RTNA Art Education Program Formally Launches
At Royal Talens North America we are formally launching our new Art Education Program in 2018. The mission of the program is to provide resources and services to our retail partners, artists and educators that ENGAGE, INFORM & INSPIRE artistic experimentation and expression.
The program evolved from our successful Art Ambassador program. The Ambassador program is a partnership between Royal Talens North America and accomplished professional artists from around the country. Royal Talens Art Ambassadors work in a variety of mediums and techniques and share meaningful information about the materials they use and how they factor into the results they achieve as artists.
Along with our Ambassadors, the staff in Northampton includes artists, educators and art industry specialists who all contribute to the new program’s goals. Our newly appointed Director of Art Education is Jeff Olson. Jeff has a combined 30 years of experience in art education and the art materials industry. He is also a working artist with expertise in a wide variety of mediums and materials.
The general activities of the program include custom designed tutorials, classes, workshops and product knowledge training for amateurs, students, professional artists and retail partners. The tutorials explore a variety of mediums and materials from Royal Talens rich and diverse products lines including Rembrandt, Cobra, Van Gogh and Amsterdam. Topics include techniques, material history, manufacturing and studio safety. Formats vary from 30-60min tutorials, 2-4hr classes and demonstrations, to full day workshops and community events. No fees are required and all materials are provided.
The benefits of our educational program include hands on experience with a wide variety of materials. Participants learn useful skills and develop practical knowledge. The program goes beyond simply learning about the features and benefits of materials but also includes an overview of manufacturing practices, product labeling, and the historical context of the materials themselves.
Ultimately the result is a greater confidence in the use of the materials and an improved vocabulary when sharing the knowledge acquired. This in turn inspires greater creativity and further exploration. Knowledgeable retail associates communicate more freely with customers, and in turn informed customers have a more satisfactory experiences. Students and artists are inspired to explore a wider variety of media and realize their individual artistic goals. Organizers of educational events receive in return a significant amount of goodwill and valuable engagement within their respective communities.