Artists use materials to communicate. Turquoise color is a cooling message; clay can be shaped into an evocative little house; a gilded frame is like an ornate wedding invitation. 
Two programs at ARTworks in Beaufort Town Center help artists in the quest for the right materials: the Get Your Art Out emerging artist initiative, and ARTblast @ ARTworks.
On Wednesday, June 17th, as part of Get Your Art Out, Hank D. Herring will explain matting and framing for a professional presentation. "This workshops is about creating a balance between the art, the artist, and the consumer. As an artist, you should understand that your frame is an extension of your artwork. The framing should support but not overpower it, in order to appeal to the most purchasers. As a framer, I look for the best frame that widens the art's desirability to the consumer. A homeowner has to consider where the art will fit in. Artists who want to sell need to narrow that gap." This framing workshop starts at 1pm, call 379-2787 with any questions, and visit beaufortcountyarts.com for many details.
Hank's workshop is preceded by a free session of "Business Resources for Artists in Beaufort County" with D'Jaris Moore, the director of the Technical College of the Lowcountry's Small Business Hub/Fast Trac program, and followed by "Awakening the Artist Through Cultural Explorations" July 6th, 1pm – 3pm, $5, with folklorist Paddy Bowman who helps artists and educators recognize, experience, and value the intangibles of Folk Arts, Folklife, and Oral History. Based in Virginia, Paddy is the coordinator of the National Network for Folk Arts in Education, specializing in Folklore in K-12 education, race relations and place-based education: www.carts.org
A Blast!
For a total hands-on-materials experience for kids, ARTworks offers ARTblast. CJ Norwood is the program director, offering five weeks, each with a different theme. "It's good for kids to have this kind of in-depth art experience, to go beyond the limitations of the school year. ARTblast will reinforce vocabulary and basic principles of design, and will emphasize variety. There's a week for everybody: Acrylic Painting and all its Wonder; Pop Art using Mixed Media & Collage; Drawing Pushed to the Limit; Sculpture is for Everyone; Craft. In Sculpture, we'll explore low relief and high relief, with plenty of cardboard, gluing, cutting, and pasting. Pop art week is going to have lots of and lots of mediums, things that kids wouldn't think is for art, like recylcled items. As we look at their art, and other examples, I'll ask them is this art? And then we'll discuss why it is. It's really good for potential artists to learn differernt mediums, and it's important for kids to learn that artist do not only use just the basics. We're not looking at fine art and craft as two different things, they're not separated here."
ARTblast @ ARTworks is for children 6-12, and the goal is to help children establish a creative outlook on life and art while having fun. The $110 per week class fees include instruction, studio use, materials and small snack everyday. Space is limited; for more information please contact the arts council of Beaufort County at 843-379-2787 or email art camp program director CJ Norwood, cj@beaufortcountyarts.com
