Winter-Spring 2024 Classes
Come get creative and build community! Brought to you by Main Street Arts (MSA) and Senior Solutions. $10 MSA Registration Fee (Class Tuition is Free!) All materials provided.
Register on website mainstreetarts.org, call 802-869-2960, or email ashley@mainstreetarts.org
Address: 35 Main Street Saxtons River VT
Funded by the Vermont Arts Council and Senior Solutions
FEBRUARY- MARCH
Expressive Arts Exploration with Susan-Marie Beauchemin
Schedule: 8 weeks, (1) 2-hour class per week – 10am – 12 (noon) Tuesdays, February 6 – March 26
Description: Especially for blossoming Elders (60+), and Elders (75+) wishing to process the many losses that Time brings. Losses of people, places, things. Losses of health, strength, what has been considered as beauty. Here, we will explore some losses, and process them into being accepted; and maybe, just maybe, transform our losses into fertile seeds of ElderWisdom. Such explorations do sometimes initially hurt the heart. This is personal evolution. Evolution is re-birth. The birth process does hurt.
Free Community Lunch! From 12-1 TUESDAYS, February 6- March 26
Make family heirloom with Annie Quest
Schedule: (4) 2 hour classes for 1 month 1pm – 3pm, TUESDAYS, February 6 – March 5 (no class on Feb 20)
Program Description: In this class, students will create a piece of jewelry that tells a story to be enjoyed and possibly even passed on as a family heirloom. We will be carving images into charcoal and casting silver directly into these molds. The silver pieces (about the diameter and depth of a nickel) will then be filed and sanded. Students can make up to 4 or 5 castings for their piece (a bracelet would typically have 5 silver castings). These castings can be used to create earrings, a bolo tie, a bracelet, or a necklace. Each piece of jewelry can be embellished with sterling and gemstone beads, chains, ear wires and clasps.
APRIL-MAY
OPTIONAL: Free Community Lunch! 12-1 TUES April 2- April 30
Start an Art Journal with Susan Rosano
Schedule: 4 week class, (4) 1.5 hour classes each, 1pm – 3pm TUESDAYS, April 2 – April 30
Description: Learn to make an Art Journal, using free form art with easy doodling and simple neuro-graphic art. An Art Journal is similar to a conventional journal, but it is mostly made of your doodles, sketches, drawings or copies of old photos and clippings from magazines. An Art Journal is a compilation of images that shows emotions, moods, reflections, meditations, beliefs and much more. An Art Journal gives you the benefit of self-reflection, helps you to let go and relax like meditation, allows you to process your feelings on paper, brings you inspiration and can help you develop your creativity. With Art Journaling everything you make is safely contained in your own personal book and you may choose to never share any of your pages. It is a space where you can let loose and explore with colors, shapes, lines, and sometimes words, if you need them, all at once. Art or journaling experience is not necessary. This seven-week class will teach you techniques to use while art journaling and get you on your way to using this fantastic tool in your everyday life.
Memory boxes with Amber Paris
Schedule: 4 weeks, (1) 2-hour class per week, 1pm – 3pm THURSDAYS, April 4 – April 25
Description: In this class students will explore 2-3 bookmaking techniques as well as box construction and design to create vessels for handmade books, precious memories and small personal objects. Amber will demonstrate binding books with the pamphlet stitch, the accordion fold and 1 page folding designs. Students will choose which bookmaking technique fits their project vision and receive one-on-one help in the execution of their book. We will also construct a custom made box to hold our handmade books and other treasures.
Make Own Jewelry Pendant with Susan Rosano
Schedule: A two-day workshop, (2) 3 hours classes with a 20-minute break, 1pm – 3pm, Saturday & Sunday, April 6 & 7
Description: Susan will guide participants on how to create a good mosaic design, using color and composition for an outstanding finished jewelry pendant. Students will be given a large bezel cup and pre-cut mosaic tile, silver-colored beads, multi-colored millefiore and other found object pieces to make a design for a pendant.
MAY-JUNE
Cyanotype with Evie Lovett
Schedule: 4 weeks, (1) 90-minute class per week, 10am – 12 (Noon), MONDAYS, May 13 -June 3
Description: An accessible, step-by-step class in making photographs using the centuries-old cyanotype method. Learn how to make photographs with everyday objects, the light of the sun, and water! With cyanotype photography, we make photographs by placing objects you choose on specially coated light-sensitive paper, exposing to the light of the sun, and developing the image in water. The result is a captivating image in shades of dark blue to white. Cyanotype, dating from 1840, is one of photography’s earliest methods. We are still using the same methods almost 200 years later. This in-person learning opportunity will provide participants with clear instruction, demonstrations and weekly challenges in a connected, supportive community of learners. No experience necessary. All invited.
