By Carina Glasser
Photographer
A new art studio has just moved in around the corner from Mira Costa. In addition to traditional painting and photography, it offers unique classes such as comic making and fashion.
The Manhattan Beach Art Department is an art studio specializing in fine arts for kids and adults. They hold weekly classes throughout the year as well as five-day camps during the summer open to all skill levels.
“My partner and I had the idea to start a fine arts studio for over ten years and the opportunity finally presented itself,” co-founder James Dormer said.
Though Dormer has had other private studios, this is his first time opening a big studio offering classes. He received a Master’s in Fine Arts in painting and printmaking from the University of Miami. Dormer has been around art throughout his entire life. His father has been an art professor at Colorado State University for forty years.
“I have been around art all of my life and have always loved it. Now, I want to spread my love by helping students explore and discover their creativity in our fine arts creative workshop,” Dormer said.
The studio is large and tall with a lot of empty space. Classes on “big art,” creating large scale paintings and sculptures, are offered. Because of the amount of open space, students aren’t limited to painting or drawing on small canvases but can explore their artistic ability through life-sized art.
“This studio gives students the opportunity to take a step back and look at their artwork,” Dormer said. “It is important to play with scale and we offer that opportunity by using this large space in order for kids to use it for bigger projects that could get them in trouble at home.”
Dormer has worked in conjunction with the Young at Art programs at local schools and intends to continue working with them into the next school year. He has planned a new project for the students to work on which won’t follow step-by-step rules and be more creative.
He has added his own interpretive assignment, as opposed to the usual step-by-step projects the Young at Art program uses.
“There are a lot of art programs out there but we are not trying to compete with them, but to build on to them,” Dormer said.
The Art Department offers a variety of classes for artists, including contemporary art, sculpture, comic zine (illustrations), photography, big art, fashion as art and animation.
The five-day camps start on June 25 and are offered in both the morning and the evening. Each camp costs $375 and includes art instruction, materials and snacks.
In addition to the camps, there are weekly classes offered in groups ranging from ages 4-adults. Prices and times for these classes vary.
If a class does not fit a student’s schedule, it is easy to custom-design a class. With a group of three or more, someone can choose a 4- or 6-week course in any discipline with his or her desired teacher.
Most of the instructors working at the studio are local artists with MFAs from top notch art schools. Each instructor’s resume is available online at the center’s website — www.mbartdepartment.com. The studio is located at 1727 Artesia Boulevard, which was formerly occupied by the Smart Store.
“I am bringing the rawness and directness that kids love in order to help them get to the next level,” Dormer said. “It’s the kind of work that I love and I am so happy to be able to share it with our students. It is important to me that kids are exposed to art and understand its depth and meaning.”
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