A person in a mask and a studio apron holding ceramic bowl on tray with wall in background

Discover new artistic adventures through hands-on classes and workshops

With the summer heat already blazing, it’s time to get fired up in cool surroundings at our Studio School. With four- and eight-week courses, short workshops and our happy-hour-timed Friday Night Series — all taught by experts in their areas — Studio School offers individualized instruction in a fun atmosphere for both teens and adults.

Though we’re keeping enrollment numbers low to ensure that everyone can learn and enjoy in a safe, socially distanced environment, Studio School is also offering dozens of in-person classes so students can get hands-on experience.

“Art is for everyone,” said Jaime Thompson, director of education and programs. “When people think of Studio School, they think of our great offerings in ceramics, fiber arts and painting. But the studio isn’t just for visual artists.”

Classes like DJ School, Creative Carpentry and Fundamentals of Experimental Sound help break down the walls between artistic disciplines while sending adult students on new adventures in a wide array of art forms. Additionally, Studio School classes come in a variety of formats to suit a variety of schedules and learning styles.

“Not ready to committee to an eight-week long class? The four-week class is perfect for you,” Thompson said. “Still too much of a commitment? Try the two-hour Friday Night Workshops, where you can meet some new friends, learn something new and purchase drinks and treats from the café.”

Hands operating a loom with blue and pink thread

Fiber Arts

“Personally, I am most excited about the Natural Fiber Dye class that will teach guests how to create dyes from our new Art Garden just west of the Studio School,” Thompson said. Rather than using chemical dyes, students will discover how to extract dyes from locally grown plants, creating colors that are both vivid and naturally occurring. Also on tap for summer: classes in Floor Loom Weaving, Intuitive Quilting, Thread Painting and Sewing Fundamentals.

A person in a mustard-yellow sweatshirt, head wrap and mask draws on an easel outside

2-D Media

Drawing can be a gateway to other artistic forms, the first step in a great work or stand on its own as a completed piece. Make the first draft with Beginning Drawing, in which instructor Chris Brizzard provides the fundamentals of shape accuracy, proportion, the block-in, separating light from shadow, establishing values and conveying light on form. Other offerings in two-dimensional creativity include Beginning Watercolor, Collage Basics and Figure Drawing.

A set of decorated metal cuffs on a metal square with tools in foreground

3-D Media

Learn to reveal the beauty inside reclaimed wood with Creative Carpentry, a class that will help establish new woodworking skills or refine those you already have. Artist Gabriel Friedman will provide instruction and lead discussions on technique before plunging into a unique set of projects: bringing designs created by young children to artistic fruition. Other available classes include Discovering Sculpture and Intro to Jewelry Making and Metalsmithing.

Ceramics

Get your hands dirty with Beginning Ceramics, in which instructor Marissa Childers teaches hand building techniques like pinching and coiling slabs of clay. Toward the end of the course, participants will discover how to use a potter’s wheel. For those who already have a foundation in clay, next-level classes like Intermediate Wheel Throwing, Ceramics for Teens and Intermediate Hand Building will help mold new sculptors and ceramicists.

Digital Media

Ever wished you could get on the wheels of steel like Grandmaster Flash or DJ Premier? DJ School will teach the basics of crossfader switching, scratching and mixing on both digital and vinyl platforms. Just bring wired headphones — experienced DJs and instructors Angel Little and Tony Tee will help you get the party started. In other technical pursuits, discover Adobe Illustrator Fundamentals, Basics of Home Recording and the Fundamentals of Experimental Sound – everything you need to put out a first album.

A pen lies on paper with writing out of focus

Literary Arts

Want to express yourself? Enroll in Crafting the Personal Essay and discover brilliant essayists like Joan Didion and James Baldwin while developing your own individual style. Over the course of this four-week class, students will workshop their pieces while discovering the building blocks of strong, persuasive writing. For more impressionistic composition, experience some Happy Little Accidents: Language Creations, in which autocorrected texts and misheard lyrics can become a springboard for unrestrained creativity.