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Karl Lorenzen

Sacred geometry has fascinated artists, scientists, and philosophers for centuries. In this 3-week online course, we will learn the traditional craft, vocabulary and “alphabet” of sacred geometry. Through lecture, demonstration, and walking through this meditative process together — using a bow compass, straight edge and pencil — we will experience first hand how to draw the Platonic Solids, other classical geometric forms, and beautiful Islamic tiling patterns. And we will construct 3D models of those shapes, transforming common paper plates into meditative objects of transcendent form.

The course material for “Meditations on Scared Geometry” is accessible to people at all levels of ability: no previous math or art experience is required.

NOTE: Students must have access to a computer with a web browser for this ONLINE ONLY course, and may need to download free software to use some course features. Password-protected access to the course website is permitted only during the dates that this course is being held; PASSWORDS WILL BE ISSUED THE NIGHT BEFORE THE COURSE BEGINS; and user accounts will be deleted once the course is over. Audio-visual materials on the website are not downloaded but streamed through the web browser. Open Center Online Learning courses give students access to teachers and other students through several interactive tools on the course websites.

Please view our F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions) for more detailed information about Open Center Online Learning courses.

AN ONLINE COURSE
February 20-March 11, 2012 (3 weeks)
12OLASI101
$110 No Member Discount

Karl Lorenzen
Karl Lorenzen is a professional artist who has studied and taught Sacred Geometry since 2000. In 2010 he co-presented “Alexandria’s Influence on the Islamic Art of Andalusia” at the Open Center symposium “NYC Esoteric Gathering.” Karl was a 2010 Artist in Residence at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY.

Patricia Butynski

In its purest form, abstract art doesn’t seek to create pieces that “look like” something; instead, a work’s color, form and inner feeling are its subjects. A central focus of this class is the harnessing of contrasts (rough vs. smooth, direction vs. shape, organic vs. geometric, etc.) to create striking paintings. We will engage in a range of skill-building exercises to learn how to make choices, recognize what is dominant in a painting, resolve problems, and develop foundational skills in design, the underpinning of all painting, looking at the work of such masters as Kandinsky and Pollack. This course will give you the tools to communicate how you feel on a canvas and rekindle your passion for the pure love of the process of painting.

Not: We will be using DaVinci watercolors. A materials list will be supplied upon registration.  Approximate cost is $45 for required supplies.

A WEEKLY COURSE
(5 sessions) Tuesdays, April 17–May 15, 8–10pm
12WAV37T
Members: $150 / Nonmembers: $160
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Judith Farber

Judith Farber Photograph

In this class, renowned photographer Judith Farber will show us how to make our images truly distinctive. In a dynamic, fun-filled atmosphere, we will head out into the streets to acquire superior photo compositional skills, learning how to: frame a scene; know what to shoot before clicking the shutter; use shadows/lines/patterns and backgrounds; capture a whole story in one shot; and understand the laws governing street photography.

Note: This class is excellent for beginners but will benefit people at all photographic levels. Point-and-shoot to DSLRs are welcome (LCD screen necessary), but no tripods or flash. The 4 sessions include 2 at outdoor locations. Educational materials and meeting instructions for outdoor locations provided on registration.

A WEEKLY COURSE
(4 sessions, meeting twice a week)
Saturdays, April 14, 3-5pm (Bethesda Fountain), and April 21, 3-5pm (Chinatown) Mondays at the Open Center, April 16 & 23, 8–10pm
12WAV28T
Members: $130 / Nonmembers: $140
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Susan Webb Tregay, NWS, TWSA, WHS

Susan Webb Tregay Watercolor

What makes a painting outstanding? Two of the most important factors are the content of a work and the color strategies used in composing it. Susan Tregay has designed an approach to color that employs eight core strategies, including: the use of cool colors; the balance and contrast of warm and cool colors, of bright and gray colors, etc. This approach trains the eye, teaching us how to create mood with color. When it comes to content, the secret ingredient that turns a painting into fine art is how we choose to put ourselves into a painting instead of copying what we see. Today, through demonstrations, digital presentations, discussions, and plenty of painting practice with individual help, we will discover how to take our work to new heights of expressiveness.

Note: A materials list will be supplied upon registration. Materials will cost approximately $45 or less. You are encourage to also bring existing supplies you may own; the list will indicate what kind. This course is taught in watercolor, but its strategies apply to all artists at every level working in every media.

A ONE-DAY WORKSHOP
Saturday, April 14, 10am—5:30pm
12WAV38S
Members: $120 / Nonmembers: $130
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Debbie Wels

All of us contain a wide range of inner personas in the rich symphony which is the human psyche. Some of these are what Jung called “archetypes,” universal mythic themes (the hero, the villain, the seer, the rebel, the lover, etc.) that populate the collective unconscious and are expressed culturally in figures such as super heroes. Drawing on specific archetypes to strengthen aspects of our lives we may have neglected can be deeply empowering. In this class we will use art, journaling, writing, sound and visualization to help reclaim creative parts of our spirit that we have suppressed to help us express and integrate our own innate super powers. (Capes and magic wands not included). Please bring a journal.

Note: A materials fee of $10 is payable to the instructor.

A WEEKLY COURSE
(6 sessions) Mondays, March 19-
April 23, 1:30-3pm
12WAO00T
Members: $120 / Nonmembers: $130
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or call 212-219-2527 x 2.

by Judith Farber

My passion is photographing split second moments. Just from holding a camera and being a devout people watcher, the challenge of being quick on the shutter and creating well-framed images keeps my creativity flowing and my eyes and my heart open.

I learned not to be afraid to photograph on the streets. I just picked up my camera and forced myself to photograph strangers, quickly and discreetly.

We have an instinctual awareness of who we should be afraid of, who likes us, who doesn't, etc. Tapping into that part of ourselves is a virtue, a valuable tool when shooting on the streets. It’s knowing who to approach and who not to. Subjects are more themselves when they do not feel threatened, and tend to calm down if you honor and respect them, look them in the eye and are kind.

I might ask...."do you mind if I take your photo? I think you are very appealing, look great, interesting, and this inspires me." A compliment draws them in closer.

And of course a smile goes a long way.

I do not ask them to do something FOR my camera. I keep it natural, working around them, letting them be who they are, and always showing gratitude. Sometimes I get their number/email, send a photo, if that feels right.

Three Ways To Shoot Street Photos

1. Communicate with your subject
If you honor them, they will rarely be upset. If you take their photo and they see you shooting and then you just turn and walk away, it might feel to them like you've taken a piece of their soul.

Perfectly stated by my NY Open Center participant, Gabriella,"...I was reminded, from the man in Harlem, who shouted at us to stop taking pictures, of the personal struggles we each have to deal with and how, sometimes, we don't want anyone coming into our space, to take one more thing, after so much has already been taken."

2. Photographing a moment without them knowing
Telling a story, a quick interaction, being discreet, a Henri Cartier-Bresson moment.

3. Photographing people in hard times
Photographing people in hardship, suffering, a dynamic that feels unfair or unjust. Some people do NOT want their life to be a secret, desiring others to be aware of their plight. Even in the hardest of times, with the right approach of calmness, quiet and respect, there could appear a visual exchange of understanding which honors them and their situation.

Remember it’s the people, the subjects who are most important. The camera is only a tool to communicate. When I am refused a photo I might discuss it, but always with an apology. Other times I just talk, keeping my camera hidden. Those moments are cherished too.

Because of photography, I have been given extraordinary moments, a mix of friends from around the world and a purpose in life. I share emotions from my perspective. It's all there with every step.

I teach street photography in NYC. You can check out my teaching schedule on my website: http://SundaysInNY.com

Hope to see you in class!
Judith
http://judithfarber.com
©judith farber

Judith Farber will be teaching Street Photography: The Art of Seeing at the Open Center beginning on Sunday, October 16th.  For complete details click here.

Between the Worlds 1

Jadina Lilien

“Butterfly Against the Wind” is based on the artist/filmmaker Jadina Lilien’s impressions of being in South Dakota on the Cheyenne River Reservation. At the invitation of Tiokasin Ghosthorse (WBAI Radio in NYC: First Voices), Lilien was invited to take photographs on this reservation where he grew up. The work made during this period, a series of digital pigment prints that utilize a multimedia photographic process, is a direct result from the artist’s time spent during these visits. The photographs incorporate the time bound documented images of the romanticized Indian and the present day conditions of the reservation. There are varying degrees of adding additional painting or “mark making” to the photographs. This process at times can be almost undetectable, enabling the image to be clearly visible, or at times, selectively obscuring the image, and creating a new narrative. www.jadinalilien.com

A GALLERY OPENING
Exhibit runs October 15–November 19
Opening Reception:
Saturday, October 15, 5:30–8pm

The Stars Left Trails

Vincent Fast Horse

Douglas Beasley

Horse in the Badlands, South Dakota

Coinciding with the publication of his photography book Earth Meets Spirit, Beasley explores the spiritual aspects of people and place and is concerned with how the sacred is recognized and expressed in everyday life. He hopes that his photographs act as prayer-like offerings meant as a departure point for the viewer’s own visual or spiritual journey. Much of his personal projects, including “Sacred Sites of the Lakota,” “Disappearing Green Space,” “Silent Witness: Genocide and the Landscape,” “Sacred Places” and “Earth Meets Spirit” are supported by grants and commissions and have been widely exhibited and collected. His work has been published internationally and featured in numerous magazines such as Zoom, The Sun, B&W, Shots, PDN, & PhotoVision. www.douglasbeasley.com

A GALLERY OPENING
Exhibit runs December 3, 2011–January 7, 2012
Opening Reception:
Saturday, December 3, 6:30–9pm

Road to Sheep Table, Badlands, South Dakota

Indigenous Man Making Offering, San Andreas Ixtapa, Guatemala

Avron Soyer

The use of shapes, textures, and colors in abstract painting offers us an exhilarating way to access and express personal and universal dreams, emotions, symbols and archetypes in their purest forms. In this class, we will paint to music and poetry to stimulate our visual creativity and discover our personal style. We will use oil pastels or cray-pas (crayon and pastels, often used by Picasso), a simple and fast medium, which involves no palette mixing, dries quickly, and allows us to paint on any surface without prep work. Cray-pas’s versatility will free you to play and create your own style.

Note: Required materials: Please bring a box of 25 cray-pas oil pastels (Expressionist brand); a large 24 x 18 Strathmore pad. Approximate value $20.

A WEEKLY COURSE
(5 sessions) Thursdays, January 12–
February 16, 2012, 8–10pm
No class on January 19.
11FAV33T
Members: $150 / Nonmembers: $165
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Judith Farber

In this class, renowned photographer Judith Farber will show us how to make our images truly distinctive. In a dynamic, fun-filled atmosphere, we will head out into the streets to acquire superior photo compositional skills, learning how to: frame a scene; know what to shoot before clicking the shutter; use shadows/lines/patterns and backgrounds; capture a whole story in one shot; and understand the laws governing street photography.

Note: This class is excellent for beginners but will benefit people at all photographic levels. Point-and-shoot to DSLRs are welcome (LCD screen necessary), but no tripods or flash. The 4 sessions include 2 at outdoor locations. Educational materials and meeting instructions for outdoor locations provided on registration.

Read the following article by Judith Farber, Photographing People on the Street.

A WEEKLY COURSE
(4 sessions, meeting twice a week)
Sundays, October 16, 3–5pm (Harlem)
and October 23, 2–4pm (The High Line)
Tuesdays at the Open Center,
October 18 & 25, 8–10pm
11FAV28T
Members: $130 / Nonmembers: $140
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