Form in Art

Form in Art combines art-making studio classes and the study of art history into a unique course for legally blind adults. About 20 percent of people who are legally blind can see nothing at all. The rest have some residual vision, which varies greatly from person to person. More people are visually impaired than are blind.

Visual description and touch tours by specially trained guides help these students get an initial, objective experience of select objects in the Museum's galleries. Then, historical and subjective information and lectures by conservators and curators fill in this overview and teach them about the role of the art museum. In the studio classes, artist instructors expose the students to a wide variety of materials and techniques to assist and encourage their self-expression. Volunteers help students with their art making processes. At the end of each year, 100 of their best works are exhibited in the Museum’s Education Corridor, which not only gives students a public voice and serves as a celebration of their efforts, but is also an inspiration to blind and sighted Museum visitors alike.

Four different Form in Art classes meet once a week for two 13-week semesters each year. There are about twelve students in each class. Students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and are not required to have had previous art training before entering this Form in Art program. There is a $10 (beginners) or $40 (advanced) registration fee for each semester. The Museum provides all supplies and also arranges and pays half of the students' transportation to and from the classes.

Schedule

Fall semester: Friday, September 11 – Friday December 11, 2009
Spring semester: Friday, February 5 – Friday, May 14, 2010

Registration

Form In Art requires advanced registration. To obtain an application, call the program coordinator by phone at (215) 684-7606 or email .

Sponsors

Form in Art is generously supported by The Women’s Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Betty Harbison Memorial Fund.

For more information, please contact Accessible Programs by phone at (215) 684-7602 or TTY (215) 684-7600, by fax at (215) 684-7395, or by e-mail at .