Painted Botanicals Wednesday, July 9 9 am-noon Cathy Melio
Artist Cathy Melio, who has exhibited her art since 1980, will instruct class members in the popular Victorian pastime of painting botanical images. Drawing with pencil and ink and painting with watercolors, the class will create botanical artworks that are representational, decorative, fanciful or semi-abstract. The class will work directly from plants and flowers in addition to photographs. The morning will begin with a brief slide presentation of botanical art for inspiration.
Registration: $40/$50 Materials: $20
........................................................................................................................................ Rug Hooking Friday, July 11 1-5 pm Julie Mattison & Chris Sherman
Hookers have been the subject of many jokes, but this traditional art is experiencing great popularity today. Julie and Chris own Searsport Rug Hooking: the largest rug hooking business in the country. Students in this class will make a “hook and hang” project: a design already stretched in a picture frame, so once it is hooked it is ready to hang on the wall. Students may choose from a variety of designs to create with traditional wool fabric strips. Materials kit includes wool, frame, fabric with drawn design, and hook. Beginners welcome! Maximum of 25 students.
Registration: $50/$65 Materials: $33
........................................................................................................................................ Scrimshaw Tuesday, July 15 3-5 pm Wes Reddick
Come be a “scrimshander” with instructor Wes Reddick of Belfast. Wes has worked with fossilized walrus ivory and other kinds of hard bone to produce the etched and inked patterns we call scrimshaw—but today class participants will use slices of the “ivory nut”—a large nut from the tagua palm that looks and behaves like ivory. Traditional scrimshanders were sailors aboard whaling ships. As a special treat for class participants, PMM director Niles Parker will discuss scrimshaw history and show examples from the museum’s scrimshaw collection.
Maximum 12 students.
Registration: $35/$50 Materials: $5
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Miniature Half Hull Saturday, July 19 9:00 am - Noon Al Ross
Al Ross, custom model builder at BlueJacket Shipcrafters in Searsport, will help you carve a miniature half hull model, to dollhouse scale, using several different woods, 1/32” lifts, and beautiful bright finish. This tiny hull, approximately 2” long, can become a lapel pin or be mounted on a backboard as a dollhouse accessory. Students are asked to bring a 6” round needle file and a small handled craft knife with a #11 blade, both available at BlueJacket Shipcrafters, on Route One just east of downtown Searsport. (Knife, $5.25; file $1.80)
Max: 12 students.
Registration: $40/$55 Materials: $5
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Drop Spinning Monday, July 28 1-4 pm Debbie Bergman
Did you know you could produce real handspun yarn from fleece without a spinning wheel? Fiber artist, teacher, and shop owner Debbie Bergman of Stockton Springs will instruct class members in the traditional technique of drop spinning. Students will take home a ball of hand made yarn and their own spindle. Max: 20 students.
Materials: $25
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Mortise and Tenon Joinery Thurs. July 24 10-noon
Mike Beaudry teaches students how to join pieces of wood using this traditional technique. Maximum 6 students.
Registration: $35/$50
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Demonstration: The Arts of the Shipbuilder
Hewing and Trunnels Thursday July 24 noon-4 pm
Following the mortise and tenon class, Mike will set up his demonstration area—try your hand at using a broad axe to hew a log and square it up—ready for the shipyard. Or practice carving a wooden trunnel—“tree nail” used for centuries in building wooden ships. The demo is free with museum admission.
What could be more appropriate for Searsport, once home to scores of shipbuilders and over eight major shipyards? Mike is an historian, an experienced teacher, and regular demonstrator at the Common Ground Fair. This is a rare opportunity to learn about the shipbuilder’s trade.
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Wood Carving Wednesday, July 30 1-5 pm John Spinney
John Spinney and his wife Sandy, organic farmers and owners of Half Moon Farm in Montville, may be familiar to Farmers Market patrons for Sandy’s jams and chutneys and John’s beautifully carved spreaders, bowls, and other wood products. Using traditional saws, hatchets, gouges, scrapers and knives, John will help students create a wooden clover-shaped spoon rest, or small bowl. No materials fee—John uses scrap and found wood that would otherwise go to waste. All tools provided. Maximum of 7 students.
Registration: $50/$65
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Printmaking Wednesday, Aug. 6 - 9 am-noon Cathy Melio
Using non-toxic water-based printing inks, various papers, and a small traditional table-top press, artist Cathy Melio will help class participants experiment with basic printmaking techniques, including linoleum block printing and monotype (one of a kind) printing. The morning will begin with a brief slide presentation of prints for inspiration.
Registration: $40/$55 Materials: $20
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Felting: An Ancient Art in a New Form Monday, Aug. 11 10-4 Debbie Bergman
If you haven’t tried working with felt, you are in for a treat. In this class, Debbie will teach students Nuno Felting, the art of using pressure, water, and heat to force wool fleece to felt into silk fabric, producing a soft scarf of amazing design and texture. Max: 12 students.
Registration: $80/$100 Materials: $20
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Sailors’ Knot Project - Ropework Frame Tuesday August 19 noon - 4 pm Eric Jergenson
Registration: $50/$65 Materials: $25
Maine Maritime Academy Sailing Master Eric Jergenson helps students create a picture frame using the traditional knots and ropework that mariners have used for centuries. Students will not only create a beautiful picture frame, they will learn practical knot tying skills as well.
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Mortise and Tenon Joinery Thurs. July 24 10-noon
Mike Beaudry teaches students how to join pieces of wood using this traditional technique. Maximum 6 students.
Registration: $35/$50 Materials: $5
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Demonstration: The Arts of the Shipbuilder:
Hewing and Trunnels Saturday Aug 23 noon-2 pm
Before the mortise and tenon class, Mike will set up his demonstration area. Try your hand at using a broad axe to hew a log and square it up—ready for the shipyard. Or practice carving a wooden trunnel—“tree nail” used for centuries in building wooden ships. The demo is free with museum admission.
What could be more appropriate for Searsport, once home to scores of shipbuilders and over eight major shipyards? Mike is an historian, an experienced teacher, and regular demonstrator at the Common Ground Fair. This is a rare opportunity to learn about the shipbuilder’s trade. |
