Community Education & Professional Education
Convenient learning options for curious creatives, professionals, and degree-seekers.
Expand your career skills and options.
Advance your professional skills, pivot your career, or pursue competitive graduate degrees while building valuable creative connections for future collaborations. Our non-degree Professional Practice offerings are taught by industry experts and structured to make MICA’s rigorous art and design instruction accessible to working adults.
Cultivate your creative interests.
Explore new skills or deepen your practice with access to MICA’s specialized resources and equipment and personalized support from our experienced artist-instructors. You’ll get hands-on experience that results in finished pieces and plenty of interactive critique and feedback along the way.
Professional Practice
Beginner
Methods and Strategies for Teaching Art
Mondays and Wednesdays, July 18 - Aug. 10, 1 pm - 4 pm
Online: A methods course focused on strategies used in teaching Visual Art, PreK-12, this seminar involves the search of one’s own studio investigations for metaphors and themes, which then become the focus of the construction of units of study. Students develop unit materials including research on art and artists, formation of an elegant problem, experimentation with materials, creation of a prototype, design of teaching visuals, assessment process and criteria, and a written unit plan with ideas for adapting the unit to different grade levels. As a result, students select and apply a variety of strategies for exploring form and materials, developing symbolic and academic language, and different ways of knowing and thinking in art. Class meetings involve studio investigations, presentations, discussions, and group work. This course is intended for new teachers in the field, fulfills 3-credits toward Maryland Teaching Certification, and is approved by the Maryland State Department of Education; however, it could also be applicable to veteran teachers who wish to renew their own artistic practice and develop new instructional units.
Cost: $1,350. Credits: 3
Register NowNan Park
Community Education
Beginner
Workshop: Intro to Weaving
Wednesdays, July 13 - Aug. 3, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Learn the overs and unders, and ins and outs of weaving! On frame looms, students will experiment with color and pattern and process to create their own individual weaving. With a variety of yarn and material and techniques including color blocking, image design, fringe, pattern, and finishing, the sky is the limit as students work to make woven cloth. No experience necessary. Cost: $170
Register NowSasha Baskin
Professional Practice
Beginner
Workshop: Illustrated Patterns
Thursdays, July 17 - July 31
In Person: This workshop is intended to teach students how to create and design their own custom patterns from start to finish. It will be addressing the overall technique for creating professional quality pattern work, while also exploring the play around idea research and creative execution. A breakdown of professional licensing, marketing and professional practices will also be discussed. Cost: $199.
Register NowMai Ly Degnan
Community Education
Beginner
Workshop: Drawing Techniques
Wednesdays, Apr. 6 through Apr. 27, 6 pm - 8:30 pm
This introductory workshop teaches foundational skills in drawing from observation. Students will learn about sighting techniques, measuring and mapping. These tools of planning and composing are essential techniques for an artist to draw a subject with accurate proportion. Students will learn how to measure, compare and locate landmarks to help create more precise drawings. In addition, this workshop will teach students how to place their subject in an effort to avoid awkward cropping and focus on the composition of their piece. This class will be held in person at MICA. Cost: $170
Register NowDavid Little
Community Education
Beginner
Workshop: Letterpress Printing with Globe
Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 6 and Aug. 7, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
This two-day workshop will explore the rich archive of the Globe Collection and take that inspiration to the print shop for a hands-on poster printing workshop. Participants will learn the basics of letterpress printing including how to set wood type and poster design Globe’s way. Participants will work together on a series of collaborative posters, all skill sets and levels are welcome. This class will be held in person at MICA. Cost: $170 + additional $35 materials fee.
Register NowAllison Fisher
Community Education
Beginner
Drawing the Landscape
Saturdays, May 28 - July 30, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
In-person/off campus: This drawing course consists of outdoor plein air and studio development of media, techniques, and skills. It is entirely in-person and at various locations in the Baltimore area. These off-campus locations will include Hampton Mansion, Lake Roland, and Cylburn Arboretum. The majority of the course will be conducted outdoors and if the weather impacts our plans, class will be held in the studio. Studio sessions will use photos and still lifes composed of natural objects. The instructor will provide informative demonstrations and tailored instruction on landscapes, concepts and historical art. The instructor will foster a supportive environment to benefit individual and group critiques.Students will gain familiarity with the media which consists of conté crayons and soft pastels. They will learn different approaches to developing the picture plane while also establishing scale and point of view. This course will introduce students to the basics of color theory, the use of value to establish structure, the creation of texture, as well as the construction of a rich surface utilizing wet and dry underpainting. Students will learn how to apply these skills to depict the times of day, the seasons and the character of the sky.This course will be educational for any skill level. It will create a great foundation for beginners as well as refine abilities for experienced artists. Cost: $675
Register NowDavid Little
Professional Practice
Beginner
Workshop: Handlettering in Procreate
Wednesdays, Jun 29 - July 20, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Online: Learn to wield your Apple Pencil like a pro & create playful hand-lettered designs for posters, greeting cards, apparel, and more! Explore different ways to draw letters, arrange words, and style your messages in a way that expresses more than the words themselves ever could on their own! Requires Procreate on the iPad with an Apple Pencil. This workshop is online via Zoom. Cost: $170.
Register NowAlissandra Seelaus
What our students
are saying
“I actually love the remote delivery. I still have access to the instructor and peers, but I don’t have to cart all my painting supplies (and wet canvases) back and forth every week!”
“Superb balance of information, demonstration, peer sharing, and hands-on application.”
“I most liked the lectures and class critiques. The teacher is a master at eliciting class participation and gleaning the important points of the lessons through the works.”
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FAQs
How will I access the software needed for the class?
Once enrolled, you will receive a MICA email with a link to your Student Getting Started Guide. Please check the email that you used to register for the course or workshop.
To note: The email you receive once you are enrolled will also include login instructions to access tools and software necessary for your class such as Canvas, Adobe Creative Suite, Zoom, and Google Drive.
I'm interested in taking a class in person. What are the COVID-19 related guidelines?
We’re excited to welcome you back to campus. We are currently in Operational Mode 4 to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable educational experience with MICA. See Operational Mode 4 webpage for more information; this info will also be included in the Getting Started Guide with your registration confirmation email.
What are MICA’s current cleaning protocols?
Facilities Management has implemented enhanced cleaning and sanitizing protocols due to the pandemic that are consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for higher education institutions, including a focus on high-touch areas and sanitizing frequency. EPA N-List antimicrobial products for use against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) are being utilized such as:
-SOP Green Klean Chlorinated Disinfectant
-Clarion25 with Microban cleaning solvent
-Floor wax which contains Microban with Clarion25
Microban Professional kills 99.9% of bacteria in just 60 seconds and provides up to 24 hours of protection from bacteria growth — even after multiple touches. Areas that are cleaned, disinfected and sanitized by Facilities Management include public areas, restrooms, stairs, railings, elevators, door handles, office corridors, conference rooms (public), classrooms, lobbies, kitchenettes (not including appliance interiors, utensils and dishes). Departments/individuals are responsible for cleaning: studio lab equipment, office interiors (furniture, display boards) and personal items (computers, screens, phones).
I’m not sure if this class is for me. How can I talk to someone?
Contact the Office of Open Studies at (410) 225-2219 or openstudies@mica.edu
How will I interact with classmates if I choose an online course?
Classes will be held synchronously via Zoom, where peer and instructor discussions and critiques will be conducted.
I am registering for a Community Education course. How will I get my materials?
A materials list is included in the Student Getting Started Guide (PDF) once a student is registered and enrolled in the course. Materials will also be available to purchase through the MICA Art Store at https://shop.mica.edu/art-supplies/.
I see this course is for credit. What’s this for?
Students enrolled in this course also receive non-degree credits. Some teachers may be able to apply these credits towards renewals of teaching certifications.
Will I be on zoom the entire time?
Class format and “zoom time” will be structured to accommodate the needs of each class. Most classes incorporate a mix of instructor-led discussion, critique and independent work time.
What time zone are the courses held?
All courses and workshops are scheduled for an EST time zone.
Are payment plans available?
Payment plans are available. Please contact the Office of Open Studies for more information and to set this up: (410) 225-2219 or openstudies@mica.edu
What if I need to drop the class, how can I get a refund?
Please fill out this form to drop the course you are enrolled in and then submit a written request for a refund to openstudies@mica.edu including your full name and course information before the start of the second class.
Questions?
Contact Us
Office of Open Studies
Baltimore, MD 21217
openstudies@mica.edu
