Fairfield Arts Center Drawing Up New Programming

Fairfield Arts Center Drawing Up New Programming:

Summer workshop for teens first of many classes to come

By Mike Lauterborn

(Posted to Fairfield.Patch.com)

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

7/28/11

Fairfield, CT – Sitting on the ground against trees and brick walls, cross-legged with pads in their laps, they studiously sketched away, capturing from their own perspectives the layout of the Town Green.

The Wednesday July 27 afternoon session was the fourth of a five-week Drawing Workshop for Teens offered by the Fairfield Arts Center, 70 Sanford Street. Designed to enhance students’ creativity and artistic confidence, each of the five 2 ½ hour classes was dedicated to a different drawing activity, including still-lifes in pencil, figures, abstract shapes and textures, drawing on location and drawing animals. Stephanie Peterson, a certified art teacher at Fairfield Ludlowe High School, is the instructor, providing guidance on drawing techniques like lines, spacing, shading, volume, individual expression and imagination.

“Our teen drawing class is an inaugural program targeted to the teen segment of our constituency, which in its broadest sense is the town of Fairfield,” said Kristin Fox, who has held the role of Executive Director at FAC for the past year now. “About 10 students are enrolled in the class. We had to turn away half a dozen more, which leads me to believe that there’s a need for this programming in the community.”

Fox said the goal is to lay a foundation for future artists, while providing a vehicle for self-expression. “This is all part of our mission to integrate the arts into the lives of Fairfielders,” said Fox. “The drawing class is part of the educational component of our mission.”

Fox said the class has been very well received and, based on its success, the Center is going to explore other genre-based workshops – watercolors, painting, sculpture, etc.

“I work in developing programming with Stephanie,” Fox said. “The next program may be as early as September. “We’re determining best scheduling, especially with the return to school.”

For more information, contact the Fairfield Arts Center at www.fairfieldartscenter.org or call 203-319-1419.