Learning the arts

Summer is over and its back-to-school time at the Brewery Arts Center, too.

Carson City's cultural center is offering more than a dozen classes in acting, pottery, dance and television production for students of all ages, including a class designed specifically for seniors who want to learn how to share family and travel photos and video online.

This fall's schedule includes new classes on silk and oil painting as well perennial favorites such as pottery.

"The kids pottery classes always fill to the brim," said Susan Taylor, who teaches pottery and organizes the BAC's visual arts classes. "This summer we had to open a second class."

Taylor joined the BAC in January after retiring from Carson High School, where she taught photography for 30 years. Her goal is to add more visual arts classes to the BAC lineup.

She said Western Nevada College offers a good curriculum of arts classes, but many adults aren't looking for college credit and want the more relaxed atmosphere available at BAC.

"When I moved here in 1980 the visual arts were very strong at the BAC. When you thought of taking an art class you always thought of the BAC," Taylor said. "I want to get that feeling back."

For information on BAC classes, including times, costs and registration, visit its Web site at www.breweryarts.org or its offices at 449 W. King St., or call 883-1976.

Classes

For children & teens:

BAC Stage Kids Children's Choir: (ages 6-16), Sept. 16-23. Learn basics of music and singing while working with a group of your peers.

Acting I: (ages 6-10), Sept. 19-26. Using interactive exercises, theatre games etc., students will learn basic skills needed to excel in the theatre.

Acting II: (ages 11-16) Sept. 19-26. Focus on improvisation, character and vocalization in a variety of settings.

Dance for the Theatre I: (ages 6-16) Sept. 19-26. Covers the basics of theatrical movement and dance.

Dance for the Theatre II: (ages 6-16) Sept. 19-26. Geared toward intermediate level dancers, covering techniques and skills needed for more sophisticated theatrical movement and dance. Students must have been enrolled in some sort of dance, gymnastics, cheerleading, movement class or musical production prior to enrollment.

Pottery for Tweens: (ages 9-14) Sept. 24-Nov. 18. Learn the basics of wheel throwing, trimming and glazing.

Pottery for Teens: (ages 14-19) Sept 24-Nov. 18. Learn the basics of wheel throwing, trimming and glazing.

Teen TV: (ages 13-19) Sept. 30-Oct. 7. Learn to be a director, actor, camera operator, editor and producer.

For teens and adults:

Bonding in Clay: Pottery for parents and teens: (ages 13-18, adults), Sept. 25-Oct. 1. Learn to use handbuilding and wheel throwing techniques to make unique artwork or functional items. Clay and glazes will be provided.

ACCTV Studio Use: (ages 13-adult), Oct. 19-26. The course will certify students in Television Production I, Camera Techniques I and Non-Linear Editing.

For adults:

Basic West Coast Swing: Sept. 16-23. For beginners and those who want to brush up on fundamentals. Footwork, counting, building block patterns such as sugar-push, left and rights side passes, and whips.

WCS Style & Play: Sept. 16-23. For west coast swing dancers with experience. Learn to incorporate the Tango into your WCS dance.

Oil Painting: Oct. 1-8. For adult painters of all ability levels. Students will learn skills including choosing subject matter, composition, hues, values and technique.

Silk Painting: Oct. 17, Silk artist Louise Noel Howes teaches this one-day class in which students will paint a scarf, using the Serti (closed fence) method of silk painting.

Beginning Adult Pottery: Nov. 2-9. An introduction to clay through hand building and throwing on the potter's wheel.

Pottery - Independent Study: Nov. 3. Students will be overseen by a master potter available for information and instruction on an individual "as needed" basis. This class is for advanced students only.

Advanced Adult Pottery: Nov. 3-10. Instruction will include lids, handles, spouts, joined forms, matched sets, and advanced glazing/decoration techniques.

Beginning Adult Pottery: Nov. 3-10. An introduction to clay through hand building and throwing on the potter's wheel.

Jewelry: Wire Wrapping I: Sept. 8. A single-evening class for beginners to make a pair of earrings, including a simple loop, ear wires and basic clasp.

Jewelry: Wire Wrapping II: Sept. 15. Instruction includes wrapped loops and clasps; students will make a bracelet or anklet.

Jewelry: Basic Bead Stringing: Sept. 22. Basic stringing including acuflex wire and crimp beads.

Jewelry: Up the Ante: Sept. 29. Reviews previous classes with some advance techniques added.

For seniors:

Seniors Adapt Travel Pix to TV: (ages up to 110), Oct. 8-15. Using simple transfer methods and voice over, students learn to share photos and video on television and the Internet.