If you are bored or just have free time on your hands, making art is a great way to spend your time productively. However, many people don’t have the supplies or the skills to get started on a craft, making the task seem overwhelming.
Luckily, Bloomington is home to many places that offer workshops and classes to educate the community on different art forms.
Here is a guide to those spaces and their different mediums:
The Pottery House Studio at 223 S. Pete Ellis Drive
At The Pottery House Studio, you can either throw your own clay forms on a pottery wheel or paint a premade piece. When I went with my friend, the studio had a wide variety of pieces you can paint, including sculptures, mugs and planters. But if you want to throw a piece, you can take a beginner-friendly class like I did.
The shop has $320, eight-week sessions, which range from beginner to advanced levels, where you can learn about throwing pottery alongside the option to take one-time classes that start at $50 per person. If you do decide to take one of these classes or attend the more in-depth sessions, you need to register on the studio’s website. All the information regarding these events can be found online.
The shop also hosts events, including a “Leaf Dishes” workshop Sept. 16 and “Karaoke with Rebecca Itow,” on Sept. 17. Both events will take place at the studio, and additional events can be found on its website’s event tab.
University of Sewing at 611 W. 11th St.
While primarily a shop that carries everything you need to sew, the University of Sewing also offers a multitude of lessons in sewing, quilting and embroidery. It even offers classes on how to use Bernina machines, giving people an overview of the basics they need to successfully machine sew.
Some of its upcoming events include a “Making a Tote Bag” workshop Sept. 22 and an “Embroidery: Machine Embroidery Patchwork Ornaments” class Sept. 25. If you are looking for something else, there is a wide array of classes which can be found on the events tab on its website.
Bloomington Creative Glass Center at 229 W. Grimes Lane
If you're looking to make a beautiful stained-glass piece or even learn about the history of glass, the Bloomington Creative Glass Center has you covered. The center offers classes in kiln work and fusing, glassblowing, stained glass and coldworking. The center also has take-home kits for customers to assemble and take back to the studio to be fused if the traditional workshop experience doesn’t work for them.
The center will be hosting its 17th annual “Great Glass Pumpkin Patch” Oct. 10 at the Bloomington Courthouse Lawn for those interested in seeing marvelous glass pumpkin pieces.
If you are hoping to participate in one of their classes, there are still spots available in the “Fused Glass House Numbers” class Sept. 21, as well as the center’s “Glass Combing” class Sept. 22. Upcoming classes can be found on the center’s website. Prices depend on the individual craft.
Although not an art shop, the Bloomington Art Club holds many events to create art in a variety of mediums. The club is open to everyone, and participants can bring their own supplies, projects they are currently working on or simply use what supplies the group offers.
The group offers the community opportunities to create and view zines, small art booklets that share ideas and stories. Artists can enter their zine into the group’s submission form to be featured in a quarterly zine called “CART,” that aims to showcase a community or artist’s works.
The Bloomington Art Club will be hosting “Art Club: Printmaking” on Sept. 16 at 408 W. Kirkwood Ave. and “Movie x Art Club: Zine Making + Film Screening” on Sept. 20 at the same location. More information about event dates and how to donate to the club is on its website.
