Programs
Whatever you are looking for we can accommodate it.
Are you studying Guatemalan life? Well how about a clay workshop taught by someone who made pots and functional ceramics with Guatemalan tribes for four years! Think of the possibilities – Ancient Greek vessels taught by a woman who speaks Ancient Greek, or Native American pinch pots and totems, or…
Want to learn how to make your own comic book characters (and then the books to put them in)? Ok, no problem, or…
You want to fill your garden with handmade sculptures and pots. Sure thing!
Our workshops are always educational and fun. If you are looking for something we don’t offer here in our program schedule, we’ll tailor a workshop to fit your needs. We provide one-time workshops or ongoing classes from two to 52 weeks.
Please read the program schedule and after you figure out your interests you must fill out an application so we can begin planning your program.
Clay Mobile
Artreach at Lillstreet’s Clay Mobile is a van outfitted with all of the materials and equipment needed to produce art programs and workshops out in the community. The Clay mobile allows Artreach to travel to schools and community organizations who do not have the resources to travel to Lillstreet. The Clay Mobile travels to neighborhoods throughout Chicago and in the suburbs. For more information please call Artreach at 773/907-0841 or email our Programming Coordinator, Dani Rock.
Community & Public Art
Artreach has worked with children, teenagers, and adults to produce and install permanent artworks throughout Chicago. Mosaic murals, benches, tables and sculptures are located in schools, parks and libraries throughout the city. Community art projects such as these connect the participants to their neighborhoods and foster community building.
In 2001 Artreach was a collaborating partner in Peace Signs, a national public art project created by media artist and former Artreach Executive Director Janeil Engelstad. Through this award-winning project professional artists were paired with young artists to create billboards that addressed youth gun violence. The billboards were posted at locations throughout Chicago in the summer. The project also included a peace rally and march through downtown Chicago and a gallery exhibition of the billboard prototypes.
Contact us if you would like to partner to create a public art piece in your neighborhood, school, park, or community center.
Artist in Residence School Programs
The artist in residence brings to the classroom in-depth ceramic arts education that includes several areas of learning. Each artist in residence program includes foundation classes in ceramics where students learn about the various types of clay, different firing techniques and the how the medium is used throughout the world. This is followed by hands on learning where the students engage with clay to create their own work. Students are encouraged to bring their own voice, ideas and life experiences into their art making. The professional artist schedules time for reflection and discussion about the relationship between the student’s work to the outer world. Throughout the program educators have the opportunity to work with the professional artist to explore ways in which the residency program enhances the school curriculum.
One Year Immersion Program
Weekly 2 hour clay class throughout the school year
5 artist-teacher curriculum development and touch base meetings
1 field trip to Lill Street Art Center
Artreach provides educational materials and art supplies
Ten-week Artist in Residence Program
8 artist classroom sessions, 2 hours each in length
2 artist-teacher curriculum development meetings
Artreach provides educational materials and art supplies
Five-week Artist in Residence Program
4 artist classroom sessions, 2 hours each in length
1 artist-teacher curriculum development session
Artreach provides educational materials and art supplies
Weekend, After School and Summer Programs
Classes are 1 _ - 3 hours in length and are single or multi-session.
Workshops include programs for toddlers, children, teenagers, learners
with special needs, adults, senior citizens and intergenerational classes for families.
Customized Programs
Artreach can work with your organization or group to develop programs that
fit your objectives.
World Clay Program
The subjects in the World Clay Program can be taught as individual workshops or in-depth as part of an artist in residence program. The entire curriculum, which includes all of the world clay subjects, can be taught in the yearlong immersion program.
World Art
An exploration of art across cultures. Students gain awareness and understanding of specific cultures and how art reflects its values and belief. Students create work inspired by the culture that they study.
Ancient Greek Ceramics
A survey of Ancient Greek ceramics with an emphasis on Geometric Vases will be the focus of this class. The Geometric style emerged with Greek Mythology and the creation of the first metropolis, Athens. Students will explore this ancient culture while making spherical vases that apply the Geometric Art principles of balance, shape and linear decoration.
African Masks
Students will experience the indigenous cultures of Africa through the exploration of African mask traditions. Students will learn how color, organic and manmade materials and representations of animals are used to convey meaning. They will explore the role of the mask in festivals and ceremonies while creating their own ceramic masks that combine contemporary materials and myths with those from Africa.
Central and South American Pottery–
From the Inca to Contemporary Cultures.
Explore how the Inca use pottery in everyday life, in burials and the role of the potter/craftsman in society. Trace how these traditions have evolved throughout the centuries to the rich and varied ceramic arts of Central and South America today. Students will study excavation and make pots and objects that symbolize and commemorate events from their own personal history.
Korean Sgraffito
Students will journey back to the height of the Sgraffito ceramics tradition from the 12th – 15th centuries. Working with specific Sgraffito tools the students will learn to construct pots in a style of coil building that is one of the most refined in the world. They will study natural forms and how nature is used as the basis for expression in Sgraffito. Using oxidized slips they will carve and paint images from nature into their pots.
Native American Pottery
Journey through Native American cultures as the work of potters, such as Maria Martinez, is explored through videos that show artisans mining clay from the earth and preparing it for use. Students will make coil pots using hand wheels made from shallow bowls that spin on tables. After studying Native American Mythology and symbols the students will develop their own iconography for use in the decoration of their pots.
The Japanese Tea Bowl
Students will study the history of the tea ceremony and the importance of ritual in this tradition. They will explore how different tea bowls are created for different occasions and seasons, and choose the type of bowl that they wish to make. The students will use their tea bowls in a tea ceremony that incorporates rituals and tradition from their own lives.
Project Ideas
We encourage you to integrate your workshop with your other camp activities. We are happy to design a project related to your curriculum. Have a learning objective in mind when you arrange the activity. Some popular workshops include:
Ages 5-6
Build flowerpots, garden creatures, and window boxes to celebrate summer. Then plant seeds in new pots that will grow into a flower garden. We’ll use slabs, coils, colored glazes and texture.
Bugs, Bugs, Bugs
Ages 5-8
With summer comes sunshine, warm temperatures and BUGS! Using clay, this class will explore the wonders of insects from butterflies to eight legged creepy crawlers. We’ll use colorful under-glazes to bring your creations to life.
Medieval Times
Ages 5-8, Multi session
Build your very own castle with prince and princess. Then create the magical wizards and fire –breathing dragons that live there. Slabs, coils color and texture will be used to create these medieval creatures and places.
Outer Space Clay
Ages 5-8, Multi session
Build your own spaceship or rocket out of clay. Create planets and aliens. Slabs, coils, colored glazes and texture will be used.
Cups and Mugs
Ages 5 +
Make cups out of clay using a variety of handbuilding techniques. Students will transform pinch pots into a face pot with expressions and handles for ears using tools and stamps to form eyes, nose and mouth or make mugs with animal handles.
Plaques and Signs
Ages 8+
Personalize a sign for your home or create a special sign for any room using an easy and fun relief carving technique in clay. Working in terra cotta clay and colored glazes you will create a work of art to hang anywhere in your home.
World Clay
Ages 9-12
This workshop provides a great introduction to handbuilding. We’ll explore a series of projects inspired by clay traditions around the world. We’ll handbuild African masks and Native American coil pots.
Tile Making
Ages 12 + Multi sessions
Learn to design and produce tiles through various techniques. Instruction will include use of pattern, carved relief and stamps. Decorative tile making will be explored.
Urban Garden
Ages 12+ Multi sessions
Create birdhouses. Students will make little houses using slab techniques to create a small birdhouse and finish with colorful under-glazes and surface decorations.
Whatever you are looking for we can accommodate it.
Are you studying Guatemalan life? Well how about a clay workshop taught by someone who made pots and functional ceramics with Guatemalan tribes for four years! Think of the possibilities – Ancient Greek vessels taught by a woman who speaks Ancient Greek, or Native American pinch pots and totems, or…
Want to learn how to make your own comic book characters (and then the books to put them in)? Ok, no problem, or…
You want to fill your garden with handmade sculptures and pots. Sure thing!
Our workshops are always educational and fun. If you are looking for something we don’t offer here in our program schedule, we’ll tailor a workshop to fit your needs. We provide one-time workshops or ongoing classes from two to 52 weeks.
Please read the program schedule and after you figure out your interests you must fill out an application so we can begin planning your program.
Clay Mobile
Artreach at Lillstreet’s Clay Mobile is a van outfitted with all of the materials and equipment needed to produce art programs and workshops out in the community. The Clay mobile allows Artreach to travel to schools and community organizations who do not have the resources to travel to Lillstreet. The Clay Mobile travels to neighborhoods throughout Chicago and in the suburbs. For more information please call Artreach at 773/907-0841 or email our Programming Coordinator, Dani Rock.
Community & Public Art
Artreach has worked with children, teenagers, and adults to produce and install permanent artworks throughout Chicago. Mosaic murals, benches, tables and sculptures are located in schools, parks and libraries throughout the city. Community art projects such as these connect the participants to their neighborhoods and foster community building.
In 2001 Artreach was a collaborating partner in Peace Signs, a national public art project created by media artist and former Artreach Executive Director Janeil Engelstad. Through this award-winning project professional artists were paired with young artists to create billboards that addressed youth gun violence. The billboards were posted at locations throughout Chicago in the summer. The project also included a peace rally and march through downtown Chicago and a gallery exhibition of the billboard prototypes.
Contact us if you would like to partner to create a public art piece in your neighborhood, school, park, or community center.
Artist in Residence School Programs
The artist in residence brings to the classroom in-depth ceramic arts education that includes several areas of learning. Each artist in residence program includes foundation classes in ceramics where students learn about the various types of clay, different firing techniques and the how the medium is used throughout the world. This is followed by hands on learning where the students engage with clay to create their own work. Students are encouraged to bring their own voice, ideas and life experiences into their art making. The professional artist schedules time for reflection and discussion about the relationship between the student’s work to the outer world. Throughout the program educators have the opportunity to work with the professional artist to explore ways in which the residency program enhances the school curriculum.
One Year Immersion Program
Weekly 2 hour clay class throughout the school year
5 artist-teacher curriculum development and touch base meetings
1 field trip to Lill Street Art Center
Artreach provides educational materials and art supplies
Ten-week Artist in Residence Program
8 artist classroom sessions, 2 hours each in length
2 artist-teacher curriculum development meetings
Artreach provides educational materials and art supplies
Five-week Artist in Residence Program
4 artist classroom sessions, 2 hours each in length
1 artist-teacher curriculum development session
Artreach provides educational materials and art supplies
Weekend, After School and Summer Programs
Classes are 1 _ - 3 hours in length and are single or multi-session.
Workshops include programs for toddlers, children, teenagers, learners
with special needs, adults, senior citizens and intergenerational classes for families.
Customized Programs
Artreach can work with your organization or group to develop programs that
fit your objectives.
World Clay Program
The subjects in the World Clay Program can be taught as individual workshops or in-depth as part of an artist in residence program. The entire curriculum, which includes all of the world clay subjects, can be taught in the yearlong immersion program.
World Art
An exploration of art across cultures. Students gain awareness and understanding of specific cultures and how art reflects its values and belief. Students create work inspired by the culture that they study.
Ancient Greek Ceramics
A survey of Ancient Greek ceramics with an emphasis on Geometric Vases will be the focus of this class. The Geometric style emerged with Greek Mythology and the creation of the first metropolis, Athens. Students will explore this ancient culture while making spherical vases that apply the Geometric Art principles of balance, shape and linear decoration.
African Masks
Students will experience the indigenous cultures of Africa through the exploration of African mask traditions. Students will learn how color, organic and manmade materials and representations of animals are used to convey meaning. They will explore the role of the mask in festivals and ceremonies while creating their own ceramic masks that combine contemporary materials and myths with those from Africa.
Central and South American Pottery–
From the Inca to Contemporary Cultures.
Explore how the Inca use pottery in everyday life, in burials and the role of the potter/craftsman in society. Trace how these traditions have evolved throughout the centuries to the rich and varied ceramic arts of Central and South America today. Students will study excavation and make pots and objects that symbolize and commemorate events from their own personal history.
Korean Sgraffito
Students will journey back to the height of the Sgraffito ceramics tradition from the 12th – 15th centuries. Working with specific Sgraffito tools the students will learn to construct pots in a style of coil building that is one of the most refined in the world. They will study natural forms and how nature is used as the basis for expression in Sgraffito. Using oxidized slips they will carve and paint images from nature into their pots.
Native American Pottery
Journey through Native American cultures as the work of potters, such as Maria Martinez, is explored through videos that show artisans mining clay from the earth and preparing it for use. Students will make coil pots using hand wheels made from shallow bowls that spin on tables. After studying Native American Mythology and symbols the students will develop their own iconography for use in the decoration of their pots.
The Japanese Tea Bowl
Students will study the history of the tea ceremony and the importance of ritual in this tradition. They will explore how different tea bowls are created for different occasions and seasons, and choose the type of bowl that they wish to make. The students will use their tea bowls in a tea ceremony that incorporates rituals and tradition from their own lives.
Project Ideas
We encourage you to integrate your workshop with your other camp activities. We are happy to design a project related to your curriculum. Have a learning objective in mind when you arrange the activity. Some popular workshops include:
- Masks: African, Oceanic, Pre-Columbian, self-portraits…
- Dwellings: a room in your house, pueblos, a space station…
- Animals: dinosaurs, birds, reptiles, imaginary…
- Characters: people from stories, people from history…
- Vessels: pinch pots, cups, vases, bowls…
- Plaques/tablets: Egyptian tablets, nature plaques…
Ages 5-6
Build flowerpots, garden creatures, and window boxes to celebrate summer. Then plant seeds in new pots that will grow into a flower garden. We’ll use slabs, coils, colored glazes and texture.
Bugs, Bugs, Bugs
Ages 5-8
With summer comes sunshine, warm temperatures and BUGS! Using clay, this class will explore the wonders of insects from butterflies to eight legged creepy crawlers. We’ll use colorful under-glazes to bring your creations to life.
Medieval Times
Ages 5-8, Multi session
Build your very own castle with prince and princess. Then create the magical wizards and fire –breathing dragons that live there. Slabs, coils color and texture will be used to create these medieval creatures and places.
Outer Space Clay
Ages 5-8, Multi session
Build your own spaceship or rocket out of clay. Create planets and aliens. Slabs, coils, colored glazes and texture will be used.
Cups and Mugs
Ages 5 +
Make cups out of clay using a variety of handbuilding techniques. Students will transform pinch pots into a face pot with expressions and handles for ears using tools and stamps to form eyes, nose and mouth or make mugs with animal handles.
Plaques and Signs
Ages 8+
Personalize a sign for your home or create a special sign for any room using an easy and fun relief carving technique in clay. Working in terra cotta clay and colored glazes you will create a work of art to hang anywhere in your home.
World Clay
Ages 9-12
This workshop provides a great introduction to handbuilding. We’ll explore a series of projects inspired by clay traditions around the world. We’ll handbuild African masks and Native American coil pots.
Tile Making
Ages 12 + Multi sessions
Learn to design and produce tiles through various techniques. Instruction will include use of pattern, carved relief and stamps. Decorative tile making will be explored.
Urban Garden
Ages 12+ Multi sessions
Create birdhouses. Students will make little houses using slab techniques to create a small birdhouse and finish with colorful under-glazes and surface decorations.