Certif icate Prog ram i n World Art H i story

Art is all around us. It excites us, enriches our lives, and enlivens our imaginations. But to truly appreciate any work of art, we need to understand the context and culture in which it was produced. That’s why Smithsonian Associates offers an exciting certificate program in World Art History.

The wide-ranging offerings are designed to provide a global perspective on art and architecture and draw on the Smithsonian’s world-class collections and the rich resources of other Washington institutions.

The core courses and electives in our program are selected from among Smithsonian Associates’ ongoing courses, seminars, study tours, and Studio Arts classes. Look for “World Art History Certificate” throughout the program guide to see current listings.

Complete the program requirements at your own pace. Credits are counted from the day of program registration and are not given retroactively.

Register now and receive invitations for special tours and informal gatherings with course leaders and other program participants.

To learn more about the Smithsonian Associates certificate program in World Art History, visit SmithsonianAssociates.org/ArtCertificate

Unless noted, all programs are presented on Zoom; listed times are Eastern Time. Online registration is required.

World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit

The Art of India: From the Indus Valley to Independence

Ever since its origins in an ancient civilization along the Indus River, the complex culture of South Asia has led to the creation of some of the world’s most remarkable art and architecture. Robert DeCaroli, a professor in the department of history and art history at George Mason University, highlights the artistic traditions and historical changes in the Indian subcontinent from the earliest archaeological evidence to the onset of colonialism.

JUL 12 Origins of South Asian Culture

JUL 19 Kingdoms, Caves, and Temples

JUL 26 Southern Dynasties and Northern Newcomers

AUG 2 The Mughal Court, the British Raj, and the Nationalists

4 sessions: Wed., July 12–Aug. 2, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-275; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Related tour: Objects of Devotion (see p. 51)

Reflective Writing Workshop

Summer’s Discoveries

Experience the power of reflective writing guided by the founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s popular Writing Salon, Mary Hall Surface. Inspired by works of art by Georgia O’Keeffe and poetry by Mary Oliver, explore the lessons that the summer season offers us when we slow down, look closely, and reflect.

Designed for writers of all levels, and for the curious, the workshop invites you to look at the world through the lens of painting and poetry and to respond through reflective writing. These reflections can become creative fertile ground for memoir, poetry, and more. The workshop has a limited enrollment to maximize interaction among the instructor and students.

Tues., Aug. 22, 10 a.m.; CODE 1K0-389; Members $40; Nonmembers $45

Lesser-Known Museums of Rome

World Art History Certificate electivs: Earn ½ credit

Private Art Collections of Rome, Part 2

In 17th-century Rome, Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V, assembled one of the greatest art collections in history, which is still displayed today in the Borghese Gallery, one of Rome’s most popular museums. His eclectic taste combined works from ancient times, Renaissance masters, and contemporary Baroque artists, such as the tormented painter Caravaggio, as well as the phenomenally talented sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Ruggiero examines the history of the Borghese Gallery and its collection of artistic treasures.

Mon., Aug. 28, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-280; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit for each session Andy

Warhol's World History

Many critics consider Andy Warhol a mirror of his time. Join Grace Marston, arts educator at the Andy Warhol Museum, as she delves into how historical events in the United States and around the world affected Warhol’s art and life. Marston presents artworks from the museum’s permanent collection, including works that are rarely on public display.

AUG 14 1950s and 1960s

AUG 21 1970s and 1980s

2 sessions: Mon., Aug. 14 and 21, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1CV-020; Members $40; Nonmembers $50

Individual sessions: Mon., Aug. 14 (CODE 1CV-A20); Mon., Aug. 21 (CODE 1CV-B20); 6:30 p.m.; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Edward Hopper: American Modernist

Edward Hopper (1882–1967) is widely regarded as one of the great American realists of modern art. His works capture a quintessential view of New York City at a certain time that became part of our cultural fabric. Certainly, many noir films of the 1940s and 1950s reflect Hopper’s personal vision of city life reflected in his paintings: austere, silent, moody, and lonely. Hopper’s oeuvre also includes landscapes which were painted on vacations and road trips.

Art historian Bonita Billman explores the highlights of Hopper’s career and examines the sociopolitical and cultural contexts in which he lived and worked.

Thurs., Sept. 14, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-275; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Art of Chagall

Whimsical, colorful, and populated with images from the stories of his native Russian culture, Marc Chagall’s oeuvre is both emotionally and poetically dreambased in a style that transcends reason and logic. He forged a path from his early days in a Russian shtetl to his adult years in France while embracing his identity as part of the Jewish artistic tradition.

Chagall’s distinctive vision—seen in projects from stage sets to murals to tapestries—is considered a precursor of Modernist art while it simultaneously employs traditional subjects drawn from his Jewish roots. Art historian Joseph Cassar explores the wide creative span of his lifetime of works. Tues., Sept. 19, 12–2 p.m.; CODE 1K0-393; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

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World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit A Dark, A Light, A Bright

The Designs of Dorothy Liebes

Dorothy Liebes was one of the most influential textile designers of the mid-20th century. Her luxurious handwoven fabrics combined vivid color, lush textures, unexpected materials, and a glint of metallic—a style that grew so prevalent it became known as the Liebes Look. She shaped American tastes in areas from interiors and transportation to industrial design, fashion, and film.

The exhibition “A Dark, A Light, A Bright: The Designs of Dorothy Liebes” opens at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum on July 7. Join organizers Susan Brown, associate curator and acting head of textiles, and Alexa Griffith Winton, manager of content and curriculum, to explore the life and works of this innovative American designer.

Tues., July 11, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1CV-018; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Schiaparelli

and the Surrealists

The Art of Fashion

Elsa Schiaparelli did not approach fashion like other designers of her era. She never considered herself a dressmaker but instead saw herself as an artist working in the medium of fabric. She once said that “working with artists like Bébé Bérard, Jean Cocteau, Salvador Dali, Vertès, van Dongen and with photographers like Hoyningen-Huene, Horst, Cecil Beaton, and Man Ray gave one a sense of exhilaration.”

This was particularly true of her 1937 and 1938 collections, which dazzled with inspirations like her famous “Lobster Dress,” a white silk organza dinner dress that serves as the canvas for a Dali-painted crustacean and a black jersey coat with silk tucked roses featuring Jean Cocteau’s double-image chalice.

Spend an evening with historian and curator Elizabeth Lay as she examines Schiaparelli’s designs in the context of the subversive art and photography of the period. Both Schiaparelli and the Surrealists were experimenting in new materials and a new artistic expression as Europe moved closer and closer to war.

Tues., July 18, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-376; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Stepping Forward: Women Designers 1900–1950

The earliest women to gain prominence in design in the 20th century entered through traditionally domestic portals such as textiles, fashion, jewelry, and interior design. Then, with access to educational opportunities and the changes wrought by a world war, women began to expand their skills to architecture, industrial design, and manufacturing.

Many of these women are lost to the traditional narrative apart from a few “design heroines,” notes design historian and curator Elizabeth Lay. Often these women received public recognition and celebrity during their lives, only to be obscured by history—or the work of their male design partners.

Join Lay for a course in which she focuses on two generations of women working as skilled design professionals in the modern era. Some names, such as fashion designers Jeanne Lanvin, Madeleine Vionnet, and Coco Chanel and architects and furniture designers Eileen Gray and Florence Knoll, may be familiar. And you’ll make the acquaintance of other artists like Clara Driscoll of Tiffany Studios, jewelry designer Suzanne Belperron, architect Charlotte Perriand, and the women of the Bauhaus textile department.

2 sessions: Mon., Aug. 7 and 14, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1K0-385; Members $35; Nonmembers $45

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit for each session The Intersection of Art and Literature

The notion that a picture is worth a thousand words is meant to convey the power of imagery. But what of the power of words—if they are personal interpretations of art that mix fact and fiction such as Giorgio Vasari’s Lives, or the writings of Dante and Shakespeare that inspired Auguste Rodin, or Émile Zola’s written defense of his great friend Édouard Manet’s work and the portrait it inspired.

Explore the alchemy that occurs at the intersection of art and literature in this fascinating Sundayafternoon series with David Gariff, senior lecturer at the National Gallery of Art.

JUL 23 William Blake: Poet and Painter

AUG 27 Pablo Picasso and Gertrude Stein

Individual programs: July 23 (CODE 1H0-773B), Aug. 27 (CODE 1H0-773C), 3 p.m.; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Lunchtime with a Curator

Entertaining and Design at the White House

Beginning with its first resident, President John Adams, the White House has witnessed countless holidays, celebrations, and official functions. Presidential entertaining in the modern era has only continued to grow in scale and artistic creativity.

Curator Elizabeth Lay welcomes John Botello, creative manager of the White House–Executive Residence, for an image-rich program on 21st-century style at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He offers behind-the-scenes glimpses of his work on events and interior design, and shares what goes into planning—down to the smallest detail—projects from a state dinner to the annual holiday decorations. Before his current role, Botello served at Blair House, the U.S. State Department, the White House Historical Association, the Smithsonian, and Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens.

Mon., July 24, 12–1 p.m.; CODE 1K0-372; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Decorative Arts Collection of the White House

A Behind-the-Scenes Look

Before Jacqueline Kennedy hired the first White House curator in 1961, furnishings from the executive mansion’s collection had come and gone for more than 160 years, reflecting changing fashions. Today, the Office of the Curator fulfills the enormous responsibility of ensuring that the White House Collection is cared for, documented, displayed, and, in collaboration with the White House Historical Association, shared with the public.

The upcoming book Furnishing the White House: The Decorative Arts Collection marks the first published collaboration of four of those curators, whose cumulative experience exceeds 100 years. Together, they have witnessed the collection evolve since the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson. In a richly illustrated conversation, two of the contributing curators, William G. Allman and Melissa C. Naulin, and the book’s principal photographer, Bruce M. White, discuss this landmark publication and reflect on their experiences acquiring, conserving, storing, and photographing objects in the White House Collection.

Furnishing the White House: The Decorative Arts Collection (White House Historical Association) is available for purchase.

Wed., Aug. 23, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-398; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Frida Kahlo: Her Art and Life

Labeled a Surrealist because of the fantastical, often nightmarish quality of her paintings, Frida Kahlo always countered that she didn’t paint dreams: She painted her own reality. Kahlo had hoped to become a doctor, but a bus accident at age 18 left her near death. She recovered, but despite numerous operations she spent the rest of her life in pain.

The paintings Kahlo made during her lengthy convalescence opened a new path. She was especially encouraged by the much older, internationally famous fellow Mexican painter Diego Rivera, with whom she fell in love. Their stormy life together and apart formed the basis for many of her pictures, as well as books, plays, and films about Kahlo.

Art historian Nancy G. Heller examines Kahlo’s short life—including the reasons she loved wearing traditional Mexican clothing, accessories, and hairstyles—and her work. She looks beyond the famous selfportraits to include landscapes, still lifes, and other Kahlo subjects.

Thurs., July 27, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-271; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit

Art Nouveau: New Style for a New Century

Noted for its organic, sinuous, and seductive styles, the Art Nouveau movement in modern art and design—called the New Style— developed out of the arts and crafts and aesthetic movements. Centered in France at the turn of the last century, it was celebrated at the Exposition Universelle of 1900 in Paris and quickly spread to England and America.

This richly illustrated seminar led by art historian Bonita Billman explores the style’s origins, identifying characteristics, and chief creators. Though it flowered for only a decade or so, Art Nouveau has had a long-lasting influence and popularity.

10 a.m. Origins and Characteristics of Art Nouveau

11:30 a.m. Art Nouveau in France

12:45 p.m. Break

1:15 p.m. The New Style in Britain

2:45 p.m. The New Style in America

Sat., July 29, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-272; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit

Exploring the Arts of Latin America

From colossal Olmec heads to the paintings of Frida Kahlo, Aztec temples to Mexican murals, this survey of Latin American art sweeps through centuries and locations including ancient Mesoamerica, coastal Peru, and the top of the Andes. Michele Greet, the director of the art history program at George Mason University, traces the significant creators, works, influences, and trends that defined and shaped the arts of Latin America from their earliest expressions through the 19th and 20th centuries.

AUG 3 The Arts of Ancient Mesoamerica

AUG 10 The Arts of the Andes

AUG 17 The Arts of Viceregal Latin America

AUG 24 Modern Art in Latin America

4 sessions: Thurs., Aug. 3–24, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-278; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Cave Art: Where it All Began

Forty thousand years ago, humans began to paint animals, mysterious symbols, and even people on cave walls. For over a century, researchers have been interested in how these images were created and what they might have meant. Paleolithic archaeologist April Nowell explores cave art and objects including figurines, items of personal adornment, decorated tools, and musical instruments made during the Upper Paleolithic.

She examines techniques of manufacture, interpretation, and dating and highlights questions about who made this art, what we can we infer about its meanings, and what can we learn about the individuals and the communities behind their creation.

Drawing on examples from sites in Indonesia, Australia, Europe, and Siberia, Nowell looks at the science behind the art and how cutting-edge technology is leading to a new understanding of the lives of Ice Age peoples.

Wed., Aug. 9, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-779; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Pieter Bruegel the Elder: Humor and Humanism

The great 16th-century Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder may be best remembered as one of the pioneers of genre scenes in Renaissance art. However, this master of the ordinary, especially of scenes inspired by peasant life, was steeped in the humanist culture of his era.

His wonderful inventiveness and wit are reflected throughout his oeuvre— where almost every painting becomes a point of departure for a deeper philosophical consideration. Art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine explores various facets of Bruegel’s creativity that have secured him such a special place in our collective memory.

Fri., Aug. 11, 12–2 p.m.; CODE 1K0-388; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Golden Age of Vienna

The Art of Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele

At the turn of the 20th century, Vienna was the capital of a great empire ruled by the Hapsburgs. The city was a center of political power as well as avant-garde culture, home to some of the world’s greatest composers, architects, writers, and artists. Two who helped define this age of glamour, elegance, and decadence were artists Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele.

Art critic and adviser Judy Pomeranz explores the lives and art of these extraordinary individuals and the age in which they lived. She examines how they were influenced by their time and place and illustrates how powerfully they reflected them in works both beautiful and shocking.

Wed., Aug. 16, 12-1:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-387; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

What time does the program end? Unless noted, Smithsonian Associates programs run 1 hour 15 min.–2 hours, including Q&A

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit The Hudson River School Art, History, Science, and National Identity

The paintings of the Hudson River School artists define our image of early 19th-century America: romantic, light-suffused landscapes that capture the wonders of nature and the promise of an expanding nation. Works by painters such as Thomas Cole, Asher B. Durand, and Frederic Edwin Church—in addition to the less well-known Sarah Cole, Susie Barstow, and Mary Josephine Walters— synthesize the European landscape tradition with a distinctly American view of nature, science, and spirituality reflected in Thoreau and Emerson. The results range from Church’s dramatic views of Niagara Falls to Durand’s idealized landscapes bathed in a golden glow.

Niagara by Frederic Edwin Church, 1857

Art historian Heidi Applegate examines the themes that circle around the group of diverse artists assigned the Hudson River School name—one that became a disparaging term when American artistic tastes turned from landscape and genre subjects to more cosmopolitan themes influenced by European-trained painters after the Civil War. She explores why these Hudson River School artists were so popular, how they fell out of favor, and why their art has generated renewed interest.

Fri., Aug. 25, 12-1:15 p.m.; CODE 1H0-780; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Painting in France

The popular style of 19th–century French painting known as Impressionism—filled with color, light, and scintillating brushwork—was an act of extreme rebellion when it appeared in the 1870s. For ar tists to depict fleeting sensations of rain, a sunrise, or a human gesture was shocking to other artists, art lovers, and critics who had been taught that fine art should focus on timeless and unchanging subject matter.

The work of these modern masters—notably Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cassatt, and Morisot—led in turn to the radical art of the Post-Impressionists. During the 1880s and ’90s, Seurat, Cézanne, Gauguin, and Van Gogh used vivid colors and form to depict subjects from the real world, but in ways that were not always fully realistic.

In a lavishly illustrated 5-session course, art historian Nancy G. Heller explores the sources, masterpieces, and later influences of these rebels, including their impact on 20th-century art.

5 sessions: Wed., Aug. 30–Sept. 27, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-273; Members $85; Nonmembers $95 Related studio arts class: Impressionism in the Franciscan Monastery Gardens (see p. 38)

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Ganges: River and Goddess

The Ganges River Basin was the heartland of South Asian urban development in the 6th century B.C.E., and the river remains deeply important to many people in ways that are both physical and conceptual. Robert DeCaroli, a professor of art history at George Mason University, traces the Ganges from its origins in the peaks of the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, exploring historic and sacred locations along this mighty river.

The physical river, however, is only half the story. Since ancient times, the Ganges has been embodied as the goddess Ganga, and her reach stretches well beyond the riverbanks. DeCaroli examines the art and architecture used to enhance and replicate access to Ganga’s sacred waters. Tues., Sept. 19, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-289; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Extreme Architecture Around the World

Throughout history, architectural styles have evolved based on construction methods, materials, and function, as well as principles of design, elements of architecture, and aesthetic ideals. Art historian Janetta Rebold Benton leads a fascinating journey through some of the most creative and extreme examples of architecture constructed worldwide in recent years. From Dubai’s Burj Khalifa (the world’s highest building) to the Nautilus House in Mexico City (a giant psychedelic mollusk shell) to a Malibu residence designed around the wings of a decommissioned Boeing 747-100, the surprising structures blend innovation, technology, and imagination.

Tues., Sept. 27, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1D0-026; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit

Byzantine Art and its Legacy

A key feature of the visual culture of the Byzantine Empire was its orientation toward religious themes as shaped by Orthodox Christianity. These were explored in a remarkable variety of media, from wall frescoes to miniature mosaics and exquisitely carved ivories. Though this empire came to an end with the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, it left a lasting cultural imprint, both in areas that were under its political control and in those adjacent to it, from Italy to Russia.

Art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine explores some of the most important aspects of the visual arts of this empire at the cultural crossroads of West and East.

SEPT 28 The Birth of the New Rome and its Metamorphosis into Istanbul

OCT 5 Monuments of Byzantine Art in Greece and the Balkan Peninsula

OCT 12 Beyond the Borders of Byzantium

3 sessions: Thurs., Sept. 28–Oct. 12, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-396; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

SmithsonianAssociates.org/artcertificate

Art-full Fridays | Live from Italy, with Elaine Ruffolo

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Faces of the Italian Renaissance

In the 15th and 16th centuries, portraits played a vital role in every aspect of human life: childhood, politics, friendship, courtship, marriage, old age, and death. It was also widely believed that a person’s appearance mirrored their soul, with physical beauty indicating qualities such as morality, virtue, and religious devotion. As such, artists developed highly individual approaches to the representation of ideal beauty.

Renaissance art historian Elaine Ruffolo provides fresh insights into fundamental issues of likeness, memory, and identity as she reveals a remarkable community of Renaissance personalities—from princes, envoys, and merchants to clergymen, tradesmen, and artists.

Fri., Sept. 29, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1D0-027; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

What time does the program end? Unless noted, Smithsonian Associates programs run 1 hour 15 min.–2 hours, including Q&A

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn

1 Credit

The Great Cathedrals and Basilicas of Italy

The churches of Italy are renowned for their artistic treasures, from Giotto’s 14th-century frescoes in Florence, Padua, and Assisi to Giacomo Manzu’s great 20th-century bronze doors for St. Peter’s in Rome. Some churches are known for a specific space or work that makes a pilgrimage a necessity, such as Masaccio’s Brancacci Chapel in the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence. Others, such as the Florentine Santa Maria Novella or the Frari in Venice, showcase virtually the entire history of the art and culture of their respective cities.

In a splendidly illustrated seminar, art historian Sophia D’Addio of Columbia University explores churches that represent some of Italy’s greatest repositories of sacred art.

10 a.m. The Basilica of Saint Mark and the Treasures of Venice

11:30 a.m. The Gothic Dream: The Duomo of Santa Maria Assunta in Siena

12:45 p.m. Break

1:15 p.m. The Duomo of Santa Maria del Fiore and the Riches of Florence

2:45 p.m. St. Peter’s and Rome, the Eternal City

Sat., Sept. 30, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-280; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Expressionism: The Art of Emotions

Expressionism as an artistic movement developed in the early 20th century, a period in which new and influential explorations of psychology and human behavior were taking place. Artists began to look at the world more subjectively, often distorting their depictions to achieve an emotional effect in artworks that still hold the power to move and challenge viewers. Art historian Joseph Paul Cassar traces the movement’s roots, meaning, influences, and most notable practitioners.

OCT 4 The Origin and Meaning of Expressionism

OCT 11 Die Brücke and the Art of Woodblock Printing

OCT 18 Der Blaue Reiter Group

OCT 25 Expressionists and “Degenerate Art”

4 sessions: Wed., Oct. 4–25, 12–1:15 p.m. ; CODE 1K0-397; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Exploring the Cluny Museum in Paris

Step from the bustling sidewalks of the Left Bank in Paris into a veritable treasure house: the Cluny Museum. The remains of ancient Roman baths and the Gothic Paris residence of the abbots of Cluny provide the fairy-tale backdrop for marvels of medieval art. Barbara Drake Boehm, a curator emerita of The Met Cloisters, explores the museum, renovated and reopened last year.

The masterpieces inside include the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, sculpture from the Cathedral of Notre-Dame that was buried during the French Revolution, and a Jewish wedding ring hidden by its owner during the Black Death.

Mon., Oct. 23, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1J0-287; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines

In Person

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In-person classes are taught by professional artists and teachers. View detailed class descriptions and supply lists at SmithsonianAssociates.org/studio. View portfolios of work by our instructors at SmithsonianAssociates.org/art instructors.

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

Popular theory holds that the right brain is primarily responsible for the intuitive understanding of visual and spatial relationships. This class improves the way people see and record objects on paper by working through a set of visual exercises that help build the ability to draw.

IN PERSON: Wed., July 12–Aug. 30, 6:30 p.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0VD; Members $235; Nonmembers $265

National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden: Drawing Treasures

Stretch your creative muscles and deepen your observational skills at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Create a drawing-treasure map using simple and fun drawing tools as you visually explore time, space, and place.

Fall Plein Air Landscape Painting in Oil

Learn the secrets of plein air landscape oil painting working in the beautiful surroundings of Rock Creek Park. Students learn how to capture the spirit and essence of a fall landscape while developing strong observational painting techniques on location.

IN PERSON: Sat., Sept. 9–Oct. 7, 1 p.m., no class Sept. 16; Michelle René Cobb; details and supply list on website; Rock Creek Park; CODE 1V0-0XS; Members $185; Nonmembers $205

By Michelle René Cobb

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Paper Frenzy

By Renee Sandell

IN PERSON: Sun., Sept. 10, 10 a.m.; Renee Sandell; details and supply list on website; National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden; CODE 1V00XQ; Members $105; Nonmembers $115 n n

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Impressionism in the Franciscan Monastery Gardens

Cézanne-Inspired En Plein Air Landscape Intensive

Try new techniques as you have fun creating papers for collage and other art projects. Create a glorious collection of one-of-a-kind papers accented by acrylic, inks, stamps, and other printmaking materials.

By Sharon Robinson

IN PERSON: Wed., Aug. 16–Sept. 6, 6 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0XM; Members $175; Nonmembers $195

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The Ancient Art of Henna Tattoos

By Sandra Gobar

Capture the nuances of the natural light in the gardens of the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America with water-based oils, watercolors, or acrylic paints on canvas as Impressionist artists would.

IN PERSON: Sat., Aug. 12 and 19, 10 a.m.; Sandra Gobar; details and supply list on website; Franciscan Monastery gardens; CODE 1V0-0XE; Members $195; Nonmembers $215

Related program: Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Painting in France (see p. 35)

Henna tattoos reflect an ancient and beautiful practice of body art. Explore the form’s history as you learn to apply simple traditional Indian henna designs.

IN PERSON–NEW DATE: Sun., Sept. 10, 12:30 p.m.; Sharmila Karamchandani; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0XV; Members $65; Nonmembers $75

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Embroidered Patch Workshop

Use basic stitches to create an embroidered patch to embellish a favorite jacket or pair of jeans. Learn how to prepare fabric with a simple design, then ready a hoop and begin stitching.

Introduction to Photography

In Person

By Heather Kerley

IN PERSON: Sat., Sept. 9, 11 a.m.; Heather Kerley; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0XU; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

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Figure Sculpture

Students examine the materials and processes for sculpting a portrait, torso, or full figure using a live model. They learn clay sculpture techniques focused on tool use, armatures, anatomy, and proportions and have the opportunity to explore their own individual styles.

By George Tkabladze

IN PERSON: Wed., July 12–Aug. 9, 6:30 p.m.; George Tkabladze; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0WB; Members $215; Nonmembers $245

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On-Location Photography

Learn to capture this vibrant capital city and sharpen your way of thinking about shooting outdoors in a course that focuses on deploying a minimal amount of equipment and a lot of fresh perspective. Emphasis is placed on what happens before the shutter release is pressed and on truly previsualizing the photograph.

By Andargé Asfaw

Introduction to Studio Portraiture

Whether you want to work in digital or film, this course offers a solid foundation for new photographers ready to learn the basics. Topics include camera functions, exposure, metering, working with natural and artificial light, and composition. Critiques of assignments enhance the technical skills you learn.

IN PERSON: Tues., July 11–Aug. 15, 6:30 p.m.; Andargé Asfaw; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0WM; Members $185; Nonmembers $215

Produce a portfolio of student and model portraits in this class that focuses on basics such as posing a subject; using highlight and shadow; high key and low key lighting; using a flash meter; and understanding strobe lighting.

By Marty Kaplan

IN PERSON: Tues., July 11–Aug. 15, 6:30 p.m.; Marty Kaplan; details on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0WN; Members $185; Nonmembers $215

On-Location Photography with NeutralDensity Filters

Neutral-density filters help achieve very slow shutter-speed photos in bright sun and capture streaking light at night. Appropriate camera controls and filter techniques are covered, and students get to apply what they’ve learned.

By Joe Yablonsky

IN PERSON: Sun., July 16–Aug. 20, 1:45 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0WJ; Members $195; Nonmembers $225

IN PERSON: Wed., Aug. 16–30, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0XJ; Members $125; Nonmembers $145

Art Sci Ence Studio Arts

Culture Hi Story Studio Arts

Unless noted, all programs are presented on Zoom; listed times are Eastern Time. Online registration is required.

Online

Online classes are taught by professional artists and teachers. View detailed class descriptions and supply lists at SmithsonianAssociates.org/studio. View portfolios of work by our instructors at SmithsonianAssociates.org/art instructors.

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World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Composition

This workshop examines fundamental concepts of composition and their practical application in studio-art practice, offering participants tools to enrich their work as well as to analyze and appreciate visual art in general.

Beginning Drawing

This course, a valuable introduction for beginners, teaches the basic skills needed as a strong foundation for drawing. Working with a variety of materials and techniques, including charcoal and pencils, students explore the rendering of geometric forms, volume, and perspective, with an emphasis on personal gesture marks.

Sold Out

Moroccan Café by Matisse, 1913

ONLINE: Mon., Aug. 7–28, 10:30 a.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XC; Members $155; Nonmembers $175

Visual Journaling: Creativity Workout

ONLINE: Mon., July 10–Aug. 28, 6:30 p.m.; Josh Highter; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VC; Members $255; Nonmembers $285

Anatomical Drawing

By Renee Sandell

In an afternoon of artistic experimentation, explore five modes of visual thinking: working from memory, observation, imagination, narrative, and experimental approaches. Create visual journaling pieces and engage in mark-making and mapping exercises.

ONLINE: Sat., Sept. 9, 1 p.m.; Renee Sandell; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XN; Members $75; Nonmembers $85

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Sketchbook Habit: The Art of Everyday Life

Learn the fundamentals of drawing the human body, starting with an exploration of the skeleton and planes of motion. Then review gesture drawing, musculature, body segments, and key anatomical features. Previous drawing experience is required.

ONLINE: Tues., Aug. 1–Sept. 5, 6:30 p.m.; Trisha Gupta; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XA; Members $215; Nonmembers $245

Drawing Heads, Hands, and Feet

Sold Out

By Sue Fierston

Focus on the essentials of starting a sketchbook habit. Practice “close looking” exercises as you fill your sketchbook with meditative contour drawings, watercolor sketches of the natural world, and quick but evocative images from travels. Some watercolor or drawing experience is recommended.

ONLINE: Sun., July 9, Aug. 6, and Sept. 10, 10 a.m.; Sue Fierston; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VB; Members $185; Nonmembers $205

This class focuses on the most challenging and expressive details of the human figure: heads, hands, and feet. Working from photographs, students use dry media to experiment with line, modeling, foreshortening, structure, expression, and varied rates of drawing.

ONLINE: Wed., Aug. 2–Sept. 6, 6:30 p.m.; Trisha Gupta; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XB; Members $215; Nonmembers $245

Complete Colored Pencils

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Introduction to Watercolor

Sold Out

Colored pencil, an often-overlooked dry medium, is coming into its own. Whether used in fine art or illustration, they can enliven work with rich, vibrant color and a dizzying range of effects. Learn basic to intermediate methods and strategies with colored pencils.

ONLINE: Thurs., Aug. 3–17, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VE; Members $135; Nonmembers $155

By Lori VanKirk Schue

Animal Portraits in Colored Pencil

By Lori VanKirk Schue

Sold Out

Try your hand at animal portraiture, whether done in a realistic or slightly abstract style, while learning the proper use of the colored pencil medium. Instruction includes choosing a subject, reference photos, choice of paper and pencils, and, finally, framing a portrait to be proud of.

ONLINE: Thurs., Aug. 24 and 31, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VF; Members $85; Nonmembers $105

NEW CLASS

Introduction to Water-Soluble Colored Pencils

Loved by artists for their versatility, water-soluble colored pencils emulsify when water is added, making them a viable alternative to watercolor paints. Students learn about the many types of water-soluble colored pencils on the market and how to use them.

By Lori VanKirk Schue

ONLINE: Thurs., Sept. 7 and 14, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XP; Members $85; Nonmembers $105

Beginning students as well as experienced painters explore new materials and techniques in watercolor painting. Working on still-lifes and landscapes from direct observation or photographs, they learn about basic watercolor techniques and new approaches to painting through demonstration, discussion, and experimentation.

By Josh Highter

ONLINE: Sun., July 9–Aug. 27, 10:15 a.m.; Josh Highter; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VJ; Members $245; Nonmembers $275

Watercolor Techniques and Textures

By Lubna Zahid

The Magic of Light and Shadow in Watercolor

Sold Out Sold Out

Learn several approaches to creating washes and contrasting textured areas using drybrush, splattering, and lifting. These techniques are particularly useful when painting scenery such as landscapes, tree trunks, rocks, grasses, and old barns. This class is designed for advanced beginner and intermediate watercolor students.

Sold Out

ONLINE: Tues., July 11–Sept. 5, 10:30 a.m. (no class July 25); Lubna Zahid; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VK; Members $265; Nonmembers $295

The portrayal of light and shadow can be a challenge to painters of all levels. Through demonstrations and hands-on exercises, you gain confidence in creating these contrasting elements. You also learn how to create a strong focal point, unity, and balance in a painting.

By Lubna Zahid

ONLINE: Tues., July 11–Sept. 5, 5 p.m. (no class July 25); Lubna Zahid; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VL; Members $265; Nonmembers $295

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Techniques in Modernist Painting

Western Landscapes Under the Milky Way

By Shahin Talishkhan

Students are invited to experiment with a variety of Modernist painting styles such as Cubism, Suprematism, and Abstract Expressionism. Through a series of exercises, including still-life setups and model sessions, participants learn practical applications of the concepts and techniques of Modernism.

ONLINE: Thurs., July 13–Aug. 17, 6:30 p.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VN; Members $195; Nonmembers $225

Sur la Plage: Painting the Beach

The light, movement, and colors of the beach have long been an inspiration for artists. In this workshop, explore the techniques of masters of seaside painting as preparation for creating your own beach memory.

The American West’s beautiful landscapes are especially breathtaking beneath its expansive dark skies. Using watercolor, learn how to capture the night sky’s subtle tints and recreate the texture of the region’s red-rock landscapes. Previous experience with watercolor is required.

ONLINE: Tues., Aug. 22 and 29, 6:30 p.m.; Natalia Wilkins-Tyler; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XR; Members $85; Nonmembers $105

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ONLINE: Thurs., July 20–Aug. 24, 6:30 p.m.; Adrienne Wyman; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0WZ; Members $205; Nonmembers $235

By Joaquín Sorolla

Altered Books

Color Stories Journal

Explore your relationship to individual colors and how they connect to facets of your life. Practice simple, playful acrylic painting techniques incorporating all the colors of the spectrum, plus black and white. Then, begin to record personal stories in a journal to use every day.

Learn to upcycle book pages as surfaces for drawing, painting, and collage. Students experiment with materials and techniques to create their own stories using gelatin plate prints, textures, photo transfers, drawing, painting, and text redaction.

By Sushmita Mazumdar

ONLINE: Tues., July 25–Aug. 22, 6 p.m.; Sushmita Mazumdar; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VR; Members $165; Nonmembers $195

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

ONLINE: Wed., July 12–Aug. 16, 1:30 p.m.; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VT; Members $195; Nonmembers $225

Build a Tiny House

In this three-day workshop, students construct tiny houses, which they personalize working in papier-mâché, acrylics, and mixed media. Finish the house’s interior and exterior in acrylic, photo transfers, and a variety of techniques to make it your own.

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

ONLINE: Wed., July 12–26, 6 p.m.; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VU; Members $165; Nonmembers $185

Build a Tiny Interior

Fancy-Fold Cards for All Occasions

Create four different fancy-fold cards sure to impress any recipient. Fancy folds look challenging, but this workshop walks you through all the steps. Detailed instructions provide you with everything you need to create future fancy folds on your own.

By Karen Cadogan

ONLINE: Sat., July 22, 10 a.m.; Karen Cadogan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VY; Members $70; Nonmembers $80

Make Your Mark

Imagine your dream home, either from your past or in the future, then bring its tiny interior to life using papier-mâché, acrylics, and other mixed-media techniques. Exercises include visualizing the possible inhabitants of your small space, then designing furniture, fixtures, clothing, or accessories for them.

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

ONLINE: Wed., Aug. 2–16, 6 p.m.; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VX; Members $165; Nonmembers $185

Artful Mind, Tranquil Mind

Centering practices used by artists to prepare for making art can be helpful in everyday life. Through guided instruction designed to enhance your artmaking, explore mark-making with lines, swirls, and puddles, and use paper to experiment with folding and tearing.

By Sushmita Mazumdar

ONLINE: Mon., July 17–Aug. 21, 12 p.m.; Sushmita Mazumdar; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VW; Members $95; Nonmembers $125

By Sharon Robinson

Students explore mark and pattern making as the first step toward developing fully realized works of art. Intuitive exercises use a variety of simple tools to generate many types of marks.

ONLINE: Mon., July 24–Aug. 14, 6:30 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XL; Members $145; Nonmembers $165

The Painterly Gel Print

Printmaking using a gel plate offers many options for combining materials and techniques to achieve distinctive results. Learn simple techniques for transferring images to the plate for printing, layering, masking, and brushwork.

ONLINE: Sat., July 22–Aug. 12, 1 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XK; Members $155; Nonmembers $175

By Sharon Robinson

Explorations in Art and Poetry

Discover your inner artist or poet, or both, in this course that lets you delve into mixed-media and poetry. Using discussions, research, and experimentation, create both visual and written works of art.

ONLINE: Thurs., Aug. 10–31, 6 p.m.; Richard Allen May; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XT; Members $155; Nonmembers $175

Crepe Paper Flowers: Clematis

Learn floral papercraft techniques, using different weights of both crepe paper and floral wire, to create the beautiful clematis, known to gardeners as the queen of climbers.

By Karen Cadogan

ONLINE: Sat., Aug. 19 and 26, 10:30 a.m.; Karen Cadogan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XF; Members $100; Nonmembers $120

By Richard Allen May

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Basic Weaving on the Rigid Heddle Loom

The versatile and portable rigid heddle loom is a great entryway into weaving scarves, placemats, dishtowels, and more. Learn how to prepare (dress) the loom for weaving, along with basic hand-control techniques including flat tapestry, raised tapestry, open-lace work, pickup, plane weave, and several finishing techniques.

ONLINE: Tues., July 11–Aug. 8, 6:30 p.m.; Tea Okropiridze; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VZ; Members $155; Nonmembers $185

Botanical Illustration in Redwork

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Introduction to Calligraphy: The Foundational Hand

This class offers an introduction to the basic calligraphic strokes that make up the Foundational hand, the starting point for learning other hands such as Italic and Black Letter. Students begin by using dual pencils and then the broad-edged pen. They acquire the necessary skills and understanding in drawing guidelines, determining heights, and letter spacing.

ONLINE: Sat., July 8–Aug. 26, 1:30 p.m.; Sharmila Karamchandani; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0WX; Members $235; Nonmembers $265

Introduction to Afghan Manuscript Illumination

By Heather Kerley

Learn the history of redwork quilts and how this type of embroidery—primarily done in red but also in blue and black— can be used to make beautiful, delicate botanical illustrations. Students create designs based on plants native to their area, transfer those designs onto fabric, and then make a basic small quilt using their embroideries.

ONLINE: Wed., July 12-26, 12 p.m.; Heather Kerley; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0WA; Members $105;

Nonmembers $125

By Sughra Hussainy

Learn the elements of goldleaf manuscript illumination in the Afghan tradition. Create geometric, vegetable, and floral motifs using graph and tracing paper and transfer designs onto fine-art paper. Then, color the designs with opaque watercolors, outline them in black ink, and use as ornamentation for calligraphy and manuscripts.

ONLINE: Sun., July 9–Aug. 27, 1 p.m.; Sughra Hussainy; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0WY; Members $245; Nonmembers $275