Adult Education Classes to Spark Your Creative Side
From painting to pottery, photography, and more, Watkins Community Education programs are a great way to further your education and creativity as well as find community. We sat down with their Director of Community Education to learn more about these unique programs!
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Looking for new ways to embrace your creativity? Consider enrolling in a community education course or workshop in art, design, photography, or traditional craft mediums at Belmont University’s Watkins College of Art! We sat down with the Director of Community Education, Jackie Tingle, to learn about their upcoming programs and how to make the most of their offerings.
A variety of classes are open for all skill levels — whether you’re seeking personal enjoyment or hope to further your education. Program participants range from retirees, full-time parents, and international au pairs to individuals in careers, such as academics, lawyers, or doctors. The program is suitable for anyone seeking a creative outlet. Courses are offered on weeknights and workshops are offered on the weekend to accommodate the busy schedules of adults juggling multiple roles and responsibilities.
When you sign up for a class, you can expect a college-level experience. Courses are taught by practicing artists with real-world experience and expertise — and most also have a degree in fine art or design. After signing up online, students will soon receive a syllabus that outlines what they can expect to learn during the class and a list of materials (if applicable).
Jackie adds that classes are geared toward teaching fundamental skills so participants can continue their creative journey even after they complete a course or workshop. “For example, in a multi-week pottery course, students focus on centering their clay on the potter’s wheel; then they learn how to plan what they want to create and add decoration,” she says. “It’s really about building good foundational skills so you can take what you’ve learned from the class and use it on your own.”
If this is your first time taking a community education course, Jackie says one of the best introductory courses is Understanding Abstract Painting. The course focuses on a two-fold approach to acrylic painting, inviting students to examine historical abstract artwork, watch technical demonstrations from their teacher, and create their own paintings.
“Understanding Abstract Painting is one of the most welcoming and least intimidating courses to walk into,” adds Jackie. “With adult students, they often feel intimidated about others judging how accurate their paintings look, so a course focused on abstraction predictably reduces that anxiety. A student once noted that all his intimidation and anxiety were gone by the end of the first night of class due to the great learning environment.”
If you don’t have a lot of experience participating in creative activities, Jackie recommends Watkins’ book arts courses or workshops. This could include programs like Introduction to Book Arts, Miniature Exposed Spine Bindings, Art Journaling in Old Books, or Handbound Leather Journals. “Our book arts classes are a great way to pick up a new creative hobby,” explains Jackie. “Students learn how to make beautiful handmade books that can double as gifts. They learn how to create folded signatures to construct the book, pick out decorative paper, and add decorative stitching to personalize their book designs.”
Jackie recommends signing up for Figure Drawing if you took art classes in college or are more experienced in drawing or painting. During this program, students work with a live model to study anatomy, proportion, weight, mass, and learn to capture movement and tension. It also teaches historical media and techniques, such as metal point, graphite, and white chalk. “This class meets weekly, you work with a live model, and the teacher is very knowledgeable about anatomy as well as a master at his craft,” adds Jackie. “The course is great for beginners as well as experienced artists, as most students note a marked improvement in their drawing skills after taking this course.”
Aside from personal enjoyment and expanding your education and creativity, Watkins Community Education programs are a great way to find a sense of community. “That’s something that you don’t get in a lot of art classes — or even in classes that you sign up for as an adult for professional development,” adds Jackie. “We often have students take that same course over and over simply because it provides a way to get together and be around like-minded people.”
Ready to sign up for a Watkins Community Education program? They are currently enrolling for spring, and there are still spaces available for November and December weekend workshops! To see a complete list of courses and learn more, visit belmont.edu or call (615) 460-8625.
This article is sponsored by Belmont University’s Watkins College of Art. All photography courtesy of Sam Simpkins.
Brianna Goebel
Brianna is StyleBlueprint’s Associate Editor and Sponsored Content Manager. She is an avid fan of iced coffee and spends her free time reading romance novels.