Art Centers
The Twin Cities area is abundant with opportunities for students and adults interested in the arts. We've listed some EPCGT favorites here. The serious art student may want to find a mentor to work with, whether a high school student, a teacher in one of the art centers, or a local artist who would be willing.
Bloomington Art Center
1800 W. Old Shakopee RoadBloomington, MN 55431
Phone: (952) 563-8587
E-mail address: info@bloomingtonartcenter.com
Website: www.bloomingtonartcenter.com
Bloomington Art Center (BAC) offers creatively fun summer camps for children ages preschool-16 in such media as drawing, painting, sculpture, maskmaking, box design, picture book creation, and theater. Youth classes are available year-round, and teenagers are welcome in all adult classes.
Edina Art Center
4701 West 64th StreetEdina, MN 55435
Phone: (612) 915-6600
Media studio phone: (612) 915-6602
E-mail address: artcenter@ci.edina.mn.us
Website: http://www.edinaartcenter.com
Edina Art Center has a wealth of opportunities for students in cartooning, jewelry, drawing, painting, printmaking, rosemaling, puppetry, theater and media arts (see EPCGT student report and artwork links below). Summer camps and year-round classes are available. Families can take some classes together. Recent winter classes for very young children and their parents included Australian art, Chinese painting, and music.
Have you ever heard of Media Graphic Art Academy? This class teaches how to make movies, design posters and create digital art. Using Adobe Photoshop, students on Macintosh or PC computers learn how to use common computer art tools like the eraser, pencil, peaint brush, air brush, paint bucket, lasso and the magnifying tool. Students also learn how to make gradients and use different filters, and how to retouch photos that are damaged or color those that are black and white.
I've been taking classes in Media Graphic Art Academy (MGAA) at Edina Art Center for about three years. Rosalie Sundin is the primary instructor. I started in the beginning level in 4th grade - MGAA I. I really enjoyed learning the techniques, taking a computer aprt, and making a Pokemon movie in that class, so I entered MGAA II in 5th grade, w hich was for teens (they let me apply since I showed a lot of talent and interest).
In level II, I color-enhanced a photo of the World Trade Center taken before September 11. During the student art show where I exhibited that piece, someone wanted to buy it. Unfortunately, I didn't know if there was a copyright on the original photo (I hadn't written down the web address where I found it), so I couldn't sell the image. However, the work later won first place in the photography category of the education competition at the 2002 Minnesota State Fair!
This summer I won a 3rd-place ribbon at the 2003 Minnesota State Fair for a Polaroid transfer I did in class last winter. Now I'm in the Teen Masters Level of MGAA. I recommend this program to anyone interested in art who also likes to work on the computer. You can create this type of art at home and throughout your life!
Images made by students:
"Tie Eye"
Digital art created in Photoshop by Kristin
Grade 7
Media Graphic Arts Academy Student
Edina Art Center
"Captain Jack Sparrow"
Charcoal drawing by Leslie
Grade 7
Art Academy Student
Edina Art Center
Minnetonka Center for the Arts
2240 North Shore DriverWayzata, MN 55391
Phone: (952) 473-7361
E-mail address: information@minnetonkaarts.org
Website: www.minnetonkaarts.org
For ages 5-95 and older (according to their website), Minnetonka Center for the Arts offers summer camps, an after-school arts program, and more. Experiment in areas like drawing, painting, welding, weaving, bronze casting, photography, ceramics, sculpture, and printmaking.
SAORI Free-Style Weaving Studio "Fun"
1475 Meadow LaneChaska, MN 55318
Phone: (952) 448-0527
E-mail address: saori@chaska.net
Website: www.geocities.com/saoristudiofun
Dan and Chiaki O'Brien have a weaving studio in their home in Chaska, where they teach the Japanese free-style weaving they learned in Japan. Looms are small and portable, the weaving style is easy to learn and fun to explore. Students of all ages are welcome. Two-hour classes on held most Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons. Students and parents could create side-by-side. Youth workshops are available in the summer. Contact Dan and Chiaki if you would like more information or to tour the studio.
Textile Center
3000 University AvenueMinneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: (612) 436-0464
Website: www.textilecentermn.org
Come be inspired by the Textile Center gallery and gift store. Browse through the lending library. Students: attend a summer camp to learn about sewing, quilting, knitting, spinning, weaving, fabric dyeing, or dollmaking. Some camps are available to kids as young as 4 years old. Many adult classes are available to students ages 12 and up.