Ongoing registration is open for all fall classes at the Darien Arts Center. Visual Arts and Theatre classes for adults and children of all ages begin on Sept. 25.
- View the full DAC catalog and at darienarts.org.
- For questions, call (203) 655-8683. The DAC is located at 2 Renshaw Road, behind the Town Hall.
VISUAL ARTS FOR CHILDREN
(New projects accommodate new and returning students.)
Scribble Scrabble — ages 3-5, Fridays, 1:10-1:55pm, Sept 29-Dec 15. Young learners develop fine motor skills while using imagination to create drawings, paintings, collages & prints. $200.
Cartooning — ages 7-12, Mondays, 4:10-5:10pm, Sept 25-Jan 8. Students design their own characters & use them in one-panel cartoons and three-panel comic strips. Study facial expressions & body language as it relates to cartooning & the human figure. TV storyboards & caricature included. $280.
Elementary Art Studio — ages 6-11, Wednesdays, 3:40–4:40pm, Sept 27-Jan 17. Developmentally appropriate projects will originate from art principles such as line, color, texture & form. A variety of media includes pastels, watercolors, acrylics & ink. Develop techniques & originality. $280.
Photo from the Darien Arts Center
Beth Cherico, DAC Visual Arts Director, Madison Graczyk (in front) and Olivia Fordyce at the recent Darien Arts Center Open House.
Drawing/Painting — ages 10-15, Wednesdays, 4:45-6:15pm, Oct 4-Dec 20. All levels welcome. Students will use traditional and experimental materials to draw figures, landscapes, portraits. still life, and images from imagination. Technical drawing skills developed and creativity encouraged. $300.
Click! Digital Photography — ages 9-12, Fridays, 4:40-5:40pm, Sept 29-Jan 26. Learn to use a digital camera or iPod Touch to take great photos with the rule of thirds, filling the frame, negative space, color, texture and scales. $280.
Make-A-Monster Workshop — ages 8-12, Saturdays, 2:00-4:00pm, Oct 21 and Oct 28. Create a cuddly monster from imagination – draw a sweet, scary or funny monster and use that to design a pattern & use new sewing skills to bring it to life. Learn to cut a pattern, & sew a backstitch. $80.
VISUAL ARTS FOR ADULTS
New! Watercolor and Acrylic Painting for Adults — Tuesdays, 9:30-11:30am, Oct. 10–Dec 19. For all levels. Focus will be on improving in each medium and understanding the fundamentals of creating an effective painting, such as composition, color, tone and scale. $280.
New! Still Life Process Workshop for Adults — Thursdays, 9:30am–12:30pm, Oct. 5-Oct. 26. Work with a simple still life drawing and later with a finished painting. The importance of composition, tonal value and a simple range of color will be emphasized. All skill levels are welcome and students may use oil or acrylic paints as a medium. $165.
KID’S THEATRE FOR AGES 3 THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL
Creative Dramatics — ages 3-5, Fridays, 2:45-3:30pm, Oct. 6-Dec. 15. Introduces young children to theatre by focusing on their natural sense of play. Children learn to use their bodies, voices & imagination with games, rhymes, costumes, puppets and more to discover the magic of performing. $200.
Beginning Acting — grades K-2, Tuesdays, 3:50-4:50pm, Oct. 3-Dec. 12. A lightly structured class where play and story are joined and the beginning of stage sense begins. An increasing awareness of self and of working with a group is developed in a non-stressful, encouraging atmosphere. $200.
Photo from Darien Arts Center
Heather Kahlert, DAC Kids’ Theatre Director at the recent DAC Open House.
New! Kids’ Improv — grades 3-5, Thursdays 4:30-5:30pm, Oct. 5-Dec. 14. Explores the basic themes of improv and scene building through games, familiar scripts, and a loose interpretation of reality. $200.
New! Improv for Middle School — grades 6-8, Thursdays, 5:40-7:20pm, Oct. 5-Dec.14. Students explore what makes a scene and learn fun new games to hone improv skills and build other skills like teamwork, adaptability, and discovering the obvious or absurd.
THEATER FOR ADULTS
NEW! Improv for Adults — Mondays, 6:50-8:20pm, Oct. 2-Dec. 4. For all levels. Includes games and improv exercises to explore what makes an improv scene and how to tell a story with a group on stage. Themes include space work, character building, scene setting and advancement techniques. $300.
NEW! Mindful Acting for Adults — Tuesdays, 7:30-9:30pm, Oct. 3-Nov. 21. Focused on the renewed interest in the idea of mindfulness and being present in the moment. Students will explore the idea of mindful acting to discover the difference between showing and doing, between the truth and the lie, and overcoming natural self-consciousness. $250.