Thursday April 16 & 23, 9:30–11:00 AM

A two-session class where you’ll learn a simple “resist” trick with ink that creates a beautiful, soft vintage look.

What you’ll do:
We’ll work from your own photo reference and build a watercolor painting step by step. Then we’ll use white paint as a simple “resist” (it blocks the ink) to add detail and create that soft, vintage feel. This is a guided class with plenty of time to ask questions and experiment.

What you’ll learn:

• How to simplify a photo reference so it is easy to paint

• Watercolor basics like water control, layering, and drying

• The “resist” technique - using white gouache to block ink for highlights and texture

Great for: Beginner (helpful if you have tried watercolor before, but not required). 

Instructor: Rita Carpenter is a pro photographer and watercolor artist who’s been painting since 2008. She teaches the techniques that make watercolor click, with space to experiment. 

Schedule: This is one class held over two dates. Registration includes both sessions.

• Session 1: April 16, 9:30–11:00 AM

• Session 2: April 23, 9:30–11:00 AM

Materials: Ink is provided. 

What to bring: A photo reference, your regular watercolor supplies (paint, paper, brushes), and a tube of white gouache. Ink will be provided.

Five Thursdays, April 23–May 21, 6:30–8:00 PM

A five-week discussion class built around a deceptively simple question: what counts as art, and who gets to decide?

What you’ll do
Each week, you’ll explore a different answer to the question of what art is—from ancient Greece to the present—and put it to the test with real examples. There will be short lectures to introduce the ideas, but the heart of each session is conversation: you’ll discuss, disagree, and work out where you stand.

What you’ll learn

• Week 1 — Art as imitation: is art valuable because it reflects reality? 

• Week 2 — Art as expression: is art the communication of inner experience? 

• Week 3 — Art as form: does art's value lie in structure and composition? 

• Week 4 — The institutional question: does the "art world" decide what counts? 

• Week 5 — The open question: can art even be defined?

Great for: Anyone curious about art and ideas. No background in philosophy or art history needed.

Instructor: Phil Mack holds a PhD in philosophy and has over ten years of experience teaching at UW–Madison, Marquette University, and UW–Milwaukee. He makes big ideas accessible through conversation, not academic jargon, and is building a public philosophy practice in the Madison area.

Schedule
This is one class held over five dates. Registration includes all five sessions.

• Session 1: Thursday, April 23, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 2: Thursday, April 30, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 3: Thursday, May 7, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 4: Thursday, May 14, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 5: Thursday, May 21, 6:30–8:00 PM

Cost: $105

Materials: Short handouts will be provided in each session - no outside reading or preparation required.

What to bring: Just yourself.

Saturday, April 18, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM 

A beginner-friendly mosaic workshop where you will create your own garden stake step by step. This is a single-session class. 

What you’ll do
You’ll be guided through the process of making a mosaic garden stake from start to finish. You’ll learn how to cut glass, lay out your design, and finish and grout your piece in a supportive, hands-on setting. By the end of class, you’ll leave with your own finished garden stake to keep or give as a gift.

What you’ll learn

• How to cut glass for mosaic work

• How to lay out a mosaic design

• How to finish and grout your piece

Great for: Beginners. No prior mosaic experience needed.

Instructor: Alexis Johnson is a stained glass and mosaic artist based in Edgerton, Wisconsin, where she operates Eagle Art. Her classes are supportive, hands-on, and beginner-friendly, with a focus on helping students build confidence as they learn mosaic techniques step by step.

Schedule
Saturday, April 18, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM 

Cost: $48 (materials included)

Materials: All materials are provided.

What to bring: Just yourself.

Saturday, April 25, 10:00–11:30 AM

A discussion-based writing class for anyone feeling called to write their story and looking for a clear place to begin. This is a single-session class. 

What you’ll do
Many of us feel the pull to write our story but talk ourselves out of it. Who am I to write a memoir? Who would want to read this? Doubt can stop us before we start. In this class, you’ll get guidance on overcoming doubt, giving yourself permission, and understanding your purpose and audience in starting your memoir or personal writing project.

What you’ll learn

• Common doubts and myths around memoir writing

• How to think about purpose and audience for your story

• How to begin approaching your own personal writing project

Great for: Anyone curious about memoir or personal writing. No prior writing experience needed.

Instructor: Camilia Cenek is a writer and editor whose work centers on memoir and creative nonfiction. She brings a thoughtful, supportive approach to class, helping students move past doubt and begin shaping their stories with more clarity and confidence.

Schedule
Saturday, April 25, 10:00–11:30 AM

Cost: $25

Materials: All materials are provided.

What to bring: Yourself!

April 28, 6:00–8:30 PM 

A beginner-friendly bookbinding workshop where you will make your own handmade art journal from start to finish. This is a single-session class. 

What you’ll do
You’ll learn a simple and beautiful binding stitch while assembling a 6" × 9" journal of your own. This is a hands-on class with guided instruction throughout, designed to help you move step by step through the process in a welcoming, supportive environment. You’ll leave with a finished journal ready for sketching, painting, and creative exploration.

What you’ll learn

• How to assemble a handmade journal from start to finish

• Basic bookbinding structure and technique

• A simple hand-binding stitch

Great for: Beginners. No prior bookbinding experience needed.

Instructor: Alison Walker is an artist and instructor known for accessible, process-based workshops that help students build confidence through hands-on experience. Her classes are welcoming, supportive, and focused on curiosity, exploration, and skill-building.

Schedule
April 28, 6:00–8:30 PM 

Cost: $60 (materials included)

Materials: All materials are provided.

What to bring: Just yourself.

May 12, 6:00–8:30 PM 

A beginner-friendly printmaking workshop built around color, texture, layering, and the fun of unexpected results. This is a single-session class. 

What you’ll do
Using acrylic paint, texture tools, and layering techniques, you’ll create a collection of one-of-a-kind gelli plate prints. This class emphasizes experimentation and process, with plenty of room to play, explore, and discover what happens as colors and patterns build. You’ll leave with a unique set of prints that can be used for collage, journaling, or framing.

What you’ll learn

• How to use a gelli plate for printmaking

• Layering techniques with acrylic paint

• How to build texture, pattern, and depth in a print

• How to create prints for collage, journaling, or display

Great for: Beginners. No prior printmaking experience needed.

Instructor: Alison Walker is an artist and instructor known for accessible, process-based workshops that help students build confidence through hands-on experience. Her classes are welcoming, supportive, and focused on curiosity, exploration, and skill-building.

Schedule
May 12, 6:00–8:30 PM 

Cost: $65 (materials included)

Materials: All materials are provided.

What to bring: Just yourself.