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Appalachian State University’s Craft Enrichment Program Announces Opening of Spring 2015 Registration

By Madison Fisler Lewis

Jan. 2, 2015. For many High Country residents, the Michael R. Patricelli Craft Enrichment Program, offered each year at Appalachian State University, is a welcome outlet for creativity and a great way to learn a new craft or hobby. Serving both students and the community, the Craft Enrichment Program offers participants the use of professional equipment and dedicated instruction to guide them in their pursuits.

Copley, Patricelli and Reichard of the Craft Enrichment Program
Copley, Patricelli and Reichard of the Craft Enrichment Program

Spring classes this year will begin in late January, with other classes beginning later in the spring semester. Classes offered this season include glass fusing and slumping, beginning and intermediate jewelry making, glass bead making, beginning and intermediate pottery, advanced open pottery studio, figurative and animal sculpture in clay, decorating pottery with images from nature, beginning acrylic painting, video documentary production, beginning and advanced wood bowl turning and biodiesel production, read a press release.

The length of each class varies depending on the topic, from one weekend, to meeting once a week for the semester. Cost for each class also varies, ranging from $95 to $195. Class fees cover materials and includes parking passes for students to park on campus.

The available classes for Spring 2015 are as follows:

Beginning and Advanced Glass Fusing and Slumping

Learn the basics of glass fusing and slumping while making beautiful bowls, plates, jewelry and decorative objects. Discuss glass types, compatibility, cutting and firing schedules. Come experience one of the easiest ways to work with glass and take home some unique objects. Most supplies provided. 

This class will take place on Saturdays from March 21 until April 11 from 9-11:30 a.m. in Katherine Harper Hall room 41. Instructors for this class will be Alex Poorman and June Kay, with an enrollment of 7 students. Cost is $155.

Beginning Jewelry

Participants in this beginning jewelry class will learn the basic techniques necessary to produce rings, pendants and other items in sterling silver, copper and brass. The goal is for each participant to create a finished piece by the end of every second class. 

This class will take place on Wednesdays, Feb. 11 through April 1, from 6-8:30 p.m. in Katherine Harper Hall room 41. The instructors for this course will be Jim Rice and Judy Goodwin, with an enrollment of 8 students. Cost for the class is $180.

Intermediate/Advanced Jewelry

Participants in this advanced jewelry class will learn the additional techniques necessary to produce rings, pendants and other items in sterling silver, copper and brass. Participants may choose from a variety of intermediate and advanced projects of their own design such as cutting and polishing freeform or calibrated cabochons on the lapidary machine, lost wax casting, cuttlebone casting, etc. For Advanced Jewelry, students choose their own projects. Contact Jim Rice for availability of specific projects. 

This class will take place on Wednesdays, Feb. 11 through April 1, from 6-8:30 p.m. in Katherine Harper Hall room 41. The instructors for this course will be Jim Rice and Judy Goodwin, with an enrollment of 4 students. Cost for this class is $180.

Lampworking and Beadmaking 

“Lampworking” is the technical term for the art of melting and forming raw glass into shapes by using a special high-temperature torch. Glass beads have been treasured and traded for centuries and this class will explore the process of the ancient craft using moretti on mandrels. The class will cover torch safety, types of glass, scientific properties, proper annealing, dots, stringers, latticino, encasement, texturing and much more. By the end of class, students will feel confident in their ability to make glass flow. 

This class will take place on Tuesdays from March 17 through April 14, from 6-8:30 p.m. in Katherine Harper Hall room 41. The class will be taught by Shannon Boyd with a total enrollment of four students. Cost for this class is $165.

Beginning Acrylic Painting

Learn to find and express your unique painting personality. Emphasis will be on understanding good composition and color harmony that relates to any subject matter, whether abstract or realistic. The class will explore new techniques and ways to achieve various textures and interesting effects and most importantly, enjoying the journey.

This class will take place on Thursdays from Feb. 19-March 19, from 6-8:30 p.m. in Katherine Harper Hall room 11. The instructor for this course will be Tara Belk with a total class enrollment of 15 students. The cost of this class will be $140.

Beginning Pottery with Dottie Baker

In this class, students will gain hands on experience in throwing, hand-building, slip decorating and glazing handmade pots. There will be technical demonstrations that include exposure to some basic design concepts and an introduction to pottery history – a gold mine of great ideas. All skill levels are welcome. 

This class will take place on Mondays, Jan. 26-March 16 from 6-8:30 p.m. in Katherine Harper Hall rom 55. The class will be taught by Dottie Baker and class enrollment is 15 students. Cost for this class is $160, which includes 25 pounds of clay, glazes and Cone 6 oxidation firings. Cone 10 firing and additional clay are available for a fee. A variety of clays are available, and class used in the class must be purchased from the craft enrichment program.

Beginning Pottery with Tara Belk

Creative exploration of textures and sculptural additions will be encouraged through frequent demonstrations and individualized instruction. Your personality will be evident in your pots as you learn to alter basic forms with methods such as stretching, faceting, carving, cutting and embellishing with hand-made stamps and sculptural elements. All skill levels are welcome and no experience is necessary. 

This class will take place on Wednesdays from Feb. 25-April 15 from 6-8:30 p.m. in Katherine Harper Hall room 55. The class will be taught by Tara Belk and enrollment is 15 students. Cost of the class is $160, and includes 25 pounds of clay, glazes and Cone 6 oxidation firings. Cone 10 firing and additional clay are available for a fee. A variety of clays are available, and clay used in the class must be purchased from the craft enrichment program.

Beginning and Intermediate Pottery

This course will focus on wheel throwing, hand building and glazing techniques. There will be weekly demonstrations on how to make various functional wares (mugs, bowls, pitchers, casseroles, plates, etc.) for students with some experience. The class will also explore closed forms, slab vases and the use of handmade clay stamps and molds. Clay will be fired to Cone 6 unless students want to explore Cone 10 firing for an additional charge. All levels are welcome. 

This class will be held on Tuesdays, Feb. 10- March 31, from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Catherine Harper Hall room 55. The instructor for this course is Maggie Black, and enrollment is 15 students. The cost of the class is $170.

Pottery: Decorating with Images from Nature

In this course, hand-building and throwing techniques will be taught. Students will be encouraged to create decorative imagery using a direct painting and stamping process with objects found in nature. Demonstrations and collecting advice will be given. All skill levels are welcome. 

This course will take place on Thursdays, March 5 through April 23 from 6-8:30 p.m. in Katherine Harper Hall room 55. The course will be instructed by Jimmy Savely with a total enrollment of 15 students. Cost of the class is $160 which includes 25 pounds of clay, glazes and Cone 6 oxidation firings. Cone 10 firing and additional clay are available for a fee. A variety of clays are available, and clay used in the class must be purchased from the craft enrichment program.

Advanced Open Studio

Advanced ceramics students will have an opportunity to work independently in a collegial atmosphere. Cone 6 and 10 firings will be available. Students will have access to wheels, slab roller, a variety of glazes and design tools. Students should have a minimum of two craft enrichment pottery classes or equivalent experience. 

This class will be held on Tuesdays from Feb. 17-April 21 from 6-8:30 p.m. in Katherine Harper Hall room 55. The course will be taught by Jimmy Savely with a total enrollment of 12 students. The cost of the course is $160, which includes 25 pounds of clay, glazes and Cone 6 oxidation firings. Cone 10 firing and additional clay are available for a fee. A variety of clays are available, and clay used in the class must be purchased from the craft enrichment program.

Figurative and Animal Sculpture

The class will cover various techniques for making figurative and animal sculpture. Students will have the opportunity to explore sculpting their favorite animal (human or otherwise) from photos they bring to class. The class will be sculpting from solid forms, slabs and coil-building, finding the best hand-build technique for each project in a fun and supporting atmosphere. All skill levels are welcome. 

This class will be held on Saturdays, March 28-April 18 from 1-4 p.m. in Katherine Harper Hall room 4. The class will be taught by Tara Belk and total enrollment is 15 students. The cost for the class is $115 which includes 25 pounds of clay, glazes and Cone 6 oxidation firings. Cone 10 firing and additional clay are available for a fee. A variety of clays are available, and clay used in the class must be purchased from the craft enrichment program.

Video Documentary Production

This workshop will provide an overview of basic documentary and video production skills. If you have a burning story to tell, interest in working on family history, or need to create a promotional video for a nonprofit, this workshop will help you achieve your goal. Skills covered in the workshop include storytelling, video camera operation and composition, lighting, audio, interviewing and editing. The workshop is designed to be very hands on. This is a workshop for beginners, and you do not need your own equipment, no previous experience is required although basic computer skills are needed to learn video editing. 

This class will take place on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 22, from 1-4 p.m. in Chapel Wilson Hall room 226. The instructor for this course will be Beth Davison and enrollment is 12 students. The cost for this workshop is $165.

Beginning Bowl Turning

During this class, different species of woods, sources for wood and equipment, wood turning tools, lathes and techniques of the wood turning craft will be explored with beginner students. Students will have the opportunity to use the fine lathes and wood turning equipment of the craft enrichment program. Each student will turn a spindle and create a wine bottle stopper and a wood bowl. Supplies for these projects are included in the tuition. After these projects are complete, students can bring their own supplies for that special wood turning project they have always wanted to create. The final night of class, students will havea chance to show their work created during the course to other students. Each student is to provide their own safety glasses or shield and earplugs. 

This class will take place on Tuesdays, Feb. 3 through March 31, from 6-8:30 p.m. at Katherine Harper Hall room 146. The instructor for this class is Don Woodruff and enrollment is limited to five students. ost for this class is $195 and materials for the class are included in the fee.

Advanced Bowl Turning

This course will continue the art, science and techniques needed to turn a block of wood into a functional sculpture. The class will explore some rough-edge and green-wood spindle turning, wood curing, selection and tool sharpening. You may never look at a pile of firewood the same again. It is recommended for each student to provide their own safety glasses or shield and earplugs. 

This class will be held on Wednesdays from Feb. 4 through April 1. from 6-8:30 p.m. in Katherine Harper Hall room 14. The instructor for this course is Phil Armstrong and enrollment is limited to five students. Cost for the class is $195 and materials are included.

Biodiesel Production Workshop

The Biodiesel Production Workshop is established to extend the benefits of learning opportunities of the ASU Biodiesel Research and Education Facility to the community at large. The workshop will enhance the ability of local people to make and use their own fuel safely, learning proper fuel production and chemical handling procedures from local experts in the field. The fuel will be made from locally sourced recycled vegetable oil, keeping more of our energy dollars circulating within the High Country and promoting the concept of local energy independence as more people are empowered to make their own fuel. Partners in the enterprise include the High Country Biodiesel Co-op, Foothills Bioenergy and Blue Ridge Biofuels. 

The workshop will meet once a week for three hours. In addition to the instructor Landon Pennington, a local biodiesel producer and officer in the High Country Biodiesel Co-op, an ASU staff member will be present at all workshop meetings. Each meeting will involve stages in the actual production of fuel. 

The cost of the workshop is $95. For this cost, consumables will be provided as well as safety equipment and clothing, and ongoing upkeep and maintenance of the facility. In addition, the facility for producing biodiesel will be available for all participants. The fee will also cover the cost of fuel produced so that workshop participants will be $35 worth of free fuel based on the price of $1 per gallon. If more than 35 galls of fuel is desired, the fuel can be purchased by participants for $1 per gallon, payment of which will go to the workshop fund. 

The class will meet Thursdays, March 19-May 7, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. The workshop will be held at the Biodiesel Education and Research Facility located near the motor pool off of State Farm Road. The address is 161 Ayres Lane.

To register for any of these classes, click here. For more information about classes or the Craft Enrichment Program, click here.