Art doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it’s as simple as sitting down with a pencil and noticing what’s around you. Sometimes it’s getting your hands into a completely unfamiliar process and seeing what happens.
That’s the idea behind the art gatherings happening this August and September. They’re relaxed, hands-on, and open to anyone who wants to make something, whether you already consider yourself an artist or haven’t picked up a pencil or paintbrush in years.
Urban Sketching: Beat the Heat
Urban Sketching usually means heading outdoors, finding something interesting, and drawing what you see. For the August gathering, however, the sketchers are going to beat the heat by moving indoors. On Saturday, August 15 at 10:00 a.m., Urban Sketching will meet inside at 2727 Jackson St. in Alexandria. Instead of worrying about the August heat, participants can settle into the cool and spend the morning drawing, observing, and enjoying the company of other sketchers. Bring your own sketching supplies. If needed, supplies can be provided. No special equipment or artistic credentials are required—just come ready to look, draw, and give it a try.
Pop-Up Art Party: Gel Printing
If Urban Sketching is about slowing down and noticing the world, the Pop-Up Art Party is about experimenting with what you can make out of different materials. The next Pop-Up Art Party takes place Thursday, September 3 at 5:30 p.m. in the 50/50 Room, featuring Gel Printing.
Previous Pop-Up Art Parties have invited participants to paint denim, experiment with paper mâché, and use drawing as a way to slow down and find some calm. Each gathering introduces a different creative process, but the philosophy stays the same: you don’t have to be an artist to make art.
These aren’t formal art classes where everyone is expected to produce the same finished project. They’re opportunities to try something new, get your hands dirty, experiment, and discover what happens when you give yourself permission to create without worrying about getting it “right.”
Gel printing is particularly well suited to that spirit. It’s a process of building layers, textures, shapes, and colors to create prints—often with wonderfully unexpected results.
The Pop-Up Art Party is free, but registration is required. Visit www.fumca.org/art for registration information.
Whether you come to sketch what you see or experiment with something completely new, there’s room to make art your own. Bring your curiosity. The rest can happen from there.