Classes

IN-PERSON CLASSES

All the in-person classes below are held at Wet Paint in St. Paul unless otherwise noted.
Wet Paint is located at 1684 Grand Ave. St. Paul, MN 55105
Registration is handled through the Wet Paint website and the links below will take you directly to the class page on their website to register. If you have any questions, you can message me or call the store at 651-698-6431. Please note that some classes may have a waiting list, but please add your name to the list so that the staff can let you know as soon as a space opens up.

Junk Journals

Turn your overflowing collage paper collection into chunky, fun-to-work-in books! We will first spend time painting and stamping on paper to make some unique pages for our books. Then we’ll collect our papers and bind them together repurposing cardboard food boxes or old books for the covers. These books are not meant to be perfect, but instead will a visual cornucopia of inspiration beckoning you to play in them with creative abandon. If you have a cardboard food box (such as a pasta box) or an old book (we will just be using the covers and spine – all attached – not the inside papers) that you’d like to use, please bring them along. Some options will be provided by the teacher. All other supplies are included.

Friday, June 16, 2023
10:00am – 1:00pm 
$50

Mixed-Media Postcards

Fill your loved ones’ mailboxes with joy by sending them handmade postcards. Learn different techniques for creating the base from items such as cardboard boxes, watercolor paper or pre-cut blank postcards. We’ll also discuss the postal requirements and costs for mailing. Then spend time decorating your own postcards using watercolors, markers, collage and more! As you’re making postcards for family and friends, don’t forget to include Wet Paint for their annual Summer Postcard Project!

Sunday, June 25, 2023
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
$50

Watercolor & Collage Mandalas

Mandalas are a powerful artistic form used in meditation and healing practices. The word itself loosely translates to “circle,” a word which we’ll use as a guide throughout this class to help focus on ideas, thoughts, and feelings that we continue to circle in our own lives. We’ll also work to embrace the “messy” part of our lives represented by loose, fluid watercolor circles for the base and layers of collaged bits of paper and fabric. The completed pieces will be packed with mesmerizing, tactile beauty as well as deep personal meaning. This practice is an opportunity to let go of perfection and spend time enjoying the process of creating, healing and letting go.

Sunday, July 9 2023
10:00am – 1:00pm 
$50

Mixed-Media Slow Stitching

Slow stitching is an unhurried, thoughtful process that not only has a beautiful outcome, but also helps to calm our frenzied minds. Coupled with mixed media, it also allows for bold, expressive artwork either as stand-alone pieces or in our art journals. During the class, we’ll explore mark-making with stitching patterns, creating collages with paper and fabric, and play with color in a combination of paint, paper, fabric and thread. We will also discuss how to draw inspiration from the everyday world around us to add color, marks and patterns to our artwork.

Friday, July 28, 2023
10:00 am – 1:00 pm 
$50

Relaxing Watercolor Circles

As creatives, it can be easy to get stuck in the mindset of creating art for others, but it’s important to remember the power of the artistic process for our own self-care. Using watercolors as our guide, we’ll release expectations and let our creativity be free to flow. We will begin by simply creating circles and exploring color, then will continue to build onto this practice with doodling and paper cutting. This class will focus on the process rather than the product and is meant for creatives of any level. 

Saturday, August 5, 2023
10:00am – 1:00pm 
$50

Altered Book Art Journaling

Sketchbooks and journals are great for art journaling, but the blank white page can also be intimidating. Vintage books, novels, cookbooks and children’s books can also be used for art journaling and provide a variety of paper options, inspiring graphics and illustrations, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

We’ll begin by selecting a book to use, then we’ll learn some simple ways to begin filling the pages with our own artwork.

Saturday, August 19, 2023
2:00 – 5:00 pm
$50

RETREATS

Art for Self-Care – retreat at Big Raven Farm

About This Retreat:
The last few years have changed the landscape of the world we live in, leaving many of us feeling burned out, exhausted and depleted. With limited time and resources, it can be difficult to find the means to refill our own buckets, but it is also one of the most critical things we must do for ourselves. In this retreat, we will slow down and learn simple creative techniques to give ourselves a brain break, restore our sense of wonder in the world and give ourselves permission to simply play. Although we will be exploring these ideas using art, you do not need to be an artist or even consider yourself creative to benefit from these lessons. Topics will include messy mandalas made from watercolor and collage, expressive art journaling, breath-inspired drawing and more. We will learn how to work creativity into both your workday and homelife and will also discuss ways art can be helpful to your mental health (please note, this class is not art therapy and does not replace the care of a mental health professional).

About the farm:
Big Raven Farm is a 10-acre retreat center located in Spring Grove, MN – about 1 hour south of Rochester, MN in the heart of the Driftless Region where Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin meet. It features beautiful sleeping accommodations for up to 14, a commercial kitchen and in-house chef, farm-to-table meals from locally sourced ingredients, a stunning yoga center and 2-mile walking trail around the property. It is the perfect setting to relax, find calm and get lost in your art practice.

What’s Included:

• Three days of art instruction
• All art supplies for the projects we’ll complete in class
• Gourmet farm-to-table meals prepared by an in-house chef
• Nightly accommodations (several room options are available at registration)
• Optional Yoga classes

Supplies to Bring:

If you have any favorite materials, please bring them along for your personal use. These could include:

• Pens/markers/other drawing tools
• Watercolor or acrylic paints
• Brushes
• Cutting tools

Supplies We Share:

• Acrylic paint, watercolors & brushes
• Collage paper
• Water-soluble crayons
• Adhesives & glue guns
• Scissors & paper cutters
• Cutting mats & craft knives
• Baby wipes & paper towels

For complete details about the retreat, Big Raven Farm and to register, please visit the retreat webpage on the Big Raven Website.

ONLINE CLASSES

Please check back soon for new online classes.

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