the workshops
Kirah's teaching techniques are inclusive, allowing all to reach that "can-do" state, and they are measured, covering a great amount of information in segments that can be comfortably absorbed.
Sandra (former student)
Kirah offers a variety of educational opportunities. As a certified Golden Artist-Educator, Marabu USA Artist-Educator, and Silver Brush Educator, Kirah has tremendous insight and experience with materials, and professional history in both traditional and contemporary processes. She teaches acrylics, watercolors, oils, pastel, mixed media, monoprinting (gelli arts), and creates custom programming for the individual or small groups.
• private consultation
• private custom in-studio technical/creative exercises
• private workshops customized for art organizations and non-profit entities
• studio courses through museums/associations, regional and international
• college adjunct art appreciation and studio courses
Check out the current lineup of classes and workshops...
Art Appreciation Lecture Series:
Picasso & Matisse: How a Friendship Revolutionized Art
Dec. 8, Sun. 2:30 - 4:00 pm Conference Room
CAM member: $15; Non-member: $20
Adult: All Levels
Survey the motivation, influences, and relationship
that inspired these two prolific creatives to produce a
lifetime of art unmatched. Museum School teaching
artist, Kirah is adjunct instructor at Johnston
Community College, Cape Fear Community College,
and leads regional and international workshops.
2020 Workshops
Museum School at CAM winter courses and workshops
Register here.
The Basics: Line, Shape, Color
March 5 - March, 2020
Cameron Art Museum - Pancoe Studio
A wonderful intro to painting fundamentals for the beginner or refresher for the more seasoned student-artist. Focus on the building blocks of dynamic paintings: values, composition, and color basics. Working from still lifes and photos, along with instructor demos and plenty of painting exercises, target the essentials upon which to build dynamic paintings. Acrylic and oil welcome; instructor demos in acrylic.
Adult: All Levels - 2020/2 P4
Mar. 5 - 26, Thu. 1:00 - 4:00p (4-wk class) Pancoe
CAM member: $132; Non-member: $165
Allegory and Abstraction
March 5 - March 26, 2020
Thursdays 6 - 9 pm
Cameron Art Museum - Pancoe
CAM member: $132 ; Non-member: $165+ $5 material fee
This class offers pathways to developing a more abstract process that taps into the symbolism and metaphor that makes up the visual language of art. Student-artists will tap into traditional and contemporary painting and mixed-media techniques that expand on fundamentals to move toward more abstract studies. Through demos, historical context and plenty of creative exercises, we will explore allegory in visual storytelling. All levels welcome, instructor will have extra paint and mark-making materials on hand.
Adult: All Levels
42nd Annual Artist Week at Sea View Inn: Pawley's Island
(waiting list)
April 17-24, 2020
Sea View Inn, Pawley's Island, South Carolina
It’s time to put the Spring Artists’ Workshop at Sea
View Inn on your calendar. The annual workshop
continues its 42nd year of combining great painting
locations with gorgeous spring weather. The
charming shabby chic inn serves three meals a day
of low country cooking by Myrtle and Vertrella,
adding to the ambience of a most enjoyable workshop.
Kirah takes the artists to a new location each day, having scouted out delightful spots for plein air painting at area plantations, Brookgreen Gardens, and historic cottages on the island. The week is informal and relaxed. Students are encouraged to do as much or as little as they desire. The groups are small enough to get individual attention. All levels are welcome as long as you feel comfortable painting outside. If not, you can work on your own at the inn, or avail yourself of her instruction that focuses on values, color, and the principles of design. She has a natural positive approach to helping individuals achieve their personal goals. Kirah encourages exploring mark-making and improving visual acuity. She always includes handouts and historical context, and will demo in watercolor and acrylic. She is well versed in all painting mediums and happy to work with you in your preferred process. The group winds down by discussing each day’s paintings before supper. Evenings may include videos or slides of other artists’ work. We also reserve a time for painting the wait staff/models.
The Great Alaska Art Adventure
August 26 - September 6, 2020
11 day land + sea itinerary on ms Westerdam - Holland America Line
Anchorage to Vancouver with 3 nights at Denali National Park
Sketching, Photography, Mixed Media painting and journal play
All levels welcome
Max 15 artists/unlimited companion spots
Join us for an info session: Tuesday, November 19, 2019
5 - 7 pm Ironclad Brewery
Wilmington, NC
For more details on this workshop, click on the flyer image or
email Kirah at kirahart@yahoo.com or Karen Thomas at AAA Travel at klthomas@aaacarolinas.com.
Caves of Painted Dreams
Dreams, Symbolism and Art in
the Painted Caves of France
with Carol Aalbers, PhD and Kirah Van Sickle
September 11-20, 2020
in Dordogne Valley, France
(contact to add to waiting list)
"What gives this art its power is that it makes us dream" ∼ Jean Clottes
Let's explore archetypal images in the caves, in our dreams, and in the beautiful landscape and villages of the Dordogne Valley, France. The painted caves of southwestern France are the perfect metaphor for the internal journey to the unconscious we experience each night in dreams. With art a visual language of symbol and metaphor - the language of humans since the first dawning of consciousness, we will explore multiple forms of artistic expression in the context of connecting to our prehistoric artist ancestors.
Fee: $3,050 Per Person Double Room; $3,775 Private Room
Fees include all breakfasts, all lunches at outstanding restaurants, and 3 dinners prepared at the B&B, all site admissions and tour guide services. Dinner other nights is a pot luck of local market finds hosted each night by a different room.
For more details on this workshop, Caves of Painted Dreams.
