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Craft Media Courses

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These courses provide a foundation in working in various craft materials and processes, including paper crafts, book arts, fiber crafts, mixed-media hybrid materials, ceramics, and glass.

Introduction to Craft Media Series

The Introduction to Craft Media Series is a set of 12-week courses in material studies that introduce students to craft media, methodologies, histories, and traditions.

These courses provide a foundation in working in a variety of craft materials processes, including paper crafts, book arts, fiber crafts, mixed-media hybrid materials, ceramics, and glass.

Craft Practice

Students create functional or non-functional objects while they cultivate respect for craft and explore material as an art form.

Students analyze the social and ethical aspects of craft as they develop technical competency. Coursework encourages an investigation into the potential of objects to possess visual, tactile, and conceptual information.

Craft Traditions and Contemporary Practice

Students examine craft traditions in their original context and in contemporary practice and explore multicultural perspectives and personal reinterpretations.

Students learn about the mythic multicultural sources of craft ritual and reinterpret these through their own cultural and artistic lens to achieve an understanding of the importance of craftwork, within a fine arts context, as a vehicle of culture.

Courses

  • Relief paper sculpture, folded, cut, and assembled
  • Mexican papel picado traditions (tissue paper banners)
  • Paper collage, mixed media paper, paper weaving
  • Pop-up cards
  • Crafting illumination: paper lantern design – hanging, tabletop, or wall-mounted

  • Sculptural form and mask making: transform hybrid materials
  • Introduction of structural paper building strategies, including papier-mâché, paper-clay, plaster gauze, wire mesh, and others as sculptural substrates for skeletal armature forms
  • Working with a variety of materials joined with wax, plaster, and other materials in a collaging of objects, beads, string, feathers, stones, shells, etc.
  • Surface finishes for sculpture, including patinas, paints, and waxes

  • Linear suspension: transform string, wire, yarn, and fabric through tying, binding, sewing, and more
  • Knitting and crochet
  • Exploration of the interfacing of rigid and flexible materials held in suspension to one another to create wall works, discrete objects, and hanging sculptures, including mobiles, puppets, marionettes, or other suspended animation-based works of art

  • Fundamentals of producing handmade books, including binding practices and materials and exploration of the expressive potential of the form through combining images and text
  • Introduction to handmade book genres, including journals, portfolios, pop-up books, chapbooks, concertina, and accordion books
  • Introduction to artists’ books
  • Introduction to binding methods, including saddle stitch, perfect bond, long stitch, Coptic stitch, and Japanese stab binding

  • Comprehensive introduction to the materials and methods essential to ceramic practice
  • Handbuilding: pinch, coil, slab, and the use of the extruder
  • Wheel throwing
  • The use of slips, engobes, gand lazes to explore the role of surface treatments in ceramics
  • Firing methods, including low-fire glazes, maiolica, and midrange stoneware glazing in oxidation, raku, and pit firing

  • Introduction to kilnforming glass, a method of shaping glass in a kiln using heat
  • Introduction to kilns, computerized kilns, and firing programs
  • Fusing and slumping processes
  • Coldworking and relevant materials handling
  • Introduction to stained glass techniques, including cutting, foilking, and soldering and use of lead foil in construction of three-dimensional art pieces
  • Students build a strong foundation in the ancient art form of mosaics, including the planning, design, and selection of materials

All Upcoming Craft Media Classes

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Upcoming Classes Calendar

Craft + Conversation – The Sacred Gourd Bowl: A Symbol of Wixarika Culture and Spirituality

July 12, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Cost:
$5

Instructors:
Bob Devers,

Venue:
156 Gibbs

We invite you to join us on this exciting bi-lingual presentation of our Craft + Conversation meet-up where we will experience the art of one […]
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Master Craft Workshop: Bas Relief Dry Plaster Glass Casting 

August 25 - August 27, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Ages:
14+,

Cost:
$200

Instructors:
Michael Janis,

Venue:
Classroom 4

In this workshop, you’ll explore the art of bas relief casting using dry plaster—a versatile technique that lets you turn flat glass into sculptural works […]
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Master Craft Workshop: Papercutting Illuminated

September 13 - September 14, 10:00 am - 5:30 pm
Ages:
14+,

Cost:
$225

Instructors:
Melanie Kehoss,

Venue:
156 Gibbs

Explore the timeless art of papercutting in this immersive two-day workshop with acclaimed cut paper artist Melanie Kehoss. Through an engaging artist talk and live […]
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Craft and Conversation – Form and Content: Stories of Historic Pottery

September 27, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Ages:
14+,

Cost:
$5

Instructors:
Vidya Vijayasekharan,

Venue:
156 Gibbs

This talk will take you on a journey through the world of mythology and folklore, history and tradition. The surface decorations of ancient pottery tell […]
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Introduction to Kiln-Formed Glass

October 9 - October 30, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Ages:
14+,

Cost:
$240

Instructors:
Nanette Bevan,

Venue:
Classroom 1

This three-week introductory course is perfect for those new to kiln-formed glass, offering a first step into the art and possibilities of glassworking. You’ll explore […]
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Craft and Conversation: Create Your Own Handmade Brushes

October 11, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Ages:
14+,

Cost:
$5

Instructors:
Ann Hobart,

Venue:
156 Gibbs

Discover the art and craft of brush-making in this unique workshop led by ceramic artist Ann Hobart. In this hands-on class, you’ll learn how to […]
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Altered Books

October 22 - November 12, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Ages:
14+,

Cost:
$120

Instructors:
Marcie Wolf-Hubbard,

Venue:
Studio 100

Turn old books into unique works of art! In this creative mixed media class, students will learn how to upcycle and repurpose books using a […]
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Craft + Conversation: British Pottery Revival Movement

October 25, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Ages:
14+,

Cost:
$5

Instructors:
Ann Hobart,

Venue:
156 Gibbs

Ann Hobart will share stories and pots of some of the notables of the British Pottery Revival Movement that erupted after WWII. After WWII, a […]
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Standing Wave Sculpture

November 6 - November 20, 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Ages:
14+,

Cost:
$220

Instructors:
Nanette Bevan,

Venue:
Classroom 1

In this 3 Day class, students will design and create a large 12×18 standing wave table top sculpture. Students are encouraged to consider reactions possible when […]
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Decorative Fused Glass Platter: Embellish with Enamel

November 14 - November 21, 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Ages:
14+,

Cost:
$100

Instructors:
Nanette Bevan,

Venue:
Classroom 3

In this 2 session workshop – students will use both transparent and opaque glass and black enamel paint to create a 10” x 10” finished […]
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Mixed Media Sculpture

November 19 - December 17, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Ages:
14+,

Cost:
$120

Instructors:
Marcie Wolf-Hubbard,

Venue:
Studio 100

Discover the exciting world of three-dimensional art in this hands-on mixed media sculpture class. Students will explore a wide range of materials—such as cardboard, wire, […]
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Table Top Sculpture

December 4 - December 18, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Ages:
14+,

Cost:
$120 – $200

Instructors:
Nanette Bevan,

Venue:
Classroom 1

In this 3 Day class, students will design and create a large 10x 12 table top sculpture that will be displayed in a metal stand. […]
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Craft Industries Courses

Continue learning with the Introduction to Creative Industries Series.

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Questions?

Contact Emily Fucello, Education Director or Robert Devers, Center for Craft Studies Coordinator.