Thursday Summer Fun

June–August 2013

Pick up your art-making supplies, and head for the studio. Spend six Thursday afternoons at the Norton Simon Museum exploring the galleries and making original creations. Discover how different artists made their work by learning about their studios.

Each class is free with Museum admission and no advance registration is required. For more information, call our education department at 626-844-6980 or email [email protected].

Claude Monet: A Breath of Fresh Air
Thursday, June 20, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
The Impressionist painter Claude Monet enjoyed working outside in his garden or in the streets of Paris. The natural light allowed him to capture fleeting moments. Venture into the Norton Simon garden and make a watercolor painting to take home.

Helen Pashgian: Discovering New Materials
Thursday, June 27, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Helen Pashgian was one of only a few women associated with a group of California minimalists known as the Light and Space artists. Her interest in theperception of light led her to experiment with new materials like glass and liquid plastics. Decorate your own plastic orb to hang in a sunny place. 

Diego Rivera: Message on a Wall
Thursday, July 11, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Inspired by Italian frescos and ancient Aztec wall paintings, Diego Rivera created masterworks on public buildings in both Mexico and the United States. His prolific murals depict stories and images that address vital social issues. Embellish the side of a paper building with pictures of something that is important to you.

Edgar Degas: Sculpting Movement
Thursday, July 18, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Famous for his Impressionist paintings of ballerinas, Edgar Degas was also an accomplished
sculptor. He made over a hundred sculptures in wax and clay, some of which were later cast in
bronze. Spend an afternoon among galloping horses and dancing ballerinas, then head to the
studio and use clay to make your own creation.

Guercino: A Noble Creature
Thursday, July 25, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, called Guercino, was an Italian painter who was often commissioned to create religious pictures and portraits of nobility. Count Filippo Aldrovandi requested a painting of one of his favorite animals—his dog. Create a hand puppet of your own favorite animal or one of your pets.

Indian and Southeast Asian Collection: Sculpting Workshop
Thursday, August 1, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Many of the sculptures in the Norton Simon’s Indian and Southeast Asian collection were created in ancient workshops by groups of artists. These handcrafted objects depict religious narratives belonging to three of the region’s principal religions: Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. Work alongside other artists as you sculpt a masterpiece inspired by works in the Asian galleries.