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Making Room for Making Art
by Karen Rudd

Six years ago and on the way to midlife, I hit a bump in the road. And with a truckload of family and work troubles, I landed in the ditch. I hated my job and knew I needed much more out of life.

In a moment of inspiration, or perhaps desperation, I decided to become an artist. This absurdly bold move surprised everyone, especially me, and became the single most powerful decision in my life. I started taking art classes and never stopped. Today I make, show and sell my art; I work at an art school; and every now and then, I write about the subject, too.

There’s something addictive and essential about making art, and I’m not alone in discovering its power. Each year, thousands of people in the Puget Sound area carve out spaces in their busy schedules to make room for making art.

“Making art changes lives profoundly, and in ways people never could have anticipated before they tried,” explains Michelle Bufano, executive director of Pratt Fine Arts Center. “I see this happen every single day.”

In Seattle, the art-addicted are lucky. Not only are there places to pursue college art degrees, but there’s a secret wealth of nonprofit studio art schools where anyone at any level can learn to make art. In these centers, you can take one class and call it quits, or you can stay forever. There’s no prior commitment, no enrollment requirements, no diploma and no rigid curriculum. And, you can receive a top-notch studio art education at your own pace from professional working artists in some of the best facilities around.

Visit any of Seattle’s many nonprofit community art schools and you’ll see focused, dedicated people in the throes of learning and creating. At the Gage Academy of Art in Seattle, student Julia Stanton explains her progress as a painter. “I just landed here at Gage and it was a perfect fit. At first, I was frightened. I couldn’t even draw a stick figure.” Julia, who is now enrolled in Gage’s advanced-level “atelier” program, says, “You can take baby steps, or if you are ready, you can leap!”

Skilled instructors and access to specialized equipment may be the backbone of these instructional centers, but the artist community is the heart. “Art students thrive in a creative community,” says Bufano of Pratt Fine Arts Center. “They learn from each other and from the artists around them. They support each other. They encourage each other. There’s no substitute for community.”

All of these nonprofit studio art schools encourage beginners and support community. Diversity defines the student body. Beginners learn alongside experienced artists. All age groups, all levels of experience, and both genders are represented throughout. “The only requirement,” says Pamela Belyea, executive director of Gage Academy, “is a desire to learn.”

Class sizes tend toward small. In contrast to large university lectures, these art classes are often limited to eight or 10 students. Weekend workshops invite exploration for those with limited schedules. Longer classes — from eight to 10 weeks — encourage mastery and more in-depth study. Fees can range from about $100 for a short workshop to over $800 for eight weeks of glassblowing instruction. Evening and weekend classes accommodate those with regular jobs. My favorite freebie is the open access to studios and equipment outside classroom time that many classes include. Here you can hone skills, complete projects or just soak up the creatively charged environment.

PRATT FINE ARTS CENTER

Of the area’s nonprofit studio art centers, Pratt Fine Arts Center is the largest in scope and square footage. Situated in Seattle’s Central District since 1976, Pratt’s scruffy exterior belies its 15,000 square feet of studio space packed with some of the most sophisticated art equipment in the area. Students can blow glass, cast bronze, weld steel, carve stone, fabricate jewelry, create prints, and draw or paint. On a busy weekend, the atmosphere is electric with activity. Poring over Pratt’s 50-page catalog and its hundreds of offerings leaves one feeling nearly breathless with anticipation.

A major strength of a multi-disciplinary school such as Pratt is that students of one medium learn from another. “There’s a real mixing of ideas at Pratt,” says Bufano.

GAGE ACADEMY OF ART

Walk into the Gage Academy and you’ll know you are someplace special. The hushed halls, paired with the school’s commitment to foundational instruction, create an almost monastic feel. At Gage, you can learn drawing, painting and sculpture, and while the emphasis is on realism, abstract art is equally respected.

Serious study at Gage is not unusual. Many students are women who already have art degrees, became sidetracked by careers or children, and are returning to their passion. In addition to a full lineup of classes, Gage’s atelier program accommodates more than 50 full-time students engaged in multi-year programs of intensive study and practice. Gage director Belyea affirms, “Whereas your husband may not even get why you are in art school, here we take you seriously.”

PHOTOGRAPHIC CENTER NORTHWEST

Diane Arbus, Annie Leibovitz and Ansel Adams showed us that photography can encompass more than family snapshots; it can be art.

Photographic Center Northwest is the only independent art school in our region dedicated entirely to photography. Just south of Capitol Hill, PCNW houses facilities equipped for both film and digital photography. Shooting studios, multiple darkrooms, a digital lab with a network of PCs and high-end printers, a viewing room with special lighting and even a library invite study, learning and exploration.

PCNW also maintains a gallery that is open to the public and features 10 annual exhibits of local and internationally recognized photographers. Even if you aren’t interested in taking a class, it’s worthwhile to drop in and see a show.

“The overwhelming majority of students are working adults who pursue photography education while holding down full-time employment,” says Damian Murphy, executive director. “That’s why most of our classes are scheduled in the evening or on weekends.”

POTTERY NORTHWEST & SEWARD PARK CLAY STUDIO

Clay is irresistible. Just try to walk by a hunk of wet clay without doing something — punching it, poking it, or grabbing a little wad and rolling it into a cold, wet ball. At Pottery Northwest and Seward Park Clay Studio, you can get your hands dirty — literally — and indulge your ceramic fantasies.

At both studios you can learn to hand-build clay or “throw” it on a wheel to make anything from plates and bowls to full-sized figurative pieces and abstract sculptures. Artist-in-Residence programs afford students exposure to, and interaction with, artists on a professional track.

In addition to a full array of ceramics classes, Pottery Northwest boasts 7,200 square feet of studio space with a kitchen and patio, and welcomes students in the studio anytime classes aren’t in session.

Seward Park Studio is idyllically located to the south of Seattle’s Seward Park on the edge of Lake Washington in an old brick building erected by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Its limited number of classes suits its cozy, familial atmosphere.

KIRKLAND ARTS CENTER

For those living on the Eastside, Kirkland Arts Center offers over 250 introductory to advanced courses and workshops in ceramics, printmaking, drawing, painting, sculpture, glass and more. Housed in the oldest building in the City of Kirkland, this centrally located facility tenders natural light, views of Lake Washington, and all the charm and quirks of an old home. The center’s vibrant art gallery offers some of the most exciting contemporary art shows on the Eastside.

Classes at KAC attract women and men, youth and adults, with most living in East King and South Snohomish County. An on-site residency program for ceramics brings more experienced artists in contact with newcomers.

Karen Rudd is a visual artist and works at Pratt Fine Arts Center.

©2007 Caliope Publishing Company