Vitality Arts: Sketching Fashion

Vitality Arts: Sketching Fashion kicks off at the Minneapolis Institute of Art on Wednesday, November 18, and runs for five weekly sessions through December 16. It's a sketching course led by teaching artist Stephanie Watson, and it's built around the museum's Paris Couture exhibition, which brings together more than 80 haute couture masterpieces from the Palais Galliera. The collection spans from the late 19th century to today, with pieces by Dior, Balenciaga, Schiaparelli and Grès.

Each week follows a similar rhythm: the group walks the galleries to study shape, color and line, then heads back to Studio 112 to sketch clothed mannequins and live models. You'll work with pencil, watercolor, oil pastel and collage, so you'll be moving through a few different mediums over the course of the five weeks. It's open to all experience levels, including beginners, and the goal is to help you look longer and deeper, loosen up on perfectionism and enjoy the company of other artists in the room.

The course is part of Mia's Vitality Arts program for adults 55 and older. Since 2018, the museum's workshops have covered drawing, painting, performance, jewelry making, assemblage, street art and mural painting, and Mia is part of a nationwide cohort of museums offering hands-on programming for older adults. If you've been looking for a way to get back into drawing or just want a regular creative outlet for a few weeks, this is a good place to start.

Sessions run Wednesdays from 1:30 to 4 PM at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Studio 112, 2400 Third Avenue South. The cost is pay-what-you-can, with suggested tiers of $225, $175, and $125, and limited scholarships are available.