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Savor the Moment: Introducing Oil Painting with Food Still Life

with Mia Brownell

Next session: August 7th to 10th, 2026

$520 More Info

All levels welcome

Join us for an immersive introduction to oil painting. Using the historic and vibrant world of food ‘still-lives’ as our inspiration, learn the fundamentals of capturing light, color, and form as we build layers of oil paint to create exciting depth and illusion. Participants will be introduced to approaches that consider the rich narrative threads weaving together food, culture, and human experience. Receive lots of individual attention and engage in group discussions as we practice daily painting methods. Perfect for beginners and those looking to refine their skills.

Mia Brownell’s paintings use the illusionistic conventions of traditional food still-life painting to explore larger conversations about being human. Referencing 17th-century Dutch realism and the swirling forms of molecular imaging, her work considers food as more than sustenance, examining how it is grown, processed, marketed, and consumed, and how it functions as a cultural signifier. Through illusionistic depictions, she probes questions of identity, values, and the parallels between microbiology and the social constructs that shape who we are. Mia is a Professor of Art & Design at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven.

Fee: $520 (Course Fee: $440 + Lab Fee: $40 + Non-Refundable Registration Fee: $40)

Introduction to Cyanotype

with Bryan Whitney

Next session: June 20th to 21st, 2026

$445 More Info

All levels welcome

We will learn how to make cyanotypes directly from nature and objects using the beautiful yet simple 19th century printing process. Plants and objects are placed directly on paper that has been coated with the cyanotype solution and is then exposed by sunlight and simply developed in water. Students will use pre-coated paper and learn how to hand coat fine art paper to achieve exquisite prints. The process is fun, organic, and open to all levels. No previous photo experience is required.

Bryan Whitney is a fine art photographer in New York who specializes in alternative techniques from x-rays to lens-free imaging and cyanotype printing. He has exhibited widely and teaches at the International Center of Photography, Penumbra and other locations.

Fee: $435 (Course Fee: $330 + Lab Fee: $75 + Non-Refundable Registration Fee: $40)

Exploring Amaco Mid-Range Glazes

with Cory Brown

Next session: August 15th to 16th, 2026

$235 More Info

All levels welcome

With generous support from AMACO, join glaze designer Cory Brown for a hands-on workshop exploring AMACO’s amazing range of cone 5–6 glazes. From fan favorites like Potters Choice to exciting new lines, Cosmos and Phase, this is a unique opportunity to experiment, learn, and play with color and surface. For the first half of Day One, Brown will give an overview of AMACO’s glaze families through a guided presentation and demos on reading glaze labels, layering effects, and application. Students will glaze their bisque-fired tiles using a wide selection of AMACO samples—many of which will remain in the studio for continued exploration on Day Two. Cory will teach during the morning of Day One, and Studio Techs will assist students and conduct the second firing on Day Two. All levels are welcome.

Cory Brown is a ceramic artist based in New York City. Committed to his career in ceramics from an early age, Cory refined his craft through artist residencies, ceramics tech roles, and a formative teaching opportunity in India. After earning an MFA from Alfred University, Cory has worked full-time developing new glazes for AMACO. He maintains a healthy art-making practice focused on experimental ceramics. His recent work with glaze foam explores a collaboration with the unpredictable nature of ceramic phenomena, embracing beautiful chaos.

Fee: $235 (Course Fee: $170 + Lab Fee: $25 + Non-Refundable Registration Fee: $40)

Get a Handle on It: Stamps as Decorative Surface

with Rich Farrow

Next session: June 12th to 14th, 2026

$425 More Info

Some throwing experience useful

Among the many amazing facets of clay is that you can make tools with it. That’s one of the exciting techniques you’ll learn during this 3-day intensive. We’ll make 4 different kinds of clay stamps and then learn how to use them to create dynamic surfaces that are unique to your own ‘voice.’ We’ll also work on different styles of handles and do some fancy glazing. You’ll leave with stamps, glazed pots, bisqued pots and an interesting new approach.

A long-time potter in Pennsylvania, Rich Farrow received a BS degree in Mathematics from Moravian, and his MA in Mathematics from Villanova University. He was a journeyman carpenter for ten years and an analyst mathematician for thirty-four years before pursuing a nearly life-long passion for making pots.

Fee: $425 (Course Fee: $330 + Lab Fee: $55 [includes first bag of clay] + Non-refundable Registration Fee: $40)

Cattail Weaving Intensive

with Renee Baumann

Next session: July 17th to 19th, 2026

$415 More Info

All levels welcome

This three-day workshop offers an immersive introduction to cattail weaving, you will be exposed to some of the various methods of working with this versatile native plant, then apply them to a larger project. Working in a supportive studio environment, you’ll receive hands-on instruction and individual support as you work on a project of your choice. Suitable for complete beginners as well as experienced makers interested in working more deeply with cattails. All materials provided.

Renee Baumann is a Catskills-based designer, chef, and nature enthusiast with a passion for wild plants and fungi. Trained as an architect and a chef, she brings a creative, interdisciplinary flair to everything she does—whether she’s weaving baskets from local plants, illustrating mushrooms in watercolor, or whipping up delicious meals from foraged ingredients. Renee teaches workshops and techniques working with local fibers, with an emphasis on creating three-dimensional forms from bioregional components. Her work varies from traditional basketry using cattail and willow to sculptural felt and spinning foraged fibers. Renee teaches workshops on identifying and cooking with plants and fungi growing in the Catskills.

Fee: $415 (Course Fee: $330 + Lab Fee: $45 + Non-Refundable Registration Fee: $40)

Stained Glass for Beginners

with Lisa Gnos

Next session: August 21st to 23rd, 2026

$430 More Info

All levels welcome

During this dynamic workshop students will learn different techniques of the art of stained-glass. Starting with a small 5-piece project without borders, students will learn how to cut, grind, foil, and solder stained-glass. Students will design and create a larger project learning how to set size and fit pieces together properly. The goal is to have fun and take home two beautiful projects!

Lisa Gnos has been an artist working with stained-glass for over 25 years. Her passions to create and teach have led to owning her own studio. Gnos’ practice includes repairing church windows, custom jobs, mosaics, and fusing glass in kilns. She enjoys repairing and painting antique clock dials, hiking, kayaking and working for a local dentist as an RDH.

Fee: $430 (Course Fee: $330 + Lab Fee: $60 + Non-Refundable Registration Fee: $40)

Japanese Knotweed Craft: Biodesign, Stewardship & Ecosocial Practice

with Timothy Furstnau

Next session: August 15th to 17th, 2026

$415 More Info

All levels welcome

This workshop focuses on creative uses for itadori, aka “Japanese knotweed,” including dyes, marquetry, bio leather, and bio composites. Working with the Sugar Maples campus landscape, participants will get hands-on experience in biomaterials techniques. The Streambank research project focuses on non-chemical management methods and uses of the plant’s dried biomass to support ongoing ecological restoration. We will learn best practices for ecological stewardship that draw from both traditional and emerging fields. Agroecology, bio design, regenerative agriculture, biocultural restoration, alternative ecologies, and critical ethnobotany will be explored.

Timothy Furstnau is an artist, designer, and curator based in the Catskills of New York. He is co-founder of the studio FICTILIS, Museum of Capitalism, Writ Large festival of screen-based text art, and Hudson’s Toolshed Exchange tool lending library. He teaches circular economy and studio courses in the Integrated Design program at Parsons School of Design and leads workshops on art and ecology, biomaterials, and land stewardship at the residency project Deurendis.

Fee: $415 (Course Fee: $330 + Lab Fee: $45 + Non-Refundable Registration Fee: $40)

Sculptural Felting

with Mallory Zontag

Next session: August 28th to 30th, 2026

$450 More Info

All levels welcome

Explore sculpting with wool felt during this workshop. Using the ancient technique of wet felting, you will learn how to sculpt wool into a multitude of natural and three-dimensional forms such as bowls and vessels, branches and coral, barnacles, undulating layers and more! Day one will be an introduction to wet felting, learning the history and the process while focusing on learning multiple techniques and creating a collection of samples. Day two we will work on felting bowls, hollow forms and how to apply thetechniques from day one to those forms. Day three will see you using all your newfound skills and techniques to design and create your own unique felt sculpture.

Mallory Zondag is an award-winning artist and artist educator living in New York. Exhibited internationally in solo and group shows, her work focuses on the natural world and how it relates to the physical body and human experience. She explores deeply personal and connective universal stories through the meditative and hands-on practices of wet felting, weaving, sculpting, and stitching, seeking to bring the ephemeral into physical being. The growth and decay of the natural world, the duality of discomfort and attraction we feel towards it, and humanity's place within this dichotomy informs her sculptures.

Fee: $450 (Course Fee: $330 + Lab Fee: $80 + Non-Refundable Registration Fee: $40)

Original source: https://pixabay.com/get/g55a1d1f12243aa4483630a3e716ced30c01e1f81e27feb5253fd57089b339fc763887ae3da8e481c1dd55ba50da6f55043517ef9632e43f916dc1bb501a8ee3a_1280.jpg

2D Studio: Independent Study

with Instructor TBD

Next session: July 1st to August 19th, 2026

$335 More Info

Skill Level: Beginner – Advanced

This course takes place in our beautiful, well-lit, dedicated 2D studio, designed specifically to inspire focus and creativity. This 8-week course is for artists of all levels. Each week, you will work on individual projects, moving from initial vision and foundational skills to material exploration and style refinement. Under guidance, you will navigate technical problem-solving, finalize a cohesive body of work, and participate in a final studio showcase. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned artist, this supportive environment is designed to expand your vocabulary, polish your skills, and (re)discover your unique style.

Fee: $335 (Course Fee: $275 + Lab Fee: $20 + Non-Refundable Registration Fee: $40)

Thrown and Altered: And Then Some

with Ray Brown

Next session: August 7th to 11th, 2026

$660 More Info

Some throwing experience needed

Students will learn how to throw, alter and assemble pottery out of round. Objectives include being more comfortable altering forms, a further understanding of utility, and an iterative process of developing form. Emphasis will be given to asymmetry, stamping, and dynamic attachments. Students will learn how to alter pots at different stages, from wet to bone dry, as well as creating compositions and unified surface. Students should have a basic knowledge of throwing, as well as a willingness to experiment with their work.

Ray Brown was born in Houston, Texas, and earned a BFA with Honors from the University of Mississippi under Matt Long. He earned his MFA in studio art with emphasis in ceramics at West Virginia University. While at WVU, Brown studied with Shoji Satake, Boomer Moore, Jen Allen, and Jeff Moser. He is currently an Instructor and Studio Technician at the University of Mississippi.

Fee: $660 (Course Fee: $550 + Lab Fee: $70 [includes first bag of clay] + Non-Refundable Registration Fee: $40)