Enriching Lives Through Art: Adult/Teen Classes

We are offering art classes for all age groups at the arts center, which are made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation. Our Thursday night free drawing class is offered online. All classes are listed below.

You can also check out our month-by-month calendar to help you plan your Fine Arts Center activities.

Classes

To kick off our “May Flower Week” of classes, we bring you this:

Art of Floral Design Class
Instructor: Jodi Barck
Date: Saturday, May 4
Time: 10:00 am -12:00 pm
Ages: Adults (14 y/o and up)
Maximum enrollment: 8
Fee: $35.00 (25% off for members $26.25) *

MAY FLOWERS ARE HERE! It is time to put your creative juices to work creating a magnificent May flower floral arrangement using locally cultivated, native flowers and tulips. Like most art, floral design uses the principles of balance, scale and harmony to create eye-catching and balanced compositions for display.

In this class, local floral expert Jodi Barck will teach you how to integrate natural elements, native seasonal flowers and tulips to create a unique floral arrangement. You will pick out flowers that appeal to you, and Jodi will help you design your arrangement in a glass vase, which will be provided. (Those who took Ann’s ceramic vase class can bring in their handmade vases). You will learn about each plant's “vase life” and how to care for your arrangements. Jodi will also share her knowledge on how to cut and use wildflowers and natural elements from your own yard to create beautiful arrangements throughout the year. Come celebrate this year’s first May flowers and learn the art of floral design in this fun, unique class! All materials will be supplied.

This is an in-person class and masks are optional. Sign up early as class size is limited. Register in person or online at Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site. This discounted class is made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

Jodi Barck: I am the local business owner of Sage Creek Flowers. I have a long history with flowers since my childhood, and I have been growing and working with flowers for more than 20 years. I am involved in all aspects of gardening and have over an acre of land dedicated to growing flowers for my business and over 4 acres of personal garden areas. I enjoy using all the seasonal flowers that are unique to this area and am proud to share my love of locally grown flowers with everyone. The smiles and joy I get from people keeps me motivated as I too continue to grow and learn. I look forward to sharing my passion with you!

Floral Still Life Charcoal Drawing
May Flower Week Class
Instructor: Ann Buchau
Date: Saturday, May 4
Time: 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Ages: Adults (14 y/o)
Maximum enrollment: 8
Fee: $20 (25% off for members $15.00)*

Flowers are among the most popular themes for still life drawings and paintings. We will be doing a charcoal drawing of an artful floral arrangement, yours or a sample from the class on the art of flower arranging (above). Although it’s fun to paint these botanical beauties in color, there is something classic, charming and simple about charcoal. Whether you are a novice or are familiar with charcoal, you will have fun exploring this wonderful style of drawing. You will learn tips on how to draw from real life and how to use various techniques and tools to create charcoal drawings. All tools and materials are provided.

This is an in-person class and masks are optional. Register in person or online at Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site. This discounted class is made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

photo of needle felted tulips on cotton cloth background in embroidery hoop

2D Needle Felted Wool Painting: Tulips
May Flower Week Class
Instructor: Dawn Seevers
Date: Wednesday, May 8
Time: 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Ages: Adults (14 y/o and up)
Maximum enrollment: 8
Fee: $25.00 (25% off for members $18.75) *

Create your own everlasting bouquet of tulips. As part of our classes celebrating May flower week, Dawn has created a beautiful 2D wool painting of tulips in a watering can using 2D needle felting. Needle felting is a creative craft where you sculpt 2D figures using wool and a special felting needle. Dawn will guide you as you transform wool into a unique 2D tulip scene. You will be taught the process of using a barbed needle to combine colored wool fibers into shapes on a cotton fabric that will be held and displayed on an embroidery hoop frame. This is a beginner class; no experience is necessary. All materials are supplied.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

Dawn Seevers is a local artist with several years’ experience making and teaching needle felting in the local area. She has posted several videos online, and she has a website called Chicken Run Creations (Chickenruncreations.com). Check it out!

wool embroidery on felt of birds and flowers

Wool Embroidery: Feathered Friends
May Flower Week Class
Instructor: Beverly Filkins
Date: Thursday, May 9
Time: 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Ages: Adults (14 y/o and up)
Maximum enrollment: 8
Fee: $20.00 (25% off for members $15.00) *

May flowers attract our feathered friends! In this beginner class you will learn the basics of embroidery stitching and applique techniques to create an artistically designed 12” x 7” table mat or wall hanging. Your instructor will provide you with various wool colors, designs and patterns to choose from to create a beautiful spring scene. Come join our creative flock for this unique class. All materials will be supplied.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

Bev Filkins: I have lived in Pulaski all my life and have been sewing for more than 50 years. I love all needlework art; however, applique and quilting are my preferences. I have been teaching quilting classes for several years in Mexico, and I teach embroidery at the Mexico Quilt Guild. I look forward to sharing my love for this unique form of art with new students.

Still Life Acrylic Floral Painting
May Flower Week Class
Instructor: Brooke Synder
Date: Friday, May 10
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
Ages: Adults (14 y/o & up)
Maximum enrollment: 8
Fee: $20 (25% off for members $15.00)*

In this “May Flower Week” class you will paint May tulips using acrylics on canvas. You can use your own arrangement or one that will be provided from a previous class on the art of flower arranging. You will learn the basics of color mixing to achieve color accuracy, and you will be guided step by step on how to use acrylics to get a beautiful painting of May tulips. All materials will be supplied.

This is an in-person class and masks are optional. Register in person or online at Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site.

This discounted class is made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

painting of three orange cats sitting in a flower patch

May Flower Week Class
Cranky Cats in May Flowers
Sip, Eat and Paint
Instructor: Cindy Schmidt
Date: Friday, May 10
Time: 6:00 - 8:30 pm
Ages:
Adults 14 y/o and up
Child 7 y/o and up (with adult)
Maximum enrollment: 14
Fees:
Adults: $25.00 (25% off for members $18.75) *
Child: $12.50 (25% off for members $9.38) *

It’s May Flower Week and we wouldn’t want to leave out our delightful little cat friends. Come in and enjoy creating these adorable cranky cats with plenty of attitude. These colorful little cats fit right into the vibrant display of May flowers.

You will use acrylic paint on canvas and be instructed by one of our “famous” local artists, Cindy Schmidt, on how to paint fuzz (a.k.a. fur) and cranky eyebrows to achieve that typical cat attitude — all the necessary components in painting cats. AND, you can bring along a child for ½ price. They too will be painting their own version of a cranky cat. It will be an evening of fun, canvas, paints, flower-inspired baked goods and drinks. This class is for adults and a child 7 y/o or older, no experience is necessary. All materials are supplied.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

Cindy Schmidt: A self-proclaimed quirky cat lover, Cindy Schmidt has been painting cats for 20+ years and selling her art at various shows in several states. Her art is currently being licensed by Bradford Exchange and Heaven and Earth Designs and is available for sale at over 30 shops and galleries across the country. Cindy is a local member of the Riverside Artisans in Oswego as well as the Salmon River Fine Arts Center.

tulips painted with alcohol ink on ceramic tile

Alcohol Ink Tulip Painting on Tile
May Flower Week Class
Instructor: Robin Eaton-Novak
Date: Saturday, May 11
Time: 10:30 am – 1:00 pm
Ages: Adults (16 and older)
Maximum enrollment: 8
Fee: $25 (25% off for members $18.75)*

Come in and color your world with tulips using alcohol ink!

In this beginner class, you will learn to work with alcohol inks to create a vibrant tulip painting on ceramic tile. Your instructor will guide you step by step through various techniques specific to alcohol ink. You will explore pouring, blending, carving and dotting to create a colorful painting of a tulip arrangement on a 4”x12” tile, or a series of three 3”x6” tiles. There will be several sample pieces available to inspire you as you create your own unique tile, which will be completed by the end of the class. All supplies and tools will be provided.

Note: Alcohol fumes might irritate sensitive lungs and isopropyl alcohol can irritate skin. Masks and gloves will be available for those requesting. Please wear appropriate clothes for painting, and if you have an apron, you can bring that.

Space is limited, so sign up early and pay for your class on our Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site.

This discounted class is made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

Artist Robin Eaton-Novak—About Me: I am originally from the Virgin Islands, where my interest in art was born. Life happened, and I set my interests aside. The spark was rekindled when I took two classes at The Salmon River Fine Arts Center! I work as a MH therapist on Fort Drum and use alcohol ink painting as a therapeutic intervention to demonstrate patience, acceptance and individual perception.

image of a greeting card made by Lyn Bernatovich

Beginner Watercolor Card Making Class
Instructor: Lyn Bernatovich
Date: Saturday, June 22
Time: 10 am - 12:30 pm
Ages: Adult (12+)
Maximum enrollment: 8
Fee: $25 (25% off for members $18.75)*

The goal of this beginner watercolor and card making class is to create greeting cards that you can keep or pass along to someone special. You will learn some basic techniques of watercolor and incorporate them into constructing cards. You will warm up by creating some watercolor background panels, which will be used in the cards. You will be shown basic stamping techniques to stamp sentiments on the front and inside of your cards. You will be working with washi tape, sequins, gold gel pens, Stickles Glitter Glue, ribbon, and twine, all accessories that are widely used in stamping. You will be shown how to lay out a card in a pleasing manner, and you will complete 8 cards by the end of the class. The overall theme of this class is to have fun and be creative. So, come in for a fun day of learning something new! All materials will be provided.

This is an in-person class and masks are optional. Register in person or online at Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site.

This discounted class is made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

LYN BERNATOVICH: Since 1998 my passion, my burn, my creative energy stems mainly from a desire to teach and share what I know about paper crafting. I am a card maker and since 2016 I love painting in watercolor. I am the past founder and director of Paper Arts Club of CNY and Author of Paper Petunia’s weekly e-newsletter. Past Design Teams: Paper Craft Planet Creations by AR, Dreamweaver Stencils, Stampendous, Happy Little Stampers. I am the guest instructor for “Art is Creation” Teen Program, New Smyrna Beach, Florida. You know that old saying, “Do what you love, love what you do?” Well, that is my journey to be creative through and through! Sharing what I know with others is exactly where I want to be. My reward is definitely the journey, and I love all that paper art has brought me and embrace whatever lies ahead.

Free Weekly Drawing Class

FREE Weekly Drawing Class
Thursday 6 - 8 pm
Instructor: Ann Buchau
All ages welcome
Class Limit: 20

Enjoy this online step-by-step drawing class in the comfort and safety of your own home via Zoom. Each week your instructor will focus on a different topic, technique or subject with the ultimate goal of improving and developing your own unique style. This class is open to anyone in our local community with a desire to draw — any age, any level. To attend, simply email us at sr.fine.arts.ctr@gmail.com to get your name on the list. After you register for this free class you will be emailed a link with instructions. Be sure to sign up early because the class limit is 20.

This class is made possible by generous donations from Drs. Patricia and Jay Chapman as well as many of our members and participants.