Education

When art educator Mandy Hallenius found that her students were ready to tackle more technical skills than she was able to teach them, she sought out intensive atelier training that could be brought into her classroom. 

Upon speaking with fellow teachers, she became aware that she was not alone: there are many educators who want to bring technical drawing and painting instruction to their students, but found themselves lacking the resources to do so.

Mandy giving hands-on instruction at an art educator's conference.

In response to these discussions, Mandy began developing lesson plans with artist, educator, and author, Juliette Aristides. Based on Ms. Aristides’ book, Lessons in Classical Drawing, these plans break down time-honored drawing techniques into comprehensive bites that can be easily integrated into K-12 classrooms. The lesson plans inspire art educators to find a place for technical drawing skills in their curriculum and give students the tools to realize their own artistic ideas.

Teachers can access full downloads of the lesson plans at no cost.

Mandy will be presenting classical drawing lesson plans at Art Education Association conferences across the country:

• September 29th, 2012    Washington Art Education Association Conference

• October 12th, 2012         Oregon Art Education Association Conference

• October 26-28 2012        South Carolina Art Education Association Conference

• November 2-4  2012        New Mexico Art Education Association Conference

• November 9-11 2012       California Art Education Association Conference

• November 16-18 2012     New York Art Education Association Conference

Her updated presentation schedule can be found at www.mandyhallenius.com/workshops.

This project has been made possible with generous support from the Art Renewal Center, the Leon Lowenstein Foundation, the Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation, and Gage Academy of Art.

Mandy Hallenius is a certified K-12 arts educator who possesses a deep love of art and teaching. She has studied part-time with D. Jeffrey Mims and Kamille Corry and is currently a student in the Aristides Atelier at Gage Academy of Art.

Juliette Aristides was one again delighted to teach at the Bay Area Classical Artist Atelier this August. During an intensive 2-week workshop, students delved into painting related issues while exploring an artist's most fascinating subject matter: the human figure.

I am at the stage now where the time I spent in San Francisco is something I wonder  - was I there or did I dream it?  I am sure the class learned a ton from you this week. I wanted to send you a quote which describes the best kind of teacher:  "the mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates, the great teacher inspires." Thank you for being a great teacher and artist. - Ann H

Following images are couresty of The Bay Area Classical Artist Atelier and include drawing from Rodin sculptures at the Cantor Museum at Stanford University. The group also did drawings in a private room from Menzel, Geracault, and others. Other photographs show discussions of masterworks, Ms. Aristides demonstrating from the life model, and everything else in between. To view the full set, please visit the BACCA gallery.

Congratulations go out to our three graduates: D. Jordan Parietti, Elizabeth Zanzinger, and Zoey Frank. Each of these women has set a shining example through their perserverence, thoughtfulness, ability to assist and guide fellow students, and-- of course --tremendous bodies of work. They have set the bar high and will be greatly missed.