Teaching

For Artists

The Professional Artist Mentorship Seminar

Description of the class: Are you on the right path with your art career or do you need redirecting? Maybe you want to meet other artists or the people who can help you reach the level you aspire to.

In this seminar, participants will learn how to prepare a good artist statement, create a successful portfolio, and make an engaging presentation about their work. We will discuss issues associated with exhibiting, marketing, and developing your practice.  Each participant will also have the opportunity to receive personalized feedback from a guest mentor and meet some of the important art professionals working in Switzerland today. At each of the mentoring sessions, a different guest mentor will listen to an artist presentation and offer feedback and suggestions, as well as recommendations for how to better develop and enrich your practice. At the end of the seminar, participating students will have the chance to take part in an exhibition featuring work created during the quarter and as a result of the feedback sessions.

Mentors during this session, March-July 2011:

- Marion Wild, Director, Galerie Bob Gysin, Zurich; Christophe Doswald, Director, Art and the City and Public Art Department, City of Zurich; Damian Christinger, Co-Director, Christinger de Mayo Gallery, Zurich; Vanessa Billy, Artist; Clare Goodwin, Artist; Peter Bläuer, Director, LISTE Art Fair

More about the class: www.ffzh.ch

Video made by Mark Melnykowycz.

Second session took place April-June 2012.  The exhibition at the end of the class was called 7Up and took place at Galerie le Sud, Zurich.  Artists participating in the class: Regula Walther, Josh Bridgwater, Rich Hudson, Wilhelm Schlatter, Lesley Oldacker, Hans Mazenauer.

Mentors for this session were:

- Pascal Häusermann, Artist and Curator, Zurich; Barbara Seiler, Owner and Director of Barbara Seiler Gallery, Zurich; Christiane Büntgen, Director, Schauort Gallery, Zurich; Damian Christinger, Co-Director of Christinger de Mayo Gallery, Zurich

Lesley Oldacker presenting her work to Christiane Büntgen of Schauort

Josh Bridgwater presenting his work to Christiane Büntgen.

Some photos from the Vernissage of 7Up, Galerie le Sud, June 13

For Kids

My Little Museum

My Little Museum is a 5-week project I developed and taught to the 2nd grade at Entlisberg School, Zurich.  The kids developed an art room out of a shoebox then selected their favorite miniature art piece to expand into a large-scale format for a real exhibition, which took place at Galerie le Sud, a gallery in Wollishofen.  The artwork was then sold and the proceeds donated to WWF.

Art History Lectures

• Is It Art?, Bob Gysin Gallery, Zurich
• Art In Switzerland: Identity and Nationhood, GZ Wollishofen
• Art In France, Bob Gysin Gallery, Zurich
  

The Art Circle – a platform where the public and artists meet, get to know one another and discuss themes in art in a fun and relaxed setting.

• Hybrid Identity in Art - panel with Teresa Chen, Cat Tuong Nguyen, and Navid Tschopp, Bob Gysin Gallery, Zurich
• Fire It Up: Ceramic as Material in Contemporary Sculpture – panel with Pascal Hausermann and Mark Divo, Artfoyer, Zurich
• Return of the Yellow Peril - panel with Teresa Chen and Cat Tuong Nguyen, Artfoyer, Zurich
• Alternative Strategies for Art Production in Romania and Switzerland, Panelists are Mihai Pop, Plan B Gallery; Adrian Bojenoiu, Club Electro Putere; Alina Serban, Center for Visual Introspection; Esther Eppstein, Message Salon; Alexandru Niculescu, Club Electro Putere.  Barbara Seiler Gallery, Zurich

- Kunstkino Abend – a series of art films and documentary screenings which offers the possibility for further exploration of movements, trends, and the creative act.

• The Power of Art with Simon Schama – a 4 week-programwith two documentaries screened each week, Artfoyer, Zurich
• Transition Worlds – a 2-part series. Artfoyer, Zurich