Join us as we kick off the official Art Bar series at Casual Animal! Local artist instructors lead attendees through creative mediums allowing for skill development, but also free expression by the individual.
Consider Art Bar a pop-in craft night or artist tutorial experience.
Guests may stay the whole 4-hours, or muse for a bit before leaving with their creations after only a few minutes. The point is to offer a welcoming space for people looking to escape through creativity, the development of new skills, and finding community. Each class or project may incur a fee to ensure the artist instructors are reimbursed for materials and their expertise and time.
AUGUST 26 - JAPANESE PAPER MARBLED COASTERS WORKSHOP
Sumi nagashi paper marbling. Instructor: M. Willie Garcia
Japanese Paper Marbled Coasters workshop: Attendees will learn Japanese paper marbling technique also know as sumi nagashi. They will be using this technique to create individualized coasters. Each participant will be able to make 4 coasters and some postcard size prints. This workshop will take anywhere from 20min to an 1hour. It will differ from participant to participant.
COST PER PERSON $15
All class costs are added to the participant’s bar tab (no tax) and paid out in full to the artist instructor. Costs cover materials and instruction provided by the artist.
Photos showcasing the intended project medium:
Artist Instructor Bio:
M. Willie Garcia is a printmaker whose work moves far beyond the traditional print media, which includes screen printing, mokuhanga, projection-mapping, animation, and large-scale installation. Driven by a passion for both science and science fiction, Garcia explores their queer identity and the mysteries that lie within the vast universe. Garcia employs their knowledge of printmaking to explore these themes through color abstraction, the graphic image, and nonrepresentational forms.
Originally from California, Garcia currently resides and works in Kansas City, MO, and Lawrence, KS. They earned their B.F.A. in Printmaking from the Kansas City Art Institute, followed by an M.F.A. from the University of Kansas. Garcia's artwork has garnered regional acclaim, with notable exhibitions including their participation in "Queer Abstraction" group exhibition at the Nerman Contemporary Museum of Art, the "Star Children" exhibition at the Bradbury Art Museum, and a featured at the Des Moines Arts Center as part of the "Immersive" exhibition. Was the 2024/2025 Grant Wood Fellow at the University of Iowa.