Corks and Canvases

New class pops open Milledgeville’s artistic side

Caitlin Renn

At last Friday’s Corks and Canvases, class members Mandy Moore (left) and Katrina Neirgardh (right) work with the instructor’s step-by-step direction to paint picture of a colorful, expressive guitar. Classes are held every Friday evening at Fields Photography and Framing located on Wayne Street in downtown Milledgeville.

If working on a painting while sipping a glass of wine sounds like a lovely Friday evening to you, make plans to attend the Corks and Canvases painting class downtown at Fields Photography and Framing.
Michael and Danielle Fields, the husband and wife duo of Fields Photography and Framing, host Corks and Canvases at their studio every Friday night for members of the community interested in exploring their inner artist. The two-hour painting class begins at 7 p.m., and the $25 cost covers all painting materials including paint, brushes and a canvas. Attendees are welcome to bring a drink of their choice to enjoy while an instructor guides the class through the painting, step-by-step. The class accommodates all skill levels, from children and their parents to college students and anyone in between.
“We started (the class) for two reasons: in a very practical sense, to have another thing to offer the community. In a small town, options are usually pretty limited, so this is another alternative for something to do,” Michael said. “But also a general love for the arts, and to give the community a chance to express themselves and be to creative.”
“It seemed to be a good fit. We have enough space to do it, so logistically it was a no-brainer, and of course there was a little financial motivation, we saw it as profitable. But even if it’s financially profitable and logistically possible, if the community’s not going to respond to it and embrace it it’s silly. But the response has been overwhelming,” Michael said.
According to Danielle, they have four instructors who teach one or two classes a month.
Anne Humphrys, one of the class instructors and a Master of Arts in Teaching student studying art education, said she loves teaching these classes.
“I’ve been wanting to teach these classes for a while, and Danielle contacted me and said they were interested in doing it and looking for teachers. This is my third or fourth class,” Anne said. “It’s different, it’s a lot different than I thought it was going to be, but I love it. It’s always a lot of fun, and it’s something that I love to do.”
Since the first class in June, attendance has stayed consistent. According to Michael, more than 20 people sign up for the class each week.
The majority of attendance has come from members of the Milledgeville community, but they hope to spread the word to the student community as well.
Elaine Bradford, a member of the class, says she has attended the class several times and really enjoys it.
“This is my fourth or fifth time, I love it. It looks at first like such a complex picture, but they break it down for you so easily, it’s like anybody can do it,” Elaine said. She even brought her four-year-old son along to paint a giraffe. “We had a great time, it was cute.”

Posted by Caitlin Renn on Sep 15 2011. Filed under Features, Lead stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.