Art Thrives: Collage Workshop
Art Thrives invites participants ages 55 and above to an eight-week course led by local multimedia artist LaVonna Varnado Brown. where they will learn about various collaging techniques. , Each session will teach artists various collaging techniques and allow them to reflect on and create art inspired by African diasporic sculptures and textiles found in NOMA’s African arts collection. Participants will explore themes ranging from archiving and legacies, naming oneself, mythological origin stories, and western ideas of categorization and systems. We will build on the language of each artist’s life and the range and depth of each artist’s practice to develop artworks to be presented at the end of the course.
This workshop is $55 for NOMA members and $65 for all other participants. Participants are encouraged to attend all sessions, as the content will build on creating a comprehensive piece.
Workshop Details
Dates and Times
All workshop sessions take place on Thursdays from 12 pm to 2 pm between May 7 and July 2. See all session dates below.
| Month | Date |
| May | 7, 14, 21, and 28 |
| June | 4, 11, and 25 |
| July | 2 |
About the Teaching Artist
LaVonna Varnado Brown is a multidisciplinary artist and community worker. She earned a BA from Southeastern University Louisiana with a focus on Theatre and Liberal Arts. After studying abroad in London and Paris in the summer of 2009, LaVonna has worked as an installation artist, artist advocate, teaching artist, and tutor in and around New Orleans.
LaVonna creates mixed media visual art that is AfroFutiristic in aesthetic with odes to history, the Divine Feminine, and floral daydreams abounding. AfroFuturism is a cultural aesthetic that explores the intersection of art and history with intention to inspire action in the now by healing beyond trauma. In addition to creating multimedia works, LaVonna curates intentional workshops and expos with a focus on healing and raising spatial awareness. Through her work she hopes to uplift the narrative of rest, joy, resistance, and abundance.
About Art Thrives: Creative Aging at NOMA
In 2022, the New Orleans Museum of Art introduced Art Thrives, an institutional initiative designed to engage adults ages 55 and older through the arts. With hands-on workshops and storytelling-focused programs, Art Thrives offers experiences designed specifically for adults as part of the museum’s mission to inspire lifelong learning through the arts.