Sculpting without seeing?

BYOB for a painting class?

How about a three-day expressive signature program, the first day devoted to art therapy, the second to story-telling with body movement and the third to freeing your voice?

They’re all available at Unarthodox, a new art education experience in the heart of gallery-rich Chelsea in New York City.

In fact, the Unarthodox space is in a building shared by 40 to 50 art galleries – so it’s surrounded by inspirational works by other artists.

“We’re a brand-new company, studio and concept,” says Alvaro Montagna, who founded the studio with Maria Kordova. “It’s about experiential art experiences – classes and workshops to incorporate non-traditional art-making methods, as well as body movement and dance, improv exercises, writing and virtual reality – as a form of entertainment for the purpose of self-development.”

It’s fun and therapeutic too – like telling the kids how great their vegetables are without mentioning how good they are for them.

“We throw all the rules out the window,” he says. “We’re building a platform to experiment with art.”

Thus the blindfolded sculpture sessions and the tables with easels and brushes assembled like place settings – complete with candlelight and a bottle of wine from home.

Class sizes vary, with as few as six or as many as 20 to 30. “The more experimental classes like ‘Intuitive Art’ and ‘Sculpture without Sight’ we try to keep to 10 people max,” he says. “‘Bottled Art’ may have as many as 30, but the average class size we’re happy with is 10 to 12 people.”

All classes take place at the Unarthodox studio at 547 West 27th Street, Suite 300, in Manhattan. For more information go to http://www.unarthodox.com/.

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