Corcoran College of Art + Design to Participate in Year-Long Willard 2006 Celebration

January 17, 2006–

Willard-Inspired Classes Will Offer Opportunity for Students to Draw, Paint and Photograph Historical Landmarks in Washington

WASHINGTON, DC – To celebrate Willard 2006 – A Hotel’s Legacy, A Nation’s History, the Corcoran College of Art + Design will offer three new, non-credit courses scheduled for May and June 2006. This landmark hotel located across the White House lawn from the Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the hotel’s reopening by engaging in a year-long celebration with many D.C. cultural institutions, including the Corcoran College of Art + Design, The Library of Congress, the Washington Ballet, The Shakespeare Theatre Company and many others.

The Corcoran College of Art + Design has created three Willard-inspired courses which include:

• Drawing D.C. Landmarks (designed for ages 9-12)
  
• Painting D.C. Landmarks (designed for ages 12-16)
  
• Photographing D.C. Landmarks (designed for all ages)

Any and all who are interested in improving their drawing, painting and photography skills and excited to learn more about the architecture and history of such great D.C. landmarks are encouraged to participate. Parents are invited to observe in the drawing and painting courses. Children under 18 participating in the photography course must be accompanied by a participating adult.

“We’re thrilled to be participating in the Willard’s anniversary celebration this year and we hope to reach new audiences who are excited about expanding their creative skills,” said Richard Selden, the Corcoran’s director of continuing education. “The Willard Hotel is rich with beautiful architecture and Washington history – we couldn’t think of a more striking, architecturally detailed D.C. landmark for the debut of these hands-on, creative courses.”

Students in Painting D.C. Landmarks ($175, including materials) will meet on Saturdays – May 20, June 3 and June 10 – and will work exclusively at the Willard Hotel, while students in the two other courses will work offsite at additional locations where they will draw and photograph the Corcoran Gallery of Art and other century-old buildings in the D.C. area.

Drawing D.C. Landmarks ($175, including materials) will meet on five consecutive Tuesdays beginning May 16. Students in this class will sketch four historic buildings and produce a formal, finished drawing on the final class.

Photographing D.C. Landmarks ($230, plus $30 lab fee) will meet on Saturdays – May 20, June 3 and June 17. These students will work on their photography assignments offsite and learn to adjust and print their photos in the digital labs at the Corcoran.

The instructor for Drawing D.C. Landmarks and Painting D.C. Landmarks is Sandra Gobar, a Corcoran College of Art + Design adjunct faculty member who teaches other courses for young people, as well as landscape painting for adults. Gobar, who has a B.S. from Norfolk State University, was an artist-in-residence at New York’s School of Visual Arts last summer.

The instructor for Photographing D.C. Landmarks is Alex Jamison, a Corcoran adjunct faculty member who teaches courses in digital photography. Jamison, who has an M.F.A. from George Mason University, is a commercial photographer and graphic artist.

Scheduled to take advantage of the warm spring weather, the courses are part of the Corcoran’s summer semester which begins May 15. Students may register online for these and other summer semester courses by visiting www.corcoran.edu/ce beginning April 10 or by calling (202) 639-1820. Course advisement is available at (202) 298-2542.

ABOUT THE CORCORAN GALLERY OF ART
The Corcoran Gallery of Art was founded in 1869 as Washington’s first museum of art. It is a privately funded institution incorporating both a museum and college of art and design. As one of America’s oldest art institutions, the Corcoran is known internationally for its distinguished collection of historical and modern American art, as well as European painting, sculpture, photography and decorative arts.

Founded in 1890, the Corcoran College of Art + Design is Washington’s only 4-year college of art and design. The college currently offers four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree programs; two-year Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) degree programs; Master of Arts (MA) degree programs in Interior Design and History of Decorative Arts, and a Continuing Education program encompassing more than 300 courses and 14 certificate programs for part-time adult students, as well as year-round classes designed especially for children and teens.

The Corcoran Gallery of Art is located at New York Avenue and 17th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. and is open Wednesdays – Sundays from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and until 9 p.m. on Thursdays. The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but open on holiday Mondays. Admission to the Corcoran is: $8.00 for adults; $6.00 for senior citizens and U.S. military personnel; $4 for students with current ID and $3 for Member guests. Admission is always free for Members and children under 12. Admission is “pay as you wish” on Thursdays after 5 p.m. For information about the Museum, call 202.639.1700. For information about the College, call 202.639.1800.

:: View images and further details from this exhibition

CONTACT:
Kristin Guiter
Manager of Media Relations
(202) 639-1867,
kguiter@corcoran.org

Media Resources:

Advance Exhibition Schedule

Archived Press Releases