AJA was born an artist but didn’t always connect with the art classes he took in school. In part, because he didn’t learn about art or artists whom he could relate to. Later in life, he found a whole community of artists like him making work that spoke to his interests.
The Aerosol Academy program is AJA’s signature program designed to get youth excited about art-making and art history and to fire up their passion for creative exploration and collaboration.
Teaching about street artists and graffiti art brings modern stories into the classrooms because it's the kind of art you spot every day on your way home from school or work. The modern mural movement has a lot to do with the popularity of street art and graffiti: many of your students have probably shot selfies in front of the art they see around town.
Students will learn about the history and political and cultural relevance of street art including trying some art-making techniques. We will focus on the legal and ethical issues associated with the traditional process of graffiti. Youth will learn legal ways to practice the art form including how to approach local businesses and community centres to paint a mural, paint on canvas or board, or create custom murals for individuals. Each student takes home a workbook at the end of the workshops.
If there are no free walls in the area, cost-effective temporary walls can be built where a permanent mural is not the end goal. Workshop panels can be contour cut after the class, then upcycled as background elements for a collaborative mural project with the Artist.
The Aerosol Academy program is meant to be flexible and can be delivered in phases of varying length. Here are some examples of how the program can be delivered:
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This is a one-day, full-day workshop designed for up to 25 students, and the classroom setting is provided by the school. AJA arrives ahead of time to construct the temporary mural wall outdoors. The workshop begins inside the classroom and later transitions outside, utilizing spray paint on the mural wall. AJA initiates the session with a demonstration piece, and then the young participants explore various mediums, fostering a highly creative and collaborative atmosphere. If we’d like to work with more students, we can leave the mural wall set up for multiple days, bringing the cost per day down.
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This workshop spans five days, with sessions lasting 3-5 hours each day. It can be scheduled consecutively or spread over a week or two, accommodating up to 25 students. The workshop starts in the classroom where we introduce students to the mural wall for hands-on experience. We return to the classroom to brainstorm and design the mural. Once the concept is well-defined, we venture outside to collaboratively paint it over the remaining workshop days, with AJA providing the finishing touches. Depending on the piece, AJA may take panels back to his studio to finish, and then deliver them back to you for installation.
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The artist in residence program with AJA entails multiple visits to classrooms throughout a semester or school year. The program begins with paper and canvas workshops, gradually transitioning to the collaborative creation of a mural or a series of murals tailored to the school or organization's needs. These murals are co-designed by AJA and the students, with AJA taking the lead in the painting process while students provide consultation and/or assistance.
Note: There are often grants available to help support this type of project through the Edmonton Arts Council or the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.
An important objective of the Aerosol Academy program is to remain flexible to integrate into existing curricula or mural projects seamlessly. It is crucial to engage in discussions with project partners to ensure that we tailor our approach to align with their specific requirements and strengths, rather than attempting to impose a one-size-fits-all program.
Intro to AJA Louden
A 45-minute in-person or virtual presentation sharing AJA’s story as a professional artist, including how he became interested in street art and murals, his path to education through the sciences and into graphic and industrial design, how he started a professional studio and mentorship opportunities. Each session ends with a Q&A where students can ask questions to the artist directly and build a connection with an award-winning local artist.
Lettering with Flavour
A 12-part pre-recorded workshop series designed for middle school students showing how to create expressive hand-lettering to create a sort of personal 'logo'/wordmark that tells a story about their identity. Students use acrylic paint markers and canvas panels provided by the artist to complete their final projects.
Includes in-person introduction and Q&A with AJA and in-person follow-up visit so AJA can see and celebrate the students' work and provide feedback.
Get in Touch
Contact us today with questions and inquiries. We’d love to talk through your creative project and learn how we can work together.