An Artist and Their Garden: Michael P. Gibson and Topiary (Online Lecture)
Photograph of Michael P. Gibson sitting in front of one of his toparies.
2129 S St NW, Washington D.C. 20008. Open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm. Visit us at https://www.washingtonstudioschool.org/. Contact Admin@WashingtonStudioSchool.org with any questions.
Join the US Botanic Garden and topiary artist Michael P. Gibson on August 15 at 12 pm for a discussion of his creative practice of designing with living plants. Through images of his designs and public commissions, Michael reveals how the rhythms of pruning, seasonal care, and artistic vision come together to create living sculptures that change over time, inviting deeper connections between creativity and cultivation.
Hosted by U.S. Botanic Garden
SAAM Portrait Gallery Tour with Ashleigh D. Coren
Photograph by David Parry of a gallery wall from the National Portrait Gallery.
Washington Studio School Presents SAAM Portrait Gallery Tour with Ashleigh D. Coren
2129 S St NW, Washington D.C. 20008. Open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm. Visit us at https://www.washingtonstudioschool.org/. Contact Admin@WashingtonStudioSchool.org with any questions.
Join curator and lecture instructor, Ashleigh D. Coren for a curated tour of the National Portrait Gallery on August 21. Coren’s history in museum studies will provide a detailed and intensive understanding of the museum.
Our time entry tickets will begin at 5:30 PM and the visit will last 45 minutes. Please meet us at the steps by the G Street entrance 15 minutes before 5:30 PM to ensure a timely beginning. Participants must find their own transportation to and from the museum. Limited spots available.
About Ashleigh D. Coren:
Ashleigh D. Coren is a content strategist, educator, art collector, and curator based in the Washington, DC area. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Museum Education Roundtable and the advisory council of the Washington Studio School.
RSVP at https://www.washingtonstudioschool.org/events/8-21-saam-portrait-gallery-tour-with-ashleigh-d-coren
Ikebana Making and Drawing Workshop with Louise Worner and Teresa Oaxaca
Ikebana artwork by Louise Worner
Washington Studio School Presents Ikebana Making and Drawing Workshop with Louise Worner and Teresa Oaxaca
2129 S St NW, Washington D.C. 20008. Open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm. Visit us at https://www.washingtonstudioschool.org/. Contact Admin@WashingtonStudioSchool.org with any questions.
This two-day workshop on August 26-27th from 5-8 pm invites students into a quiet dialogue between nature and art. Combining the contemplative disciplines of ikebana, Japanese flower arranging and drawing, participants will explore how form, space, and line intersect across disciplines.
On Day 1, Guided by a qualified ikebana teacher Louise Worner, students will create a seasonal ikebana arrangement based on the principles of asymmetry, space, and line. Through the creation of their own still-life arrangements students will develop a deeper understanding of harmony through imbalance, and the importance and clarity of negative space.
On Day 2, a instructor, Teresa Oaxaca will lead students in translating their arrangements into drawing. The drawing is not just a record, but a continuation of the arrangement’s spirit. Charcoal and Sumi ink welcome.
Image Politics ‘Gardens and the Human Condition’ with Reem Bassous
Artwork by Glenn Ligon featuring a neon sign of the word America upside down
2129 S St NW, Washington D.C. 20008. Open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm. Visit us at https://www.washingtonstudioschool.org/. Contact Admin@WashingtonStudioSchool.org with any questions.
Join WSS Executive Artistic Director, Reem Bassous, on August 25 from 6 – 8 pm, as she looks at how gardens function as cultural and political statements. This lecture will explore the intersection of nature, design, and human experience through visual analysis.
About Reem Bassous
Reem Bassous started teaching drawing and painting in 2001 at The George Washington University, taught at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa for 9 years, and at Leeward Community College at the University of Hawaiʻi for 7 years. Bassous continues her journey in education as Artistic Director and Head of Faculty at the Washington Studio School, as of the fall of 2023. Bassous’ work is in permanent collections which include the Honolulu Museum of Art and Shangri La Museum for Islamic Art, Culture and Design.
