Sunday, March 19, 2017

Proposed Federal budget cuts,


While the Federal budget is proposed and not passed as of yet the Trump administration's intentions are not good for the arts and humanities.

Federal funding of Arts and the Humanities are on a list the Trump administration wants to outright eliminate including; The National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

For those who understand the vital role the arts and humanities provide in the nurturing of a healthy society. The profound benefits to our culture are immeasurable. The news is more than disconcerting.

While the cuts are uncertain the only thing that is certain is uncertainty about one's prosperity and well being in the future for so many it is an ongoing and increasingly prevailing daily concern.

So what's the solution?
On a Federal level it a "wait and see" situation. Citizens and political leaders of all parties are extremely concerned and upset with the intentions directed towards the arts and humanities. With so many organizations and political leaders addressing the issues there may or may not be a reasonable compromise On a personal and community level there can and should be a concerted effort to engage, support and share in the humanities.

My challenge to others and the actions I am personally putting forth is: " What are we personally serving up to strengthen our society our families and ourselves?"

Please feel free to attend one of my FREE community art classes


So why are the arts and humanaites so important?

Here art 9 reasons (from Curt Rice website, http://curt-rice.com/2014/02/25/here-are-9-reasons-why-humanities-matter-whats-your-number-10/
The humanities help us understand others through their languages, histories and cultures.
They foster social justice and equality.
And they reveal how people have tried to make moral, spiritual and intellectual sense of the world.
The humanities teach empathy.
They teach us to deal critically and logically with subjective, complex, imperfect information.
And they teach us to weigh evidence skeptically and consider more than one side of every question.
Humanities students build skills in writing and critical reading.
The humanities encourage us to think creatively. They teach us to reason about being human and to ask questions about our world.
The humanities develop informed and critical citizens. Without the humanities, democracy could not flourish.




Friday, March 17, 2017

Art Classes 2017 Spring & Summer

Art classes 2017

Plein Air classes

All plein air classes will be based on art as an integral part of life. The classes are for artists and non artists alike. The classes are based on a reflection of the past and will create a sense of present adventure.

Instruction provided for the student will assist the student to create their own artistic journey of incorporating art and recreation. Best stated the intent and purpose is to develop a holistic incorporation of creativity into one's lifestyle.

The plein air experience:
The idea is, pre photography images of places and things were only experienced either first hand or by viewing drawings and paintings. Many early images of the American landscapes were created by artists accompanying government survey crews as the maped the American west.

The artists were explorers and travelers as well as painters. So students taking part in the plein air experiences will be taught how to create their own adventures by creating images throughout their travels. The thought and opportunity of travel and exploration will vary greatly for each individual. For some the opportunity for distant travel may be possible. For many though travel and exploration will be enjoyed closer to home. It is the close to home exploration that we will develop in the classes and workshops. The focus will be incorporating art into a daily lifestyle. And the opportunities for creating art in our Wasatch front are endless.

Adult class
Guardian and Child art class,

Keeping a sketchbook, Summer art activity for both adults and children,

This class is unique because it engages the student in daily interactivity followed up and supported by a weekly class gathering.

This class instructs how to have a daily activity for both students and guardians to enjoy all summer. The fundamentals will be taught and then the students will create work throughout the week to bring to the next class for discussion and personal assistance. Each week techniques will be demonstrated. The key purpose is for the individual to have a daily activity to enjoy and a group to then engage with each week. This informal class will provide a structure for individuals to make friends and form relationships with others of like mind regardless of age and or ability.

The class will be held outside weather permitting and when necessary indoors for demonstrations and studio work.

About the class:

It was the concept of painting outdoors with a group of friends capturing images of common life breaking away from the societal accepted norms, the polished works of art of aristocrats kings queens and political and business leaders that launched the plein air movement in Paris in 1860.

The impressionist movement and Its originators were artists who rejected the official, government-sanctioned exhibitions, or salons

The Impressionists started as a small group of friends who aimed to capture the momentary, sensory effect of a scene - the impression objects made on the eye in a fleeting instant. To achieve this effect, many Impressionist artists moved from the studio to the streets and countryside, painting en plein air.

They were not accepted by the mainstream art establishment but soon began having their own art shows and making art history.

So the question is what will you make your adventure and own personal art experience?

Schedule forthcoming (please contact for more information)
 Kenneth Lund
wasatchart@gmail.com

Adult class
Parent Child Classes