Arkansas Craft School April Courses Offered Arkansas Craft School April classes include “Reverse Glass Painting”, “Learn to Knit in a Day”, “Kids’ Monthly Crafts Workshop Series”, “After School Arts”, “Beginner rigid Heddle Weaving”, “Beginner Glass Bead Making”, “Beginning Digital Photography”, “Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry”, and “Encaustic Photo Collage”.
Arkansas Craft School has several crafts classes offered for the month of April. See website: www.arkansascraftschool.com to register. Call 870-269-8397 for more information. “Reverse Glass Painting” with Loretta Babak. Friday & Saturday, April 5 & 6, 9 am-4 pm both days. Tuition: $150. Materials fee paid to the instructor in cash or check: $38 “Learn to Knit in a Day” with Dianne Petty. Saturday, April 6. Wednesday, April 10. Saturday, April 13. Wednesday, April 17. 9 am-4 pm each day. Tuition: $75/day. Materials fee paid to the instructor in cash or check: $10 for needles, plus bring a skein of cotton yarn, or purchase from instructor for about $3. “Kids’ Monthly Crafts Workshop Series” with Daphne Morton. Saturday, April 6. 10 am-12 pm. Tuition: $10 in advance. $15 drop in. No materials fee. “After School Art” with Daphne Morton. Tuesdays, April 9-May 5. 3:30-5 pm. Tuition: $35 for the series. No materials fee. (Please note that because of a generous donation from Stone Bank, tuition for young artists classes is either free or low cost.) “Introduction to Glass Bead Making” with Mike Engle. Monday, April 15. 10 am-2 pm. Tuition: $80. Materials fee paid to instructor in cash or check: $15. NOTE: THIS CLASS IS FULL. PLEASE CALL TO BE ON A WAIT LIST. “Beginner Rigid Heddle Weaving” with Rusti Bargar. Saturday & Sunday, April 13-14. 9 am-4 pm. Tuition: $150. Materials fee paid to instructor in cash or check: $60. If you bring your own rigid heddle, $40. “Beginner Digital Photography” with Ed Alexander. Saturday & Sunday, April 27 & 28. 9 am-4 pm. Tuition: $170. No materials fee.
“Beginning Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry” with Dana Finimore. Saturday & Sunday, April 27 & 28. 9 am-4pm. Tuition: $150. Materials fee paid to instructor in cash or check: $20. “Encaustic Photo Collage” with La’Nelle Gambrell. By appointment. Call for available dates or to request a specific date 870-746-5506. CLASS DESCRIPTIONS “Reverse Glass Painting” – In this two day “Reverse Glass Painting” workshop with Loretta Babak, students will be introduced to the methods involved in the art of reverse glass painting – from preparation of glass, picking subjects, completion of painting, and final framing. Come learn this beautiful art form to make glass paintings of your own! “Learn to Knit in a Day” – If you’ve never picked up a knitting needle but love all the hand-knits that you see on the Web, this is the class for you. You’ll be knitting and purling before the day is through. You’ll be amazing at what you can make with just those 2 stitches and all the beautiful yarns available. Dianne will point you to some of the best video tutorials and websites to reference after this class is over. Soon you’ll knitting for family & friends and watching them marvel at how beautiful and thoughtful your gifts are. “After leaving a 30 year career in the Steel industry, there was more time for crafts. The first new thing I learned was to knit. That was 9 years ago, I knit everyday and sometimes with my own designs. I have met great friends and taught others the craft. It’s a joy to see people who didn’t think they could learn, blossom and enjoy it. I have taught locally at Gabriele’s Flowers & Fibers in Bull Shoals and at a MarvMini thru Marvelous Magazine. Knitters are giving people & love to share their craft. “Come knit with me!” “Kids’ Monthly Crafts Workshop Series” – Arkansas Craft School is pleased to offer our Young Artists’ Classes at reduced and/or free tuition thanks to a generous donation from Stone Bank. We have our regular monthly kids’ crafts series from 10 am to 12 pm on the first Saturday of each month with Daphne Morton. Each class will teach a different craft. In the past, the Young Artists have created Painted Rocks, Holiday Decorations and Clay Pinch Pots & Critters. Ages 6-13; younger students with parent participation. First come first served! Come have fun with us on the first Saturdays! Look for our other youth programs, such as After School Art, Saving Nature Now, Summer Arts & Crafts Camp, etc. Contact us with questions! “After School Art” – Support your child’s creative expression with after school art classes! For 5 weeks this Spring, let your children wrap their fingers around real media and their brains around images of their own creation. This series of after school workshops will focus on projects that use collage, watercolors, ink and more. Approaches range from blind contour line drawings to Jackson Pollock style drip paintings, Aboriginal dot art and mixed media compositions. Daphne Morton will stress new ways to see, use and interpret art and building skills along the way. Classes meet every Tuesday, from 3:30 – 5:00 PM. Materials and a light healthy snack are included in the tuition. Open to elementary and middle school aged youth – contact us if questions about your child’s participation. Children younger than age 6 require parental participation. “Introduction to Glass Bead Making” – In this half-day (4 hour) workshop, glass artist and instructor Mike Engle will teach beginning glass students the basic techniques and safety skills required to create beautiful, unique glass beads, marbles, and/or pendants. The possibilities are endless with the glass arts and this course will give you the basic skills and confidence you need to engage in this medium. Students are welcome to take this course multiple times to hone particular skills with the individualized guidance of the instructor. Other times may be available, based on instructor’s schedule. Contact us to inquire about other potential dates for beginners’ beads classes. “Beginner Rigid Heddle Weaving” – Rigid Heddle weaving is a fun & easy skill to learn as a beginner, or come enjoy the camaraderie of weaving with friends and learn some new tricks, improve your technique, and get answers to those pesky questions that have been preventing your weaving from going to the
next level! In this two day class with Fiber Artist Rusti Barger, students will begin learning the quick and easy direct warping technique, then will move to cover the basics of weaving. On the 2nd day, students will finish their new piece (scarf) and begin learning finishing techniques for handwoven pieces. We will discuss advanced weaving techniques to produce patterned fabrics and how to weave double-wide fabric on the rigid heddle loom. Join us to learn this incredible art form. “Beginner Digital Photography” – In this 2 day course, students will learn to capture the best images with their digital cameras by improving their understanding of camera settings, subject selection, composition, use of light and color, camera maintenance, and image storage. Students will receive one-to-one attention on their images and will be taken outdoors to shoot beautiful photos of Spring in the Ozark Mountains. Instructor Ed Alexander is an accomplished outdoor photographer whose work is featured in both private and public collections across the United States. “Beginning Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry” – In this exciting 2 day course with professional artist Dana Finimore, students will learn to create beautiful copper enameled jewelry utilizing the torch firing method. Various other methods will also be covered, including sgraffito and stenciling. Students will leave this course with several pieces of their own enameled jewelry creations to wear and the beginnings of a new skill or passion! Suitable for ages 16 and up. “Encaustic Photo Collage” – Spend a day learning encaustic photo collage with award winning artist La’Nelle Gambrell at her beautiful, sanctuary studio located on Fox Mountain, 14 miles north of Mountain View. The art of encaustic uses molten bees wax, crystallized tree resin and pigment to produce images with translucent depth and a surprisingly durable surface. A medium of growing popularity, its history dates back to the 5th century B.C. and was used beautifully by the ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. A multi-talented artist, La’Nelle Gambrell teaches a number of the encaustic techniques she has perfected over the past 7 years, starting with an introduction to encaustic using photo collage in this one-day, six-hour workshop. No prior art experience necessary. Materials are included in the tuition as well as beverages and lunch. Students will leave with at least two finished pieces of encaustic art. You will receive plenty of individualized attention as class size is limited to 3 or less, and individual tutorials are possible. La’Nelle will accommodate students whenever feasible, including weekends.
About Arkansas Craft School
The Arkansas Craft School (ACS) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to the growth, appreciation, and instruction of arts and crafts. The ACS encompasses many styles of art and craft, both contemporary and traditional. Situated within the unique, natural beauty of the Ozark – St. Francis National Forest, the Arkansas Craft School is conveniently located on the Square in the quaint & charming town of Mountain View. In our historic building (built in 1925), have multiple specialized studios for clay/pottery, woodturning, glass/metal/jewelry-making, weaving/fiber arts and studio arts. We offer a wide variety of courses for children and adults. All of our classes are purposefully small to allow individualized instruction. Classes provide hands-on, engaged learning in a creative environment. Students will come away with beautiful art crafted by their own hands and the skills to continue creating. Studio passes are available for those who wish to continue honing their skill set using our equipment. Our courses are taught by highly skilled artists/instructors, many of whom are Arkansas-based and renowned across the country and globe for their expertise in their craft. Class sizes are kept small to allow for individualized guidance and instruction. The ACS is supported in part by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Windgate Charitable Foundation. The Arkansas Craft School is located at 101 North Peabody, in a historic building on the courthouse square in Mountain View. Nestled in the heart of the Ozark – St. Francis National Forest, the quaint town of Mountain View offers a stunning natural environment for creative learning. Media Contact: Name: Patricia Kilpatrick Title: Communications
Phone: 870-269-8397 Email address: arkcraftschool@gmail.com or pat9.acs@gmail.com
Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late ’60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit.
Drew became associated with the Ozark Gateway Region in 1990 while working at the ad agency (The Media Market Inc.). The agency handled marketing for the regional association, where she and her co-workers produced an annual tabloid publication. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000.
After Drew became director, she took the region to the next level by helping the tourism organization create a new website and moved it from the old newspaper paper tabloid publication to a color magazine format. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year.
In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.
She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. She now serves as their co-election coordinator, helping with behind-the-scenes management of voting equipment, day-to-day election deadlines, and poll worker training.
Drew serves on the Arkansas Travel Council Board of Directors, is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current publicity chair.
In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry.