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Workhouse Military in the Arts Initiative

At the heart of The Workhouse Military in the Arts Initiative's mission is the desire to help improve the quality of life for Military Service members and their families. Your support enables the WMAI to continue providing art therapy and arts experiences to Military service members and their families/care-givers in our community.


Please visit the "Give" page to donate a monetary amount of your choosing. You can choose the WMAI on the billing page to make sure your donation is sent to the appropriate program. Every little bit helps fund the program!


Please considering "liking" our Facebook page here to get all the latest news about this program: Click Here!

The below programming has been made possible through donations, fundraising, sponsorship's and grants. All the experiences listed here are specific to our Nation’s Armed Forces and their families. To participate you must be a direct family member of an individual who has served in any US Military branch or an Active Duty, Veteran, or Retired Veteran yourself. Though the experiences below are free, we do require each student register at least 48 hours in advance.

Tuition Assistance for Service Members!

Those who serve in the armed forces face unique challenges, such as frequent moves, unusual work schedules, stress, trouble sleeping, and more. These challenges make it increasingly difficult to participate in social activities that can benefit a student’s mental, behavioral and social health. The WMAI understands these challenges and is honored to back our military through tuition assistance in support of a service member’s personal goals in the therapeutic and healing qualities of the arts. This tuition assistance is open to all those who do or have served in any of the military service branches including the National Guard and reservists. Students are permitted one subsidy, per student, per quarter and must apply by providing a one-page, cover letter that demonstrates financial need and explains how taking the course will benefit them either behaviorally, socially, mentally or physically. Post course, the student will be asked to fill out a survey about their experience. The WMAI subsidy will cover 100% of the student’s tuition and any programmatic materials associated with the course. Personal materials and outside-class purchased materials will not be covered.Download the application HERE.


Supported, in part, by the Potomac Health Foundation

Special Workshops

Make & Take Art Workshop for Military Families

All Skill Levels, All Ages, this is a Family Class, Ages 5 & Up

Only Open to Active Duty, Retired, Veteran, and Family and Care-givers to Military
Skill Levels: Beginner

This workshop is deigned to be fun-filled, art-making, experiences for the whole family. All children MUST BE ACCOMPANIED by an adult. Join our talented Art Instructors as they guide you through mixed media exercises where you’ll create a unique work-of-art by the completion of the workshop. Topics will vary but one thing is for sure – you WILL have fun! These experiences are made possible through generous donations, fundraising, and grants. Please consider supporting this Initiative to allow us to continue offering these experiences! Due to the high demand of these workshops, they often fill up fast, so please register early. If the workshop is full, we can place you on a waiting list. Please email registrar@workhousearts.org for more information.


Due to current COVID operational guidelines, space is drastically limited to only 9 students. All members of the family must register for a seat. We can not allow drop-ins. Students must register 48 hours in advance. Students who register and do not attend are taking a seat away from potential students on our wait list and will be removed from future Make & Takes after the 3rd no-show.


One Day Workshop

Saturday April 10, 11am-1pm - Instructor David Vickers- Hand-made scratch board Mandalas

Saturday April 24, 11am-1pm - Instructor David Vickers- Floating Butterflies

Saturday May 8, 11am-1pm - Instructor David Vickers- Birds, Fish and Dinosaurs

Saturday May 22, 11am-1pm - Instructor David Vickers- Fun with Collage

 


Tuition: FREE 

Location: W-3, 304

Register

Veteran Open Studio

WMAI provides free, weekly therapeutic and/or fine arts Open Studio opportunities that are exclusive to the military community for veterans to explore their creativity through structured and open-ended art experiences such as painting, sculpture and drawing. Open Studio sessions are intended to foster creativity and encourage experimentation in a safe, communal atmosphere of cultural exchange, conversation, and freedom of expression. Open Studio occurs every Saturday from 12-3PM in Warrior Way Art Studio in Building W-16. The second Saturday in each month is Family Open Studio Day, where veterans bring family members for a day of military family creativity. No previous art experience is necessary.



*Due to COVID-19 safety guidelines, seating will be limited to 6 persons on Veterans Only Day and 8 persons on Family Day for in-person dates below and registration is NOW required 24 hours in advance. We CAN NOT allow walk-ins.
If you cannot attend due to illness or change of plans, we ask that you call us at 703-584-2900 and cancel your registration by the Thursday prior, so others can RSVP.

Virtual VOS dates allow for 12 students. After you receive a confirmation email for your class you will receive a second email from your instructor with a private link to attend the special course via the ZOOM platform! Curious how to use Zoom? Click here to learn how to join your class using Zoom. If you have any questions please email registrar@workhousearts.org.



Start Date: All below dates run 12pm - 3pm, students must show up between 12pm - 12:30pm in order to attend.

Saturday, April 3rd – Veterans Only, In Person - Topic: Acrylic Landscape Painting

Saturday, April 10th – Virtual Veterans and Family members - Topic: Still Life Drawing

Saturday, April 17th – Veterans and Family members, In Person - Topic: Wire Sculptures

Saturday, April 24th - Veterans Only, In Person - Topic: String Painting


Tuition: FREE to Veterans, Active Duty, Retired Armed Forces Personnel and their immediate families.



Materials: All Provided, please review the COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Program at the Workhouse Arts Center website here: CLICK HERE and in your confirmation email.

All children under 18 MUST be accompanied by a parent or guardian during their entire attendance in the Open Studio session time slot.

Register

Spring Classes

Beginning Flameworking for Service Members Only

Beginner Skill Level: Adults
Open to all Service members whether retired, active or Veteran.
Not open to family members.

Instructor: Tracey Howard

Would you like to learn basic flameworking and to give it a try before taking a more in-depth class? Don’t know if you’d like to learn bead making or sculptural work? Don’t know what flameworking, soft glass or boro glass means? This may be the class for you. We will explore the very basics and get you started on the flameworking torch with an introduction to both main types of flameworking glasses. Learn how to safely operate a torch and annealing kiln. Learn the difference between soft and hard glass. How to make basic beads and some basic shapes in Borosilicate glass work. Students will make a variety of objects that will gain them knowledge in glass types, glass terms, and starter techniques. This class is intended for complete beginners who have never been on a torch or taken a flameworking class.


Spring Quarter: 6 weeks

Begins Sunday April 11, 10am -12:30pm


Registration through Wait List only.
To be placed on the wait list for this class, please email debrabalestreri@workhousearts.org

 

Tuition: FREE to Active Duty, Veteran, Retired Veteran (Not open to Family Members)

Materials: All Provided by the WMAI

Location: W-7, 711

NOTE- COURSE POLICY:

Military students can register for the free Sunday glass class up to two consecutive times. After their second quarter in the class they are not permitted to re-enroll in this free class for at least one quarter. This will allow new Military students a chance to take the course.

Due to the popularity and demand for help through this program: student(s) must commit to attending all 6 meetings for these 6 week classes.  We ask that if anyone thinks they will be unable to attend two or more classes that they wait until their schedule is amenable to attend for all 6 weeks. This will allow another individual on the wait-list to attend these special classes.

Beginning - Advanced Ceramics for Service Members Only

Beginner to Advanced Skill Level: Ages 18 and older
Open to all Service members whether retired, active or Veteran.
Not open to family members.
Instructor: Hadrian Mendoza
The class is designed to be a component to the Military in the Arts Initiative here at the Workhouse. This class is appropriate for anyone with beginning through advanced hand-building and/or wheel-throwing skills or the complete newbie that would like to try working in clay. Even military members already possessing skills in working with clay will be able to engage themselves in increasing their technical, firing and surface decorating knowledge. General focus will be on the continued development of design, with either functional or non-functional forms, as well as construction, glazing and firing processes to bring forth their own ideas, influences and personal style.

 

Spring Quarter: 6 weeks
Begins Sunday April 11, 7pm-9:30pm
Registration through Wait List only.
To be placed on the wait list for this class, please email debrabalestreri@workhousearts.org

 

Tuition: FREE to Active Duty, Veteran, Retired Veteran (Not open to Family Members)

Materials: All Provided by the WMAI

Location: W-8

NOTE- COURSE POLICY:

Military students can register for the free Sunday night ceramics class up to two consecutive times. After their second quarter in the class they are not permitted to re-enroll in this free class for at least one quarter. This will allow new Military students a chance to take the course. Due to the popularity and demand for help through this program: student(s) must commit to attending all 6 meetings for these 6 week classes.  We ask that if anyone thinks they will be  unable to attend two or more classes that they wait until their schedule is amenable to attend for all 6 weeks. This will allow another individual on the wait-list to attend these special classes.

Test Info