Come attend Art Classes by Rhaea Maurel in Monterey. These classes are in Pottery and Painting. You can learn how to throw a cup on the potter’s wheel; hand-build a sculpture, or explore Intuitive Painting, playing with color.
Introductory Classes
These are a single two-hour class to give you the opportunity to see what it is like to get your hands in clay. These can be private or semi-private. Perhaps you and a close friend would like an experience in creative play. The single class fee is $95 each, which includes all materials and studio expenses. A follow up class for $75 is available so you can glaze your pieces once fired. If you find you enjoy the process of throwing on the wheel, you can sign up for a series of 4 classes where you will learn the whole process of creating a ceramic piece. The series classes are $75 each. If you are interested in a small group class, limited to 6, please contact me and we can discuss how to make it happen. Contact me at art@rhaeamaurel.com to schedule a class.
How About a Date?Invite your partner on a Date to play with clay or paint. This is a chance to explore a new experience together, different from the typical movie. You can choose to experience throwing clay on the potter’s wheel, hand-building a creation that has meaning for both of you, or you can try Intuitive Painting together. A Creative Date! The fee is $180 for two. This includes all materials and studio expenses. A second session for glazing your pieces is available for $75 each. I will help you plan the perfect date! Contact me at art@rhaeamaurel.com to schedule a class.
Come Play with ClayCome Play with Paint, Clay, Words and more… Coming available soon, these classes are sessions of 4 weeks. They are open to those curious to try something new, exciting and fun! We explore different creative modalities in each class, including: Playing with Clay, Mindful Drawing; Painting from the Inside-Out; Free Writing exercises, and Playing with Poetry. The class fee is $200 plus $25 for all art materials. In addition, I provide you with a journal to record your experiences and ideas. Sign up with a friend and both of you will get 10% off the class fee! Contact me at art@rhaeamaurel.com to join the class.
In my Art Classes, my focus is to support students in re-connecting with their Creativity. It is possible to live creative lives every day, wherever we are, whatever we are doing. What we learn on the potter’s wheel or in front of the easel can enrich our daily lives. We focus on the process of being creative, encourage each participant to connect with and free up their creative energy, in a space of support, without judgement.
As a practicing artist, I have often experienced how the Creative Arts transform our lives. As an experienced psychotherapist I believe the Creative Arts enrich our lives. I know first-hand the liberating power of play. Please look at my Bio page.
Painting from the Inside-Out: This is painting-as-process experience. We simply start with paper, brushes and paint and the willingness to take a risk. When children paint, they allow themselves the freedom to invent and to play with colors and shapes. We do likewise. By learning to follow our inner impulses, our Creative Intuition, we begin to express ourselves more freely. We start letting go of those old rules, expectations and limiting beliefs that have stopped us from creative freedom. All materials are provided.
Playing with Clay: Many times, when someone learns I am a Ceramic Artist, they speak longingly of the time they played with clay. Clay is responsive, forgiving and fun. And we have fun in exploring how to create with hand-building in clay. Perhaps a container for a feeling? Perhaps a creature from a dream? Perhaps one’s favorite pet? I supply the prepared clay and, after we work with the clay in the class, I fire the pieces, once they have dried. They then are ready for glazing in a later class. Your pieces are then fired in the glaze firing, and are ready for you by the last class. All tools and materials are provided.
Playing with Words, Poetry: Many think that poetry is too difficult to attempt. We start by simply playing with words, just everyday words. In this playing, we can often find the place within us where poems come from. We can use these words to help us discover more about who we are. One can allow a poem to surface without having to declare ourselves poets. This process often offers surprises to the participants.
Free Writing: Both Natalie Goldberg and Julia Cameron write about the power of writing freely, without censoring ourselves. It is a process that can help us access parts of ourselves we have kept hidden away. We can come to know ourselves in a new light. As part of this modality, I introduce, or re-introduce the value of keeping a journal.
Mindful Drawing: The word “Drawing” often brings up students’ feelings of incompetence. This is a new way of drawing, even as we will be exploring new ways of writing, painting and playing with clay. Mindful Drawing is a meditation on an object and letting your eyes and your hand work in harmony to put marks on the paper representing what you see and feel about the object. It is a lesson in seeing, as well as in making a drawing.