As the Cayman Islands continues its phased re-opening, and following on from their busy virtual education programme during lockdown, the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands announces a digital Summer of Art programme for kids and families. The three-part programme is designed to be followed in its entirety or used on virtual ‘drop in’ basis for flexibility and is available at no cost to the community.

Weekly Virtual Art Classes Led by Local Artists

In July and August 2020, the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands’ presents free digital art classes for a range of student age groups. The series of virtual art lessons, presented as both pre-recorded videos and live Zoom classes, is developed and taught by local artists and NGCI staff, allowing student viewers to learn techniques while expanding their understanding of the Cayman Islands’ artist community. Videos are uploaded to the National Gallery blog every Thursday morning throughout July and August; registration for Zoom workshops is by emailing [email protected]. Confirmed sessions to date include:

Parents & Preschoolers: Tuke the Specialist Turtle Story & Craft

Thursday 9 July, 10:00am (via NGCI’s Blog) – NGCI’s staff does story time with a virtual reading of “Tuke the Specialist Turtle”, followed by a themed craft session with materials you can find at home. This is a great summer activity for the little ones in your life! Visit the NGCI blog for the full video on 9 July. 

Creating Unique Landscapes with Joseph Betty

Thursday 16 July, 10:00am (via NGCI’s Blog) – Learn to create unique landscapes that re-envision the environment with local artist Joseph Betty. Recommended for teens and older. Visit the NGCI blog for the full video on 16 July 2020.

Transfer Printing with Sarah McDougall

Thursday 23 July, 10:00am (via NGCI’s Blog) – Take a transfer printing class with local artist Sarah McDougall. This workshop is appropriate for middle school through high school students. Visit the NGCI blog for the full video on 23 July 2020.

Mixed Media Zoom Class with Sarah McDougall

Thursday 30 July, 2:00pm-3:00pm (via Zoom – pre-registration required) – Learn to create a layered, nature-themed mixed media artwork with local artist Sarah McDougall. This Zoom workshop is appropriate for middle school through high school students. To register and receive webinar login information, email [email protected]. 

Unscramble Me: Surrealist Art Class with Gordon Solomon

Thursday August 6, 3:00pm-5:00pm (via Zoom – pre-registration required) – Join Gordon Solomon as he leads you through creating your own Surrealist art that intertwines graphic art with figures and landscapes. Learn how to turn small-scale sketches into to large-scale black and white images on canvas. This workshop is inspired Solomon’s painting entitled “This Is Us” (2019), and on his current series “Unscramble Me”. To register and receive webinar login information, email [email protected]. 

Painting Zoom Class with Sarah McDougall

Thursday 13 August, 2:00pm-3:00pm (via Zoom – pre-registration required) – Follow along with this Zoom painting class led by Sarah McDougall. To register and receive webinar login information, email [email protected]. 

“Cyclists” Mixed Media Art Class with John Broad

August 20, 10:00am-11:00am (via Zoom – pre-registration required) – Join John Broad for a workshop inspired by his series of “Cyclist” paintings. Participants can follow along with John in their choice of medium, from acrylic paint to graphite pencils, charcoal or pastels. To register and receive webinar login information, email [email protected].

Stay tuned to NGCI’s What’s On website page and social media pages for more classes.

Kids Cine Club

In addition to the above line-up of online art classes, this summer sees the virtual re-launch of NGCI’s Kids Cine Club, a programme originally launched in 2011 that allows guests to enjoy educational and art-related films, from animation to nature documentaries. As a digital programme, 2020’s Cine Club will provide participants with access to free short films as well as follow-up resources to expand learning and engagement after viewing. Films and resources will be posted to NGCI’s social media and blog. Pre-registration for this programme is not required.

Family Tours of NGCI Exhibitions and Collections

Though large group tours and onsite workshops remain suspended throughout the summer, NGCI encourages families and small groups (of eight maximum) to schedule tours of the new National Collection exhibition Saltwater in Their Veins, which explores Cayman’s maritime history and evolving relationship to the ocean through the works of 45 local artists; as well as the current temporary exhibitions, Island of Women: Life at Home During Our Maritime Years and Bendel Hydes Acquisitions, both of which has extended its run until the end of August 2020. The National Gallery Gift Shop is also open and it’s a great place to find art supplies and other fun craft and art activity packs for those ling summer days.

For more information about the digital programme, or to book an onsite visit, please email [email protected] or call us on (345) 945 8111.

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About the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands

Established in 1996, the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands (NGCI) is the country’s leading visual arts museum and education centre, charged with promoting and encouraging the appreciation and practice of the visual arts in the Cayman Islands. This mission is achieved through exhibitions, education/outreach programmes, school tours, community festivals, and ongoing research projects. Holding up to six exhibitions annually at our central exhibition space, and satellite venues around Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands, the curatorial team strives to create a balance between exhibitions of quality Caymanian artwork with art from further afield. This is achieved by working with a broad cross-section of artists and ranging from site-specific work to more traditional gallery-based projects.

NGCI is at the forefront of visual arts education in the Cayman Islands hosting 25+ education and outreach programmes monthly, across all three islands. These programmes aim to capture every age group in our community from the youngest pre-schoolers to senior citizens, in addition to marginalized members of our community. They combine arts education with enriching creative experiences which foster creativity, help build self-esteem, and provide effective and invaluable explorations of culture, cultural heritage, national identity and community values.