Fine Line art center offers day to explore classes
If you need a change of pace after the holidays, give yourself the gift of a fun day trying out a variety of art classes at the annual Exploration Day on Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Fine Line Creative Arts Center, 37W570 Bolcum Road, just west of Randall Road in St. Charles.
Move from room to room and sample classes from the following: needle felting, blacksmithing, creative play, chain maille earrings, ceramics, weaving on the big looms, collage, and flamework glass bead making. Pick your chosen sessions from 9 to 10 a.m., then enjoy six mini-classes plus lunch, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Preregistration is required. Cost is $60 for members or $80 for nonmembers.
• With a specialized needle, needle felting involves bond wool fibers into a small sculptural work of art. Make a nesting bird for your home or a festive flower to wear as a pin.
• In blacksmithing, make a small gauge wall hook using forging and hammering blacksmithing techniques (weather permitting).
• In Creative Play, you will be using familiar materials in these exercises to help you activate your creative potential. The emphasis will be on surprising your brain into making some new connections by playing games and meeting challenges. You will gain some surprising insights into the nature of creativity. This exploration is an introduction to the "Creative Challenge" workshop.
• In "Chain Maille Earrings," you will make a pair of colorful earrings. You will be using anodized aluminum rings which are extremely light weight.
• In ceramics, you will make some whimsical handbuilt sculptures. Choose from a stylized dog, crazy bird, tribal mask, decorative container or funny cat. You will also have the opportunity to see a pottery throwing demonstration.
• In "Weaving on the Big Looms," you will be taught the basic mechanics of the floor loom, and how cloth is made. Next you will learn how to treadle, throw a shuttle, and beat in the weft. Then, sit at a floor loom and weave for the remainder of the class. Experience the fun of using colored yarns, and witness the magic of weaving cloth.
• In "Collage," enjoy playing with paper and images to create a collage. Using a no-fail technique everyone will make frame-worthy art.
• In "Flamework Glass Bead making," you will learn about the properties of glass, tools and equipment, safety, manipulation of glass, annealing, and finishing beads. You will work on a professional glass working torch. You must wear natural fiber clothing and make sure any long hair is pulled back.
No previous art experience needed. You may well find something you would like to further explore in a full class session at Fine Line.
Visit fineline.org or call (630) 584-9443.
Fine Line Creative Arts Center is an educational art center which provides year-round classes for adults in a wide range of media including weaving, knitting, crochet, machine knitting, dyeing, jewelry, glass, blacksmithing, pottery, painting, drawing, ceramics, metal smiting, printmaking and papermaking. Two galleries are included on the Fine Line campus, featuring local to international artists.