Past Classes

For ages 3 to 5

Who are these animals in our backyards, parks, rivers, and wetlands?

In this class, we will discuss all things native to Vermont: insects, birds, mammals, and reptiles. We will especially focus on the intersection of Vermont’s wildlife and its humans, and what we can do at home to be good stewards of our local fauna.

Children will work with a range of materials, including paint, wood, natural objects, clay and more.

Drop ins welcome. Children may be dropped off.

April 6, 13 and May 4, 18, 25, 2024 | 11am-12:30pm (No class on April 20th or 27th, and no class on May 11th)

For ages 3 to 5

This month, our super maker Saturdays will be all about summer! Children will work with a range of materials, including paint, wood, natural objects, clay and more.

Drop ins welcome. Children may be dropped off.

June 1, 8, and 15th | 11am-12:30pm

For ages 3 to 5

Who’s ready for Spring??

In this class we will prepare for the changing of the seasons and look forward to flowers, gardens and all things Spring. From rainbow-colored wildflower seed bombs to starter seedling trays and personalized mosaic stepping stones, we’re here to help you get ready for spring!

Children will work with a variety of materials and across multiple disciplines including clay shaping, woodworking, cement casting and more. We will also emphasize the important role we can each play in being stewards of our local environment, to help our local pollinators and wildlife thrive.

Drop ins welcome. Children may be dropped off.

March 16, 23, and 30, 2024 | 11am-12:30pm

For ages 3 to 5

A robot-themed makerspace class for our youngest makers! In this class, kids will be making all things robots — a wooden robot toy, electric robot critters, robot pulleys and more!

Each week, we will explore different materials and different ways to make robots move. Children will have free range to create their ultimate vision, with access to our acryclic paints, gems, pipecleaners and more! Each material offers children a different sensory experience, allowing children to instinctively study and classify each material and its properties such as weight, texture and balance. Through this sensory work, children build an understanding of the material world around them and learn how to build with them in the future.

Children may be dropped off.

Saturdays in February 11am-12:30pm

Only 1 spot left!

For Preschool to Kindergarten

For our young creators, a first step into creating with different materials and textures. Each week, students will have the chance to create a work of art using different techniques and materials — acrylic pours, clay sculpting, plaster casting, wood sculpture, weaving, and more. Each material offers children a different sensory experience, allowing children to instinctively study and classify each material and its properties such as weight, texture and balance. Through this sensory work, children build an understanding of the material world around them and learn how to build with them in the future.

This class runs for 4 sessions. Children may be dropped off.

Saturdays 11am-12pm | February 4, 2023 to March 11, 2023 (No class on February 25th and March 4th)

1 spot left

For Kindergarten to 2nd grade

This class is for younger creators looking to learn how to sew, sew from patterns, and design their own patterns. Young creators will work on designing and making their own road trip tote bags (for carrying all of their necessary toys, stuffies, and devices) and plush animal pillow (for comfy road trip snoozes).

Students will begin with simple two dimensional shapes to build their skills threading needles, hand stitching and learning how to safely operate a sewing machine, and then work their way up to three dimensional stuffies with ruching, easing, and whatever other sewing techniques are needed to create their fabulous designs! We will guide the students through the entire process of designing their creations, making paper patterns, cutting, sewing, and decorating.

This class runs for 10 weeks. Drop off is between 3-3:30pm. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio. Our class follows the MRPS school calendar, so class will be held at 1pm on September 30th to accommodate MRPS’ early dismissal.

Mondays 3pm to 5pm | September 9, 2024 to November 18, 2024 (No class on October 14th. Early dismissal class on September 30th.)

Sold out

For 3rd to 5th Grades

In this wood shop class, students will build their wood working skills whether they are complete beginners or have some previous experience.

We will focus on skill development as we work through projects designed to introduce basic carpentry concepts such as blueprints, shaping, joinery and finish. Children will use hand tools as well as begin to get comfortable using power drills and a bandsaw. Over the course of 12 weeks, students will make three separate woodworking projects that are open to their own design interpretations: an animal shaped pencil holder, a gumball dispenser, and the finale: The Stool Challenge. These creations will go home with them to be used and proudly cherished for years!

Students must come to class with closed toe shoes and their hair tied back if long and wear our safety glasses when using tools. We will dedicate time in each class to go over safety and behavior around tools. Students are expected to be able to follow safety protocols to participate in this class.

This class will run for 12 weeks. Drop off is between 3-3:30pm. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

Tuesdays 3pm to 5pm | September 3, 2024 to November 19, 2024

1 spot available

For Kindergarten to 2nd grade

This the is perfect class for the kid that likes outerspace and wants to paint, build, and sculpt. Children will have a chance to learn basic woodworking skills like sawing and hammering in our woodshop, as well as learn the basics of acrylic painting and working with paper clay.

During the course of the class, children will learn about constellations (and choose their own to recreate as a wooden piece of art), the phases of the moon and learn how to use wood as a canvas to paint the moon as it looked the day they were born, and finally, they will learn about all of the planets in our solar system and use paper clay to create a 3ft wide rotating mobile of suns and planets.

This class will run for 13 weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. Drop off is between 3-3:30pm. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

Wednesdays 3pm to 5pm | August 28, 2024 to November 20, 2024

For 3rd to 5th grades

Come celebrate Vermont’s blaze of fall color with us this year!

In this introductory photography class, children will learn photo composition, the basics of aperture and shutter speed, as well as tips for taking interesting photos of beautiful places. Kids will practice their new skills on teacher-guided tours and hikes around Montpelier to capture the scenic heart of our capitol city. Back in the studio, kids will learn how to edit and crop photos in Photoshop to create true works of art.

Children will need to bring their own digital cameras to the studio. Any digital camera will do: an old point-and-shoot camera or whatever else you may have! Let us know if your child may need to use a studio camera for class. Please do not bring cell phones or tablets for class (we’ve found they can be distracting!)

Children will all have the chance to display their photographs as part of our Winter Artist’ Showcase.

This class will involve hiking into Hubbard Park and other naturally stunning locations in Montpelier; children should come to class prepared to walk!

This class will run for 13 weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. Drop off is between 3-3:30pm. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

Thursdays 3pm to 5pm | August 29, 2024 to November 21, 2024

For Kindergarten to 2nd grade

Ever feel jealous that robots get to have all the fun? This is your chance to build your very own mech suit. Does it light up? Flip and spin? Will you have hands that blow fire? Or wings that flap?

In this class, students will be challenged to design their very own wearable machines, either as part of a super hero mech suit or as stand alone items. Depending on their designs, children will have the chance to build with LED circuits, DC motors, remote control circuits, as well as construct using our sewing station, wood shop, and more. As part of the class, children will learn basic principles of mechanics, using cams, cranks, and pulleys to complete their projects.

This class will run for 13 weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. Drop off is 3-3:30pm. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

Mondays 3pm to 5pm | March 11, 2024 to June 17 2024 (No class on Apr 22nd or May 27th)

For 3rd to 5th Grade

For our skilled makers, a chance to use any tool in the studio to build whatever you want!

In Open Studio, kids will decide if they are taking on sewing, woodworking, mechanics, circuitry, photoshop or anything else necessary to achieve their design. All students will be challenged to dream up their own design, create detailed plans and sketches that show their designs’ dimensions and materials, and then use any tool in the studio to create it. They will be able to work on as many designs as they can complete!

Students in this class should have taken at least one class with Wilder Arts Studio.

This class will run for 14 sessions, with each class building on the prior week’s work. Drop off is 3-3:30pm. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

Tuesdays 3pm to 5pm | March 12, 2024 to June 18, 2024 (No class on April 23rd)

For 3rd to 5th grade

Thursdays 3pm to 5pm | December 5, 2024 to February 20, 2025 (No class on Dec 26th.)

Sold out

or Kindergarten to 5th Grade

This spring, students are going to help Wilder Arts go live on air! We’re building our very own radio station and walkie talkies!

In this class, children will learn and experience the invisible world of telecommunications. Kids will work together to build an FM radio transmitter, soldering components onto a circuit board. Once finished, they’ll partner into teams to broadcast music, news, the weather, or anything else they’d like to from our very own FM radio station. The radio program will be simulcast over the internet, so friends and family all over the country can tune in.

Children will also use their newly learned soldering skills to build their very own walkie talkies, that they’ll take home at the end of class.

This class runs for 13 weeks. Drop off is 3-3:30pm. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

Thursdays 3pm to 5pm | March 14, 2024 to June 13, 2024 (No class on Apr 25th.)

For K to 5th grade

This is the class for students ready to broaden their horizons and learn about the modern world of fine art.

In this class, artist Brian Herrick is bringing the contemporary art scene out of the galleries of Chelsea and San Francisco and into Montpelier. Students will be exposed to prominent, sometimes overlooked, contemporary artists, to learn about how and why they make art and why their work matters. Students will delve into the works of:

Amy Sherald, who famously painted Michelle Obama’s official portrait

Jennifer Packer, who recently showed at the Whitney Museum in NYC

Martin Puryear, Guggenheim Fellowship, Macarthur Foundation, and National Medal of Arts awards winner

Julie Mehretu, Macarthur Award and American art awards winner

This group of diverse artists will be our window into sculpture, painting, portraiture, and abstract art.

As part of the class, students will learn to paint on canvas and sketch at their own easel stations. Children will also get to learn wood sculpture and how to bend and mold wood to create art. Children will also get to use fine art materials, usually reserved for our adult classes.

Our hope is that by studying this diverse group of modern day artists, children will see that art is alive, exciting and happening right now, not just something centuries-old that belongs in museums.

Roll up your sleeves, and let’s make art!

This class will run for 12 weeks. Drop off is between 3-3:30pm. A walking school bus will be provided from Union Elementary School.

Fridays 3pm to 5pm | March 15, 2024 to June 14, 2024 (No class on Mar 22nd or Apr 26th)

For Kindergarten to 2nd Grade

Get ready to bring some unicorns, dragons and pegasuses to life in this introduction to circuits class!

In this class, children will design and explore their own favorite mystical creature, all while learning about electricity, circuits, and motors. Our first project will be designing and building a mystical miniature landscape and home for our mystical creature that will light up at night.

Then, children will move onto designing and building their own moving, mechanical mystical creature “friend.” Will their unicorn light up with a soft pat to the head? A dragon that can charge across the room? Or maybe a pegasus that can move its wings? It’s all up to the designers!

This class will run for 10 sessions, each week building on the prior week’s work. Children will learn about how electricity flows and the inner workings of small engines, in addition to learning how to build simple and complex circuits. Depending on their designed project, they may also utilize our woodshop, sewing machines, and more!

Drop off is 3-3:30pm. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

Mondays 3pm to 5pm | November 27, 2023 to February 19, 2024 (No class on Dec 25th, Jan 1st, or Jan 15th.)

For 3rd to 5th Grade

Bring your A-game, stylemakers!! This class is ALL about creating wild and awesome fashion.

We will guide makers and help them pursue their own fashion interests, whether they are into jewelry making, clothing, bags, hair accessories, or hats. As part of the class, students will learn all about the history of fashion design, from avant garde and haute couture to urban streetstyle and rocker chic. Depending on their vision, children will learn how to drape and sew, sew from patterns, and upcycle vintage finds into one of a kind wearable fashion.

Children will have the option of presenting their looks at a runway show at our Spring Artists Showcase in March. They will have the option of wearing their own clothes, or having a friend walk and model their outfits for them.

This class will run for 12 weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. Drop off is between 3-3:30pm. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

Tuesdays 3pm to 5pm | November 28, 2023 to February 20, 2023 (No class on Dec 26th)

Sold out

For kindergarten to 2nd grade

Sharpen those pencils and get your thinking caps on, because we are writing and publishing our very own picture books.

In this class, illustrator Brian Herrick will guide children through the process of writing their very own book. Children will first dream up their wildest stories (which we will lovingly transcribe for our young authors.) Brian will then teach children basic drawing techniques so their characters and action really come to life! Each child will scan their drawings into our computers in preparation for online printing.

Each child will go home with a published paperback book, with the option for caregivers to print more to share with family and friends. Books will arrive after the last day of class.

This class will run for 6 sessions, with each class building on the prior class’ work. Drop off is between 3-3:30pm. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

Wednesdays 3pm-5pm | November 29, 2023 to January 10, 2024 (No class on Dec 27th)

Sold out

For kindergarten to 2nd grade

Move over Frank Gehry, we’ve got some new architects in town.

This is the class for kids who like to dream up amazing structures and incredible LEGO builds. Maybe your dream house includes a 2 story swim tank? Or a green roof full of cherry trees and wildlife?

In this class, kids will be creating their very own LEGO set. We will guide them through how to select a theme for their build, and then figure out what colors and shape LEGO bricks they need to use to see their design come to life — just like a real LEGO Model Designer. Through LEGO, children will explore different architectural styles, from Gothic to Modern, and learn basics of color theory.

Each child will get to design their own packaging box for their custom LEGO set, including taking product photos and design 5 minifigures to complete the theme in their set.

This class will run for 6 weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. Drop off is between 3-3:30pm. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

Wednesdays 3pm-5pm | January 17, 2024 to February 21, 2024

Sold out

For Grades 3-5

Have you ever wondered what kind of candy children eat in Tokyo? Or Sao Paulo? Come with us on our sugar-fueled journey as we travel the globe and learn about different countries and cultures, through candy!

Each week, children will study a new country and its traditional foods, and then work together to cook up a batch of confections that they’ll bring home to share with friends and family. (And candymaking is mostly about science, so we will of course have to discuss whatever those molecules are doing.)

This class will run for 12 weeks, each week introducing a new country and recipe. Drop off is between 3-3:30pm. We will have a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

Thursdays 3pm to 5pm | November 30, 2023 to February 22, 2024 (No class on December 28th.)

sold out

For kindergarten to 5th grade

For all kids into maps, Montpelier, sculpture and the free-est form of making…this is the class for you.

As part of the Montpelier Mural Project, children will work collaboratively to construct a 4ft x 8ft 3D replica of Montpelier, including its hills, rivers, roads, and houses. Children will use found objects, wood scraps, paper mache, acryclic paint, and what ever else is necessary to create this truly one of a kind art installation.

As part of this class, children will learn the historic geology of the Montpelier watershed and learn about ancient settlements. As they begin to recreate modern-day Montpelier, they will learn about historic travel and shipping patterns that contributed to Montpelier’s cityscape. Finally, they will analyze all the factors that led to the November 1927 and July 2023 floods, to help them fully understand the historic hydrologic event they witnessed, the technological advances that prevented it from being worse, and what future remedies might be considered.

The final mural in this class will be displayed as part of our Spring Artists Showcase and will also go on display in downtown Montpelier. The mural will separate into sections for each child to take home once the piece has finished its tour.

This class will run for 12 sessions, each week building on the prior week’s work. Drop off is 3-3:30pm. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

Fridays 3pm-5pm | December 1, 2023 to February 23, 2024 (No class on Dec 29th)

Sold out

For Kindergarten to 2nd grade

This class is for younger creators looking to learn how to sew, sew from patterns, and design their own patterns. Young creators will work on creating any stuffed animals or pillows that come to mind — solar systems, mermaids, monsters, or rainbows.

Students will begin with simple two dimensional shapes to build their skills threading needles, hand stitching and learning how to safely operate a sewing machine, and then work their way up to three dimensional stuffies with ruching, easing, and whatever other sewing techniques are needed to create their fabulous designs! We will guide the students through the entire process of designing their creations, making paper patterns, cutting, sewing, and decorating.

This class runs for 10 weeks. Drop off is between 3-3:30pm. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

Mondays 3pm to 5pm | September 4, 2023 to November 13, 2023 (No class on September 4th and October 9th.)

only 3 spots left!

For Grades 3 to 5

Our two most popular fall classes, now in hybrid form!

While we still have evening light, we’ll focus on street photography, showing the world how captivating and beautiful our capitol city is! In this photography class, children will learn photo composition, the basics of aperture and shutter speed, as well as tips for taking spontaneous photos live on the streets of Montpelier. We’ll go on guided hikes through downtown Montpelier, where kids will practice their new skills and capture the heart and recovery of our beloved city.

Once the sun starts setting earlier in the evenings, we’ll switch to printmaking, bringing messages of awareness and hope to Central Vermont. Brian Herrick will lead a team of students in a variety of printmaking methods to create posters, t-shirts and more to spread awareness on topics chosen by the students.

Each student will have the chance to display their prints and photographs around town and at our Winter Artist’s Showcase.

Children will need to bring their own digital cameras to the studio. Please contact us if your child would like to take the class but doesn’t have access to a camera.

This class will run for 10 weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

Fridays 3pm to 5pm | September 1 2023 to November 17, 2023 (No class on Oct 6th and Nov 10th)

sold out

For Grades 3 to 5

We are bringing messages of awareness and hope to Central Vermont this fall! Brian Herrick will lead a team of students in a variety of printmaking methods to create posters, t-shirts and more to spread awareness on topics chosen by the students.

Their finished artwork will be shared with their community, as well as being featured as part of our Winter Artists’ Showcase.

This class will run for 11 sessions, each week building off the prior week’s work.

Tuesdays 3pm to 5pm | September 5, 2023 to November 14, 2023

Sold out

For kindergarten to 2nd grade

Come with us to the Wilder Arts Woodshop where wood turns into toys, keepsakes, and beautiful sculptures!

In this introductory class, students will learn the basics of woodworking, starting with measuring, angles, and hand tools, then graduating to blue prints and power tools. Through a few projects designed to teach basic skills, our woodworkers will become familiar with all the necessary tools and vocabulary needed to build useful, tangible objects with their own two hands.

We will make our own scrap-bot friend and a marshmallow launching catapult to start the fun, working their way up to a final challenge to design and build any toy or object they can dream up.

Students must come to class with closed toe shoes and their hair tied back and wear safety glasses when using tools. We will dedicate time in each class to go over safety and behavior around tools. Students are expected to be able to follow safety protocols to participate in this class.

This class will run for 12 sessions. Children can be dropped off between 3-3:30pm. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

Wednesdays 3pm to 5pm | August 30th to November 15th

one spot left!

For Grades 3 to 5

Let’s show the world how captivating and beautiful our capitol city is!

In this photography class, children will learn photo composition, the basics of aperture and shutter speed, as well as tips for taking spontaneous photos live on the streets of Montpelier. We’ll go on guided hikes through downtown Montpelier, where kids will practice their new skills and capture the heart and recover of our beloved city. Back in the studio, kids will learn how to edit and crop photos in Photoshop to create true works of art.

Each student will have the chance to display their photographys Winter Artist’s Showcase.

Children will need to bring their own digital cameras to the studio. Please contact us if your child would like to take the class but doesn’t have access to a camera.

This class will run for 12 weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

Thursdays 3pm to 5pm | August 31, 2023 to November 16, 2023

Sold out

grades k-2

Something’s cooking up in Wilder Arts Studio, and it promises to be VERY sweet.

Welcome to the Montpelier Candy Kitchen, where every week we will be boiling, dipping, molding, and crystallizing lollipops and chocolates and gummies and more! Even better, we’ll learn exactly what chemical reactions are taking place, on a molecular level, to make these sugary confections come to life. Every week, children will go home with a fresh batch of candy to share with friends and family.

This class is named after the historic Montpelier Candy Kitchen, which was located in downtown Montpelier in the early 1900s. This class will also explore and recreate nostalgic treats that children in the turn of the century would have enjoyed (in addition to our more modern beloved treats!)

This is a 12 week class. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated and boosted. Masks are optional. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers to ensure good air quality in the studio. We will also utilize our outdoor space for snacks and work.)

Mondays 3pm to 5pm | March 13, 2023 to June 12, 2023 (No class on April 24th and May 29th.)

Sold out

grades 3-5

Did your parents forget your room needed a pirate ship bed or rainbow starcruiser lamp? Or maybe an astronaut captain’s chair or fairy curtains that will float in the breeze? Whatever your room needs, we are here to help.

In this class: we will guide children through designing and building special pieces of furniture, accessories, and decor for their bedrooms, to the farthest reaches of design, imagination, and structural and electrical engineering. Depending on their projects, students will have wide range to use all of our studio’s stations, including our wood shop, sewing station, computer nook, and glassworks. We will guide them through whatever technique they need to achieve their dreams.

As in all our classes, we will work with sustainably sourced and found objects to the extent that we can, encouraging children to imagine new uses for old goods.

This class will run for thirteen weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated and boosted. Masks are optional. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers to ensure good air quality in the studio. We will also utilize our outdoor space for snacks and work.)

Tuesdays 3pm to 5pm | March 14, 2023 to June 13, 2023 (No class on April 25th.)

only 2 spots left!

grades 2-4

Have you ever wished Harry Potter’s Quidditch Cup could come to life? Well, this is your chance!

In this class, makers will be split into 2 teams that will compete for the ultimate Montpelier Quidditch Cup. Teams will be tasked with designing their team logos and uniforms, and making custom brooms, hoops, quaffles, bludgers, and of course the snitch — everything necessary to pull off a real Quidditch tournament, to be played as part of Wilder Arts’ Summer Showcase.

Real-life Quidditch (aka Muggle Quidditch) was invented at Vermont’s own Middlebury College in 2005. We will follow the rules of the International Quadball Association as closely as possible, and may include tweaks if both teams desire them.

This class runs for 14 weeks. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated and boosted. Masks are optional. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers to ensure good air quality in the studio. We will also utilize our outdoor space for snacks and work.)

Wednesdays 3pm to 5pm | March 8, 2023 to June 14, 2023 (No class on April 26th.)

For 3rd to 5th Grade

Get ready to rock, Montpelier!

Local musician D Davis joins Wilder Arts this December to teach young musicians how to collaborate, harmonize, and — most importantly — rock out and have fun.

For this limited run class, D will lead a ukulele rock band as they learn to play and perform a beloved rock song together. He will teach students harmonizing melodies, how to sing while performing, and how to support each other to create a truly epic sound.

This class will run for 3 sessions. This is a limited run, introductory class to group performance, and will be a first learning step towards multi-instrument rock band classes to come! The class will culminate in a performance at the Wilder Arts’ Winter Showcase, a gallery show and performance to highlight our students’ work and celebrate their achievements.

Requirements: Children should already have had some instruction in the ukulele and know how to play the basic ukulele chords. Children will also need to bring their own ukulele to class. Ability to read music is not required.

We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated and boosted. Masks are optional. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers to ensure good air quality in the studio. We will also utilize our outdoor space for snacks and work.)

Fridays 3pm to 4:30pm | December 2, 2022 to December 16, 2022 (Performance on December 18)

sold out

For Kindergarten to 2nd Grade

Get ready for a class alllllll about dragons, unicorns, alicorns, fairies, phoenixes, and any other mythical creature your child can dream up!

In this class, children will design and explore their own favorite mystical creature. Our first project will be designing and building a mystical miniature landscape and home for our mystical creature that will light up at night.

Then, children will move onto designing and building their own moving, mechanical mystical creature “friend.” Will their unicorn light up with a soft pat to the head? A dragon that can charge across the room? Or maybe a pegasus that can move its wings?

This class will run for 11 sessions, each week building on the prior week’s work. Children will learn about how electricity flows and the inner workings of small engines, in addition to learning how to build simple and complex circuits. Depending on their designed project, they may also utilize our woodshop, sewing machines, and more!

We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated and boosted. Masks are optional. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers to ensure good air quality in the studio. We will also utilize our outdoor space for snacks and work.)

Mondays 3pm to 5pm | November 28 2022 to February 20, 2023 (No class on Dec 26th and Jan 16th.)

Only 2 spots left!

For 3rd to 5th Grade

Bring your A-game, makers!! This class is ALL about creating wild and awesome fashion.

We will guide makers and help them pursue their own fashion interests, whether they are into jewelry making, clothing, bags, hair accessories, or hats. As part of the class, students will learn all about the history of fashion design, from avant garde and haute couture to urban streetstyle and rocker chic. Depending on their vision, children will learn how to drape and sew, sew from patterns, and upcycle vintage finds into one of a kind wearable fashion.

This class will run for 12 weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated and boosted. Masks are optional. We wil continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers for improved air quality. We will also utilize our outdoor space for snacks and work.)

Tuesdays 3pm to 5pm | November 29, 2022 to February 21, 2023 (No class on Jan 27th)

1 spot available

For Kindergarten to 2nd grade

This the is perfect class for the kid that likes outerspace and wants to paint, build, and sculpt. Children will have a chance to learn basic woodworking skills like sawing and hammering in our woodshop, as well as learn the basics of acrylic painting and working with paper clay.

During the course of the class, children will learn about constellations (and choose their own to recreate as a wooden piece of art), the phases of the moon and learn how to use wood as a canvas to paint the moon as it looked the day they were born, and finally, they will learn about all of the planets in our solar system and use paper clay to create a 3ft wide rotating mobile of suns and planets.

This class will run for 13 weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. Drop off is between 3-3:30pm. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

Wednesdays 3pm to 5pm | August 28, 2024 to November 20, 2024

For 3rd to 5th Grade

sold out

Get ready, Lego masters; Wilder Arts is challenging you to create the perfect city…made out of Lego. Your final creation will be part of a public artworks display in downtown Montpelier!

In this class, makers will learn the most up to date practices in urban planning from researchers and practitioners in the field, with guest lecturers and walking tours of downtown Montpelier. Back in the studio, children will work together to design their vision of a perfect city out of lego, paper mache, and any other studio supplies they need. What goes into a livable city? Shops, school, city parks, streets, sidewalks, bike paths? It will be up to our makers to decide!

Each Lego master will work on their own section of the city, but will be free to collaborate and work with friends on different segments of the city. The finished built city will be put on public display in downtown Montpelier, at the Kellogg Hubbard Library. After the showing, children can take their portion of the city to display and enjoy at home!

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated and boosted. Masks are optional. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers to ensure good air quality in the studio. We will also utilize our outdoor space for snacks and work.)

Thursdays 3pm to 5pm | December 1, 2022 to February 23, 2023 (Class on Dec 22nd will run from 1pm to 3pm, to accomodate UES early release. No class on Dec 29th)

For Kindergarten to 2nd grade

Sold out

This class is for younger creators looking to learn how to hand stitch, sew from patterns, and design their own patterns. Young creators will work on creating any stuffed animals or pillows that come to mind — solar systems, mermaids, monsters, or rainbows. We will guide the students through the entire process of designing their creations, making paper patterns, cutting, sewing, and decorating. Children can create as many pillows and stuffies as they want!

This class runs for 10 weeks. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. To register for this class, children must have had at least their first COVID vaccination or have an appointment to receive their first COVID vaccination. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated. Everyone will be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status inside the studio. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers. We will also utilize our outdoor space for snacks and work.)

Mondays, 3pm to 5pm | August 29, 2022 to November 14, 2022

One spot left!

For 3rd to 5th Grade

Come celebrate Vermont’s blaze of fall color with us this year!

In this introductory photography class, children will learn photo composition, the basics of aperture and shutter speed, as well as tips for taking interesting photos of beautiful places. Kids will practice their new skills on teacher-guided tours and hikes around Montpelier to capture the scenic heart of our capitol city. Back in the studio, kids will learn how to edit and crop photos in Photoshop to create true works of art.

Children will need to bring their own digital cameras to the studio. Any digital camera will do: an old point-and-shoot camera or whatever else you may have! Let us know if your child may need to use a studio camera for class. Please do not bring cell phones or tablets for class (we’ve found they can be distracting!)

This class will run for 12 weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. To register for this class, children must have had at least their first COVID vaccination or have an appointment to receive their first COVID vaccination. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated. Everyone will be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status inside the studio. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers. We will also utilize our outdoor space for snacks and work.)

Tuesdays 3pm to 5pm | August 30, 2022 to November 15, 2022

For Kindergarten to 2nd grade

Two spots left!

Get ready for some SPARKS. In this class, children will learn all about electrical circuits: where electricity comes from, how it flows, and how to pull it all together in a circuit. Then, they’ll get to imagine and design their own wildly creative electrical projects — a late night reading lantern? A rolling robot? A pulsating oximilliscope? A rowing mechanical peacock? We can’t wait to see what they dream up.

This class will run for 12 weeks. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

This class will be a prerequisite for Wilder Arts robotics classes.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. To register for this class, children must have had at least their first COVID vaccination or have an appointment to receive their first COVID vaccination. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated. Everyone will be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status inside the studio. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers. We will also utilize our outdoor space for snacks and work.)

Wednesdays 3pm to 5pm | September 1, 2022 to November 16, 2022

For 3rd to 5th Grades

In this wood shop class, students will build their wood working skills whether they are complete beginners or have some previous experience.

We will focus on skill development as we work through projects designed to introduce basic carpentry concepts such as blueprints, shaping, joinery and finish. Children will use hand tools as well as begin to get comfortable using power drills and a bandsaw. Over the course of 13 weeks, students will make three separate woodworking projects that are open to their own design interpretations: an animal shaped pencil holder, a wood stool, and a gumball dispenser. These creations will go home with them to be used and proudly cherished for years!

Students must come to class with closed toe shoes and their hair tied back if long and wear our safety glasses when using tools. We will dedicate time in each class to go over safety and behavior around tools. Students are expected to be able to follow safety protocols to participate in this class.

This class will run for thirteen weeks. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. To register for this class, children must have had at least their first COVID vaccination or have an appointment to receive their first COVID vaccination. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated. Everyone will be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status inside the studio. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers. We will also utilize our outdoor space for snacks and work.)

Thursdays 3pm to 5pm | August 25, 2022 to November 17, 2022

Calling all dreamers, future architects and designers!!

Artists and architects will design and build their own mini wooden buildings — dollhouses, fairy houses, or skyscrapers. Then, they’ll get to dream up all the furniture, decorations, operating chandeliers, lamps, and miniature details to really make their houses and buildings come to life! Children will learn basic wood construction and principles of architecture and civil engineering, as well as have access to our sewing station and supply wall to create all their miniatures.

This class runs over the course of 6 weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. To register for this class, children must have had at least their first COVID vaccination or have an appointment to receive their first COVID vaccination. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated and boosted. Everyone will be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status inside the studio. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers. We will also use our outdoor spaces as much as possible, for snacks and play.)

Mondays, 3pm-5pm | May 2, 2022 to June 13, 2022 (No class on May 30th)

In this class, students will learn to make a variety of traditionally handcrafted items such as candles, soap, cards and other gift worthy items, and then sell them with all proceeds going towards charity relief programs supporting victims of the war in Ukraine.

As part of the class, students will be introduced to basic entrepreneurial concepts: identifying customers, product development, marketing, pricing, and sales strategies. Students will design their own sales stand, price list, and product presentations. On the last class of the session, students will open a “pop up” shop to sell their crafts and raise money for charity.

We will work with the students to identify a charity to donate our proceeds to. It is our wish that students will leave this class with a sense of empowerment and a feeling that we are all able to make a difference in our world if we use our creativity and make an effort.

This class will run for 7 sessions. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. To register for this class, children must have had at least their first COVID vaccination or have an appointment to receive their first COVID vaccination. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated and boosted. Everyone will be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status inside the studio. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers. We will also use our outdoor spaces as much as possible, for snacks and play.)

Tuesdays 3pm to 5pm | May 3, 2022 to June 14, 2022

grades 3-5

This is the class for makers ready to take the next step: into remote controls, computer coding, and introductory robotics!

In this class, makers will learn all about servo motors and remote control devices, and how they work. They’ll be challenged to design advanced projects using the new-to-them technology. Makers will also take first steps into more complex motor programming and circuit board design.

Makers must have taken one of our introductory circuits classes (Intro to Circuits, My Unicorn Friend, or Fantasy Scapes) or worked on our circuit makerboxes prior to taking this class.

This class will run for 14 sessions, each week building on the prior week’s work.

We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated and boosted. Masks are optional. We wil continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers for improved air quality. We will also utilize our outdoor space for snacks and work.)

Thursdays 3pm to 5pm | March 9, 2023 to June 15, 2023 (No class on April 27th)

sold out

For Kindergarten to 2nd Grade

Get ready for a class alllllll about dragons, unicorns, alicorns, fairies, phoenixes, and any other mythical creature your child can dream up!

In this class, children will design and explore their own favorite mystical creature. Our first project will be designing and building a mystical miniature landscape and home for our mystical creature that will light up at night.

Then, children will move onto designing and building their own moving, mechanical mystical creature “friend.” Will their unicorn light up with a soft pat to the head? A dragon that can charge across the room? Or maybe a pegasus that can move its wings?

This class will run for 11 sessions, each week building on the prior week’s work. Children will learn about how electricity flows and the inner workings of small engines, in addition to learning how to build simple and complex circuits. Depending on their designed project, they may also utilize our woodshop, sewing machines, and more!

We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated and boosted. Masks are optional. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers to ensure good air quality in the studio. We will also utilize our outdoor space for snacks and work.)

Mondays 3pm to 5pm | November 28 2022 to February 20, 2023 (No class on Dec 26th and Jan 16th.)

Only 2 spots left!

This is the class for kids who love to draw and puzzle and MAKE!

In this class, makers will design and build their own custom wooden 2D and 3D puzzles. First, we’ll examine different wooden puzzle designs — how two dimensional and three dimensional pieces fit together and how puzzle makers create images with visual clues to help users solve difficult puzzles.

Makers will then design and create their own unique puzzles. We will emphasize the artistry of puzzle design, focusing on drawing and painting techniques to create detailed puzzle images. If they’d like, makers will also be trained on using a bandsaw in the woodshop to cut out their puzzle pieces, and finally how to seal the wood on their puzzles so their work can be treasured for years to come.

Each maker will go home with their own custom designed puzzles to share with friends and family.

We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. To register for this class, children must have had at least their first COVID vaccination or have an appointment to receive their first COVID vaccination. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated and boosted. Everyone will be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status inside the studio. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers. We will also use our outdoor spaces as much as possible, for snacks and play.)

Wednesdays 3pm to 5pm | March 16, 2022 to April 27, 2022 (No class on April 20th)

Sold out

This class is for the passionate lego lover who can build for hours and get lost in their own world!

Students will combine building materials like wood, cardboard, recyclables and paint with Lego pieces and create their very own Lego world to take home and keep playing with. We will investigate different construction methods and principles like symmetry, color symbolism, building in three-dimensional space and detail orientation to become even better builders. The studio will have bins of color sorted Lego pieces as well as built examples and instruction books for inspiration. Children will be able to play and build in every class as they slowly develop a concept for their final Lego landscape. Through incorporating and attaching other materials like fabric, sand, plants and other odds and ends we will make the Legos come to life. Each student will be given up to four Lego figures to mix, match and decorate as part of their set.

As a proud native Dane your instructor, Sofia will also use this class to tell the inspiring story of the single-father entrepreneur toy maker who failed miserably multiple times before eventually building a multi-million dollar company out of his revolutionary attachable bricks! It is a story of resilience and dusting yourself off and trying again — a great lesson for every maker.

So whether you dream of building your own Star Wars planet, fantasy city, beach scene with an ice cream stand, airport with planes and passengers, jungle or a ski resort - just bring your imagination and we will help you built it!

We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. To register for this class, children must have had at least their first COVID vaccination or have an appointment to receive their first COVID vaccination. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated and boosted. Everyone will be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status inside the studio. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers. We will also use our outdoor spaces as much as possible, for snacks and play.)

Thursdays 3pm to 5pm | March 17, 2022 to April 28, 2022 (No class on April 21st)

Only 2 spots left!

Calling all game lovers, way finders and strategists! It’s time to draw your own path through candy land, build the walls for the craziest labyrinths you can imagine or get to work on the world’s next big board game craze!

In this class you get to imagine and make your own board game, maze, marble track or any other game you can dream up. Your instructors will show you lots of inspiring examples and give you free roam to use all the materials and tools needed to make a fully working game with a titled box to take home and play with your friends and family. Perhaps a Montpelier edition of monopoly? A Pokémon finding maze or a Minecraft builder’s version of Jenga?

Whatever it is you dream up, we can’t wait to help you bring to life! In our final class, we will celebrate by playing your new games while munching on popcorn. Come play with us!

(Materials used will be mainly cardboard, chip board, wood, recyclables, paper, tape, glue and paint)

This class will run for seven weeks. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. To register for this class, children must have had at least their first COVID vaccination or have an appointment to receive their first COVID vaccination. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated. Everyone will be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status inside the studio. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers. We will also utilize our outdoor space for snacks and work.)

Tuesdays 3pm to 5pm | January 4, 2022 to February 15, 2022

Sold out

If you can dream it, we can help you make it!

This class will be an interdisciplinary open studio led by students’ own ideas and makerpower. All our work stations, including our woodshop, sewing station, tech & circuitry station, paint shop, and supply wall, will be open for children to explore and use to build their creations. We will guide them through the process of design, then work together to determine the best materials and methods to create their project. This class is perfect for the young maker bursting with ideas and just wants to be let loose in the studio to create!

This class will run for eight weeks. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

(As always, all COVID protocols will be followed, including open windows and several air purifiers spread throughout the studio. All Wilder Arts staff are vaccinated. Everyone will be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status. Weather and conditions permitting, we will also utilize our outdoor tent for snacks and work.)

Thursdays 3pm to 5pm | January 6, 2022 to February 17, 2022

Sold out

By popular demand, we’re introducing our first Open Studio class! If you can dream it, we can help you make it.

This class will be an interdisciplinary open studio led by students’ own ideas and makerpower. All our work stations, including our woodshop, sewing station, tech & circuitry station, paint shop, and supply wall, will be open for children to explore and use to build their creations. We will guide them through the process of design, then work together to determine the best materials and methods to create their project. This class is perfect for the young maker bursting with ideas and just wants to be let loose in the studio to create!

This class will run for eight weeks. We will provide a walking school bus from Union Elementary School to Wilder Arts Studio.

(As always, all COVID protocols will be followed, including open windows and several air purifiers spread throughout the studio. All Wilder Arts staff are vaccinated. Everyone will be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status. Weather and conditions permitting, we will also utilize our outdoor tent for snacks and work.)

Tuesdays 3pm to 5pm | October 26, 2020 to December 21, 2020 (No class on Nov 23rd)

For 10-15 yrs old

Come celebrate Vermont’s blaze of fall color with us this year!

In this photography class for older children, we will review the basics of photo composition, the basics of aperture and shutter speed, as well as tips for taking interesting photos of beautiful places. They will also learn how to manipulate aperture and shutter speeds to create surprising works of art, and learn how to calculate hyperfocal distances and how to manually focus their cameras.

Kids will practice their new skills on teacher-guided tours and hikes around Montpelier to capture the scenic heart of our capitol city. Back in the studio, kids will learn how to edit and crop photos in Photoshop to create true works of art.

Children will need to bring their own digital cameras to the studio. Any digital camera will do: an old point-and-shoot camera or whatever else you may have! Let us know if your child may need to use a studio camera for class. Please do not bring cell phones or tablets for class (we’ve found they can be distracting!)

Children will all have the chance to display their photographs as part of our Winter Artist’ Showcase.

This class will involve hiking into Hubbard Park and other naturally stunning locations in Montpelier; children should come to class prepared to walk!

This class will run for 13 weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. Class will begin at Wilder Arts Studio between 3-3:30pm, or some classes, we may meet at MSMS and hike from there.

Wednesdays 3pm to 5pm | August 24, 2024 to November 20, 2024

For ages 10-15

This class is ALL about learning how to refashion and add embellishments to clothes to perfectly reflect your own personal style.

Starting with a variety of vintage clothes and trims/ buttons/ sequins/ embroidery floss/ scraps, fashion maven and expert clothesmaker Susanne Grabowski will teach children the art of adding personal touches to upcycle vintage finds (or, their own clothes!) From there, they might choose to add a quilt block to the back of a denim jacket, turn a pair skinny jeans into a skirt, or turn another pair of jeans into flares. Or, this might include simpler projects like adding contrasting ribbon trim to a dress or sew sequins to a vintage Irish cabled sweater. Embroidered flowers and butterflies on denim are always a perennial favorite!

This class will run for 10 weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. Students will meet at Wilder Arts Studio at 7 Main St between 3-3:30pm. Students in the class will have the option to show their work at our Winter Showcase.

Fridays 3pm-5pm | September 6, 2024 to November 22, 2024 (No class on October 11th and November 8th.)

For 10-15 yrs

Who says kids can’t affect change?

In this (ambitious) class, Maria Arsenlis will guide students towards selecting their favorite causes and changes they would like to see in the world (or just Montpelier!), and then help them design posters, t-shirts, stickers, and statements to help support their cause.

In this class, children will also be involved in designing screenprinted posters, t-shirts, and stickers to help promote their cause. Kids will also learn about the differing authorities of local, state, and federal government bodies, learn about how to provide public comments to proceedings, and how to gain public support for their initiatives. This class will be student-led, with Maria around to help children hone their message and develop strategies for amplifying their voice.

Before founding Wilder Arts, Maria spent her career in federal government and consulted for state and local governments on urban planning issues in NYC. She also held positions with environmental and housing nonprofits in Washington, DC.

This class will run for 10 weeks. Children will meet at Wilder Arts Studio between 3-3:30pm

Fridays 3pm-5pm | September 4, 2024 - November 22, 2024 (No class on October 11th and November 8th.)

This summer 2024 class is for rising 9th graders who want to brush up on their Algebra 1 before entering high school.

Teachers Dr. David Ory and Neville Clemens will offer review and prep tests of Algebra 1 concepts, sticking closely to the MSMS and MHS curriculum.

David holds a phd in civil engineering from UC Davis, a graduate degree from UT Austin, and graduated from the University of Arizona. He has taught college level math at Prince George Community College as well as Lake Tahoe Community College. David is an urban planner and also coaches basketball at MSMS.

Neville has an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and a graduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Rutgers University. His career has mostly been in the business world, at the intersection of business and technology where he has led analytics and strategy teams. He had the good fortune as a kid to have a math teacher that showed him the fun and creative side of mathematics, and is passionate about passing that on to others. He lives in Montpelier with his wife, two kids, and the goodest dog.

This class will run for 5 sessions.

Sundays 7-9pm | July 21, 2024 - August 18, 2024

For ages 10-15

Bring your A-game, designers!! This class is ALL about exploring your own personal style and learning how to make clothes and upcycle vintage finds to create a wardrobe that reflects YOU.

One of our most popular classes, now for middle schoolers! Kids in this class will be lead by local fashion guru and clothesmaker Susanne Grabowski, where they will get to design and make anything that reflects their individual style whether that’s jewelry, clothing, bags, accessories, hair accessories, or hats. As part of the class, students will learn all about the history of fashion design, from avant garde and haute couture to urban streetstyle and rocker chic. Depending on their vision, children will learn how to drape and sew, sew from patterns, and/or upcycle vintage finds into one of a kind wearable fashion.

This class will run for 10 weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. Children will have an optional additional two weeks to drop in with Susanne and finish their pieces before the runway show. Students in the class will have the option to show their work at a runway show as part of Wilder Arts’ Spring Showcase in March 2024.

Tuesdays 5:30pm-7:30pm | November 28, 2023 to February 6, 2024 (Optional drop in days on Feb 13 & 20. No class on Dec 26th.)

For grades 6 to 8

Do you love math, or just happen to be really good at it? This is the math competition for you.

Once a year in February, middle schoolers all across the country gather to compete in mathematics, progressing from local chapters, to state, then nationals. Children will have the opportunity to compete as part of a team of 4 or individually.

MATHCOUNTS is a chance for students who enjoy math to challenge themselves beyond their school curriculum and build problem-solving skills, all within a supportive team environment. It’s also an excellent opportunity for children to see that math can be beautiful, enriching, and fun.

In this class, Dr. David Ory will guide children through weekly math challenges starting in November through to the competition. David holds a phd in civil engineering from UC Davis and also placed 4th in the Arizona State individual competition as a middle schooler. He has taught college level math at Prince George Community College as well as Lake Tahoe Community College. David is also an urban planner and coaches basketball at MSMS.

Mondays 6:30pm to 8pm | November 2023-February 2024 (No class on November 20, December 25, January 1st, January 15th, or February 26th)

For ages 11-15

Calling all doodlers, drawers, and storytellers! Learn the basics of designing characters to put into your own mini comics!

Brian Herrick, an artist and illustrator with over 20 years of teaching experience, will work with students as they learn the basics of comic design: creating panels, coming up with story ideas, doing some simple character designs, how to draw recognizable characters over and over again, how to make word bubbles that fit your words, and more! Already have some ideas? No problem! Brian can meet you where you are at so you can jump right in. 

Students will all have the opportunity to show their comics at our Summer Artists’ Showcase — a gallery show with food, music, art, friends and family!

Tuesdays 5:30pm to 7pm | May 2, 2023 to June 6, 2023

Sold out

Ages 11-15

What are you passionate about? What do you want to draw? Not sure? We’ll figure it out!

We will begin with simple drawing techniques such as shading, perspective, character design, figure drawing, and faces and emotion. Students will be empowered to explore areas of their own interest and will have the freedom to create work based on their curiosity. We will work on paper and in sketchbooks using pencils, markers, colored pencils and watercolor. Join us for a relaxed environment to get creative, be curious and express our inner voices!

If they choose to, students will have the option of presenting their work as part of Wilder Arts Studio Artists’ Showcase — a gallery event full of art, food, music, family and friends.

Tuesdays 5:30pm to 7pm | March 7, 2023 to April 11, 2023 (no class on March 28th)

For ages 10-14

July 29, 2024 — August 2, 2024 | 9am to 12pm

sold out

For ages 8-12

This is the camp for kids that want to take their art skills to the next step. Learn the basics of acrylic painting with Brian Herrick, an artist and illustrator with over 20 years of teaching experience.

Students will work at their own easel station and learn the basics of acrylic painting: using the right brush for the right job, understanding color basics, how to layer colors, how to fix “mistakes”, understanding composition basics, and how to create depth in paintings.  Brian will also help and guide each student to help them choose what they would like to paint.

Each student will complete at least two finished canvases during the course of the week.

Children who enroll in both this camp and the Messenger Bag Camp will have the option of eating lunch and relaxing in the studio between classes.

July 29, 2024 — August 2, 2024 | 1pm to 4pm

Sold out

For ages 6-10

June 24, 2024 - June 28, 2024 | 9am to 3pm

Sold out

For ages 6-10

In this week-long camp, our young engineers will split into two teams and design and build their very own soapbox cars and team costumes. Will it be a viking ship? Rainbow? Food truck? Anything goes! Children will learn basic mechanics and woodworking as they build child-sized soapbox cars.

Teams will also have the opportunity to design their team logos and screenprint their logos onto t-shirts. Depending on their car designs, children will have the chance to sew, paper mache, and really whatever other making technique is necessary to achieve their team vision. May the fastest (and funniest) car win!

Register for July 8-12, 2024 or July 15-19, 2024 | 9am to 3pm

All teams will compete in the 3rd Annual Soapbox Derby on July 20th.

For ages 10-14

July 22, 2024 - July 26, 2024 | 9am to 3pm

Calling all musicians and rock stars to Wilder Arts! This summer, get ready to experience your very own Classroom Instrument Rock Band! No prior music experience necessary!

Children are welcome to attend camp with their own instruments, or use one of our classroom instruments. Together, D Davis will teach all our musicians to play and perform a beloved rock song together. He will teach students harmonizing melodies, how to sing while performing, and how to support each other to create a truly epic sound. The last day of camp will include a special performance for friends and family.

Ages 6-10

July 24th-28th, 2023 | 10:30am to 12pm

Only 2 spots left!

For ages 6-10

In this week-long camp, students will learn how to turn nature into their own artist kit, exploring the relationship between art and nature with artist and teacher Brian Herrick

We will spend each morning outside and on hikes around Montpelier, collecting items found in nature: branches, wildflowers, or clay. In the afternoons, we will learn how to turn those found natural objects into homemade ink, paper, paint brushes, and more. And of course, we will be making plenty of paintings and drawings all week long.

At the end of the week, each student will go home with their own set of artist tools, made by them, to continue using at home.

July 31st-August 4th, 2023 | 9am to 3pm

For ages 11-15

Let’s make comics!

In this week long camp, we’ll make some mini comics based on your interests. Adventure? Sounds good. Diary comics? We’re in. Diagram comics? Let’s try it out.

Artist and teacher Brian Herrick will walk students through the process of brainstorming comic book ideas, learning how to draw and illustrate those ideas, and finally scanning their mini comics in for printing! We will get inspired by Calvin and Hobbes, Peanuts, Little Lulu and some cartoonists you may have never heard of. Or, bring your own comic books to share!

Students will all go home with a stack of their printed mini comics to share with family and friends.

July 24th-28th, 2023 | 1:30pm to 3:30pm

In this week-long camp, our young engineers will split into two teams and design and build their very own soapbox cars and team costumes. Children will learn basic mechanics and woodworking as they build child-sized soapbox cars. They’ll also have the opportunity to design their team logos and screenprint their logos onto t-shirts. Depending on their designs, children will also get a chance to sew, paper mache, and really whatever other making technique is necessary to achieve their team vision. May the fastest (and funniest) car win!

We will work mostly outdoors as weather allows. Children will also have opportunities to explore other maker crafts in the studio, spend time in our hillside garden and vegetable garden.

Ages 6-10

We are offering two Soapbox Derby camps this year on July 10 - 14, 2023 and July 17 - 21, 2023, from 9am to 3pm. All teams will compete in the 2nd Annual Soapbox Derby on July 22nd.

In this week-long camp, our young engineers will learn basic mechanics and woodworking as they design and build child-sized soapbox cars. Children will be split into two teams that will each construct their own human-powered cars, culminating in a track race on the last day of camp. May the fastest car win!

We will work mostly outdoors as weather allows, in Wilder Arts’ outdoor tent. Children will also have opportunities to explore other maker crafts in the studio, spend time in our hillside garden and vegetable garden.

Ages 6-10

August 8-12, 2022 | 9am to 3pm

Learn how to make beautiful mini dried flower wreaths with Jenny Monfore of Old Time Flowers Farm! These cute, versatile wreaths will last over a year without losing their vibrancy, and will add moments of natural beauty throughout your home. Jenny will teach students how to create wreaths out of willow branches, and how to trim down flower stems and create swags to attach to each wreath. Students will be able to pick and choose which flowers to include in their wreaths (don't worry, if you're stuck, Jenny will share her favorite dried flower combinations!) Each student will make 2 wreaths to take home

Jenny grows and dries all of her flowers at Old Time Flowers Farm, a cut flower farm off Town Hill Road in Montpelier. Old Time Flowers farm is dedicated to responsible, organic farming practices. She provides flower CSAs, as well as custom order gifts.

Sunday, November 10th | 1pm-3pm

sold out

Fiber Artist Karen Cygnarowicz of Wild Light Design will be joining us in the studio to teach us basket weaving! Karen works with reclaimed and upcycled materials, turning cast off materials into absolutely stunning bowls and baskets. She’ll guide us on how to select materials, and how to weave our own upcycled woven bowls, all while getting to spend an evening surrounded by friends and neighbors.

This class runs for two sessions:

Tuesday, September 10th | 6:30-8:30pm

Tuesday, September 17th | 6:30-8:30pm

Join us for an evening of dye magic! We’ll provide wine and nonalcoholic beverages so we can ‘cheers’ each other as we create. Learn the art of Shibori and Indigo dyeing, while enjoying the company of friends and neighbors.

Shibori is a Japanese dye technique that typically involves folding, twisting, wrapping, bunching or sewing cloth and binding it, then dipping it into an indigo vat. The binds in the fabric will resist the dye, creating beautiful and interesting patterns with different shades of blue. There are endless ways to do Shibori, and in this workshop you’ll get to explore and play with the techniques that inspire you.

We’ll experiment with the different techniques of Shibori to create unique patterns and shades of Indigo blue. You’ll discover that you can use the technique to dye anything from clothing and accessories to home items.

Indigo is a pigment extracted from the leaves of indigo-bearing plants and is the oldest natural source of blue dye in the world. It produces a rich, multi-faceted blue color that gets better with age as it fades into a softer shade. Depending on the number of dips & the time spent in the vat, indigo dye can yield results as dark as navy to a soft baby blue, and any shade in between.

We’ll begin with a demonstration of a handful of shibori techniques and the variations within each folding style. We will provide a white kitchen towel or t-shirt for each student to dye, or also feel free to bring 2-3 items from home to experiment with. Items to dye must be 100% white cotton, linen, hemp, or silk and should be small or medium sized and lightweight (like button-down shirts, t-shirts, tanks, leggings, dish towels, pillow cases, kid’s clothes, tote bags, etc.) Please avoid bringing large, heavy items like sheets, curtains, or heavy cotton sweaters, as they won’t fit in the dye vat. Items with stains are great to bring - the stains can be covered with dye to breathe new life into your textiles!

Be sure to wear clothing and shoes that you won’t mind getting a splash of blue on! Wearing black is a good option.

Thursday, May 30, 2024 | 5:30-7:30pm

Sold out

Are you stuck on what to do with a particular area of your garden? Having trouble knowing where to even get started designing a garden plot?

In this 2 hour workshop, local landscape designer Sarah Hoffmeier will guide home gardeners on how to create, design, and implement a garden plan for their home gardens. She will begin with a short presentation on the basics of landscape design before discussing how to create a planting plan of your own using graph paper, tracing paper ,colored pencils, and more. In the second part of the class, it’s time to get to work and draft one or more planting plans for your own specific site with Sarah’s wisdom and advice, including her favorite plants.

This class will teach you how to create a basemap and planting plan according to your site conditions and your gardening goals, whether it’s attracting pollinators, incorporating edibles (for humans and/or wildlife), or creating a colorful view out of a certain window.

We will address the importance of knowing your site's conditions, doing thorough site preparation, proper planting techniques and maintenance needed to ensure implementing your garden plan will be as successful as possible. Come with questions and an open mind to this interactive class on landscape design and garden planning. 

Every attendee will need to arrive with photos of the area they would like to work on, as well as measurements of the area.

Every attendee will go home with a customized gardening plan for their home garden.

Tuesday, May 7, 2024 | 6:30pm-8:30pm

For ages 18+

Adults, are you looking for an opportunity to do something more creative in your life, but don’t know how or where to start? Do you have creative ideas swirling around in your head and need that last push to see them brought to life? Or are you an artist who has been putting off the creative call?

Join us this spring for a 5-week workshop that will help you reconnect with your inner artist, in a positive and supportive environment. Each week, artist Brian Herrick will guide you through different artistic mediums, from drawing to collage, watercolor and printmaking, all while helping you set up routines and access your creative mind so you can take these lessons home with you and reconnect with your inner artist.

Students will learn how to use the sketchbook as a place to implement a series of tools to mine their ideas, covering the basics of: ideating, utilizing chance, exploring drawing games, wordplay, and musical inspiration all for the sake of finding creative discovery. Open to beginners and seasoned artists, we will explore the creative landscape together in order to unlock our own creativity.

This class runs for 5 sessions. Choose to register for all 5 classes, or drop-in on one class. Pre-register online, or we will also accept Venmo or cash payment at the studio.

Wednesdays 6:30pm-8pm | March 27, 2024 to May 1, 2024 (no class on April 24th)

For ages 16+

Learn to make your own pair of handmade leather sandals in this one-day workshop led by sandal-maker Stace Fulwiler Wood. No previous experience necessary.

Leather sandals have been worn for centuries, and for good reason: they are durable, breathable, comfortable, repairable and grow more beautiful with wear and age. Sandal making shops used to exist in many towns & cities throughout the US, though this craft has grown rare as shoe production is now mostly overseas.

You will start by choosing from a handful of simple sandal designs. Stace will show you how to modify the design to your unique feet, taking into consideration your bone structure and arch height. You will learn how to shape the leather soles to your arch, attach a stacked leather heel, and use leather-working tools to cut your insoles and straps.

Stace will bring a selection of neutral leather colors (browns, black, tan, caramel) as well as more colorful pieces to accent your sandals. Mixing and matching is encouraged! You will learn how to strategically place your sandal straps to create the most comfortable sandal for your unique foot, and how to select the correct weight of leather for your specific sandal design.

You will learn how to use shoe glue and brass tacks to construct your sandals, resulting in a sturdy pair of sandals that you can wear for years to come. Once your sandals are assembled, Stace will finish them outside on a belt sander and…. Voilà! You’ve made your first pair of leather sandals. You will be able to walk out of the workshop wearing your new shoes.

In addition to your handmade sandals, you will also take home an outline of the sandal making process, including a list of resources for shoemaking if you want to replicate the process at home. Stace will also provide instructions for ‘care and feeding’ of your sandals. 

Given the intricate and custom nature of the class, spots are very limited.

Sunday May 19th, 2023 9am-3pm

For ages 18+

Join us this summer for an acrylic painting workshop, all in a relaxed, positive, and laid-back environment. Local artist and long-time educator Brian Herrick will lead the class through basic acrylic techniques like wet on wet, wet on dry, drying times, opacity, and more. We’ll make some experimental warm ups and then move on to creating one finished acrylic painting for each participant to take home.

We’ll laugh, we’ll paint, and above all, stretch our creative spirits! No experience necessary; new artists welcome!

Saturday June 17th 3pm - 5pm

Sold out

For ages 18+

Join us for a fun and creative afternoon learning the basics of watercolor! In this workshop, artist Brian Herrick will guide the class through some quick experiments to understand the parameters of watercolor. Then, we will learn watercolor techniques such as graded washes, wet on wet, pattern making, and blooms, all while working towards our goal: a beautiful set of 4 watercolor greeting cards for you to take home!

We promise a relaxed space where you can unwind while honing your skills or learning new ones . No experience required! New artists welcome!

Saturday March 25th 3pm - 5pm

Learn the art of leatherworking in this family workshop!

Leather artist Stace Fulwiler will show families how to cut custom pieces of leather to fit their wrists, then use leather stamps to customize the leather wrap bracelets with their names, nicknames, pictures, or even a special phrase. We will have many colors of leather to choose from, and scraps of colorful leather and shearling that can also be used to add even more detail to your bracelet.

Stace will show families how to finish their bracelets with snaps, making an accessory that you can wear for years to come! Each family member is gauranteed to go home with something that refelcts their own individual creativity and style.

Sunday, June 9, 2024 | 2-4pm

Do you have a collection of stuffies that could use some fixing up? Bring your beloved stuffies to our Teddy Bear Clinic for some TLC! We will help you sew those tails back on, patch up ripped seams or missing ears, and reattach eyeballs.

Bring your favorite stuffed animal or doll to this workshop, and our team of Stuffed Animal Veterinarians (or, you know, sewers) will help your family fix their favorite friends and get accessorized too!

This workshop will also feature Kellie Maas of Coastal Coping, who will have a variety of real medical tools on hand for kids to explore, play with, and test out on their stuffies. Kellie helps “take the scare out of medical care.” Through play, children will familiarize themselves with common medical tools used in child wellness exams, helping children become more comfortable with their own health and wellness experiences.

Children will also have the option of writing notes of encouragement and support to their stuffies, as they undergo their own treatment, and can tuck those notes into their stuffies before sewing and fixing them back up. The fixed-up stuffies can become a source of emotional support for kids apprehensive about going to the doctor or getting their shots.

Saturday, June 15, 2024 | 2-4pm

$40 per family

Come craft with your kids!

Paper sculpting is the art of taking something 2-dimensional and turning it into a 3-dimensional sculpture. In this class, families will work together to make their own container gardens out of paper! We’ll be using colored paper and colored pencils to create cacti, succulents, flowers, air plants, and pots. Through each plant, families will learn a variety of 3D paper sculpting techniques.

Paper artist and graphic designer Marisa Green will teach adults and children basic paper craft techniques and guide them in creating their paper plants and pots. Students will learn fundamentals like cutting, folding, and scoring, layering graduated paper shapes, curling, creating structure, and other methods. (Some precut shapes will be available for the youngest kids.) Whether true to life or fantastical, these colorful botanical displays will cheer up any room in your home. 

Each family will go home with their paper planter to help welcome the beginning of Spring. This workshop is geared towards children ages 5+. 

Saturday, April 6, 2024 | 1:30pm to 4pm 

$40 per family

Come experience a taste of the Scandinavian holidays!

Children and families will take part in a traditional Danish winter project, making woodland candle holders out of clay, dried flowers, pine cones, branches, nuts, cloves, and clay. We’ll have music playing, Scandinavian cardamom-cinnamon rolls for snacking, as well as our take on glogg for kids, a warm spiced cider. This is by far our most hygge family event!

Each child will go home with their candle holders, to be enjoyed at your holidays tables all winter long. This event is geared towards children ages 2-10 years old.

The studio is walkable to downtown Montpelier, and street parking is available.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 | 2:00pm to 4:00pm

Learn the art of leatherworking in this family workshop!

Leather artist Stace Fulwiler will show families how to cut custom pieces of leather to fit their wrists, then use leather stamps to customize the leather wrap bracelets with their names, nicknames, pictures, or even a special phrase. We will have many colors of leather to choose from, and scraps of colorful leather and shearling that can also be used to add even more detail to your bracelet.

Stace will show families how to finish their bracelets with snaps, making an accessory that you can wear for years to come! Each family member is gauranteed to go home with something that refelcts their own individual creativity and style.

Sunday, June 9, 2024 | 2-4pm

Do you have a collection of stuffies that could use some fixing up? Bring your beloved stuffies to our Teddy Bear Clinic for some TLC! We will help you sew those tails back on, patch up ripped seams or missing ears, and reattach eyeballs.

Bring your favorite stuffed animal or doll to this workshop, and our team of Stuffed Animal Veterinarians (or, you know, sewers) will help your family fix their favorite friends and get accessorized too!

This workshop will also feature Kellie Maas of Coastal Coping, who will have a variety of real medical tools on hand for kids to explore, play with, and test out on their stuffies. Kellie helps “take the scare out of medical care.” Through play, children will familiarize themselves with common medical tools used in child wellness exams, helping children become more comfortable with their own health and wellness experiences.

Children will also have the option of writing notes of encouragement and support to their stuffies, as they undergo their own treatment, and can tuck those notes into their stuffies before sewing and fixing them back up. The fixed-up stuffies can become a source of emotional support for kids apprehensive about going to the doctor or getting their shots.

Saturday, June 15, 2024 | 2-4pm

$40 per family

Come craft with your kids!

Paper sculpting is the art of taking something 2-dimensional and turning it into a 3-dimensional sculpture. In this class, families will work together to make their own container gardens out of paper! We’ll be using colored paper and colored pencils to create cacti, succulents, flowers, air plants, and pots. Through each plant, families will learn a variety of 3D paper sculpting techniques.

Paper artist and graphic designer Marisa Green will teach adults and children basic paper craft techniques and guide them in creating their paper plants and pots. Students will learn fundamentals like cutting, folding, and scoring, layering graduated paper shapes, curling, creating structure, and other methods. (Some precut shapes will be available for the youngest kids.) Whether true to life or fantastical, these colorful botanical displays will cheer up any room in your home. 

Each family will go home with their paper planter to help welcome the beginning of Spring. This workshop is geared towards children ages 5+. 

Saturday, April 6, 2024 | 1:30pm to 4pm 

$40 per family

Come experience a taste of the Scandinavian holidays!

Children and families will take part in a traditional Danish winter project, making woodland candle holders out of clay, dried flowers, pine cones, branches, nuts, cloves, and clay. We’ll have music playing, Scandinavian cardamom-cinnamon rolls for snacking, as well as our take on glogg for kids, a warm spiced cider. This is by far our most hygge family event!

Each child will go home with their candle holders, to be enjoyed at your holidays tables all winter long. This event is geared towards children ages 2-10 years old.

The studio is walkable to downtown Montpelier, and street parking is available.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 | 2:00pm to 4:00pm

Tuesday, November 19th 7-9pm

Learn how to make beautiful mini dried flower wreaths with Jenny Monfore of Old Time Flowers Farm! These cute, versatile wreaths will last over a year without losing their vibrancy, and will add moments of natural beauty throughout your home. Jenny will teach students how to create wreaths out of willow branches, and how to trim down flower stems and create swags to attach to each wreath. Students will be able to pick and choose which flowers to include in their wreaths (don't worry, if you're stuck, Jenny will share her favorite dried flower combinations!) Each student will make 2 wreaths to take home

Jenny grows and dries all of her flowers at Old Time Flowers Farm, a cut flower farm off Town Hill Road in Montpelier. Old Time Flowers farm is dedicated to responsible, organic farming practices. She provides flower CSAs, as well as custom order gifts.

Sunday, November 10th | 1pm-3pm

sold out

Fiber Artist Karen Cygnarowicz of Wild Light Design will be joining us in the studio to teach us basket weaving! Karen works with reclaimed and upcycled materials, turning cast off materials into absolutely stunning bowls and baskets. She’ll guide us on how to select materials, and how to weave our own upcycled woven bowls, all while getting to spend an evening surrounded by friends and neighbors.

This class runs for two sessions:

Tuesday, September 10th | 6:30-8:30pm

Tuesday, September 17th | 6:30-8:30pm

Join us for an evening of dye magic! We’ll provide wine and nonalcoholic beverages so we can ‘cheers’ each other as we create. Learn the art of Shibori and Indigo dyeing, while enjoying the company of friends and neighbors.

Shibori is a Japanese dye technique that typically involves folding, twisting, wrapping, bunching or sewing cloth and binding it, then dipping it into an indigo vat. The binds in the fabric will resist the dye, creating beautiful and interesting patterns with different shades of blue. There are endless ways to do Shibori, and in this workshop you’ll get to explore and play with the techniques that inspire you.

We’ll experiment with the different techniques of Shibori to create unique patterns and shades of Indigo blue. You’ll discover that you can use the technique to dye anything from clothing and accessories to home items.

Indigo is a pigment extracted from the leaves of indigo-bearing plants and is the oldest natural source of blue dye in the world. It produces a rich, multi-faceted blue color that gets better with age as it fades into a softer shade. Depending on the number of dips & the time spent in the vat, indigo dye can yield results as dark as navy to a soft baby blue, and any shade in between.

We’ll begin with a demonstration of a handful of shibori techniques and the variations within each folding style. We will provide a white kitchen towel or t-shirt for each student to dye, or also feel free to bring 2-3 items from home to experiment with. Items to dye must be 100% white cotton, linen, hemp, or silk and should be small or medium sized and lightweight (like button-down shirts, t-shirts, tanks, leggings, dish towels, pillow cases, kid’s clothes, tote bags, etc.) Please avoid bringing large, heavy items like sheets, curtains, or heavy cotton sweaters, as they won’t fit in the dye vat. Items with stains are great to bring - the stains can be covered with dye to breathe new life into your textiles!

Be sure to wear clothing and shoes that you won’t mind getting a splash of blue on! Wearing black is a good option.

Thursday, May 30, 2024 | 5:30-7:30pm

Sold out

Are you stuck on what to do with a particular area of your garden? Having trouble knowing where to even get started designing a garden plot?

In this 2 hour workshop, local landscape designer Sarah Hoffmeier will guide home gardeners on how to create, design, and implement a garden plan for their home gardens. She will begin with a short presentation on the basics of landscape design before discussing how to create a planting plan of your own using graph paper, tracing paper ,colored pencils, and more. In the second part of the class, it’s time to get to work and draft one or more planting plans for your own specific site with Sarah’s wisdom and advice, including her favorite plants.

This class will teach you how to create a basemap and planting plan according to your site conditions and your gardening goals, whether it’s attracting pollinators, incorporating edibles (for humans and/or wildlife), or creating a colorful view out of a certain window.

We will address the importance of knowing your site's conditions, doing thorough site preparation, proper planting techniques and maintenance needed to ensure implementing your garden plan will be as successful as possible. Come with questions and an open mind to this interactive class on landscape design and garden planning. 

Every attendee will need to arrive with photos of the area they would like to work on, as well as measurements of the area.

Every attendee will go home with a customized gardening plan for their home garden.

Tuesday, May 7, 2024 | 6:30pm-8:30pm

For ages 18+

Adults, are you looking for an opportunity to do something more creative in your life, but don’t know how or where to start? Do you have creative ideas swirling around in your head and need that last push to see them brought to life? Or are you an artist who has been putting off the creative call?

Join us this spring for a 5-week workshop that will help you reconnect with your inner artist, in a positive and supportive environment. Each week, artist Brian Herrick will guide you through different artistic mediums, from drawing to collage, watercolor and printmaking, all while helping you set up routines and access your creative mind so you can take these lessons home with you and reconnect with your inner artist.

Students will learn how to use the sketchbook as a place to implement a series of tools to mine their ideas, covering the basics of: ideating, utilizing chance, exploring drawing games, wordplay, and musical inspiration all for the sake of finding creative discovery. Open to beginners and seasoned artists, we will explore the creative landscape together in order to unlock our own creativity.

This class runs for 5 sessions. Choose to register for all 5 classes, or drop-in on one class. Pre-register online, or we will also accept Venmo or cash payment at the studio.

Wednesdays 6:30pm-8pm | March 27, 2024 to May 1, 2024 (no class on April 24th)

For ages 16+

Learn to make your own pair of handmade leather sandals in this one-day workshop led by sandal-maker Stace Fulwiler Wood. No previous experience necessary.

Leather sandals have been worn for centuries, and for good reason: they are durable, breathable, comfortable, repairable and grow more beautiful with wear and age. Sandal making shops used to exist in many towns & cities throughout the US, though this craft has grown rare as shoe production is now mostly overseas.

You will start by choosing from a handful of simple sandal designs. Stace will show you how to modify the design to your unique feet, taking into consideration your bone structure and arch height. You will learn how to shape the leather soles to your arch, attach a stacked leather heel, and use leather-working tools to cut your insoles and straps.

Stace will bring a selection of neutral leather colors (browns, black, tan, caramel) as well as more colorful pieces to accent your sandals. Mixing and matching is encouraged! You will learn how to strategically place your sandal straps to create the most comfortable sandal for your unique foot, and how to select the correct weight of leather for your specific sandal design.

You will learn how to use shoe glue and brass tacks to construct your sandals, resulting in a sturdy pair of sandals that you can wear for years to come. Once your sandals are assembled, Stace will finish them outside on a belt sander and…. Voilà! You’ve made your first pair of leather sandals. You will be able to walk out of the workshop wearing your new shoes.

In addition to your handmade sandals, you will also take home an outline of the sandal making process, including a list of resources for shoemaking if you want to replicate the process at home. Stace will also provide instructions for ‘care and feeding’ of your sandals. 

Given the intricate and custom nature of the class, spots are very limited.

Sunday May 19th, 2023 9am-3pm

For ages 18+

Join us this summer for an acrylic painting workshop, all in a relaxed, positive, and laid-back environment. Local artist and long-time educator Brian Herrick will lead the class through basic acrylic techniques like wet on wet, wet on dry, drying times, opacity, and more. We’ll make some experimental warm ups and then move on to creating one finished acrylic painting for each participant to take home.

We’ll laugh, we’ll paint, and above all, stretch our creative spirits! No experience necessary; new artists welcome!

Saturday June 17th 3pm - 5pm

Sold out

For ages 18+

Join us for a fun and creative afternoon learning the basics of watercolor! In this workshop, artist Brian Herrick will guide the class through some quick experiments to understand the parameters of watercolor. Then, we will learn watercolor techniques such as graded washes, wet on wet, pattern making, and blooms, all while working towards our goal: a beautiful set of 4 watercolor greeting cards for you to take home!

We promise a relaxed space where you can unwind while honing your skills or learning new ones . No experience required! New artists welcome!

Saturday March 25th 3pm - 5pm