School Group Art Workshops

artworkshop

Art Workshops for School Groups and Field Trips

We are now offering Art Workshops in Clay and Printmaking! Our workshops have been developed to meet the Colorado State Standards for Visual Arts. A typical workshop is structured for a total visit time of 2-hours; 1.5 hours of instruction time and up to 15 minutes for groups to arrive to our upstairs studios, receive their welcome and project instructions, and for cleanup time at the end. 

Workshops are currently priced for school groups at a rate of $100 plus $7 per student. We can accommodate up to 20 students per workshop.

Being that workshops are scheduled on a case-by-case basis, and to make sure we have ample supplies on-hand for your group size, advance scheduling is required.

You can find detailed information including our projects that are offered, grouped by curriculum grade-level, in the pdf attached for download here:

Art Workshop Options by Grade Level

Clay Studio Liability Waiver

To schedule a workshop please contact our Director of Education & Programs, Ashton Setvin, via email at ashton@sdc-arts.org or call 719-295-7200 ext. 7214. You can also reach our Education & Programs Manager, Cayla Salas, at cayla@sdc-arts.org or 719-295-7200 ext.7219. In your email please specify your group size, if you are choosing Clay or Printmaking, grade level of the content you desire, the project you'd like to select.

Art Workshop Field Trip Options for Grades Kindergarten-2nd Grade

Option 1: Printmaking Workshop   (Total Visit Time: 2 hours; 1.5 hr. activity, 15 min. load in and out time)

Pre-Visit Materials:

  • Tell students about the activities they’ll be doing at the Arts Center

  • Review, Sign, and Return the Tour Code of Conduct

  • Discuss with students about art and how artists use it to communicate, share ideas, and tell stories. Have students either engage in group discussion or complete a reflection writing prompt on the subject.

Visit with the Arts Center:

  • Open with discussion about art and how artists use art to communicate, share ideas, and tell stories.

  • Hands-On Activity Options:

    • Monoprinting using aluminum foil or acetate plastic sheet

    • Block Printing using Styrofoam plates

    • Block Printing by making your own stamps/blocks with cardboard and paper

  • Discussion and reflection about art and community. Brainstorm ideas about what we learned as a class.

  • If prints are still wet, coordinate with teacher regarding project pickup

Post-Visit Materials:

  • Conduct a group discussion about how art is present in the community or in school.

Option 2: Clay Workshop   (Total Visit Time: 2 hours; 1.5 hr. activity, 15 min. load in and out time)

Pre-Visit Materials:

  • Tell students about the activities they’ll be doing at the Arts Center

  • Review, Sign, and Return the Tour Code of Conduct

  • Have responsible party sign Clay Studio Waivers for students

  • Discuss with students about art and how artists use it to communicate, share ideas, and tell stories. Have students either engage in group discussion or complete a reflection writing prompt on the subject.

Visit with the Arts Center:

  • Open with discussion about art and how artists use it to communicate, share ideas, and tell stories.

  • Hands-On Activity will be Pinch Pots

  • Exploration of the art galleries

  • Discussion and reflection about art and community. Brainstorm ideas about what we learned as a class.

  • Obtain contact information and give teacher timeline regarding project pickup.

Post-Visit Materials:

Conduct a group discussion about how art is present in the community or in school.

Art Workshop Field Trip Options for Grades 3rd-5th

Option 1: Printmaking Workshop   (Total Visit Time: 2 hours; 1.5 hr. activity, 15 min. load in and out time)

Pre-Visit Materials:

  • Tell students about the activities they’ll be doing at the Arts Center

  • Review, Sign, and Return the Tour Code of Conduct

  • Discuss with students about how art can be a great communication tool that requires thought and planning. Explain that there are elements of art like the choices of colors to use, the types of shapes that are used, or the type of materials that are used for an artist or designer to convey their message. That these choices impact how we, the audience, feel and understand their message.

Visit with the Arts Center:

  • Open with discussion about art and how artists use art to communicate their ideas and feelings through their choices of materials, the elements of art, and their own style. Discuss the elements of art. Provide slideshow examples of artworks to visually explain these concepts through compare/contrast, identifying some of the elements of art, and group discussion.

  • Hands-On Activity Options:

    • Monoprinting using aluminum foil or acetate plastic sheet

    • Block Printing using Styrofoam plates

    • Block Printing by making your own stamps/blocks with cardboard and paper

  • Discussion and reflection about art and community. Brainstorm ideas about what we learned as a class.

  • If prints are still wet, coordinate with teacher regarding project pickup

Post-Visit Materials:

  • Ask the class how they could use art to convey their own ideas, share their culture with others, or document and represent the events going on in the world today and their feelings about those things. Reflect on the concept that art can be used to record history. Incorporate the use of art vocabulary in discussions where possible.

Option 2: Clay Workshop   (Total Visit Time: 2 hours; 1.5 hr. activity, 15 min. load in and out time)

Pre-Visit Materials:

  • Tell students about the activities they’ll be doing at the Arts Center

  • Review, Sign, and Return the Tour Code of Conduct

  • Have responsible party sign Clay Studio Waivers for students.

  • Discuss with students about how art can be a great communication tool that requires thought and planning. Explain that there are elements of art like the choices of colors to use, the types of shapes that are used, or the type of materials that are used for an artist or designer to convey their message.

Visit with the Arts Center:

  • Discuss with students about how pottery developed out of human necessity, such as the need to store and carry water, then evolved as we began to embellish and decorate pottery to create uniqueness, express our cultures, communicate, and express our identities.

  • Hands-On Activity Options:

    • Pinch Pots

    • Coil Bowls

    • Slab ornaments or wall hangings

  • Exploration of the Art Galleries

  • Discussion and reflection about art and community. Brainstorm ideas about what we learned as a class.

  • Obtain contact information and give teacher timeline regarding project pickup.

Post-Visit Materials:

  • Ask the class how they could use art to convey their own ideas, share their culture with others, or document and represent the events going on in the world today and their feelings about those things. Reflect on the concept that art can be used to record history. Incorporate the use of art vocabulary in discussions where possible.

Art Workshop Field Trip Options for Grades 6th-8th

Option 1: Printmaking Workshop   (Total Visit Time: 2 hours; 1.5 hr. activity, 15 min. load in and out time)

Pre-Visit Materials:

  • Tell students about the activities they’ll be doing at the Arts Center

  • Review, Sign, and Return the Tour Code of Conduct

  • Provide handouts about color theory and arts vocabulary to students.

  • Discuss examples of how art has been used by many cultures throughout history.

Visit with the Arts Center:

  • Open with “what does art mean to you”, describe the purpose of art; ask students to respond in writing and/or by drawing.

  • Explain a few types of printmaking (block printing, monoprinting, silkscreen printing) and the concept of editioning works.

  • Show students examples of how artists have used art/printmaking to convey ideas, culture, or their feelings about society or the world around them.

  • Hands-On Activity Options:

    • Introduction to the Multiple by making Zines

    • Monoprinting using aluminum foil or acetate plastic sheet

    • Block Printing using Styrofoam plates

  • Discuss arts careers that utilize printmaking skills. Discuss how artwork can help make statements.

Post-Visit Materials:

  • In group discussion, ask the group about what they think the meaning of art is; write responses on the board. In reviewing the group’s answers, explain how art is often personally relevant and of significance to the artist, just like some of the answers they gave. Discuss the impact art can have on how we understand and function in the world.

Option 2: Clay Workshop   (Total Visit Time: 2 hours; 1.5 hr. activity, 15 min. load in and out time)

Pre-Visit Materials:

  • Tell students about the activities they’ll be doing at the Arts Center

  • Review, Sign, and Return the Tour Code of Conduct

  • Have responsible party sign Clay Studio Waivers for students.

  • Discuss examples of how art has been used by many cultures throughout history.

Visit with the Arts Center:

  • Discuss pottery as a means for expression, whether with regard to emotions, culture, observations, reflections of the world around us, and as a functional tool and process within society. View some examples of potters around the world making such art. Discuss vocabulary during introductions to tools and techniques that will be used in the hands-on activity.

  • Hands-On Activity Options:

    • Coil pots

  • Ask the group how they felt about the exercise; is this a medium or an activity that they would have ever tried before? Are they interested in continuing work with ceramics? Discuss options for arts careers that utilizes pottery skills. Discuss how those skills can be transferrable to non-pottery careers.

Post-Visit Materials:

  • In group discussion, ask the group about what they think the meaning of art is; write responses on the board. In reviewing the group’s answers, explain how art is often personally relevant and of significance to the artist, just like some of the answers they gave. Discuss the impact art can have on how we understand and function in the world.

Art Workshop Field Trip Options for Grades 9th-12th

Option 1: Printmaking Workshop   (Total Visit Time: 2 hours; 1.5 hr. activity, 15 min. load in and out time)

Pre-Visit Materials:

  • Tell students about the activities they’ll be doing at the Arts Center

  • Review, Sign, and Return the Tour Code of Conduct

  • Ask students to begin thinking about their design; if your class is selecting to make zines, they will think of a personal narrative or story they would like to animate (like a simple comic), if your class has selected to learn monoprinting/block printing, they will think of a design that “tells their story”. Ask students to apply the elements and principals of art to their designs.

Visit with the Arts Center:

  • Explain a few types of printmaking (block printing, monoprinting, silkscreen printing) and the concept of editioning works.

  • Show students examples of how artists have used art/printmaking to express their views and beliefs within social context.

  • Hands-On Activity Options:

    • Introduction to the Multiple by making Zines

    • Monoprinting using aluminum foil or acetate plastic sheet

    • Block Printing using Styrofoam plates

  • Discuss arts careers that utilize printmaking skills. Discuss skills that are transferrable to other industries.

  • Ask the group how they felt about today’s project; how did it feel to experiment? Do we see value in experimentation, trying new things, and adapting when things don’t go according to plan?

  • Ask students about how we evaluate art? What makes artwork “good”? Why is art important to individuals? Why is art important to culture and society?

Post-Visit Materials:

  • Write a journal entry responding to as many or few of the following questions; about your experience throughout this workshop. What did you learn? What new ideas or perspectives did you develop, if any? How do you feel about utilizing art to express your views and beliefs? What are your thoughts regarding art in society; past, present, and/or future?

  • Optional: Invite students to share their report with the class if they feel comfortable. Allow deeper discussions to stem from their feedback naturally.

Option 2: Clay Workshop   (Total Visit Time: 2 hours; 1.5 hr. activity, 15 min. load in and out time)

Pre-Visit Materials:

  • Tell students about the activities they’ll be doing at the Arts Center

  • Review, Sign, and Return the Tour Code of Conduct

  • Have responsible party sign Clay Studio Waivers for students.

Visit with the Arts Center:

  • Mention pottery’s many uses/purposes; utilitarian, decorative, etc. Discuss the historical context and evolution of pottery. Discuss advancements using 3D printing and other technology with ceramics. Discuss how this technology is translating into other industries (3D printing houses with concrete, mass-manufacturing of dinnerware/mugs, etc.) Review ceramics vocabulary and techniques.

  • Hands-On Activity Options:

    • Coil pots

    • Tabletop cup building

    • Introduction to wheel throwing

    • Slab Wall Hangings

  • Discuss arts carers that utilize ceramics skills. Discuss skills that can be transferrable to other non-arts industries.

  • Ask the group how they felt about today’s project; how did it feel to experiment? Do we see value in experimentation, trying new things, and adapting when things don’t go according to plan?

  • Ask the group about how we evaluate art? What makes art “good”? Why is art important to individuals? Why is art important to culture and society?

Post-Visit Materials:

  • Write a journal entry responding to following questions; If everything was the same, and there was no individuality, how do you think that would affect the world we live in? How would we learn about other cultures?

  • Optional: Invite students to share their report with the class if they feel comfortable. Allow deeper discussions to stem from their feedback naturally.