LMU Arts In The Gap Announces 2023 Summer Workshops

Lincoln Memorial University’s (LMU) Arts in the Gap (AITG) is celebrating its 10^th anniversary with a fantastic lineup of summer workshops for 2023. The event schedule includes workshops all summer long, for people of all ages. Most events will be held at the Paul V. Hamilton Center for the Arts in Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. Limited scholarships are available for several events.

Kicking things off will be Belle Blake, an artist and current LMU student, with pottery workshops for both children and adults. The Pottery Wheel for Adults ages 18 and up will be held May 8-12 from 6-9 p.m. and is for all skill levels. Participants will learn the basics of using a pottery wheel, shaping clay and more. The Pottery Wheel for Kids ages 11-13 will be held May 15-19 from 4-6 p.m. Blake will teach participants how to use clay, a pottery wheel and how to make a few clay pots of their own. The cost for each workshop is $50.

An Appalachian Rag Rug Workshop will be held for ages 11-13 on May 30 through June 3, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Local artist and retired teacher Elaine Schatzline-Behr will combine the traditional craft of no-sew rag rug making with a contemporary sustainable world perspective. Participants will learn to construct a basic rug from recycled T-shirts. The cost is $50.

A Digital Animation Workshop will be held for children ages 11-13, May 30-31 from 1-4 p.m. Casey Cosgriff, who holds degrees in painting and printmaking, will teach basics of digital animation using iPads. The cost is $30.

Blake will lead another workshop May 30-31 from 6-9 p.m., Glazing Pottery for Adults. In this two-day workshop, participants will paint and glaze various types of pottery pieces. Glazing is what gives pottery its color, design and shine. Different techniques will be explored. The cost is $30.

Clay Basics for Kids will be held for ages 6-10, May 30 through June 2 from 9-11 a.m. Blake will teach kids how to mold and shape clay. Participants will have the opportunity to build coil clay bowls and even create little clay monsters or animals they will paint and take home. The cost is $30.

A Storyboarding and Animation Workshop is scheduled for June 1-2, from 1-4 p.m. for ages 6-10. Cosgriff will lead participants in learning the basics of animation. Animation and storyboarding involves both paper and pencil (flipbook) animation and introductory digital animation using mostly free apps and software. The class will combine techniques from drawing and animation to creating a small animation series portfolio. The cost is $30.

Introduction to Book Arts will be held June 2-3 from 6-9 p.m. for ages 18 and up. Elaine Shoaf, an artist and illustrator, will introduce the techniques, terminology and theory of book arts and bookbinding. She will help participants create their own artist’s book with personalized content that may include drawing, painting, collage and writing. The cost is $30.

Victoria Walsh, also known as “Macrame Momma,” will hold workshops for several ages on June 5-6. Participants are invited to “tie along” with her and learn the art of hand knotting without any tools other than hands. Macrame Basics for Kids is planned for June 5-6 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for ages 11-13. Macrame for Teens is planned on those days from 1-4 p.m. for ages 14-17. Macrame Basics for Adults will be held from 6-9 p.m. on those days for ages 18 and up. Participants in all of the workshops will learn how to make macrame pieces of their very own. The cost is $30.

An Introduction to Appalachian Herbalism will be offered on June 7-8 from 9 a.m. to noon. Ruth Shelton, “The Empirical Herbalist,” will teach participants the history of Appalachian herbalism, about native Appalachian plants and how they are used to treat common and not so common issues. Participants will learn to make items such as a tea and salve. The cost is $30.

An Acrylic Painting Workshop will be held June 12-16, from 9 a.m. to noon daily, for ages 18 and up. Emily Taylor, a local artist and adjunct professor at LMU, will lead it. In this workshop, participants will learn the basics of painting by beginning with several quick, small studies exploring the action and interaction of color, the feel of the paint, mixing color, using brushes and other points of technique. All levels of experience are welcome. The cost is $50.

Taylor will hold a Drawing Workshop June 12-16, from 1-4 p.m. daily, for ages 18 and up. Participants will learn the basics of drawing from observation to imagination, using a variety of drawing materials and subjects. There will be a lot of quick studies and exercises in seeing and perception so students will keep an active sketchbook throughout the week. All levels of experience are welcome, and the cost is $50.

Taking Your Art to the Next Level: Drawing and Acrylic Painting Workshop will be offered June 12-13, from 1-4 p.m. Participants 14-17 years old will learn new techniques in the art mediums of drawing and painting. They will learn the style of Van Gogh and the techniques he used to create his famous work “Starry Night” in both the context of drawing and painting. The cost is $30.

An Art Therapy and Storytelling Workshop will be offered June 14-15 from 10 a.m. to noon for ages 18 and up. This free workshop will be offered in person and virtually by Zoom by Savannah Campbell, LMU assistant professor of psychology. It involves learning about various expressive art therapies that can offer benefits to assisting with mental health. Campbell will be covering basic therapeutic skills that can help with coping. 

Next in the series will be a Stained Glass Workshop with the “Master Repurposers,” led by Marc Rotman, as instructors. This is scheduled for June 16-17 from 6-9 p.m. for ages 18 and up. Participants will learn the process of creating stained glass using the copper foil technique. Items will be supplied to complete the project and there will be several design patterns to choose from. The cost is $30.

A Verse and Multimedia Art Workshop will be held June 19-23 from 1-4 p.m. for ages 14-17. Erin Achauer, an LMU student and artist, will be the instructor. Participants will combine song lyrics, original poetry and different media to create art. The cost is $50.

Explorations in Watercolor is scheduled for June 19-23 from 6-9 p.m. for ages 18 and up. Artist Manderley Swain will instruct participants on basics, then dive into vibrant and abstract concepts along with non-traditional watercolor techniques. Students will get to take home paintings that include visual storytelling. The cost is $50.

Limited scholarships are available for workshops. To inquire about scholarships, email Grace Mahieu, coordinator of LMU’s Arts in the Gap and assistant director of the Mountain Heritage Literary Festival, at grace.mahieu@LMUnet.edu. To reserve your spot in a workshop and for additional information, visit https://tinyurl.com/2p9czmwh. Mahieu can also be reached at 423.869.7423.