"Sacred Chumash" Batik by Bernadette DiPietro

"Locked In A Memory" Batik by Bernadette DiPietro

"J Is For Joy" Assemblage by Bernadette DiPietro

"Ancient Chumash" Batik by Bernadette DiPietro

"Temple of Juno in Sicily" Paper Batik by Bernadette DiPietro

"Traditional Decorated Eggs" by Bernadette DiPietro

"Contemporary Decorated Eggs" by Bernadette DiPietro

The Ojai Valley Museum is offering a new, annual series of Adult Art Classes beginning in February 2013. Collaborating with Ojai artist, Bernadette DiPietro, and using her Blanche Street art space as an adjunct classroom, the museum is able to offer this new enrichment/educational program to the public.

DiPietro, an expert in the art techniques that will be offered, will teach this spring series. She has devised three unique workshops that will cover Paper Batik, Ukrainian Egg Decoration and Assemblage. One does not need to have an art background to take part in the classes.

The February 16th class, “Paper Batik,” is directly related to the museum’s current exhibition “Fiber Art Master Pieces.” In this all day workshop, students will learn the Indonesian technique of wax resist dyeing. They will create contemporary batiks using wax and watercolors on a variety of handmade papers, resulting in a beautiful synthesis of ancient technique and modern art.

The March 9th class, “Ukrainian Egg Decoration,” is scheduled to coincide with the Easter Holiday. For nearly 2000 years people from all over the world have decorated eggs in the spring of the year. Participants in this workshop will learn to decorate eggs in the traditional Ukraine manner, combining the legends, symbols, and designs onto their finished objet ‘d’art.

The April 20th class, “Assemblage” introduces students to an art technique using ‘found objects’ along with photographs, fibers, paints, textiles, collage, and drawings to produce a variety of fantastic illusions. Students will learn to arrange mixed media in new unexpected relationships to one another to tell a story or convey a message.

The instructor of all three workshops, Bernadette DiPietro, has been an Ojai based artist since 1971. She is one of Ojai’s Living Treasures, a founding member of the Ojai Studio Artists collective, author of the book “The ABC’s of Batik,” recipient of the National Outstanding Art Educator Award and is a guest lecturer at University of California campuses in San Diego and Santa Barbara. DiPietro’s art has been exhibited in museums and galleries since 1979 and is held in numerous private collections.

The Ojai Valley Museum is delighted to partner with DiPietro to expand its programs to her facility directly across the street. Workshop participants have free parking in the museum’s back courtyard and are given a Guest Pass for free admission to the galleries. In addition to the satellite classroom, DiPietro’s “Working ARTIST Gallery” will be used for museum lecture series, special event presentations, and other types of workshops the museum galleries cannot accommodate.

The Ojai Valley Museum will e-mail a detailed description of each class, with applicable fees, just call (805) 640-1390, ext. 203. Or access the museum facebook page via our website at: www.ojaivalleymuseum.org.

Pre-registration of at least one week in advance of the workshop date is required as space is limited to 8 students per class. All registration is taken through the museum by calling the above number.

The Ojai Valley Museum, established in 1967, is generously supported in part by Museum Members, Private Donors, Business Sponsors and Underwriters, the Smith-Hobson Foundation, Wood-Claeyssens Foundation, City of Ojai, Rotary Club of Ojai, and the Ojai Civic Association.

The museum is located at 130 W. Ojai Avenue, Ojai, CA. Admission: free for current 2012 members, adults - $4.00, children 6–18 - $1.00 and children 5 and under – free. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m; Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Tours are available by appointment. Free parking is available off Blanche Street at back of museum.