beyond

Not all of our classes fit into a well defined box - here you’ll find the interdisciplinary, cross-studio, and more experimental workshops. These classes aren’t consistently on the calendar, but rotate through the year. Check out our enrollment page for the current offerings.

Hand Sewing: sampler wall hanging

instructor: Lillis Taylor
Duration: 6 sessions over 6 weeks, ~2 hour sessions
Price: $240
Supply fee: $40
Pre-requisite: none
Ages: 16+

Hand Sewing can be a form of active meditation. Though sewing skills are utilitarian in nature, this class will introduce techniques and processes that will deepen your artistic craft within fiber art. You will explore improvisational embroidery, hand-piecing, and appliqué, along with fabric folding and other forms of embellishment. Instructor Lillis Taylor will also curate a selection of her favorite tools, supplies, contemporary textile artists, and resources so that you can start to build your own reservoir of knowledge and inspiration. 

Learn all of the skills needed to complete a hand-quilted wall hanging such as piecing, making the “sandwich” (top, batting, backing), quilting, and binding. You will be guided in questions of composition and layout, but the resulting design will be individual to the participant. While the class will yield one wall hanging per participant, the primary goal of the instructor is that each individual hone embellishment skills within the community of the class. Though sewing is a personal endeavor, it can be a social one, weaving participants into a tight-knit community.

Kinetic Mobile Design

Instructor: Courtney & Jerrod Windham, Counter Balance
Duration: one day, ~2.5 hours
Price: $110
Supply fee: $20
Pre-requisite: none
Ages: 16+

Discover the art behind kinetic mobile design as Courtney and Jerrod of Counter Balance guide you through the fundamental principles. You will dive into crafting your very own distinctive mobile, using a range of tools, materials, and techniques giving you the chance to tap into your creativity while embracing the joy of experimenting with balance, color, promotion, and rhythm in the design.

Counter Balance is a collection of kinetic mobiles designed by Courtney and Jerrod Windham, both designers and educators at Auburn University in the School of Industrial + Graphic Design. Wire, wood, paint, and other custom materials come together to create kinetic art that, in the words of Alexander Calder, are “a piece of poetry that dances with the joy of life surprises.”

Stained glass with Blue Dragon Glass

Instructor: Rhandie Weaver, Blue Dragon Glass
Duration: 5 sessions over 5 weeks, ~2 hour session
Price: $250
Supply fee: $50
Pre-requisite: none
Ages: 18+

In this five-week glass, Rhandie Weaver, of Blue Dragon Glass, will teach you the basics of stained glass. You'll how to cut glass, grind, foil, solder, frame, and clean a stained glass panel. By the end of these five weeks, you'll have a beautiful piece of art and some new skills to take home.

This class is great for both beginner & intermediate student. Beginners will have the option of multiple designs while more experienced will be able to use more advanced skills. We will have all the tools & materials on hand for you.

Rhandie Weaver, the owner and artist at Blue Dragon Glass, has been working with glass for 20 years. She started by taking a stained glass class and fell in love. She taught herself glass carving and etching as well as kiln-formed glass and mosaics. She has a statue from the “Vulcans on Parade” series that resides at the Birmingham Zoo. She also has a panel at the J. Clyde on Cobb Lane in 5 Points. She loves to teach and has offered classes in stained glass, etched glass, fused glass, and mosaics.

TIE DYE TEES WITH AFTER YOU DYE

Instructor: Zach Seals, After You Dye
Duration: One session, ~2 hours
Price: $55
Supply fee: $15
Pre-requisite: none
Ages: 16+ (12 and up are welcome if signed up with an adult)

Get ready to unleash your creativity with our Tie Dye class hosted by After You Dye! In this dynamic session, you'll dive into the colorful world of tie-dyeing under the expert guidance of Zach. Discover the art of folding, tying, and dyeing fabric as you explore different techniques and create stunning patterns on t-shirts, bandanas, and more.

During the class, you'll learn essential prepping methods, including laundering and soda ash soaking, to ensure vibrant and long-lasting colors. Zach will walk you through various folding and tying techniques, allowing you to experiment and create unique designs. You'll also delve into different dyeing methods, from ice and hot water to liquid dye, as you bring your vision to life.

With all materials provided, including high-quality white t-shirts and Dharma Dye, you'll have everything you need to unleash your inner artist and create wearable works of art. Don't miss this opportunity to learn a timeless craft and leave with your very own hand-dyed creations!

INTRODUCTION TO BOOKMAKING

instructor: David West
Duration: 4 sessions over 4 weeks, ~2 hour sessions
Price: $165
Supply fee: $40
Pre-requisite: none
Ages: 16+ (12 and up are welcome if signed up with an adult)

This four week series will introduce some of the basic processes of bookmaking and provide an entry into the techniques used in making hand sewn books. We will learn about the different tools and terminologies that are used, work through several types of book forms, and complete several books over the course of the sessions. All materials will be provided.

David West is an artist living in Birmingham with over 20 years of art teaching experience. He has an MFA in printmaking, has been a bookmaker for about a dozen years and is a drawing specialist. His work is a mixture of observation and contemplation exploring the world around him. There are very few things he would rather do than sit with a good friend, a good sketchbook, and see what there is to draw.