-24 18:30 - 20:30
Handmade Booklets with Decorated Papers
Day / Date / Time: Thursday, October 24, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Cost: $40
Description: Using your previously made marbled papers, papers from home, or decorated papers provided in class, learn to make small, soft cover booklets using basic stitch bindings. We will cover other stitches if time allows.
If you like this class, consider taking Paper Marbling! Click here.
Minimum class limit: 6 Maximum class limit: 12
Instructor: Beth Weninger
Studio: TBA
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 10/22/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Paper Marbling, ages 16+ (OCT)
2019-10-24 18:30 - 20:30
Paper Marbling
Ages: 16+
Day / Date / Time: Thursday, October 24, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Cost: $40
Description: Join Rhonda Scott in creating a collection of beautiful marbled papers using the traditional Turkish form of paper marbling, Ebru.
Minimum class limit: 6 Maximum class limit: 12
Instructor: Rhonda Scott
Studio: TBA
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 10/22/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Wheelthrowing: Ceramic Mugs & Vases, ages 16+ (OCT/NOV)
2019-10-28 18:00 - 21:00
Wheelthrowing: Ceramic Mugs & Vases
Ages: 16 years old and up
Time/Day: Mondays, 6 – 9 pm
Dates: (3 weeks) October 28 – November 11
Cost: $95 includes 12.5 lbs. of clay, all glazes and firing.
Description: Students at all skill levels will learn, review and hone wheel throwing techniques.
Instructor: Jackie Comito
Location: Ceramics Studio
Class Limit: 7
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 10am on 10/28/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Exploring Art, ages: 18 months – younger 3’s (Session 3: NOV)
2019-10-29 09:15 - 2019-11-19 10:00
EXPLORING ART: SESSION 3 (NOV)
Ages: 18 months – younger 3’s
Day/Time: Tuesdays, 9:15 – 10am
Cost: $60 for each 4 week session below.
Session 1 (SEPT): September 3 – 24
Session 2 (OCT): October 1 – 22
Session 3 (NOV): October 29 – November 19
Session 4 (DEC): November 26 – December 17
THIS REGISTRATION IS FOR SESSION 3 (NOV) ONLY. Check the class listing for additional sessions. Register for just one or all four; a separate registration is required for each session.
Description. Children and their adult partner will explore art together in a relaxed environment. Toddlers will create their own works of art while learning new skills like tearing paper, gluing, cutting, coloring over texture, painting with different objects, moving through transitions and imitating art making processes. Activities will focus on age appropriate, playful, artistic and sensory materials.
Limit: 6 adult/child pairs.
Instructor: Beth Weninger
Location: Hunziker Studio
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 10/25/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Creative Explorations, ages older 3’s - 5 years (Wed. Session 3: NOV)
2019-10-30 09:15 - 2019-11-20 10:00
CREATIVE EXPLORATIONS: WEDNESDAYS, SESSION 3 (NOV)
Ages: older 3’s – 5 years
Day/Time: Wednesdays OR Thursdays, 9:15 – 10:00 am (Sign up for the day that suits you best!)
Cost: $60 for each 4 week session below.
WEDNESDAYS
Session 1: September 4 – 25
Session 2: October 2 – 23
Session 3: October 30 – November 20
THURSDAYS
Session 1: September 5 – 26
Session 2: October 3 – 24
Session 3: October 31 – November 21
THIS REGISTRATION IS FOR WEDNESDAY, SESSION 3 (NOV) ONLY. Check the class listing for additional sessions. Register for just one or all four; a separate registration is required for each session.
Description.This class is dedicated to the process of exploration through materials such as paint, charcoal, fabric, plastic, sculpture media, cardboard, paper, ink etc…Use of scissors and proper handling of materials will be covered. Practice of arranging materials, and basic color mixing projects will also be explored.
Class Limit: 6
Instructor: Beth Weninger
Location: Hunziker Studio
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 10/28/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Creative Explorations, ages older 3’s - 5 years (Thurs. Session 3: NOV)
2019-10-31 09:15 - 2019-11-21 10:00
CREATIVE EXPLORATIONS: THURSDAYS, SESSION 3 (NOV)
Ages: older 3’s – 5 years
Day/Time: Wednesdays OR Thursdays, 9:15 – 10:00 am (Sign up for the day that suits you best!)
Cost: $60 for each 4 week session below.
WEDNESDAYS
Session 1: September 4 – 25
Session 2: October 2 – 23
Session 3: October 30 – November 20
THURSDAYS
Session 1: September 5 – 26
Session 2: October 3 – 24
Session 3: October 31 – November 21
THIS REGISTRATION IS FOR THURSDAY, SESSION 2 (OCT) ONLY. Check the class listing for additional sessions. Register for just one or all four; a separate registration is required for each session.
Description.This class is dedicated to the process of exploration through materials such as paint, charcoal, fabric, plastic, sculpture media, cardboard, paper, ink etc…Use of scissors and proper handling of materials will be covered. Practice of arranging materials, and basic color mixing projects will also be explored.
Class Limit: 6
Instructor: Beth Weninger
Location: Hunziker Studio
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 10/29/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Mixed Bag of Art, K - 5 (NOV)
2019-11-01 09:00 - 15:00
Mixed Bag of Art — One day workshops
Ages: K – 5
Time: 9 am – 3 pm
Cost: $50 for each one day workshop
Monday, October 7
Friday, November 1
THIS REGISTRATION IS FOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1 ONLY. Check the class listing for additional sessions. Register for just one or both; a separate registration is required for each session.
Description: Join the Octagon and get creative on your day off! Bring a sack lunch and drink.
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 10/30/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Inklings SARA MERRITT
2019-11-02 - 2019-11-30
LOCATED IN THE SMALL WALL GALLERY (3RD FLOOR)
I think of these works as inklings, for their humble beginnings as tiny ink doodles, and for those small, nagging ideas, fears, and behaviors that have the power to become reality – whether beautiful or monstrous in their realization. The earliest works date back to 1997, when my mother was diagnosed with Huntington’s
Disease. They represent the management of multiple internal struggles – first with my own body image and the desire to find perfection within asymmetrical, writhing color; then the quest to contain my body and mind as my mother slowly began losing control over hers.
My practice is sometimes an inquiry into the interaction and display of bodies – as physical forms, printable images, philosophical constructs; as patterns, collections; recognizable or hidden and refigured. Through transition from one form or material to another, I can define new bodies to explore concepts of inscription, concealment, authenticity, illusion, and decay in a carefully sutured experience where nothing is as it seems. Other times, I paint simply to release – a wordless outpouring of thought and emotion.
Ultimately, everything I make echoes that first movement of ink on paper. My time spent with that writhing color is sacred, laborious, my personal visual expression at its core, in its purest, most honest form. It is a dance in two dimensions – movement controlled, contained, and preserved.
I hope you enjoy.
I am a native Ames artist, arts and dance instructor, and currently work full-time developing educational programming for Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University. From a weird and winding career path and with over 20 years’ experience teaching everything from silk-screening, painting, and problem-solving, to martial arts, belly dance, and zendoodle, I am consistently drawn to the connections between things and people, the intricacies of visual patterning, and the spectrum of perception – especially as an exploration through distortion.
I started assisting my dad in teaching photography classes for Ames’ Super Summer TAG program when I was 15, and have been leading art classes of all kinds ever since – mostly in informal settings through community education. I discovered belly dance at 17 at the suggestion of my mom – who had been a dancer in the 60’s – and now dance professionally, performing with the Mirage Middle Eastern Dance Troupe and teaching dance in Ames and surrounding areas. As an adolescent like any other I struggled with self-esteem, body image, and the looming future of my tight-knit family as my mom was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease – a debilitating and rare degenerative genetic disease causing uncontrollable movements, memory loss, and dementia. To combat fear and loss of control I began transforming absent-minded doodles and sketches into meditative works on paper.
Throughout the last few decades while teaching I have worked as a hotel housekeeper, a bartender and waitress, a bookstore clerk, a hippie shop associate, a Renaissance festival commissioned artist, a commercial screen-printer, a Destination Imagination coach, and an educational associate for middle school Special Education. I have met and worked with students of all ages, abilities, and temperaments, and I am still unfailingly fascinated by all the nuances in individual perception that manifest through personal interaction. In short, I love teaching art – perhaps the oldest method of human expression built from the
desire to create and communicate.
As an introvert who habitually does extroverted things, I depend on solitude and time to myself in order to thrive. Movement through art and dance often helps me process my own thoughts and make personal decisions. After yet another somewhat twisted path through higher education, I ended up receiving a degree of my own design – a Bachelor of Arts in Art, Sexuality, & Aesthetic Perception from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 2003. With the support of my amazing husband Matthew I obtained a Master of Fine Arts in Painting from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2011, and quickly returned home to help care for my mother, who passed in 2013.
I believe absolutely in the power of visual expression and informal education; for me, it all begins with an inkling – a tickle of thought, a spark of energy, a compulsion to make a mark, express movement, or share something unspoken with others. I will continue to create, to dance, and to teach as long as I am able. And maybe after.
https://www.saramerritt.com/

EMILY VERDOORN & JON KAMRATH
2019-11-02 - 2019-12-21
LOCATED IN SWEENEY GALLERY (3RD FLOOR)
Emily Verdoorn
Through drawing, I form vital relationships with the world of my everyday experience. My process often begins by drawing on location. I enjoy drawing places and spaces steeped in the personality of their inhabitants. My drawings develop in response to time spent observing places and things – their habits, personality, rituals, and the people that frequent them. I love discovering the mundane glory in the commonplace. From observational drawing, I often collect marks, textures, and patterns which I draw in with other findings in my daily life. This process is more about listening than telling, more about responding than initiating. For me, making is a process of discovery, a conversation, a way to experience life more deeply for the maker and the viewer alike.
Emily Verdoorn has loved drawing and making things for as long as she can remember. As a child, it was simply unselfconscious enjoyment which encouraged her to make. Gradually, she discovered drawing as a means to more deeply engage with the world around her. In 2017, Emily graduated from Belhaven University with a BFA in Visual Art. Currently, Emily is continuing to develop her drawing process alongside teaching art lessons to children in her hometown, Des Moines.
Jon Kamrath
My “Block House” series was initially inspired by watching my own kids play with a wooden block set. I began considering ways to incorporate the same visual vocabulary into my own work, and to combine the whimsy of children’s toys with the long history of modern architecture. I found clay and wood to be the perfect medium for this. The trompe l’oeil wooden block appearance allows opportunities to explore surface texture, layering and color. Additionally, the clay construction methods present an opportunity to experiment with form, and build sculptures that appear to sag and slump in ways impossible for wood. I greatly enjoy the unique dichotomy between permanence and fleeting, hard and soft, serious and fun.
I use bright colors to invoke a splash of fun, then subtly mute these to carefully draw out the rich texture and tie all the pieces together aesthetically. When combined with multiple forms each piece visually and conceptually transforms, referencing evolving landscapes, urban development, and architectural relationships. The next step with these pieces was the addition of welded steel scaffolding. This allows the sculptures to grow in size and complexity, bringing the pieces to the next level conceptually as well as aesthetically. Solid construction pushes the bounds of visual balance and stability, while offering great physical strength and support. I am calling this new series “Structures”, referring both to the physical objects, but also the societal structures that create the building blocks and precarious foundations that many of us build our lives on.
Jon Kamrath works out of his studio in Mahtomedi, MN where he lives with his wife and 3 young children. He received his BA in Art Education from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. After marrying his muse, Jon moved to Iowa to earn his MFA in Integrated Visual Arts (sculpture) from Iowa State University. He has taught art at Fergus Falls Middle School and Eagle Ridge Academy. After taking a break from teaching to focus on his sculpture career Jon is currently busy creating large scale outdoor sculptures for universities and corporations, as well as smaller intimate pieces for galleries, homes and private collections.
Jon inherited craftsmanship skills, love of tools, and architectural appreciation from working with his father as a finish carpenter for many summers. He now blends these skills with the playful inspiration of his kids and the artistic vocabulary he learned through studying and teaching art. You can find more of Jon’s work at various galleries in the greater Twin Cities region, outdoor parks in the Midwest, or online at his website or Instagram.
http://www.kamrathsculpture.com/

All Kinds of Art, K - 5 (THURS, NOV 7)
2019-11-07 09:00 - 15:00
All Kinds of Art! Fall Conference Workshops
Ages: K – 5
Time: 9 am – 3 pm
Cost: $50 for each one day workshop
Thursday, November 7
Friday, November 8
THIS REGISTRATION IS FOR THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7 ONLY. Check the class listing for additional sessions. Register for just one or both; a separate registration is required for each session.
Description: Join the Octagon and get creative on your day off! Bring a sack lunch and drink.
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 11/5/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

Caricature, Ages 13+ (NOV)
2019-11-07 18:00 - 19:30
Caricature
Ages: 13 years old and up
Day/Date/Time: Thursday, November 7, 6 – 7:30 pm
Cost: $60
Description: Have you ever wondered how caricature artist do what they do? Learn basic techniques of caricature art and that of famous artists in the field. Students will learn how to see their subject through the eyes of a caricaturist and with a little practice be able to impress their friends and family with their new found skills. Note: Some drawing skill helpful but not required. Portrait drawing is helpful but again…not required.
Instructor: Tim Read
Studio: TBA
Class limit: 16
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 11/5/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

MAKER NIGHT: Easy Silver Earrings, ages 21+ (NOV)
2019-11-07 18:30 - 20:30
MAKER NIGHT: Easy Silver Earrings
Ages: 21 years old and up
Day/Date/Time: Thursday, November 7, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Cost: $45 materials included
Description: Learn about wire work and make your own earrings. Learn about metals, wire, gauges, tools, and also learn about gemstones, wrapped eye loops and how to make head pins, bead links and dangles. Each participant will be able to create one pair of earrings from silver wire and beads. You may bring your own beads, or use ours.
Instructor: Terrie Hoefer
Location: Adams Studio
Class limit: 12
Registration closes when the class fills or on at 6am on 11/5/19. Students cannot be added after the registration closes.

To register:

scroll down to the “Tickets” section near the bottom of this page
enter the number of “tickets” you want (one ticket per student)
click “add to cart”
complete the contact information form that appears after you add a ticket
complete the payment information
check your email for your receipt

Please note:

Students cannot be added after the registration closes.
Octagon members receive class discounts. Please login before registering for classes and your discount will be applied automatically.
If you are not a member, but would like to join, click here. Purchase your membership first. Then login and proceed as noted above to receive your discount. Your discount will not be applied unless you are logged in.

Please contact us with any registration questions or concerns. Click here to send a message. Thanks for supporting arts education at the Octagon!

ANGE ALTENHOFEN & JOSH SORRELL
2019-11-08 - 2019-12-27
LOCATED IN THE COMMUNITY GALLERY
Ange Altenhofen
“Metaphorical function” is a term I use to describe my work, dovetailing sculptural form with the innate potential for usefulness and interaction that every three-dimensional object possesses. In this scenario function follows form, recycling art into a prosaic, functional object that is activated through touch and let loose in the world. I tend to think that inanimate objects have “souls”, or at least earn something akin to a soul as they get used more and more frequently over time.
The “Braille Series” is an ongoing body of work that references metaphorical function and incorporates Braille as a surface texture, not only to deliver information through touch, but to suggest blemishes on the skin that invite a haptic experience not unlike apes have while grooming one another. I first began using Braille text in my work after I was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition that could eventually lead to permanent blindness. At the time of diagnosis I panicked- how does a visual artist make art without sight? This question sent me searching for answers and eventually led to creative discoveries I may never have found otherwise: understanding and revelation through physical touch and interaction with the art object itself.
Ange Altenhofen was born and raised in Chariton, Iowa. She earned a BFA in Studio Art from the University of Northern Iowa, briefly attended the University of Iowa to study art history and Italian, and earned an MFA in Sculpture and Ceramics from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Living part-time in Florence, Italy, she worked as an apprentice to puppeteer Rocco Cosentino, and as the assistant director and student advisor for an international art academy, Arte Sotto un Tetto. Since 1993, Ange has lived predominantly in Chicago, exhibiting her artwork both nationally and internationally including galleries and museums in Tel Aviv, Vienna, Florence, Chicago, and New York. She is also an established costume designer and has worked for numerous theater companies in Chicago, co-founding the costume performance company DeCorps Costume Collective in 2001. Most recently she has worked as a published archaeological illustrator for the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, drawing artifacts from archaeological sites in Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Israel. In 2015 Ange returned to Iowa to write and illustrate a
children’s book that she hopes to publish in 2019.
Josh Sorrell
I paint to explore human nature within our current social structures. The subjects of my work examine how our experiences affect our fragile identity.
Josh Sorrell, an Iowa native, produces representational artwork altered by abstract elements. Using oil or charcoal as the preferred medium, Josh examines themes of
personal and cultural significance while also attempting to draw a new perspective from accepted ideas. Subjects are often presented within a surreal atmosphere meant to strengthen its impact. This focus on combining both real and imaginary components allow the viewer to create their own unique interpretation.
http://joshsorrell.com/
