The Winter 2010 session of ASAP starts January 14. We are thrilled to offer the following exciting studios:

Digital Photography, Instructors: Sean O'Leary and Mike Crall. Students will learn how to use a digital camera, will create a notebook of samples to learn photography-related vocabulary and techniques, and will do a variety of hands-on photography projects. They will learn to edit their work and prepare prints for exhibition, taking into consideration cropping, matting, framing, and other issues. Sean is a professional photographer and owner of Soulstice Photography Studio. Mike is former Director of Marketing at the Des Moines Art Center and an amateur photographer.

Mexica/Aztec Dance, Instructors: Dawn Martinez Oropeza and Juan Carlos Romero. Students will learn about the contributions of the Aztec/Mexica people, including the Aztec calendar, dancing, drumming, and several words in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs which is still spoken by 1.4 million people in Mexico. Students will experience the wholeness of the Mexica society as they experience the teachings of the calendar through learning a traditional blessings dance. Dawn is in charge of arts education and community programs at the Iowa Arts Council; Juan Carlos is her husband. Their traditional Aztec dance company presents a variety of workshops around Iowa.

Mixed Media: The Me, Myself, and I Book, Instructor: Toni Lampley. If your name was in lights what would it look like?  If you were a flower what would you be?  Each student will create a book about him- or herself, exploring likes and dislikes using a variety of art materials and techniques. Toni is a self-employed artist and entrepreneur. Her "Designing Life" projects focus on empowering adolescent girls through art. This studio is not limited to girls—everyone is welcome.

Painting, Instructor: Jill Wells. Students will select and learn about a famous painter and their work, then make their own painting in the style of that artist. Jill is a returning Teaching Artist at ASAP and is a professional mural painter. She is excited to meet her new class of students and get the paintbrushes moving again.

Screen Printing: T-shirts, Posters, and More, Instructor: Tim Schmitt. Students will learn the art of screen printing while designing and creating their own T-shirts, posters, and other original works of art. Participants will build all the equipment from scratch and will learn how to creatively use inexpensive and/or recycled materials. Students will demonstrate their completed work, guide parents in a hands-on lesson, and take home their finished pieces and the materials they've created for continued use on their own time. Tim is a writer/editor in the marketing office at Drake University. He plays drums in an area rock band and has experience with a wide variety of artistic media. He has led workshops for the Girl Scouts of Iowa, among other organizations.