Bloomington Area Arts Council offers classes to the public

Students looking for a way to release their creative talents in college are not limited to the classes offered to them through the University. Several area venues offer classes to the general public in a wide array of arts genres. The Bloomington Area Arts Council is among these institutions and provides classes in the fine arts, jewelry making, photography, art appreciation, woodworking, music, dance, acting, creative writing and magic, among others.\n"Lots of students at IU are involved in their own majors but still love to do art. Maybe they did it in high school," BAAC Education Director Roger Meredith said. "These are classes with their peers and no grades in an enriched environment. They're less difficult than arts major classes at IU." \nMeredith said that students are usually interested in the ceramics and swing dance classes. \nThe BAAC recently added a class teaching participants how to make ancient weapons. \nAdam Bonney, a custodian at the John Waldron Arts Center, mentioned to Meredith that he was interested in the art of flintknapping, the art of shaping flint into arrowheads or other figures. Meredith thought the historic art would be a perfect addition to the list of classes offered by the BAAC this year.\n"The class would appeal to people who like to do things with their hands," he said. "It's very physical. Every rock has its own shape. There's always something different about each arrowhead, and you don't know what will happen until you're done."\nA ceramics class titled "Dragons, Unicorns, Mermaids and Fairies" allows students to create mythical creatures out of clay.\nThe classes begin this week and continue for 13 weeks.\nCindy Stone took a ceramics class through the BAAC last year. \n"There's something very soothing about taking a large piece of cool clay and centering it on the pottery wheel and shaping it," she said. "By the end of the evening, my old clothes and I are covered in clay, but the cares of the day have faded. It's cheap therapy."\nDepending upon perspective, art classes may not be the cheapest "therapy" for everyone. Meredith said student memberships are available for $30 for one calendar year, and include $20 off each class, 10 percent off anything in the gallery or gift shop and $1 off of any plays or concerts offered through the BAAC.\nThe BAAC also offers financial aid, which, Meredith said, cuts 40 percent off tuition. \n"Forms are available in the arts council offices (at the John Waldron Art Center). You can always stop by and pick up a form," Meredith said. "It's based on the number of people in the household and the annual income."\nThe John Waldron Arts Center, 122 S. Walnut Street, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, call 334-3100.\n-- Contact staff writer Stacey Laskin at slaskin@indiana.edu.