The Mesa Verde Literary Festival will hold free teen art and writing workshops at the Mancos Opera House, 136 W. Grand Ave., on July 12 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Teens ages 13 to 18 years old are invited to attend.
The hands-on, creative workshops will be led by instructors Alys Hansen and Kira Taylor. The festival shared that they are excited to provide a welcoming space for young artists and writers to explore their talents.
The morning session, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., is called Block Printing and Poetry. This workshop will guide participants in using bricks or tiles and ink to create prints and inspire original poetry. Attending teens are asked to craft pieces that reflect lost cities, dreamscapes or disguised memories. No prior art, writing or poetry experience is required for the workshops.
The afternoon session, Blind Contour: How to Find a Character From the Outside In, will run from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. This workshop introduces blind contour drawing, focusing on outlines without looking at the paper in order to build realistic and relatable characters. Participants will develop character sketches and explore humanizing details.
The focus will be on fostering creativity and storytelling, ensuring everyone leaves with a deeper understanding of character development.
For more information or to register, contact mesaverdewriters@gmail.com.
