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Katie Simpson

North CountySouth CountyVisual ArtsFamily Arts Night

Bio

Katie has been working with Arts Council Santa Cruz County since 2019, as a SPECTRA Artist and with Mariposa Arts - our awesome after school program in PVUSD. She's an artist and educator from Santa Cruz, with an MFA from the City College of New York, CUNY, in Studio Art, and a BA from Portland State University, in Drawing, Painting and Printmaking. She loves combining drawing, painting, printmaking, and other media – and her work focuses on nature in various ways. She also teaches art for other local organizations (like the Arts Council for Monterey County), and loves teaching art to people regardless of age (prekindergarten through elders, art helps us all). Her teaching usually focuses on drawing, painting, printmaking, paper arts and bookbinding. In the classroom she fosters fun communities with teachers and students alike. She is super excited about art and nature, and ready to get her students excited, too!

Classes

Visual Arts

Grade(s): TK-12

Hourly rate: $50

Are your fees negotiable? No

Additional fees (materials, etc.): Yes

Requires: Multi-purpose room, sink requested, tables and chairs, or available through online learning platform.

Program Description and Learning Goals: Fun and exciting Visual Arts lessons available in person, or online (via Zoom, Google Meet or YouTube streaming or video). These classes will introduce students to various techniques in an encouraging, challenging and fun way. Students will learn a variety of techniques and will practice creating using various art materials. Lessons are designed to help students practice using their visual perception, creative decision making, foster enthusiasm for art, build on hand eye coordination, and create connection through creating art. Discussions will include cultural and art history as well as VAPA standards. These lessons can focus on Drawing, Watercolor Painting, Book Arts, or combine these topics. Weaving and ceramics are also available as part of a combination of other classes. I love working with teachers and school communities to create the right curriculum for their students.

Painting

Grade(s): TK-12

Hourly rate: $50

Are your fees negotiable? No

Additional fees (kiln, materials, etc.): Yes

Requires: Multi-purpose room, sink requested, tables and chairs.

Program Description and Learning Goals: In this course students will learn and practice using a variety of painting techniques and materials. They will identify and explore primary, secondary and tertiary colors (along with other color theory basics), discover and practice the properties of different kinds of paint, and create many wonderful works of art. The course includes one day projects as well as multiple class projects. Discussions will include cultural and art history as well as focusing on VAPA Standards. This course can reflect topics being studied in school.

Watercolor Painting

Grade(s): TK-12

Hourly rate: $50

Are your fees negotiable? No

Additional fees (kiln, materials, etc.): Yes

Requires: Multi-purpose room, sink requested, tables and chairs.

Program Description and Learning Goals: This course thoroughly explores watercolor paint. The focus starts on using materials (paint, brushes, paper), and gives students tools, technique, language, practice and confidence to make creative artistic decisions. Students will explore color, learning primaries and secondaries as well as practicing color mixing. Through the course students will develop an understanding of watercolor materials and processes. Discussions will include cultural and art history as well as VAPA Standards. This course can reflect topics being studied in school. This class will vary depending on grade and class group - likely Introduction to Watercolor for grades TK-4, and Advanced Watercolor for grades 5-8.

Drawing

Grade(s): TK-12

Hourly rate: $50

Are your fees negotiable? No

Additional fees (kiln, materials, etc.): Yes

Requires: Multi-purpose room, sink requested, tables and chairs.

Program Description and Learning Goals: This course will introduce students to various drawing techniques and materials while helping them practice drawing in an encouraging, challenging and fun way. Students will learn and practice using a variety of drawing tools and materials to create activities and compositions that help them exercise their visual perception, creative decision making, enthusiasm for art, and hand eye coordination. Discussions will include cultural and art history as well as VAPA Standards.