Adult & Teen Classes
Classes are back! Check-out the line-up for fall 2020.
Instructor Bios
Samantha Coon
Samantha is a self-taught artist working in both wet and needle felting. She was introduced to both types of felting in 2009 while living in Mid-coast Maine. She has taught classes to both children and adults that including projects using resists both sculptural and wearable, surface design techniques, working with pre-felts, and introductory needle felting. She has taught classes in a variety of settings such as summer camps, nature centers, fiber festivals, homeschool groups, private lessons and gatherings, and at LowellArts.
Eco-Printing Scarves
Saturday, October 31
12:30pm – 2:30pm
Use leaves and other natural materials to create a beautiful, one-of-a-kind silk scarf. Scarves are 100% silk. All supplies including one scarf are included in the class fee. Additional scarves are available for $7 each payable to the instructor at the class.
Ages 14+ | Instructor: Julia Voake
Class Fee: $40 ($38 for LowellArts Members). Fee includes materials.
Class is FULL
Felted Vessel
Saturday, November 7
1:00pm – 4:30pm
Create a simple 3-D vessel using wool, a resist, and wet felting techniques. Your completed vessel can then be decorated or embellished with hand stitching, beading, found objects, or natural elements like stones or pods. Use your felted vessel as a decorative accessory, trinket container, or add a simple glass vase to hold flowers.
Students need to specify color choice at the time of sign-up: Earth Tones (tans, browns, greys), Sea & Sky (blues, blue-greens, turquoise), Berry Colors (reds, pinks, mauve and violets). Supplies to bring: 2 old flat (not fluffy) bath towels, 2.5 gallon pail, large kitchen sponge, small pair of sharp scissors.
Ages 16+ | Instructor: Kathy Forzley
Class Fee: $45 ($43 for LowellArts Members). Plus $20 fee for materials paid directly to instructor.
Cheesecloth Scarves
Saturday, November 14
12:30pm – 2:00pm
A 72” length of very fine cotton cheesecloth is colored by brushing liquid fabric dye on it in a random pattern. The cheesecloth is wrapped and folded in plastic and left for 24 hours for the dye to cure. It is then rinsed and dried. The result is a very soft, gauzy scarf. The colors are vibrant and show beautifully.
Ages 12+ | Instructor: Julia Voake
Class Fee: $21 ($19 for LowellArts Members). Fee includes materials.
Instructor Bios
Dianne Carroll Burdick
Dianne Carroll Burdick is an award winning photographer whose work includes photojournalism, fine art photography, and teaching classes and workshops in the West Michigan area. She has several books published and her fine art is in many private and corporate collections. Her book “Listen to the Landscape” is a collection of 28 hand-colored images, coupled with a poet’s haiku. "When I hand-color B&W prints, I color what I feel more than what I see."
Kathy Forzley
Kathy Forzley is a contemporary fiber artist whose work includes wet felting, hand & machine embroidery, botanical printing and landscape art quilts. Kathy’s passion for artistic design combines rich textures, vibrant colors and found objects inspired by her love of nature and botanical themes. Her work includes wearable art, accessories, 3-D work and wall art. Kathy finds working with fiber and cloth provides a meditative tactile experience and countless possibilities for creative expression.
Whitney Lassini
Whitney Lassini is a glass and jewelry artist who has been creating unique jewelry and sculpture for the past 20 years.
Julia Voake
Julia Voake has been a practicing artist forever. She is a painter and teacher for all ages and loves to see the creative spark emerge in her students. Always interested in exploring different mediums--she works with fabric, sewing, embroidery, quilting, natural materials, metals, wood, found objects, paint, and anything else that looks intriguing.
Laurie Zientek
I have been weaving baskets and teaching baskets for more than 45 years. I love to share this old time craft with people. I dye all my reed for my baskets and design my own patterns
Tint Your Vision: Handcoloring Photographs
Saturday, November 21
1:00pm – 4:00pm
Learn to alter a black and white photo using colored pencils, chalk, and pastels to tint and color. Black and white films and papers allow you an immense amount of control over the image. Use your vision to create a finished product both nostalgic and beautiful.
Students should bring in photos with a matte non-shiny surface, taken with their camera, iPad, or smartphone. The instructor will also provide a second photo students to tint as well.
Ages 14+ | Instructor: Dianne Carroll Burdick
Class Fee: $55 ($53 for LowellArts Members). Fee includes materials.
Napkin Basket Workshop
Sunday, November 22
12:30pm – 3:30pm
This workshop begins with a prewoven basket. You will learn the basics of working with reed including weaving, twining, rimming, and lashing the rim onto your basket. You can add some detail with a decorative bow!
Ages 10+ | Instructor: Laurie Zientek
Class Fee: $32 ($30 for LowellArts Members). Fee includes materials.
Felted Succulents (Wet Felting)
Saturday, December 5
10:30am – 12:30pm
Working with prefelts opens up a host of creative possibilities, and that's what this class is about. Handmade prefelts are fibers that have been layer cut, and are only partially felted with specific color combinations in mind that can then be cut and designed into an intended project. In this case, students will be working with fine merino handmade prefelts, needles, and thread to create succulents of varying sizes, shapes, and colors. The areas of focus in this class will be fulling (shrinking and strengthening), healing cut edges, and molding the felt into the desired shape.
Ages 12+ | Instructor: Sam Coon
Class Fee: $35 ($33 for LowellArts Members). Fee includes materials.
Needle Felted Whale
Saturday, December 5
1:30pm - 4:30pm
For this class, various kinds of whales will be examples for options to create, such as a humpback, narwhal, sperm, and beluga. These lovely miniature whales are great introductory projects for those interested in needle felting, as well as those with previous experience. Wool breeds, needle types and safety precautions, sculpting bases with core wool, and 'painting' the design with colorful MC-1 wool will be gone over in this class.
Ages 10+ | Instructor: Sam Coon
Class Fee: $35 ($33 for LowellArts Members). Fee includes materials.
Snowman Weaving Workshop
Sunday, December 6
1:00pm – 3:00pm
Students have a choice to weave the snowman body from scratch or paint and decorate a prewoven snowman. All materials provided including paints, fabric and trim to create a very personalized snowman.
Ages 10+ | Instructor: Laurie Zientek
Class Fee: $32 ($30 for LowellArts Members). Fee includes materials.
Eco-Printing Scarves
Saturday, October 31
12:30pm – 2:30pm
Use leaves and other natural materials to create a beautiful, one-of-a-kind silk scarf. Scarves are 100% silk. All supplies including one scarf are included in the class fee. Additional scarves are available for $7 each payable to the instructor at the class.
Ages 14+ | Instructor: Julia Voake
Class Fee: $40 ($38 for LowellArts Members). Fee includes materials.
Needle Felted Owls
Saturday, December 19
10:30am – 1:00pm
These adorable, fun owls are great introductory projects for those interested in needle felting. With just this one project, there are so many possibilities! Ear tufts, no ear tufts, large or small eyes, feather patterns, and different face designs in varying colors. Wool breeds, needle types and safety precautions, sculpting bases with core wool, and 'painting' the design with colorful MC-1 wool will be gone over in this class. Examples will be provided.
Ages 10+ | Instructor: Sam Coon
Class Fee: $35 ($33 for LowellArts Members). Fee includes materials.