Our 1- and 2-day workshops offer a taste of something new and a little digging deep, while teaching artists from around the country provide in-depth exploration for the benefit of our instructors, advanced students, and curious learners during Visiting Artist Workshops.
Fall
HOLIDAY CARDS WITH GEL PLATES
Debbi Kreps / Printmaking Studio
Fri 11/15
6-9pm / One Day
$85 / Members: $65
Celebrate the coming of the holidays with a night out! Make beautiful monotype cards without a press using a remarkable product called “Gelli Plate.” By using a combination of paint, soft rubber rollers, color shapers, and stencils, you’ll create unique cards and gift tags perfect for giving to your friends and family.
SCREENPRINTING WITH HOMEMADE INKS
Deborah Mattson & Patrick Kinne / Printmaking Studio
Sat 10/26 & Sun 10/27
Sat 9am-5pm & Sun 12-4pm / Two Days
$165 / Members: $145
This workshop will teach you how to make plant- based inks, including a non-toxic screenprinting ink. You will also use the ink to print designs on paper and fabric using silkscreen methods.
PRINTMAKING AT THE KALAMAZOO NATURE CENTER – CARVER HOUSE
Deborah Mattson / Carver House
Sat 10/5
9am-4pm / One Day
$120 / Members: $100
Explore printmaking projects at the Kalamazoo Nature Center’s Carver House! We will forage onsite for materials to make nature prints and collagraphs, as well as drypoint prints. See what amazing materials and subject matter can be found out-of-doors in Michigan's natural areas, and how prints can be made from your discoveries. Come ready to hike a little ways and spend time outdoors. Please bring a lunch and drinking water.
MAKE A PERSONAL ORNAMENT
Amelia Falk / Jewelry Studio
Sun 11/3
1-4pm / One Day
$75 / Members: $55
Create personalized holiday decorations in our one-day workshop. Learn how to punch, texture, dome, stamp, and color your own ornaments. You’ll also make a hook and learn how to polish the whole piece to a shine. Come with a friend or family member and leave with a unique piece of art!
INTRO TO TORCH FIRED ENAMELING
Deb Flook / Jewelry Studio
Sat 10/5 1-4pm
1-4pm / One Day
$80 / Members: $60
Kilns aren’t the only way to enamel! This introductory workshop will begin with how to set up a torch enamel workstation and what tools are required and will quickly move into how to add enamel to your work. How to coat headpins, flat and curved surfaces, beads, and more will be covered. All materials are provided with additional available for purchase.
KILN ENAMEL BASICS
Meg Tang / Jewelry Studio
Sat & Sun 10/19-10/20
10-1pm / Two Days
$115 / Members: $95
Whether you want to try kiln-fired enamels for the first time or just want to brush up on the basics, this two-day workshop is for you! Students will explore kiln-fired powder enamels on copper.
INTRO TO DROP SPINDLE
Amanda Casanova / Weaving Studio
Sat 9/21
1-4pm / One Day
$70 / Members: $50
Drop spindles require very little space to work with and can be spun virtually anywhere! This workshop is designed to teach students how to spin using a drop spindle while also familiarizing learners with the purpose of various types of spindles. Students will have the opportunity to try several spindles and will leave with a basic working knowledge of how they spin. All materials provided.
HOLIDAY MANTELPIECE SWAG
Sherri Synder / Auditorium
Tue 12/10
6-8pm / One Day
$75 / Members: $55
Participants in this class will create a luxurious evergreen decoration, approximately 6 feet in length, that can be used to adorn a mantle, as a table centerpiece, or as a swag above a door. Multiple evergreens will be used, focusing on texture and interest. Seasonal accents including pine cones will also be incorporated.
Sherri Synder
EVERGREEN WREATH
Sherri Synder / Auditorium
Wed 11/20
6-8pm / One Day
$75 / Members: $55
Using a natural grapevine wreath base, participants will create an asymmetrical wreath with plenty of texture and interest. Seasonal accents and a luxurious velvet bow will finish this project that anyone would be proud to display. Elements of the project will be reusable for future wreaths. All supplies are included, but bringing your own pruners and garden gloves are suggested. This project will last for the winter season.
NARCISSUS BLUMEN GARDEN
Sherri Synder / Auditorium
Tue 11/12
6-8pm / One Day
$70 / Members: $50
Using a variety of natural finds and holiday decorations, class participants will create a charming fresh arrangement featuring Narcissus bulbs. This European style indoor “garden” will last a few weeks as a centerpiece or decoration. All materials are reusable, and/or compostable. These gardens can be recreated at home to give as gifts, no special equipment is required. Garden gloves are recommended since we will be using some potting mix, but they are not required.
PUMPKIN FLORAL ARRANGEMENT
Sherri Synder / Auditorium
Tue 10/15
6-8pm / One Day
$70 / Members: $50
Using a pie pumpkin, students will arrange fresh, locally grown flowers in prepared pumpkin. Students will be guided as to where and how to place the flowers, no previous experience is necessary. This fresh floral arrangement will last approximately a week to a week and a half. Pruners or floral shearers are helpful to bring but not required.
Sherri Synder
CORN TASSEL WREATH
Sherri Synder / Auditorium
Tue 10/8
6-8pm / One Day
$75 / Members: $55
Create a full and natural looking wreath using corn tassels and a wreath frame. With minimal maintenance, this wreath can be displayed for multiple years. Please bring pruners if you have them, but they are not required.
COFFEE & ARTIST RESUMES
Rachel Stickney / Multi-Purpose Classroom
Sun 10/27
1-4pm / One Day
$65 / Members: $45
Let’s chat about resumes over coffee! Learn how to format an artist's resume, what information to include, and best practices for maintaining your new resume. Professional practices for art students, emerging artists and makers, and those looking to brush up on their art business skills will be covered. Laptops and/or tablets with Word and Excel capabilities are encouraged. Coffee and light refreshments will be provided!
BUDGETING 101 FOR ARTISTS AND CREATIVES
Rachel Stickney / Studio 4
(B) Wed 10/16
6-9pm / One Day
$60 / Members: $40
Does the thought of managing money make you sweat? Toss out that starving artist trope and let’s have an open and honest discussion about managing money for artists! Learn different budgeting methods, as well as best practices for overall money management. Laptops or tablets with Word and Excel capabilities are encouraged. This workshop is for art students, emerging artists, makers, and those looking to brush up on their art business skills. All are welcome in this nonjudgmental and informative environment!
BUDGETING 101 FOR ARTISTS AND CREATIVES
Rachel Stickney / Multi-Purpose Classroom
(A) Sun 10/13
1-4pm / One Day
$60 / Members: $40
Does the thought of managing money make you sweat? Toss out that starving artist trope and let’s have an open and honest discussion about managing money for artists! Learn different budgeting methods, as well as best practices for overall money management. Laptops or tablets with Word and Excel capabilities are encouraged. This workshop is for art students, emerging artists, makers, and those looking to brush up on their art business skills. All are welcome in this nonjudgmental and informative environment!
FRAMING WORKSHOP
Trevor Grabill / Studio 4
Thu 11/7-11/14
6:30-8:30pm / Two Days
$85 / Members: $65
Learn to make your own simple frames for paintings, prints, and drawings using accessible materials and methods that can be replicated at home! Some basic woodworking skills will be covered as well as tips and tricks for upcycling thrifted frames.
GERMAN CONVERSATION
Emily Walsh / Boardroom
Sun 10/13
1-3pm / One Day
$60 / Members: $40
Looking to satisfy your wanderlust by traveling, or just love learning languages? Join us for an afternoon of learning and practicing useful phrases to improve your German communication skills abroad. Whether you are new to the language, or ready to engage in some light conversation, all are welcome! Coffee and pastries will be provided.
WATERCOLOR AND MORE IN THE OUTDOORS
Susan Badger / KNC Visitors Center, Cooper’s Glen Auditorium
Mon 9/9-9/16
11am-3 pm / Two Days
$135 / Members: $115
Work en plein air (outdoors!) in watercolor and a variety of drawing media on the beautiful Nature Center grounds. We will create loose and expressive studies at a variety of local sites, learning to focus our composition and yet freely interpret our subjects with supportive guidance. Dress appropriately and wear comfortable shoes for this outdoor class.
DRAWING MICHIGAN WILDLIFE: OWLS AND SNAKES
Taylor Scamehorn / KNC Visitors Center, Lower Classroom
Sat 10/26
9am-4pm / One Day
$120 / Members: $100
Learn to draw some Halloween-themed creatures at the beautiful Kalamazoo Nature Center. Drawing from both live and preserved specimens, acquire skills for field sketching to fully-rendered animal studies. Please bring drawing pads and graphite pencils as well as lunch and drinking water.
MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY
Mark Cassino / Multi-Purpose Classroom
Sat 10/12
10am-4pm / One Day
$100 / Members: $80
Explore the world of high magnification macro photography! This one day
workshop will cover the basics of how to photograph tiny subjects at
high magnifications. Topics will include techniques for achieving high
magnification, managing depth of field, lighting subjects, and using
focus stacking. Photographing small subjects both in the field and studio will
be covered. Please bring a lunch.
THE HAND PAINTED PHOTOGRAPH
Mary Whalen / Multi-Purpose Classroom
Sat 9/14-9/21
1 – 4pm / Two Days
$120 / Members: $100
Hand color a black and white photograph! You have the option to selectively color or color the entire image. We will start with a digital inkjet black and white photograph and prepare it so that it can be hand colored with various mediums, oil, color pencil pastels.
An email will be sent to participants for submitting images to be digitally printed for the class.
CALLIGRAPHY FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Kathy McCreedy / Printmaking Studio
Sat 11/23
12-4pm / One Day
$85 / Members: $65
Create your own holiday cards using collage and learn to address handwritten envelopes, in a fun hands on holiday card making workshop. Students will learn tips for decorating holiday envelopes that are simple but festive.
SASHIKO
Mary Baggerman / Multi-Purpose Classroom
Sun 10/6
12-4pm / One Day
$85 / Members: $65
Sashiko is a type of hand stitching that originated in Japan. Used for mending and embellishment, it has a rich history of tradition and design. Today many people are discovering it as part of the visible mending movement. Come and learn the basics of stitching, pattern transfer, tools and techniques. We will be making several small pieces suitable to be made into coasters, pin cushions or used as a patch on clothing. Materials will be provided and will be yours to take home at the end of class.
SOUND BATH: THE FLOW OF CREATIVITY
Kara Markovich / Auditorium
Wed 11/13
6-7:30pm / One Day
$60 / Members: $40
Immerse yourself in an evening of sound that will take you to a place of peace, stillness, and connection. During the sound immersion various instruments will fill the space such as Tibetan singing bowls, crystal bowls, and gongs. These allow you to move into a state of deep relaxation. Rest, recover, and heal your physical, emotional, and energetic bodies while dislodging creative blocks. Students are encouraged to bring a yoga mat and blanket.
EMBROIDERED FALL FABRIC COLLAGE
Jessica Sundstrom / Weaving Studio
Sat 9/28
9:30am-1:30pm / One Day
$85 / Members: $65
It's time to visit the pumpkin patch! The embroidered fabric collage pumpkin patch, that is. Using fall-themed fabrics and the same materials–fabrics, threads, sequins, and beads–to create collage scenes and then embroider and embellish them.Utilizing the same fall pumpkin theme, the magic will be in seeing how each of us create a different fabric collage using the same materials. No experience in embroidery necessary. You will leave with a finished fall fabric collage to proudly display or share.