Commercial Gallery Program — Course 1
Direction & Voice for Gallery Arts
Instructed by Cassandra Loomis Kim
All the tools you need to accelerate your skills as an illustrator, painter, and visual artist.
Course Details
Your career as a successful illustrator begins here. Don’t just learn how the pros work, work with the pros. The ‘Process: Skills and Craft’ course—your first in the Illustration Program—is a hands on dive into picture-making and drawing.
Alongside an assigned mentor, you’ll explore the complexities of working with different media, applying color, drawing with shape, and controlling light. You’ll be joined by guest speakers with decades of combined experience drawing for the biggest names in the industry.
Classes are hosted weekly, live and online. Your mentor will lecture on technique, skill, and the history of illustration. Added to that, you’ll join in for demonstrations, critiques, and Q&A sessions, with weekly homework assignments.
Key Takeaways From The 10 Week Course
10 weeks (23 Live Classes)
Class Time
Saturdays
10am – 1pm PT
Price
$999
Pricing scheduled to increase to $1199 Spring 2023. Existing price will be grandfathered*
Course Outline
Meet the Class Mentor Cassandra Loomis Kim
By taking inspiration from paintings of the past and replacing the people with animals, I seek to have my audience reconnect with the traditions of portraiture. My art spans the centuries between the original and today, but with a surrealistic twist. Pairing an unexpected animal with an image from the echelons of past society creates a visual paradox that inadvertently “humanizes” the portraiture and often makes people smile. The use of humor is a valuable way to break down barriers between people and art.
I work in acrylic and oil, and my goal is to reproduce the rich, lush colors of classical portraiture. Each of my hand-chosen vintage or antique frames is a talisman to an imagined memory and provides impetus for the painting. The frame or reclaimed wood item, which I often restore myself, creates the impression of an art movement or time period, which in turn guides me to the appropriate portrait. I then brainstorm to find the right animal to create the perfect painting. The final product allows the audience to feel reconnected with classic portraiture, but from an imagined society of animals. They feel included, amused, and ultimately curious.
Exhibits
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“Cornucopia” Group Exhibit at Wow x Wow Online Gallery
Opens November 4th-25th 2022 -
“Mystical Rhythms” Group Exhibit at Wow x Wow Online Gallery
Opens December 2nd-23rd 2022 -
“Yule” Group Show at Modern Eden Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Opens December 10th, 2022 -
“Small Works” Group Exhibit at Glave Kocen Consulting, Richmond, VA
Opens January 10th-28th, 2023 -
“Year of the Rabbit” Group Exhibit at Modern Eden, San Francisco, CA
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Opens January 14th, 2023
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“Playing Favorites” Group Exhibit at Robert Lange Studio, Charleston, SC
Opens February 3rd-26th, 2023
Award-winning Guest Speakers
Every semester, Visual Arts Passage invites 6 guest speakers to connect and share wisdom with all students. These industry leaders answer student questions, complete in-depth demonstrations, review work, and more.
Featured this semester
Jon Foster
A striking surreal portrait from Visual Arts Passage showcasing a person with a unique mask and floral motifs, blending fantasy and creativity in contemporary art.
Edward Kinsella III
Striking contemporary Afrocentric portrait art showcasing the emotional connection between a woman and girl of African descent, highlighting cultural identity and artistic creativity.
What makes this Mentorship unique?
As a mentorship student, you will gain access to a vast wealth of resources to better your understanding and improve your skills. You will be paired with a high-caliber professional, who will be with you every step of the way.
Live Classes
Every class is delivered live and is fully interactive with lectures, demos, critiques, and guest speakers. Consider this your front row seat.
Connect on Discord
Study Hall
Guest Speakers
Learn-by-doing Assignments
Polish your skills and create portfolio-worthy art
Students are tasked on a weekly basis with a variety of skill-building exercises, real-world assignments, and projects to help refine and improve. Assignments include creating publishing art based on existing narratives, celebrity portraits, and poster art for a mock client such as The Criterion Collection.
Student Testimonials
I was pushed to try new techniques and materials. I really enjoyed the projects and the opportunity to let loose in regards to my own process and style.
Payment Installments Available
Even though our courses are the best value, with the high caliber instruction and personalized mentoring, there are finance options available to make the mentorship program financially possible for as many artists as possible. Select Shop Pay or Affirm at checkout to view options.
