Art Classes and Exhibits
Founded in 1980, the Tallahassee Senior Center for the Arts offers a supportive environment for both beginning and advanced artists to receive guidance from experienced instructors. Students also benefit from ongoing art exhibits, special classes, and opportunities to display and sell their art.
Personal Expressions Art Exhibition of Watercolors
The Old Armory Gallery recently hosted a reception and awards ceremony to honor watercolor and sumi-e artists from TSC Studios. Guests voted the following People's Choice Awards: Most Creative - Night Fall by Tony Bareham; Best Use of Color - Lilies by Yoshiko Murdick; Best Landscape - Just Waiting by William McKeown; Best Portrayal of Animals - Horse Feathers by Anne Ciotti; Best Portrayal of People - Uncertain Times by William McKeown and Overall Favorite - Autumn Woods by Weej Broderson.
Distinguished watercolorist Joe McFadden served as juror for this exhibition choosing the following awards: Best of Show - Just Waiting by William McKeown; 1st Place - St. Paul's Cathedral, London by Tony Barehan; 2nd Place - Good Morning Sunshine by Mary Bradley; 3rd Place - Pelican's Porch by Tonya Toole; Wendy Cummisky Award - Harp & Citrus by Ken Menke; Judges Award - Night Music by Gwen Woods and Honorable Mentions to Weej Broderson, Eva Curry, Ruth Draper, Janet B. Erwin, Susan Ontko and Liz Smith.
The reception was sponsored by Humana MarketPOINT, Taoist Tai Chi Society, and the TSC Foundation.
Artist Spotlight
Welcome - Mark J. Fletcher, new instructor for Artistry in Clay, meeting Mondays at 10 am. Fletcher studied sculpture, ceramic design and ink painting in Japan. His artwork combines his skill as a fine art craftsman with his love and appreciation of nature. His daily walks in the Apalachicola National Forest are recorded in drawings and detailed observations, and from these he recreates his experiences in stoneware vessels, sculptures, poems and paintings.
Fletcher also teaches at FSU. He sells his artworks through the LeMoyne Center for the Arts, the Downtown Market and art festivals in the Southeast under the name Turtle Hill Clay Studio. His studio name came from the small town in Kyoto, Japan where Mark and his wife, Sara, lived. You can learn more about Mark and see some of his work at www.markfletcher.embarqspace.com.
Old Armory Gallery Exhibits - Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00am to 9:00pm
Works by students of the TSC Center for the Arts are on display throughout the Center. Public receptions are held for changing exhibitions in the auditorium, sponsored by the TSC Foundation, Humana, and the Taoist Tai Chi Society. The first floor Dining Room displays artwork by various artists from the Big Bend area.
Main Gallery - Insiders Show 2009
The best of the best! This juried show is the largest show of works by students in all Tallahassee Senior Center for the Arts classes. Brilliantly colored florals, rustic landscapes, an abstracted piano, and a cow that stares back are among the artwork.
Show Dates:Â October 17 - November 25
Visiting Artists' Gallery
"Deck the Halls! A Celebration of Wreaths" - Now through December 1. Holiday wreaths created and donated to TSC will be on display leading up to the December 4 annual "Deck the Halls" event. Beautiful, creative one-of-a-kind wreaths and ornaments will be available for preview, early silent auction bidding, and buy-it-now shopping.
"France, Province to Paris"- Debra & Randy Brienen - December 19 - February 6. Husband and wife artist team exhibit their French Country style paintings inspired by their travels in France. Meet the artists at the public reception on January 2.
Lobby Lounge
Remembering Wendy (paintings by Wendy Cummiskey)
Permanent Installation
Additional Exhibition Spaces
A wide variety of art by students and instructors of the Tallahassee Senior Center for the Arts is on display throughout the Old Armory building. A majority of paintings are available for purchase!
Weekly Studio Labs
These labs are open studio times that provide participants an opportunity to practice their art with the camaraderie of other students. No instructor; cost is a $4 lab fee.
- Portraiture, Monday, 9:00am (additional shared cost of model)
- Open Painting, Monday, 1:00pm
- Figure Painting Practice Group, Friday, 1:00pm (additional shared cost of model)
Art Lessons
Learn something new or sharpen up old skills through a short-term special topic art class. Pre-registration is required. Call 891-4016 to register. Registration deadline is one week prior to start of class.
Special Holiday Workshops
Creative touches from the heart and the hands. Four 3-hour workshops get you into the spirit of the season with artist Perdita Ross. Each workshop: $8 for 55+; $10 others. Contact Leslie Puckett for information, supply list and to register 891-4016.
Victorian Crepe Paper Roses
Wednesday, December 10, 6:00 - 8:30pm
Create these traditional flowers perfect to use as tree decorations, on packages, mix with holiday greenery or simple vase arrangements.
Gilded-Cedar Ornaments
Friday, December 12, 9:00 - 11:30am
Easy steps to create a really elegant ornament for tree or table decor. Uses natural cedar foliage provided by the instructor.
Decoupage Flower Bucket
Wednesday, December 17, 6:00 - 8:30pm
Using magazine pages and inexpensive tin buckets, create a piece of functional art that can be used in gift giving or in your home decor.
Ribbon Magnolias
Friday, December 19, 9:00 - 11:30am
Create beautiful and elegant flowers from ribbon to use with gift wrappings or holiday greenery.
Call for Artists
Senior Art Showcase 2009 is open to all artists in the Big Bend Area, age 55+. This springtime multi-venue exhibition is open to all media. Deadline for entries is February 12, 2009. Prospectus will be available December 1. Contact Leslie Puckett, 891-4016.
Ongoing Art Classes
Instructor fees: $8 per session for 55+ and $10 per session for others unless otherwise noted. Pre-registration is not required. Studio fees: $4 per session. Model fees: additional cost depending on class.
All Media Art at Heritage Oaks
Tuesday, 6:00 - 8:30pm
A relaxing, yet stimulating journey of creativity that explores various drawing and watercolor techniques using pastel, graphite, prismacolor and watercolor pencils or paints. All skill levels welcome.
Artistry in Clay: Hand Built Pottery
Monday, 10:00 - 12:00n
Students learn basic hand building techniques such as coiling, pinching, and slab building to build or sculpt objects of their choice. Basic wheel throwing with a kick wheel is available. All levels of students are welcome.
Bradfordville Historic Schoolhouse Drawing and Beyond
Wednesdays (two classes), 10:00am - 1:00pm and 1:00 - 4:00pm
No pre-registration. Join at any time. Supply list will be given during the first class. For all ability levels, even beginners.
Drawing and Beyond
Thursday, 1:00 - 4:00pm
Discover the art of working with pencil, pastel, colored pencil, and other drawing materials as you gain valuable insight into composition and design.
Figure Studio
Friday, 1:30 - 3:00pm
A group for artists of all levels who just want to practice their skills in and observations of painting/drawing live figures. With no formal instruction, artists share their knowledge and learn from each other. All mediums are welcome.
No Fear Art
Tuesday, 2:00 - 4:30pm
Designed for the absolute beginner or seasoned adult student. Art can be a fun experience. Students learn fundamental concepts in a creative atmosphere that helps eliminate natural inhibitions.
Oil and Acrylics
Wednesday, 1:00 - 4:00pm
Open to all students interested in oil and acrylic painting, regardless of talent level. Students are encouraged to apply basic principles pertinent to the media and produce creative art works as a result. Opportunities exist to exhibit work in juried art shows.
Open Lab Time
Monday, 1:00 - 4:00pm
Open lab time for all art students.
Portraiture Studio
Monday, 9:00 - 11:30am
Non-instructional opportunity for students to work from a live model. Artists work in the medium of choice.
Sumi-E (Oriental Ink Painting)
Wednesday, 10:00am - 12:00n
Chinese calligraphy and painting taught through carefully structured methods. Instruction ranges from basic to the more advanced techniques.
Watercolor
Tuesday & Thursday, 9:00am - 12:00n
Covers all techniques of watercolor with beginning and advanced students painting side by side.