R&F Core: Catalyst Art Lab & More
R&F Core Instructor Jeff Hirst
R&F Core Instructors Jeff Hirst, Lisa Pressman, and Susan Stover, along with artists Paula Roland and Helen Dannelly met years ago through their work in encaustic, although they each come at it in different ways through other mediums. Sue’s work is steeped in textiles; Jeff is a printmaker; Lisa is a painter; Paula makes encaustic monotypes; and Helen does both painting and sculpture. Over the past several years they have taught, exhibited, and collaborated, forging connections with fellow artists and students, and helping to build a strong community around sharing ideas and challenges. They would often get private messages from people who wanted to know if there was a way to connect after our class, to go deeper with content, and to stay motivated.
R&F Core Instructor Lisa Pressman
With these queries in mind, they banded together. As practicing artist-teachers, they spent months discussing how they could continue the dialogue with those who have studied with them over the years. They decided on the name "Catalyst Art Lab," since a catalyst is an accelerating agent for change and a lab is an exploratory space for discovery.
Artist Paula Roland
Catalyst Art Lab (CAL) is as an online space to gather and learn. On catalystartlab.com they have live and recorded class offerings in multiple painting mediums, including printmaking, sculpture, fiber, and mixed-media. You can subscribe via email for notifications about upcoming offerings.
It will also serve as a robust and engaging artists' membership community. Members will be able to share their work and receive supportive feedback from peers and the cofounders, as well build the skills one needs as an artist aesthetically, conceptually, and professionally. Members will have access to weekly live Zoom office hours where they can ask questions about materials and processes, as well as weekly critique sessions with one of the co-founders.
R&F Core Instructor Susan Stover
Artist Helen Dannelly
Every week Catalyst Art Lab will have a “Monday Mashup” where they present new content such as material demos, tips for getting unstuck, small works challenges, book and film recommendations, and more. Members and founders will regularly post a range of lively topics important to artists. And once a month they will do interviews with artists and arts professionals and have a panel discussion on topics of interest to members.
Everything is recorded and can be accessed at your convenience.
Enrollment is now open and new members will be accepted until Friday, Nov. 20 at midnight EST. To learn about monthly membership options, visit catalystartlab.com.
R&F Core Instructor Dietlind Vander Schaaf has a virtual tour of her current encaustic exhibition at Portland Art Gallery on her YouTube channel. She offers private mentoring and will be running additional virtual workshops this spring. dietlindvanderschaaf.com.
R&F Core Instructor Michelle Belto is offering online instruction, including a series called “Tuesday Tips and Techniques,” through a new teaching site at michelle-belto-studios.teachable.com. Her next class will be a three week online hybrid class that includes live Zoom meetings, videotaped demos, critique, and an online gallery.
R&F Core Instructor Leslie Giuliani has excellent demo tutorial videos on her website including ones on collage, working with stencils, monotypes on Encausticflex, and creating gold and silver leaf effects. She also makes fantastic Dura-Lar stencils for use with encaustic and Pigment Stick. lesliegiuliani.com.
R&F Core Instructor Jodi Reeb was awarded a 2021 Project Space grant in the amount of $10,000 from Kolman & Pryor Gallery, an initiative designed to help Minnesota visual artists create important projects that will significantly impact and advance their careers. She offers small, socially-distant studio workshops, as well as online workshops and private art coaching. jodireeb.com
R&F Core Instructor Julie Snidle was also awarded a $10,000 2021 Project Space grant from Kolman & Pryor Gallery. She will be a guest artist in December at the Dauphin Island Heritage Arts Council's Gallery, in Dauphin Island, Alabama. juliesnidle.com
R&F Core Instructor Caryl St. Ama is currently exhibiting in SPACE for Old Broads; An exploration of Space at Roswell Space Gallery in Los Angeles, California. This show features women artists over the age of 50 in the greater Los Angeles area and is intended to highlight the creative work of women of a certain age in a city where being young is often valued more. roswell.space/s-p-a-c-e-for-old-broads.