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Kala Art Institute News - April 4, 2024

Arts and Entertainment

April 8, 2024

From: Kala Art Institute

KALA 50 is Open for Viewing and Bidding!

As you all know, this is a big year for Kala ~ Kala is turning 50 ~ and you are all invited to join the festivities starting with the auction! KALA 50, Kala's annual art auction benefit is extra special this year as we celebrate this half century milestone. The artwork is incredible and we LOVE hearing about everyone’s favorite pieces. 7 works of art have already sold with the buy it now option and the bids are heating up on other works of art. Get in on the action today! To browse, bid and support Kala, visit the auction site here and below: https://kala50.givesmart.com - or stop by the Kala gallery, Tues-Fri, 12-5pm to see and bid on the work in person. Tickets are on sale now for the April 27th auction closing and 50th anniversary party, Saturday, April 27, 6-9pm at the Kala gallery. We look forward to celebrating with you and raising funds to support Kala's mission and work!

Purchase KALA 50 Tickets

Save the Date - West Berkeley Print Festival

Date and Time: Saturday, May 18, 12-6pm

Location: Kala Gallery

Celebrate spring and the art of printmaking and more! Join us for a fun day of art activities! From a community art workshop and artist demos to art sales and studio tours, stop by during the day and see what’s happening at Kala. The festival wraps up with an opening reception for Kala's 50th anniversary exhibition Under the Sky. We hope to bring together our local community of artists, youth, and families for a day of sharing and experiencing art in West Berkeley. Free and open to all ages.

Learn More

See You This Summer at Camp Kala 2024!

Registration will open on April 5th!

Camp Kala Summer Youth Arts Program offers your child a safe, fun, and creative experience during our week-long camps in painting and drawing, mixed media, sculpture, digital photography, and more! Our art camps are led by Kala Art Institute’s fabulous teaching artists who work closely with campers to explore and develop new art projects and artistic skills. Class sizes are small so everyone receives individual attention safely, and participants have the opportunity to learn, share, connect, and celebrate their work. Discover new creativity during the summer at Camp Kala!

Learn More

Adult Art Classes Highlights

Mokuhanga 2: Intermediate Japanese Woodblock

Saturdays, April 13-27, 10am-4pm

Instructor: Tomoko Murakami

Location: Kala Community Classroom

Further your exploration of the art of Mokuhanga in this intermediate Japanese woodblock printing workshop. Learn more about key-block technique including the kento registration system, tool maintenance and a selection of Japanese paper. This is a valuable class for anyone interested in developing the ukiyo-e technique, one of the oldest and most expressive forms of printmaking.

Register Now

Intro to Acrylic Painting

Sundays, April 14-May5, 10am-4pm

Instructor: Zimo Zhao

Location: Kala Community Classroom

Introduces students to the fundamentals of acrylic painting and explores traditional and contemporary techniques through a variety of subjects including imagination, still life, self-portrait, landscape, and figure. Gain a deeper understanding of acrylic as a medium of painting and expression. No experience necessary, all are welcome!

Register Now

Digital Photography Basics

Saturdays, May 4-11, 10am-4pm

Instructor: Joffrey Baylon

Location: Kala Printmaking Studio

This course is for individuals of all experience levels, including those who are new to digital photography or have recently acquired a digital camera. Join us to unlock the potential of digital photography and embark on a journey of visual storytelling and creative expression.

Register Now

Mixed Media Dry Point Etching

Saturdays, May 4-11, 10am-1pm

Instructor: Kelsey Jones

Location: Kala Printmaking Studio

Students will learn how to etch into plexiglass, register and prepare paper, print with an etching press and add collage methods into the process. There are limitless possibilities with this method! No printmaking experience required, all are welcome.

Register Now

All Adult Classes

Spring Teen Studio Programs

Drawing For Teens (Spring)

Tuesdays, April 9-May 21, 4:00-5:30pm

Instructor: Ali Vaughan

Location: Kala Gallery & Classroom

During this spring session, we will focus on drawing as a form of design and imagination. Teens will learn how to use drawing skills to draw things that they cannot see or observe in the world around them, but rather that come from their own imaginations and ideas. Students will practice prompts and tasks that encourage them to generate new and creative ideas and learn about drawing as the most immediate way to capture an idea as it appears. All levels are welcome.

Register Now

Teen Studio: Acrylic Painting

Mondays, April 8-May 6, 4-6pm

Instructor: Yael Levy

Location: Kala Community Classroom

This 5-session class will offer students the opportunity to dive deeper into the art of painting. We will look at some great masters of painting as well as contemporary and local artists and consider composition, color theory, subject matter, and the many different textures and layers one can achieve with acrylic. We will try painting from observation, photos, and our imaginations and have a chance to work on more than one painting simultaneously as we start to consider the idea of a series. All levels welcome.

Register Now

Teen Studio After School (Spring)

Wednesdays, April 10-May 22, 4-6pm

Instructor: Yael Levy

Location: Kala Gallery & Classroom

During this spring session, teens will continue to explore different modes of expression and creative processes while improving technical, representational, and conceptual skills. In this supportive studio environment, participants will gather weekly in skill-based art-making projects and practice different drawing, design, and print media tools and techniques including other mixed media to further explore visual storytelling and artivism. All levels welcome.

Register Now

Teen Studio: In Focus - Studio Photography

Thursdays, April 11-May 2, 4-6pm

Instructor: Lee Oscar Gomez

Location: Kala Community Classroom & Digital Lab

In this photo class, teens will learn the fascinating history and multifaceted applications of studio photography such as fundamentals of the medium such as lighting, working with live models, and composing images within the frame. Participants will also learn about the historical roots of portraiture and how studio photographers influenced the world of fashion as we know it. All levels welcome but participants should be familiar with their camera?s settings.

Register Now

Not sure if you?d like to register yet? Sign up for a Trial Day/Drop-In session now!

10% multi-session / sibling discount and tuition assistance are available.

More News... In Brief:

- Follow Kala?s new IG account, @kalagallery_berkeley, for auction highlights and to see work from Kala?s gallery and art sales program!

- Southern Exposure?s 50th Anniversary Art Auction is on Saturday, April 13, 6pm. Learn more.

- Bedford Gallery is accepting submissions for their summer 2024 exhibition, Collage!. Deadline to apply April 18.

- O?Hanlon Center for the Arts? Cascade Canyon Artist in Residence application now open, deadline May 1.

- This year marks fifty years of Kala supporting artists and engaging the community. We have exciting plans ahead to make sure Kala is thriving for the next fifty years. Donate today to help launch Kala's Fund for the Future.