Starting in September, the Berkeley Arts Council is offering art classes in-person at the Berkeley Art Works and via the Google Zoom application.  Are you looking for something new to do this fall?  Are you looking to broaden your techniques, learn a new medium, or work in another dimension?  The fall session begins September 7!  These classes offer a variety of media and will appeal to a range of ages and experiences.

Acrylic Paint and Palette Knife Technique is designed to help make a personal statement in your art.  Express emotions boldly and fearlessly, and open the door to mixing colors with great texture.  Using a palette knife, learn how the movement of the wrist will execute movement on the canvas or any surface on which you choose to work.  Bring a reference photograph or picture for inspiration.  This class will be held in person for four weeks on Tuesdays, 9:30-11:30am, beginning September 7.

The Creative You! is the first of a series of workshops exploring different styles of creating art projects in 3-dimensions.  In this exciting class, the instructor will guide students in defining and planning creative ideas and building their ideas in 3-D!  Participants will start creating using cardboard, and progress to making an abstract face, a marble maze, a pinball machine and a full head mask ready for any occasion.  Bring your ideas and get ready to exercise those creative muscles!  No prior art experience is necessary.  Designed for anyone ages 15 and older who wants to explore the possibilities of The Creative You!  Class will be held in person for four weeks on Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30pm, beginning September 21.

Creative Landscape Painting – Give your landscape painting that WOW factor!  Working from a single landscape reference photo, the instructor will present different approaches to painting your landscape scene with vastly different results.  This is a unique way to push your art into new dimensions, all the while learning composition and color theory beyond the usual.  Surprise yourself with new abilities to advance your artistic expertise.  Two sessions are being offered:  in person for four weeks on Wednesdays, 3:00-5:00pm, and via Zoom for four weeks on Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30pm.  Both sessions begin September 22.

Making Clay Tiles (Tessellations) – Students will make plaster molds and learn to make different types of clay tiles.  This class is being offered in two sessions:  in-person for four weeks on Thursdays, 2:00-4:00pm, and via Zoom for four weeks on Thursdays, 6:30-8:30pm.  Both sessions begin September 23.

Printmaking with Mixed Media – Print, the mark left on a surface by pressure:  the footprint on a beach, the imprint of a leaf, or texture of weathered wood.  The making of a print can be achieved by a wide variety of methods.  Making a permanent record of an object, and making a series of line impressions that differ in color or surface texture is only part of the intriguing craft of the printmaker!  This 6-week class will be held via Zoom on Saturdays, 9:00-11:00am, starting October 16.

Become a Color Pro focuses on all of the features, benefits and nuances of the primary colors.  Each week, participants will delve into the commonly known hues in each color family, starting with the reds, then the blues, and then the yellows; with the last class to focus on grays and blacks.  This class will give participants a firm foundation for determining which hue in a color family to use to get a specific effect.  Simple exercises will be presented for each color family and participants can use most any medium:  watercolor, acrylic or oil paint, or colored pencil (pastel not recommended).  This class is being offered in two sessions:  in person for four weeks on Wednesdays, 3:00-5:00pm, and via Zoom for four weeks on Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30pm.  Both sessions begin October 20.

Register now!! For more details, materials lists, schedules, class prices, and to register, visit https://berkeleyartswv.org/instruction/.  Pre-registration is required for all classes.  In-person classes will be held at the Berkeley Art Works, 116 N. Queen Street, Martinsburg, WV.  Please note:  Space is very limited for in-person classes.  All in-person class participants will be required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and wear masks while at the Berkeley Art Works.  Classes will be set up for distancing.  Direct questions via e-mail to instruction@berkeleyartswv.org, or call 304-620-7277 during business hours Wednesday through Friday, 11am – 5pm and Saturday, 11am – 4pm.

The Berkeley Arts Council is hosting the work of the Boys & Girls Club Annual Photography Competition from August 11 through 28 at the Berkeley Art Works, 116 N. Queen Street, Martinsburg, WV.

The Council has hosted this exhibit since 2014.  There are 13 young artists from the Boys & Girls Club of Berkeley County represented, ages 12 to 18, and 37 photographs created using conventional black & white and color film processes, as well as digital photography.  Subjects range from portraits to landscapes; still life, product shots and architecture.

The exhibit comes straight from the 74th Annual Berkeley County Youth Fair, where the work was displayed for judging from July 31 through August 7.  This year features work completed in 2020 and 2021.  There are 13 blue ribbons and numerous awards displayed in the show, including First Premium Award for “Mrs. Vicky”, by Travis Evans, Second Premium Award for “Secluded Glen”, by Aiden Murphy, and Third Premium Award for “Three Sopranos”, by Dakota Fiery.

The 9th Annual Eastern West Virginia Juried Exhibit features artwork by artists in the eight counties that comprise the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia: Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan, Hampshire, Hardy, Grant, Mineral, and Pendleton.

The Juror’s selections are in and the Juror, Ally Christmas, selected 21 works by 18 artists from 48 works submitted by 23 artists.

Here is the statement from the Juror:

“It was truly a pleasure to see such a wide variety of works from this community. I found it quite difficult to narrow down the selections as there was so much talent present throughout the entries. Ultimately, I honed in on a couple threads of commonality that led to this final grouping of works. After a year that has felt like 5 years, I found myself gravitating towards the pieces that invoked either a sense of peacefulness or a sense of whimsy – perhaps surreality or wonder, too. When brought together, these artworks may provide an escape from our harsh reality and offer some respite, no matter how brief. They are needed.”

The exhibit opens September 1 at the Berkeley Art Works, 116 North Queen Street in Martinsburg and will run through October 9, 2021.

The accepted artists and works are: