Have you ever considered the potential for using cast objects in your work but didn't know how?
Do you have some interesting small objects that you would like to cast in order to make multiples?
Would you like ideas for how to incorporate them into your work?
Join Helen Dannelly for this 2-day introductory workshop on moldmaking using inexpensive materials. Learn to cast small found or created objects to embed in your paintings, whether oil, encaustic or acrylic.
During two 2-hour sessions, Helen demonstrates how to use simple hardware store materials to create flexible molds and cast small objects such as:
- Shells
- Seed pods
- Clay objects
- Buttons
and other items in order to cast them in plaster or encaustic to embed in your paintings on panels or on sculptures.
Helen’s unconventional ways of mixing mediums and her ingenious combining of high and low tech solutions result in demos that get you thinking outside of the box as you discover new ways to express your ideas.
I have made sculptures out of acorn tops and eucalyptus pods and cast them in encaustic to create incredibly unique forms. Let me share with you the possibilities for creating objects for your work!
~Helen Dannelly
This course is for you if you:
- Have an interest in sculpture and want to learn how to make flexible molds with an easily accessible material
- Want to start moving off the panel with your work and create 3D forms
- Are an adventurous beginner, skilled artist, or anywhere in between
- Want to expand your creativity while honing your critical thinking skills
Helen has a knack for guiding you in amplifying your ideas. Her method of teaching involves showing the potential of what you can do with the various materials and then letting you loose to see what is possible.
As an instructor, Helen draws upon her formal art training to add richness and depth to the classroom experience, incorporating fundamentals of composition, color, and form.
Why should I add moldmaking to my practice?
- You can add depth with relief to your paintings or move completely off the panel.
- You can create multiples!
- The techniques covered are easy to learn but offer sophisticated results.
- You can add a new level of complexity to your work.
FEATURES:
- Two live online 2-hour sessions with time for brainstorming your specific questions and ideas.
- Live demos guiding you step by step through the processes
- Prompts and exercises tailored to students’ needs.
- Discussion and demos of surface treatments.
- Time for Q&A
- 2 months of access to the recordings of the live sessions. Now you can be fully present soaking up the demos instead of frantically taking notes.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to expand your practice.
Helen is a dynamic instructor who supports you in realizing your vision.
FAQ:
Q: Do I need sculpture experience?
A: No, this is a class for artists new to working three-dimensionally. And for those with some experience, you will learn additional techniques to expand your practice.
Q: I work in mixed-media. Will my imagery translate?
A: Yes! Anyone working two-dimensionally can benefit from this course. We will discuss various surface treatments, so if you are already used to working with multiple materials, all the better!
Q: I have more questions. How do I reach you?
A: You can email me at [email protected]
Helen Dannelly draws on over 30 years of professional experience in helping you realize your artistic goals. Helen’s teaching is informed by a unique combination of training that she utilizes in guiding you conceptually and technically. She received a BA in Women’s Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She studied painting at San Francisco State University (working with Bay Area photorealists) and sculpture at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
Moving easily between drawing, painting, and sculpture, Helen has developed unconventional ways of mixing mediums that create emotionally evocative pieces. Helen’s work focuses on metamorphosis both personally, in natural phenomena, and of the materials. Her organic sculptures are inspired by the natural world, a nod to sea life and plants. Complex surfaces and engaging forms invite viewers to explore the impact of climate change--a metamorphosis of decline.
Helen is attentive to the importance of art fundamentals weaving them into her classes. She recognizes that these components (color theory, elements of composition, and drawing/ mark-making) are skills that need to be continually developed and refined in order for students to leverage them effectively in their work. This mastery results in students creating more sophisticated work and understanding why it is more successful.
Helen Dannelly is also:
- A Golden Artist Educator
- A Silver Brush Educator
- R&F trained Advanced Encaustic Instructor
- Curator, The Forshey Gallery, Chicago
- Creator & Facilitator of "Reboot Retreats for Creatives"
- An upcoming TEDx Talk Speaker
You can find Helen's work at
- Alma Art & Interiors, Chicago
- Addington Gallery, Chicago
Testimonials
“I just read the comments on my [work] and want to thank you for what you added. I am happy to have your expanded opinions. Very helpful and so encouraging. You made my day.”
~ Linda S. ~
"As you know, I was hesitant to take the class but am so glad that I did! What I love about it is that it doesn’t have to be perfect. You were very encouraging in that way. I am using it as a warm-up because of that.I loved all of the ideas. For me, the more the better! It is great for how I Iearn and create. I am looking forward to taking more sculpture classes! My goal is to incorporate 3-D into my current (new) mixed media.
Thanks so much! "
~ Tina B.~
"How I spent June: working (well, playing really) on some 3D encaustic pieces while taking two Zoom classes with Helen Dannelly. Fabulous instructor! Supportive and knowledgeable. And some amazing “classmates” whom I hope to meet in person when life becomes a little more normal. I did a lot of playing with different materials and plan to expand my experiments more in July. Great classes!"
~ Laureen W. ~
"Helen is quite simply a fabulous instructor! So knowledgable, enthusiastic and helpful. I highly recommend her classes!
~ Susan R. ~
"I enrolled in both the Beginning 3D Encaustic and the Continuing Explorations in 3D Encaustic . Both classes provide the encaustic artist the foundations to explore taking the medium in new and exciting directions. The classes were streamed via Zoom because of the pandemic and the instructor was patient in answering students’ questions and generous with her support well beyond the actual time spent together in the Zoom class.
In the follow-up Continuing Explorations class, Helen challenged students to build on the foundations from the Beginning class, encouraging students to begin to develop a body of 3D encaustic work. As in the first class, Helen shared her knowledge and time to support each student individually as we experimented with these new materials. She challenged us to think in new ways and gave generously of her support when we had questions or encountered problems in our work.”
~ Laureen W. ~
