Flowers We Met Along The Way by John Dawson

August 21 – September 26, 2021

The Volcano Art Center will soon be displaying new paintings by Hawaiʻi Island’s wildlife artist John D. Dawson. The exhibit titled Flowers We Have Met Along The Way features twenty new acrylic paintings of scenes John encountered while working with Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park from 1990 -2020. The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday, August 21^st and continue through Sunday, September 26^th, 9 am – 5 pm daily at the Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.   The exhibition will also be available online at www.volcanoartcenter.org

John D. Dawson was born and raised in San Diego, California.  With the support of his parents, John was encouraged to follow his dreams of a career in art. John graduated from the Art Center School in Los Angeles, California which is now The Art Center College of Art and Design. John served in the Army Reserves while beginning his art career. Detroit, Michigan, and automobile art kept him occupied for a year after college when he returned to San Diego and entered the world of advertising.  John’s gift of illustration offered him full-time employment for sixteen years while completing free-lance illustration jobs on the side.

ART  & ANARCHY 2021

September 11 – October 1, 2021

The Volcano Art Center proudly announces a new exhibition, Art & Anarchy, at the Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.  The Exhibition is sponsored by The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Departments of Philosophy and Art in conjunction with the Pacific Association for the Continental Tradition (PACT) philosophy conference focusing on the theme of Anarchy. Opening to the public on Saturday, September 11th and continuing through Saturday, October 1^st, the show may be viewed in person Wednesday – Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm at the Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus (19-4074 Old Volcano Rd.)   The exhibit will also be featured online at www.volcanoartcenter.org.

The three-week event features 33 invited artists from the US mainland and Hawaiʻi Island, who were asked to submit works of art which engage the theme of anarchy.  Since its origins in 19th century Paris, anarchism has influenced the visual arts in diverse ways and continues to do so as demonstrated by the  collection of 40 one-of-a-kind works which provide visual and intellectual stimulation on the subject.

As stated by Tim Freeman, Teacher of Philosophy at UH Hilo, “anarchism, as a philosophy and political movement developing in Paris in the mid 19th century, was never really advocating a descent into disorder and chaos, but rather the liberation of humanity from the oppressive order imposed by religion, capitalist economics, and the state as it then existed.  What the anarchist philosophers were advocating was a new kind of order.”   As Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, the first modern political philosopher to declare himself an anarchist, and considered the “father of anarchism,” once wrote: “Anarchy is order without power.”  The American anarchist Emma Goldman later states: “Anarchism stands for a social order based on the free grouping of individuals for the purpose of producing real social wealth, an order that will guarantee to every human being free access to the earth and full enjoyment of the necessities of life, according to individual desires, tastes, and inclinations.”

The mixed media exhibition features original paintings, prints, sculptures, and ceramics by both professional, amateur and student artists who continue to investigate the same issues that motivated the original anarchist movement and in many ways are even more critical today. The Art & Anarchy exhibition can be viewed in Dietrich Varez Hall in the Hale Hoʻomana building at VAC’s Niaulani Campus.  VAC is currently following all CDC guidelines and social distancing protocol. Be prepared to wear a mask and keep a safe 6 ft. distance from others within the gallery. Additionally, VAC gallery is mandating a max. occupancy of 10 people within the gallery at one time (you may be asked to wait outside if the gallery is full), the use of hand sanitizer at the entrance, and regular cleaning of highly touched surfaces by VAC staff and volunteers.  For those that prefer to view the exhibition virtually it will be online at www.volcanoartcenter.org

Volcano Art Center is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization created in 1974 whose mission is to promote, develop and perpetuate the artistic, cultural and environmental heritage of Hawaiʻi through arts and education. Please visit www.volcanoartcenter.org for more information, or contact Emily C. Weiss at gallery@volcanoartcenter.org.

John Dawson will be present at the VAC gallery from 11 am -1 pm.  Those wishing to meet the artist are welcome to the VAC gallery for the special opportunity to talk story with the artist.

Yoga with Emily Catey Weiss 

Pre-register in advance for Yoga with Emily on Wednesdays from 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm at Volcano Art Center Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Class size is limited to 10 participants due to social distancing. Please bring your own mat as community mats are no longer available for use.

Relax your body and rejuvenate your soul in this gentle and peaceful class. The focus is on stretching and releasing both physical and mental tension. Open to both beginning and intermediate students, classes meet at VAC’s Niaulani Campus in the Varez Hall, unless otherwise noted.  For more information please contact emilycatey@hotmail.com

Paint Your Own Silk Scarf with Patti Pease Johnson

Big Island artist and instructor Patti Pease Johnson teaches the Paint Your Own Silk Scarf workshop on Saturday, September 25, from 9:00am-12:30pm at Volcano Art Center.

In this workshop, you’ll paint your own 8” x 53” scarf using three colors of your choice, which will create many more colors on the silk. Pick a main color, then, choose the other two after learning about color theory. You’ll then be ready to mix your desired colors, achieved by pre-mixing the four process colors of dye (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). Students from previous classes have been amazed by what they refer to as “happy color accidents.”

Johnson will tell you, “It’s all about playing with colors. I supply all materials and guidance, you create. The fun time is your art journey for a few hours.” Beginner and intermediate artists are welcome. Open up your creativity and challenge yourself by learning this fun technique. It’s guaranteed to change the way you look at color.

Cost is $50 and $45 for VAC members plus a $15 fee per person, inclusive of supplies.

In the final hour, students will use hot wax with the tjanting tool on Habotai silk to outline your more representational design and create a resist line for the dyes. Then you will paint and mix colors on the 10” x 10” silk artwork.

Patti Pease Johnson’s artwork can be found at galleries and shops across the State and in collections around the world. Patti has a designer’s ability to distill natural subjects into their most essential forms and to rearrange them in her paintings. Her artworks include sculpture, mobiles, fashions, soft pastels, and clay objects in abstract and expressionist styles.

Introduction to Clay with Wheel Throwing: Tea Cups & Mugs  with Erik Wold  

Saturday Afternoons 2:00pm – 5:00pm

8 week session beginning Saturday, September 11, 2021, through Saturday, October 30, 2021.

Teaching artist, Erik Wold, will provide instruction for this class which will focus on understanding the essentials of forming vessels on the wheel. We will begin with basics of working with clay followed by introduction to wheel throwing. Stoneware clays will be used and finished with high fire reduction glazes. All skill levels are welcome. Our studio is open and well ventilated. Masks are required. A covered outside work area is also available.

Yoga with Emily Catey Weiss 

Pre-register in advance for Yoga with Emily on Wednesdays from 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm at Volcano Art Center Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Class size is limited to 10 participants due to social distancing. Please bring your own mat as community mats are no longer available for use.

Relax your body and rejuvenate your soul in this gentle and peaceful class. The focus is on stretching and releasing both physical and mental tension. Open to both beginning and intermediate students, classes meet at VAC’s Niaulani Campus in the Varez Hall, unless otherwise noted.  For more information please contact emilycatey@hotmail.com

Beginner & Intermediate Mixed Media Encaustic 

Mary Milelzcik has a B.A. degree from Sonoma State University’s School of Expressive Arts, a radical two-year upper-division interdisciplinary experimental program that existed for several years in the 70’s. This transformative educational experience set the path for an interesting career as a mixed media artist and photographer; as the Curator at Highways Performance Space and Gallery in Santa Monica CA; and teaching experimental mixed media art and printmaking.  Photography is an important tool in her creative and documentary projects, as well as for capturing images to use as a base for her art projects.  Her studio Arts Asylum is located in Pahoa, where she teaches mixed media encaustic, papermaking and printmaking emphasizing the incorporation of natural materials as tools and/or part of the art. Her artwork has been shown internationally. Mary also has over 20 years of experience working with artists to advance their careers, and with nonprofits as a development strategist in Hawaii and California.

Introduction to Clay with Wheel Throwing: Tea Cups & Mugs  with Erik Wold  

Saturday Afternoons 2:00pm – 5:00pm

8 week session beginning Saturday, September 11, 2021, through Saturday, October 30, 2021.

Teaching artist, Erik Wold, will provide instruction for this class which will focus on understanding the essentials of forming vessels on the wheel. We will begin with basics of working with clay followed by introduction to wheel throwing. Stoneware clays will be used and finished with high fire reduction glazes. All skill levels are welcome. Our studio is open and well ventilated. Masks are required. A covered outside work area is also available.

Silk Painting with Wax Resist Workshop

Wax resist dyeing of fabric is an ancient art form. Indonesian batik made in the island of Java has a long history of diverse patterns influenced by a variety of cultures, and is very developed in terms of pattern, technique, and quality of workmanship. In 2009, UNESCO designated Indonesian batik as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. 

This class combines the wax of batik methods with the art of Serti silk painting, coined in France meaning ‘fence’ or closing’, introduced there in the 20^th century. It is a colorful, and popular art form practiced world-wide. The Crusades brought silk from areas surrounding the Indonesian Islands to Europe and eventually the industrial revolution made silk production available internationally.

In the Silk Painting with Wax Resist workshop, you’ll use the wax/dye method to create a representational piece of art, such as a wall hanging. Color theory and composition will be discussed. First, you’ll use a 5×8” China silk sampler to get the feel of the wax tool and using the dyes, and to work out color or composition details for the larger 12×16” piece you will get to design.

All colors will be mixed with the four process colors. Students are asked to bring a design concept in mind from an original photo, plant material or objects for an idea. You can also prepare a 12×16” sketch before class.

Big Island artist and instructor Patti Pease Johnson can help you gain the confidence and techniques of working in this medium. Patti supplies the instruction and materials along with guidance and inspiration for this process along with some handy tips for your creative journey.

The Silk Painting with Wax Resist workshop will be held on Saturday, October 9, 2021, from 9am – 12:30pm at Volcano Art Center Niaulani Campus. Cost for the workshop is $50 and $45 for VAC Members plus a $15 supply fee per person. Includes a 3-page handout. Beginner and intermediate artists are welcome.

Patti Pease Johnson’s artwork can be found at galleries and shops across the State and in collections around the world.

 Volcano Art Center: Best Wurst Barbecue Cookout 

Join us for our annual “Wurst” fundraiser on Saturday, October 9, 2021 |  10am – 3pm

The Best Wurst Barbecue Fundraiser Cookout will take place in the parking lot at Volcano Art Center, Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Plates will include a sampling of Bratwurst and Kielbasa sausage on a bed of sauerkraut with a side of German potato salad,  pickle and a beverage for $15.

Limited seating will be available.  Social distancing, mandatory mask wearing and other CDC guidelines will be practiced.

You’ll also be able to preorder “Grab n Go”

Pre-order your Wurst plates here!

Zentangle Fall Frame Follies with Lydia Meneses and Valdeane Odachi, Certified Zentangle Teachers

Saturday, October 9, 2021, 10am – 1pm

In this Zentangle® inspired art session, students will use assorted sizes of Zentangle tiles and found materials to create delightful frames, inspired by the rustic traditional Mexican altars known as ofrenda seen during Dia de los Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead.

Valdeane Odachi and Lydia Meneses will be your guides for this session. These two creative instructors have their own take on creating this delightful craft idea that can be used to highlight an inspirational quote, photo of a loved one, or another Zentangle creation!

Valdeane will share the striking contrast that occurs with white gel pens on black Apprentice tiles. Students will create a free-standing frame, bordered by a variety of designs.

Lydia will be utilizing the under-rated material of common cardboard. She will address a little history behind this everyday packaging material. Students will craft a unique frame by peeling away layers of paper that make up the cardboard. An assortment of border patterns to embellish the frames will be shared.

All supplies will be provided, although returning tanglers are invited to bring their favorite pens.

Limited space is available at this time due to COVID-19. Students must wear masks during class. Please bring your own snack/beverage or individually packaged snacks to share.

This class is open to all levels, no Zentangle or art experience necessary. Cost is $35/$30 VAC Members plus a $15 fee.

Introduction to Clay with Wheel Throwing: Tea Cups & Mugs  with Erik Wold  

Saturday Afternoons 2:00pm – 5:00pm

8 week session beginning Saturday, September 11, 2021, through Saturday, October 30, 2021.

Teaching artist, Erik Wold, will provide instruction for this class which will focus on understanding the essentials of forming vessels on the wheel. We will begin with basics of working with clay followed by introduction to wheel throwing. Stoneware clays will be used and finished with high fire reduction glazes. All skill levels are welcome. Our studio is open and well ventilated. Masks are required. A covered outside work area is also available.

From Premise To Promise Outline:

This workshop will change the trajectory of your writing life.

Educators with decades of teaching experience, multi-published authors Jacquolyn McMurray and Kristin Wolfgang will guide you from story idea to a basic story outline. Whether planning a novella, memoir, or full-length novel, this planning method will get you started on your way. The instructors will highlight character development, genre expectations, plotting essentials, and introduce you to scene-sequel to ensure story flow.

Kristin and Jacquolyn will provide individual attention in a small group setting.

The class will be held on Saturday, October 16, 2021 from 9 AM – 4 PM.  The cost $75/$70 vac members. For more information or to register call VAC at 808-967-8222 or visit online at www.volcanoartcenter.org

Introduction to Clay with Wheel Throwing: Tea Cups & Mugs  with Erik Wold  

Saturday Afternoons 2:00pm – 5:00pm

8 week session beginning Saturday, September 11, 2021, through Saturday, October 30, 2021.

Teaching artist, Erik Wold, will provide instruction for this class which will focus on understanding the essentials of forming vessels on the wheel. We will begin with basics of working with clay followed by introduction to wheel throwing. Stoneware clays will be used and finished with high fire reduction glazes. All skill levels are welcome. Our studio is open and well ventilated. Masks are required. A covered outside work area is also available.

Experimental Catalyst Abstract Watercolors 

Imagine glass being shattered. The random shapes and patterns are totally unpredictable. Now take these haphazard glass pieces and marry them with watercolors; then add your own playful attitude. This is Experimental Watercolors! Like music on paper, colors flow in delicate waves.

Each student will create three to five separate 8×8 inch watercolor paintings on cold press watercolor paper using pre-broken glass as a catalyst to spark creativity. Students will also be taught theories of good composition, along with color theory and color wheel use. Abstract qualities are the focus in this workshop using three – four paints right out of the tube with the glass. After the first drying and glass removal, each piece is brought to further expressiveness by using detailed watercolor techniques of washes, spatters, lifting, value gradations, dry brush and more.

Join Big Island artist, Patti Pease Johnson for the Experimental Watercolors workshop on Saturday, October 23, 2021, from 9am – 12:30pm at Volcano Art Center. Cost for the workshop is $50 and $45 for VAC Members plus a $15 fee, inclusive of supplies. Beginner and intermediate artists are welcome.

When asked to describe the experience Patti explained, “You can’t help but wonder what is going to happen after your first piece of glass is put on watercolor paper. In painting, the more chances you take, the more you will stretch the limits of your understanding, and in turn the more you will grow as an artist.”

Patti Pease Johnson’s artwork can be found at galleries and shops across the State and in collections around the world.

Introduction to Clay with Wheel Throwing: Tea Cups & Mugs  with Erik Wold  

Saturday Afternoons 2:00pm – 5:00pm

8 week session beginning Saturday, September 11, 2021, through Saturday, October 30, 2021.

Teaching artist, Erik Wold, will provide instruction for this class which will focus on understanding the essentials of forming vessels on the wheel. We will begin with basics of working with clay followed by introduction to wheel throwing. Stoneware clays will be used and finished with high fire reduction glazes. All skill levels are welcome. Our studio is open and well ventilated. Masks are required. A covered outside work area is also available.

Stained Glass Basics I  ( 3 Saturday sessions) * Class Is Full- call 808-967-8222 to be put on a waiting list for the next scheduled class

Whimsical shapes, illustrative scenes, or divine stories, stained glass has re-created the light in our lives for centuries. Stained glass artisans use both glass color and texture to produce light forms and patterns creating mood and character in small and large spaces. Want to know more? Then this three-session stained glass workshop will shed some light on the process of stained glass.

Now you can try your hand at making stained glass art in this workshop for beginners. All of the basic techniques will be covered, from glass cutting, foiling, soldering, and completing with patina and polishing compound. Glass artist Claudia McCall will share her expertise and knowledge, teaching students the skills involved in working safely with stained glass, and creating a beautiful, sturdy piece of art.

“Stained Glass Basics I” will be held at Volcano Art Center on Saturdays: October 30, November 6, and 13, from 9 am – 1 pm. The class fee is $100/$90 for VAC members plus a $20 fee. Attendees are asked to wear long pants, snug-fitting gloves, covered shoes, and safety glasses. Advance registration is required and this workshop will be limited to 6 adults.

You will complete this workshop series with a finished glass panel and the knowledge and experience of the basic skills involved to continue working with stained glass.

Mask required

Introduction to Clay with Wheel Throwing: Tea Cups & Mugs  with Erik Wold  

Saturday Afternoons 2:00pm – 5:00pm

8 week session beginning Saturday, September 11, 2021, through Saturday, October 30, 2021.

Teaching artist, Erik Wold, will provide instruction for this class which will focus on understanding the essentials of forming vessels on the wheel. We will begin with basics of working with clay followed by introduction to wheel throwing. Stoneware clays will be used and finished with high fire reduction glazes. All skill levels are welcome. Our studio is open and well ventilated. Masks are required. A covered outside work area is also available.

VOLCANO ART CENTER’S SPOOKY TRAIL IS LURING YOU! 

Wear your favorite HALLOWEEN costume to enter our Spooky Trail at Volcano Art Center’s Haunted Forest. Join us on October 30th from 4:00 – 7:00 pm. Your adventure begins with a tour of the Halloween Village, then your tour ghoul will lure you into to the Haunted Forest. 

This exciting, fun experience includes a keiki costume contest and best decorated or carved pumpkin, which you can bring from home.

Goodie bags will be distributed to each keiki (while supplies last). Drawings for prizes will happen throughout the event. Costume and pumpkin judging will be from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m.

The cost for this event is $20.00 per family, with a maximum of 6 in a group. At least one adult per family. Please bring your own flashlight.

Due to COVID restrictions, a limited number of participants will be allowed on the trail at a time. Masks, and sign-in will be required. Thank you for your cooperation and help in supporting the Volcano Art Center.

Mandala Bead Embroidery with Rona Smith

Mandala is the Sanskrit word for circle. This universal symbol is used in many indigenous cultures to represent wholeness, protection, healing, and insight. Mandalas are used as a tool in meditation to enhance focus and intention.

In this class, you will use these concepts along with semi-precious stone, metal, bone, and glass beads to create a bead embroidery mandala that is both beautiful and personally meaningful. The class will cover tools, design, technique, stitches, and material, sourcing making it suitable for beginners and intermediate students.

Join Rona Smith on Saturday, November 6, 2021, from 10am – 4pm at Volcano Art Center, Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.  All tools and supplies are included in the supply fee. The cost for the workshop is $60/$55 VAC members, plus a $30 supply fee. Please bring a lunch.

Rona began her journey in bead embroidery in 1995, after years of searching for a way to bring to life the mandalas she envisioned during her meditations.  Her art can be found in private collections both domestic and internationally.  She is currently represented by Gallery of Great Things in Waimea and Maui Hands in Makawao.  Rona lives in the forest of Volcano gathering inspiration from the beauty of nature and the power of myth and story.

Community Mosaic Celebration 

Saturday, November 20, 2021, at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.

More info coming soon!

Poured Watercolor Floral Contrast Painting Workshop with Patti Pease Johnson 11/20

In this workshop, you’ll draw, mask, pour, mask, and pour again, then detail with specific watercolor techniques of gradation, drybrush, negative painting, stencil lifting. Students will create an 8 x 10” painting on cold press 140 lb. watercolor paper, by working from light to dark in 4 stages.

A still life floral photo is provided in color and gray tones to show values patterns of light, mid-tones, and dark. Completion of each stage will be done step by step together with the instructor.

Big Island artist and instructor Patti Pease Johnson says, “It’s about being both free with yourself for the pours, which are always a surprise, then disciplined for the details of the main flower, followed by abstraction qualities to complete the background. I think the final painting is complemented by the contrasts.”

Beginner and intermediate artists welcome. Patti supplies all materials along with focused guidance and inspiration for this process along with some handy tips for your creative journey. Cost for the workshop is $50/ $45 for VAC Members plus a $15 supply fee per person.  For more information or to register call VAC at 808-967-8222.