Yoga Art Camp...more to come!

Yoga is an art, a science, and a philosophy. It touches the life of man at every level: physical, mental, spiritual. It is a practical method for making one's life purposeful, useful, and noble." - B.K.S. Iyengar

Our neighborhood Yogini and cool, calm mother of three, Gretchen House taught an amazing week of movement, meditation, and art. Each day, Gretchen led students through a yoga practice, and Kayli followed up with a fun art project to deepen the experience.

Students made small wooden boats after practicing balance in Paripurna Navasana, boat pose. Look for a continuing after school yoga program for children this fall at Oil and Cotton! More information to come...

From the Darkroom and into the Sun with Cyanotypes

We had a full house this weekend. Students had the opportunity to play and experiment with the Cyanotype process, a.k.a. the blueprint. Here are a few images.

This student decided to move beyond botanical specimens and used a light bulb to produce her photogram print on fabric.

Our lovely model holds a muslin tote bag made during our class. A new Cyanotype class had been added on Saturday July 16th, 1-4pm. Visit our website to register online.

New Cyanotype Class on July 16th 1-4pm at Oil and Cotton

Our Cyanotype this weekend class filled up very quickly. To meet the demand, we added another class on July 16th. The cyanotype process, also known as the blueprint process, was first introduced by John Herschel in 1842 and has remained virtually unchanged since its invention.

Our workshop will introduce students to the history of the cyanotype process. Students will learn how to make sensitizing solutions and coat various natural fibered fabrics and papers. Photograms will be created with botanical specimens, feathers, lace, and other objects (no film, camera, or negatives needed). Students interested in experimenting with negatives or glass plate negatives should contact us before class. A large portion of the class will take place outside, as sunlight will be used to expose the cyanotypes.

Because the small class sizes, this workshop is adaptable for participants of all ages and levels of experience. There will be lots of one-on-one coaching. See examples of Cyanotypes here and here.

Anémic Cinéma Film Series Presents: "Buffet Froid (Bertrand Blier 1979)"

This Monday, June 27, 8-11pm will be our 6th meeting of the Anémic Cinéma Avant Garde Film Series! Please join us for this very clever, dark French comedy! Free fun, friends, and film. BYOB + food. (Donations accepted for pizza :):):)

Summer Camps Continue at Oil and Cotton

This week our campers have traveled way out west! Above are longhorn sculptures in progress. Visit our website to register for up coming camps! Read a lovely commentary on our camps in FrontRow.

Sculpture Camp!!!

Campers fashioned a wire armatures to form the skeleton of their sculptures. Foil was placed over the armature, then a layer of clay was sculpted over the foil. Texture and details were added with various clay tools (toothpicks and straws)! The final step was an application of paint.

Dream Catchers Sculpture Camp at Oil and Cotton

We had a dreamy class of all ages for our sculpture camp! The children were inspired by the four elements, earth, air, fire, and water.

Students learned to wrap hoops and weave a web. A dream books was filled with symbols of the four elements, dreams, drawings, and writing.

Dawing Art Camp at Oil and Cotton

We had a great group of students join us for our drawing camp this week. Students learned two different approaches, working from life and from a photograph. Focus was placed on seeing value and volume.

Watercolor Camp at Oil and Cotton

This week was full of amazing one day art camps for kids. Wednesday was dedicated to the the art of WATERCOLOR. Students learned techniques such as applying a flat wash of color, a graded wash, wet on wet, charging colors into other colors, and more.

Song Writing Camp

We had an amazing song writing camp! Kids of all ages formed bands, wrote and recorded songs, made band merchandise (CD covers, T-shirts) and performed their original songs...all in ONE WEEK!

The camp was taught by four talented Oak Cliff musicians, our very own Kayli House Cusick, David Karsten Daniels, Floramay Holliday Racz, and Mikal Beth Hughey.

We are certain that The Popsicle Girls, The Fire Works, Wreckage, and D.I.E. will be topping the music charts this summer!

Works on Paper Talk at the Turner House this Thursday 7-9pm

The Oak Cliff Society of Fine Arts is excited to present this interactive event in collaboration with Oil & Cotton and The Book Doctor.  Shannon Driscoll and Candice McKay will discuss the proper care and restoration of important and heirloom works on paper such as documents, artwork and antique books.  This will be followed by one-on-one consultations with attendees who bring an artifact from their own collection.  Items should be unframed, if possible.  Shannon and Candice will give recommendations on how to care for the item and discuss its historical significance. 

This event is free for OCSFA members.  Tickets for non-member are $15, available on our website www.turnerhouse.org  or at the door with cash or check.

Celebrate Craft with Etsy and Oil and Cotton

 Etsy Dallas and Oil & Cotton present Etsy Craft Party 

 Friday, June 10, 7-9 p.m.

at Oil & Cotton, 837 W. 7th Street, Dallas, Texas 75208

Free, open to the public

Celebrate the craft in your community as we mark Etsy’s birthday with a local party. This event is free; open to the public. The party will include make-and-take crafts, a community collage, spinning demonstrations, a community weaving project, a photo booth, food, drink, raffle prizes, and a screening of the documentary “Handmade Nation.” Come meet local artists and learn about the handmade scene in Dallas.

Etsy, based in Brooklyn, NY, is an online marketplace for handmade goods, supplies, and vintage.

Etsy Dallas, the original Dallas team and the first city team in Texas, is a cooperative, all-volunteer group of artists, crafters and designers living and working in Dallas who sell their work on Etsy.com. The team boasts talent from a range of mediums and crafts, and is independently run by its members.

DIY Father's Day Project freatured in Dallas Child

The folks at Dallas Child asked us to  design a project for families to do together. A field guide is a book used by explorers and dreamers to sketch and write about the wonderful world that surrounds them. Visit Dallas Child to learn how to use recycled materials to make this family project.

Paint Party at Oil and Cotton

Join us for a relaxing Friday evening of drawing, color mixing, and painting on canvas. Sign up with a friend and bring your favorite libations. All supplies are provided to complete an 8x10 canvas painting. Students may upgrade to larger canvas, available in our art supply store. All levels welcome.

This summer, we will work from a succulent still life. Students will have choices as to how to interpret it, with creative and technical guidance provided. We will accommodate all artistic levels and interests, and students will have the option to draw an original or work from an existing composition, mix their own colors or use a custom palette. Canvases, easels, and easy to use supply kits will be available in our store for continued painting after class.

Visit our website for dates and to register online.