MAY ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
RENEE BEBEAU
Renee Luna Bebeau is a multi-faceted artist who lives and works in the Riverwest neighborhood in Milwaukee, WI. Her art practice includes painting, drawing, henna and etching. She has experience curating exhibitions and organizing large art events such as the Saint Kate (Pfister) Holiday Marketplace. Luna is curious about the life cycles of the natural world and enjoys cooking, gardening and composting as a way of observing nature and connecting with it. As a henna artist, she is able to have special moments with each client which links her to the community in a personal way. Making paintings of still life, florals and compost are her way of expressing the beauty that surrounds her. Being a reiki energy healer keeps her in touch with the vibrations of the universe. She shares a studio with her artist husband where they have a new print shop which has inspired her to further investigate the process of etching. Variety is the spice of life for her art practice which helps her to keep the work fresh and new.
The artist will be demonstrating at the CCC on May 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 26, 27: 12-5 pm
Henna Art and Cocktails with Renee Bebeau
Thursday, May 12: 6-9 pm
This beginner course introduces you to the art of henna! The instructor will share her tips and tricks with you as well as the history of henna, its uses and healing properties. As you sip your favorite libation, you will be guided in applying the henna paste to your skin to create intricate, temporary patterns. Each student receives a henna cone to practice with and sample designs. You are encouraged to bring some of your favorite designs for inspiration! What is henna and how long does it last? Henna is a paste derived from the leaves of the henna plant. In the ancient art of mehndi, the paste is applied to skin to create intricate ornamental temporary tattoos. The henna stain tends to last one to two weeks before it starts to take on a faded appearance. All supplies and first cocktail are included in the class fee.
$45 CCC Members / $54 Non-Members
JUNE ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
KRISTIN GJERDSET
Kristin Gjerdset is a professional artist and professor of art at Wisconsin Lutheran College (WLC) in Milwaukee, where she teaches painting, drawing and art history, and serves as the gallery manager. Her definition of the classroom goes beyond the typical four walls. Classes often involve local field trips to the zoo, museums, area parks and preserves, artist studios, galleries – wherever she believes students will be inspired to create. In addition, Norway, Costa Rica, France, Italy, Ireland, Iceland and the United States have been locations for many student trips. Her own life as an artist includes exhibiting but her best moments on the journey have been residency experiences at wilderness sites. She has been selected as the artist in residence to five national parks – Glacier, Everglades, Mesa Verde, Great Basin and Rocky Mountain, three Wisconsin state parks – Whitefish Dunes, Potawatomi and St. Croix – and Caribou Ranch Open Space in Nederland, Colorado. She also believes in the importance of sharing art at the local level and has been involved in teaching children from underserved areas of the city, painting murals, creating for chalk drawing events and participating in public art projects over the years. In addition to all that, Gjerdset enjoys time with her rescued animals – a family of dogs, cats, birds, and fish.
The artist will be demonstrating at the CCC on Wednesdays and Fridays, June 1, 10, 15, 17, 29: 10 am-3 pm
Mixing It Up: Mixed Media Workshop with Kristin Gjertset
Saturday, June 18: 12:30-4 pm
Explore different drawing and painting materials together to make a collage style page, bringing your creativity to life. The class will include guidance on compositional layout, techniques, observation, and sharing your ideas visually. Students are encouraged to bring images to work from as resources, such as photos and sketches; the instructor will have visual resources to work from and some supplies to experiment with as well. The supply list is available online.
$42 CCC Members / $50 Non-Members
JULY ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
JUDY CARLTON
July Artist in Residence
Judy Carlton began painting eight years ago after retiring from teaching and moving to South Carolina. Oils first, then acrylics, watercolors, pen-and-ink, and charcoal all appealed to her. Landscapes are especially interesting to her. She enjoys experimenting with different mediums and continues to take in-person and online classes. While in South Carolina, she became very involved with the Blue Ridge Art Center. She continues her involvement in the arts by teaching at the Cedarburg Cultural Center and participating in Cedarburg Artists’ Guild events, including the local Holiday Art Fair. Her goal is to continue to practice with a discriminating eye and to paint what “moves” her…with a twist of her own interpretation! Having taught for thirty years, she gravitated toward teaching all that she learned. In this same regard, she enjoys sharing these pleasures of art with others!
The artist will be demonstrating at the CCC on: Thursdays, July 7, 14, 21, 28: 12-3 pm
Vases ala CitraSolv with Judy Carlton
Saturday, July 23: 9 am-12 pm
Turn magazine pages into works of art! With a little magic solution (CitraSolv) on National Geographic Magazines, colors are beautifully changed. Choose to frame them, paint on top of them, stencil, cut or tear pages to make collages, cards, boxes or vases. The choices are endless! Students are to bring an 8 oz. bottle of CitraSolv (Amazon) (unopened); all other supplies are included in the class fee.
$38 CCC Members / $45 Non-Members
AUGUST ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
ELLEN ANDERSON
August Artist-in-Residence Ellen Anderson
Ellen Anderson paints in her studio on the Milwaukee River in Mequon, Wisconsin. Using light and atmosphere to tell a story, the paintings often show a myth-like reality of a time and place of importance and power that only nature lends. Currently, her oil paintings follow a theme of Wisconsin nature and women. She recently began a series of works portraying the strength, wisdom and complexities of women in her life. Working in watercolor/gouache for many years informs the often-thin layers of atmosphere her oils start with. Painting small for illustrations led her to now love painting large, to put a voice to the magic and majesty of our outdoors. Her paintings are in multiple collections throughout the country; she has received recognition and awards for the numerous solo and group shows she has participated in. She sold a greeting card line nationally, illustrated many children's books and illustrated for The National Wildlife Federation Currently, she is illustrating a series of children's books for Kohl's Building Blocks/Penfield Children's Center, about understanding differences.
The artist will be at the CCC on August 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 21,27: 12-3 pm
Into the Woods: Painting in Oils with Ellen Anderson
Tuesdays, September 20 & 27: 6-7:30 pm
Join award-winning oil painter in this two-session painting workshop that involves the exploration of using oils on canvas to portray depth, richness of color and light in forest scenes. Paint a wonderful wood scene of your own, while learning new brush techniques, how to loosen up your palette and how to create as you go. For beginners or those new to the woods! All levels welcome. We will study color-mixing and work with an impressionist style. Students need to bring a 16x20” canvas; all other supplies and tools are included.
$45 CCC Members / $54 Non-Members
SEPTEMBER ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
KELLY DARRAH
September Artist in Residence Kelly Darrah
Kelly Darrah received her BA in Art from UW-Stevens Point and her Master of Library and Information Sciences degree from UW-Milwaukee. She has worked in education for non-profit organizations and at the college level while raising her family. She also enjoyed participating in numerous shows and exhibits in the past 10 years. Recently, she illustrated a children’s book and completed the Artist’s Way program. Her current abstract body of work originated during the pandemic and is focused on a theme of individual words. This originated from a realization that she has always been inspired by the simple things. Communication and organization have been important concepts throughout her education and work experiences. “Individual words are one of simpler forms of communication. We often think that a word means only one thing, but there are usually more definitions and interpretations to consider.” She paints in acrylic her ideas and ponderings of words. Currently she is exploring mosaic as a medium using the words "inertia" and "synchronicity." Kelly continues to collect words and explore their formal, informal and other evolving definitions or interpretations that need to be considered.
Imaginary Lives Expressive Painting with Kelly Darrah
Thursday, September 29: 6-9 pm
In this workshop, students will create an expressive acrylic painting inspired by their imaginary life. What is an imaginary life? The concept of imaginary lives is taken from “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron. In a brief exercise, you will look inward to explore several other lives you imagine living. Will it be a dancer? An independently wealthy world traveler? (yes, please!) A yoga instructor? The President? The instructor will demonstrate how to create an abstract painting of the feelings about her imaginary life. With the opportunity to paint this theme expressively, students may experience the calling of how to bring the imaginary into reality. Several other concepts from “The Artist’s Way” will be presented. All supplies and tools are included.
$39 CCC Members / $47 Non-Members
