Registration under way for SFA's Educators' Summer Art Studio

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Plans are being finalized for the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art's Educators' Summer Art Studio taking place Sunday through Thursday, June 21 through 25, on the SFA campus.

The week-long studio experience is designed for teachers interested in the arts who want to work with professional artists using a variety of media and processes, according to Dr. Cala Coats, assistant professor of art education at SFA.

"Attendees will enjoy the immersive creative learning environment that provides time and space to experiment with a community of artists and educators," Coats said. Attendees can also earn Continuing Professional Education credits.

Formerly called the Summer Retreat for Art Educators, the name was changed to The Educators' Summer Art Studio in the hope of attracting teachers from a range of disciplines in the coming years, Coats said.

"We have a great community of art teachers, and we hope to expand our community to any educator interested in art making," she said. "We feel that a math or English teacher can gain as much from the experience and may bring a different perspective on the art-making processes."

New artists are invited each year to introduce attendees to a wide range of art processes.

"This summer, we have mixed-media artist and designer Joy O. Ude visiting from Philadelphia to lead the workshop," Coats said.

Ude is currently working at The Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia, Pa. Her work has been exhibited in several regional and national shows, including CraftTexas, Fantastic Fibers and Fiberart International. She will work with attendees on multimedia projects that mix printing and fibers techniques. Additional workshops by SFA faculty and graduate students will explore dyeing processes, ceramics, image transfer and more.

"We have extended registration this year until June 10," Coats said. "Even if it is too late for people to join this year, we hope to build interest for the future."

Details and registration forms can be found at http://www.art.sfasu.edu/summerartstudio. For additional information, contact Coats at coatsc@sfasu.edu or Dr. Bill Nieberding at nieberdiwj@sfasu.edu.