The Albany Museum of Art is now offering the after-school program, Middle School Monets, to young teens from grades 6 to 8. They will have the opportunity to explore the visual language of art through drawing, painting and sculpting while using a variety of techniques, media and materials. They will learn to use line, shape, form, value and space to improve their art skills in understanding and appreciating art in context through art history, art criticism and studio art techniques.

Classes will be held from 3:30 - 5:00pm every Tuesday at the Albany Museum of Art.

Instructor, Jayne Massaro has over 40 years of experience with art instruction. “Even if they haven’t really done anything art related before, they can pick up a pencil here and accomplish something,” said Massaro.

Each month the young teens will have an overall lesson that will continue each week and move onto a new lesson the next month, allowing the students to try new media and activities as they progress. Some examples of these lessons are calligraphy, watercolor, acrylic and pottery.

Parents can register their kids for the Middle School Monet season, which will run until the Christmas holidays, for a $50 registration fee which includes snacks and supplies, then $15 per class as their children wish to attend. Some of the supplies this fee will cover include sketchbooks, special pens, paints and pencils and clay.

Parents must call to reserve a space the Friday before their Tuesday class to allow adequate time to purchase supplies.

“I want to open their eyes to see their surroundings from a whole new perspective,” said Massaro. “This will be an opportunity for them to grow and see the world differently.”