Win art, visit featured artists at Art on Boston

Win Art, Visit Featured Artists at Art on Boston

MAKING CLAY: Watch clay artist Jill Irvin create one-of-a-kind beads for her polymer jewelry from 2 to 4 p.m. Sun., Aug. 5. As the Art on Boston featured artist of the week, Irvin will demonstrate how she creates her art. Photo courtesy of the artist

CAN BE YOURS: This polymer clay bracelet, made by Jill Irvin of Fox Crossing, will be given to a lucky recipient who buys a ticket from Art on Boston or visits Aug. 5. Photo courtesy of the artist

Visitors to Art on Boston, a contemporary art gallery with artist studios and art classes in historic downtown Chandler, can take home an original piece of artwork by being part in a weekly “ArtSAC Drawing.” In addition, different artists will be featured on Sundays, when the drawings will take place.

Polymer clay jewelry artist Jill Irvin of Fox Crossing is the first featured artist who will be at the Gallery from 2 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 5. She will demonstrate how she makes millefiori clay beads, and will show her techniques to create watch chains, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more.

Irvin has donated a double strand bracelet, valued at $60, featuring handmade blue, pink & white floral polymer clay beads for the “ArtSAC Drawing,” which will run from July 25 to Aug. 5. Created using the millefiori technique, the clay beads are accented with petal, cultured and freshwater pearls and sapphire & crystal Swarovski cubes. Visit Art on Boston Wednesday through Sunday afternoons, and purchase tickets for $1 each or 6 for $5, a portion of which will go to Free Arts of Arizona, an art program for homeless children. Attendees on Aug. 5 will receive two free tickets for the drawing for Irvin’s piece, which will be held at 4 p.m. that day.

The second featured artist of the week will be fiber artist Chris Kane, who hand paints silk fabric to make wearable art. She will discuss and show her work on Sun., Aug. 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. and will bring arashi shibori wrapped poles to show how that particular technique is accomplished. “ArtSAC Drawing” tickets for her handmade silk bag will be available from Aug. 5 to Aug. 12.

Art quilter Lisa Harris will be the third featured artist of the week on Aug. 19. She will talk about making contemporary art quilts. Silver and copper jewelry maker Mary Snyder of Mary Snyder Design will be the featured artist of the week on Sept. 9.

New art classes

Meanwhile, Irvin will teach a class on making millefiori beads into a bracelet from 1 to 4 p.m. Sun., Aug. 26. Learn the basics of the millefiori technique and create canes of polymer clay to create an intricately designed set of beads for your own bracelet. The three-hour class is $40 plus a $15 materials fee.

Other new art classes at Art on Boston in August include a Mixed Media Class: Watercolor, Color Pencil & Ink by Wendy Fallon from 1 to 4 p.m. Sun., Aug. 26. Basic watercolor application techniques such as masking, washes and blends will be taught, and students will embellish with color pencil and ink to create small and medium works of art suitable for framing, note cards and postcards. The three-hour class is $45 plus a $10 materials fee. 

Watercolor artist Lorraine Billings will teach a series of watercolor classes in August, and painter Wendy Fallon will hold a Drawing Series from 1 to 3 p.m. on the first and third Sundays of the month starting in September. There are six, two-hour classes offered for $180 prepaid, or $40 for each class. In addition, new Open Studio Figure (clothed) Drawing sessions will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday evenings with the exception of ArtWalk nights, which are the first Wednesday of the month. Beginning date to be detemined.  

Art on Boston is located at 11 W. Boston St., Suite 1, next to Kokopelli Winery. Visit www.ArtOnBoston.com for a calendar, and stop by the Gallery or call 480-917-1112 to register over the phone.

Chandler’s ArtWalk continues

The next Chandler ArtWalks take place from 5 to 9 p.m. Wed., Aug. 1, Sept. 5 and the first Wednesday of the month in historic downtown Chandler.

The free monthly sidewalk arts festival displays fine arts and crafts created by Chandler Art Guild members. In addition to viewing art, ArtWalkers can visit the many unique shops and restaurants in historic downtown Chandler, including a winery, a gourmet wine and cheese shop and two galleries: Art on Boston and Vision Gallery.

The ArtWalk takes place on the covered colonnades along San Marcos Place and Boston Street located south of Chandler Boulevard and west of Arizona Avenue. For more details, visit www.chandlerartguild.com.