14th Annual Shakerag Workshops Begin on June 11
Thursday, June 8, 2017
Shakerag Workshops begins its 14th season of week-long arts workshops for adults on June 11. Taking place on the campus of St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School, Shakerag welcomes 150 artists from across the United States for classes in a variety of arts media. This year’s sessions run June 11–17 and June 18–24.
The general public is welcome to join workshop participants for artists’ talks and lectures each evening in McCrory Hall for the Performing Arts on the SAS campus. The Shakerag Lectures are held on Wednesday and begin at 7:30 p.m. This June, Chattanooga sculptor John Henry will speak on Wednesday, June 14. On Wednesday, June 21, Nashville art collector and writer Betsy Wills will speak about the modern art scene from her perspective as a writer for ArtStormer, a popular arts blog. Everyone is welcome to a reception and exhibition of Shakerag faculty work in the SAS Gallery following the lectures. The SAS Gallery is located in the Simmonds Building, a short walk from McCrory Hall. Artists’ talks are held at 7:15 p.m. on the other evenings.
“It has been exciting to watch Shakerag Workshops grow over the years,” says director Claire Reishman. “This year we have teachers coming from all across the United States—Texas to New York, Massachusetts to Hawaii—and one teacher from Canada. Our classes include jewelry, natural dyeing, pottery, painting, photography, sewing, print making and digital arts. Additionally, in 2017 several area teachers have been awarded a grant to attend a mural painting workshop at Shakerag, so that they can develop the skills necessary to create murals with their own students in their local schools.
Shakerag Workshops attract a diverse group of artists who enjoy the gourmet meals and social gatherings surrounding the classes almost as much as they enjoy the workshops themselves. Most classes are open to a wide range of participants, and beginners and professionals take classes together. The inclusive atmosphere of Shakerag is one of the hallmarks of the program, and teachers over the years have commented on the vitality of classes which include students with a range of experience.
“Though the program has grown over the years,” says Reishman, “we have worked to retain the sense of closeness among faculty and students that we had as a smaller program, and those who have attended classes say that they leave Shakerag feeling refreshed and energized to continue developing their artistic interests.”
The Shakerag Workshops website