We have  8 weeks until the Spring Studio Course begins.

 Life is getting busy at 300 Shore Road in Cornwall-On-Hudson. During the break we are shrinking our footprint on the shop floor - reducing the deck space - in order to economize on our rent. 

   The dream of finding an adequate shop space (ideally closer to the city) has become somewhat more distant in this inflationary era; also the idea of picking up and moving was not only unaffordable, but also made us rather sad. Shore Road is the "original" scene shop in the Hudson Valley: many of the shops we know today - including Cigar Box - had their start here in the 70's and 80's and the paint deck is still in use.  As I thought about it , I realized I have been coming to paint scenery in this space  (originally for Nolan's) for 36 years! I greet that ancient gang sink as a familiar old curmudgeon that somehow - amazingly - still functions.

    So we're thinking of improvements. We're hoping to add a long wall separating the school from the PRG storage space, which will give us some more display room. We also have added LED fixtures that are a decent 3400 Kelvin - a warmish color that has evened out our work areas. For my part, I will try to avoid buying the off-brand K-cups and will also pledge to keep the Snack Jar somewhat full.

   During this break we also are thinking about opening the space to 829 applicants to work on the required samples they need for the Track A and Track B exams. Since Track B will be condensed this year into a "one day portfolio review" with no Studio Paint Day, producing very good samples will become all the more important to have in one's portfolio. The details of an Open Sample Studio still need to be worked out; we'll post those when we have them.

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Please check out our Curriculum page to read how our School works. It's not the usual art school.

    In the 12-week Studio Class, Instructor Jeff Baringer will carry on with the Panel Molding/Ornament (Donut) Project as he has done for the last several years, but with an updated Ornament and frame design, and I will be teaching Returning Students on Landscape, Color Theory, Trompe L'oeil, etc.  We also have begun the practice of daily sketching ; everyone receives a small sketchbook at the first class and I ask everyone to try to do a sketch a day during the week. Students will discuss their drawings and we post them in the classroom. 

    As usual, there will be 12 classes, 5 1/2 hours long - we will go from 9am- 2:30 pm.   Information and Registration Forms are available on this Page and on the Tuition and Registration Page.

    The Founder of the Studio and Forum, Joe Forbes, will be joining us from time to time to teach and to attend Critiques as a Judge to keep us in line. We will continue to invite Guest Instructors.

   The School is still requiring everyone - staff and students - to be vaccinated for Covid. If you are new to the School, there is a form  that you must sign to attest to the fact of your vaccination, and you won't be admitted if you're not, no exceptions.  The CDC and New York State have relaxed their masking rules, but we all want to feel safer - this virus is still hanging around! For some people, it may be wise to wear a mask but it's not required anymore.  More on the protocols on the Health and Safety page.

   We also ask new students to sign a Photo Release because we post your work frequently on our Facebook page. 

  The Studio and Forum is ready to welcome New and Returning students for the Sample Studio and the Spring Semester.

                                                                 

                              -Jane Snow 

                                        Instructor and Managing Director