Learn about historic and contemporary materials and techniques from practicing artists in these free drop-in programs.

Enjoy presentations of historical art-making techniques related to the Museum's collection and exhibitions offered throughout the year. Meet artists, ask questions, and get close to the action as you learn about materials and techniques seen in works of art on display at the Getty Center and the Getty Villa. Free; drop-in.

Next in the series
Visions of Gold, the Fine Art of Gilding
Sundays, February 5 and 19; March 4 and 18;
April 1 and 15, 2012
1:00–2:00 p.m. and 2:00–3:00 p.m.
Getty Center, Museum Studios A and B

Drop by as artist Sylvana Barrett demonstrates the fine art of gold gilding used to create the lavish embellishments found in European manuscripts and panel paintings of the Gothic era. Complements the exhibition Gothic Grandeur: Manuscript Illumination, 1200–1350.

Most recently in the series
Encaustic Painting
Saturday, October 29, 2011;
Sunday, October 30, 2011;
Saturday, November 19, 2011; and
Sunday, November 20, 2011;
2:00–4:00 p.m.
Getty Villa, Education Studio

Encaustic painting—a technique in which pigment is mixed with wax on a warm palette—both perplexes and fascinates scholars of ancient art. In this live demonstration, join artist Sylvana Barrett as she unravels the mystery behind the process. Discover the range of materials and tools used by ancient encaustic painters, from beeswax and plant roots to resins and gold. Enjoy the experience of watching an artist experiment with techniques used to create some of the mummy portraits in the Museum's collection.

Watercolor
Sunday, September 18 and 25, 2011;
1:00–3:00 p.m.
Getty Center, Museum Studios

Drop by as artist Richard Houston demonstrates the materials and techniques used in watercolor painting with an emphasis on motifs and innovations developed by British artists in the 18th and 19th centuries. Complements the exhibition Luminous Paper: British Watercolors and Drawings.

The Getty Artists Program extends the education department's existing artist-based programs to include individual artist projects or residencies. Invitations are extended to artists who have shown a strong interest in education. One artist is selected each year and given the freedom to select an audience to work with, and to develop focus and format of their own project.

One goal of the program is to provide invited artists with the opportunity to undertake innovative projects in collaboration with the Museum's staff. The projects provide Museum staff and visitors with new insights and perspectives into the Museum's collections and exhibitions. Thus, our existing audiences have new opportunities for unique learning experiences, and the program has the potential to bring in new audiences. Learn more about this program.

Most recently in the series
[re]vision: Student Works Inspired by the Getty Collection
Jennifer Steinkamp, the Getty Artists Program invitee for 2011, is an internationally acclaimed installation artist who works with new media and video to explore ideas about architectural space, motion, and perception.

For her project, [re]vision, Steinkamp addressed the Museum as a site for exploration and inspiration and chose to work with college audiences. During three school terms, students from the Department of Design | Media Arts at the University of California, Los Angeles, were invited to create animation and design projects in response to the Museum's collection and site. Students chose works of art or aspects of surroundings that they found personally compelling, and through a process of interpretation, adaptation, and revision, created new works.

The resulting student projects were presented at Getty Center's annual College Night on May 2, 2011. See a selection of the student projects.

Point of View: Artist Talks feature Los Angeles-based artists and related specialists in an informal and intimate gallery-talk program, offering a unique perspective on the Getty collection and temporary exhibitions. Free; offered on selected Saturday afternoons.

Next in the series
Fred Fisher on Representations of Los Angeles
March 10, 2012
Getty Center, Museum Galleries

Los Angeles–based architect Fred Fisher is known for his creative spaces. He and his firm, Fisher Partners, designed the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Center for Information Science and Technology at the California Institute of Technology as well as the Robert F. Erburu Gallery at the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, among others. Fisher presents a gallery talk exploring representations of Los Angeles. Complements the exhibition In Focus: Los Angeles, 1945–1980.

See upcoming and past events and learn more about Point of View: Artist Talks.