Inspired by nature and the bountiful natural elements found at Allerton, Heartland Community College art professor Jane Camp will offer Teen Art Studio: From Realism to Abstraction on Saturday, March 29 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Studio.

Open to budding artists 13- to 18-years-old, students will focus on observational drawing in graphite, pen and ink and charcoal that move into abstractions of nature through collage and the various drawing media.

All materials will be provided and no previous experience is necessary.

$45per/person (13-18). Register by March 15. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, email Sarah Putman at sputman2@illinois.edu.

About the instructor

Jane Camp is an art educator in addition to a working and exhibiting artist. A Professor of Art at Heartland Community College since 1994, she has also taught at Tennessee State University, Illinois State University and Richland College. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Illinois Wesleyan University and Master of Science and Master of Fine Arts from Illinois State University.

Jane’s photographs, drawings and paintings have been shown in many local and national exhibitions. She successfully co-operated a photography business, Outer Glow Photography for 10 years.

Much of her drawings and paintings focus on what she calls “Random Pages”: Random bits from nature that become enlarged and abstracted to suggest something beyond their origins. She also uses a medium format Holga film camera to encapsulate an ethereal vision, which is a dominant trait in her art.

You can view Jane’s art on her website.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn the basics of working with a loom at Beginning Weaving I on Saturdays, March 29 through April 26 from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Greenhouse Auditorium.

This 5-week class led by Sharon Bowles will encompass all aspects of beginner weaving as students create a table runner. Participants will become familiar with weaving terminology, parts of the loom, figuring the weaving pattern for the width of the loom and project, measuring out the warp, beaming the warp back to front, threading heddles, threading the reed, tying on the warp, and winding bobbins.

$250/person*. Register by March 22. All sales are final.

*Students should bring a 4-shaft loom if they have one. All other supplies will be provided, including a loom if needed.

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia Bunting at owarren@illinois.edu.

About the instructor

Sharon Bowles has been weaving for 34 years and has taught beginning weaving for almost 33 years. She was taught to weave in a one-on-one class and wove two table runners in 12 (approximately) 2-hour lessons, and she teaches the same method when she teaches. Sharon has experience in weaving with silk, lace weaving, 8-shaft pattern weaving, parallel weaving, block weaves, and Shaker reproduction towels.

She has taught many workshops and classes to weavers’ guilds in Florida, Ohio, and Champaign-Urbana. She earned her Journeyman certification from the Weavers Guild of Boston in 2021 and a master’s certification in April of 2022. Most recently, Sharon taught Beginning Weaving I at The Farms, and a 2-day workshop in four shaft patterns for the Champaign-Urbana Spinners and Weavers Guild.

Former Allerton In-Residence naturalist Michael Baker will return to the Park to conduct a Foraging Walk from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 30. Location TBD

Baker, a professional forager, will give demonstrations of the current uses of edible plants and mushrooms during the walk. Participants will be introduced to a variety of wild edible plants and mushrooms and be instructed on which plants to avoid.

$35/person (all ages). Register here by March 26. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia Bunting at owarren@illinois.edu.

About the instructor

Michael Baker is a professional foraging educator and podcaster in the Chicago suburbs. His show, the Wild Edible World podcast, seeks to educate anyone who will listen on edible plants and fungi, what they taste like, and where you can find them. He is also a co-founder of Remnant Roots non-profit which seeks to adopt vacant lots and turn them into native plant sanctuaries.

About The Farms

The Farms: An Allerton Folk School, offers classes, workshops, and gatherings focusing on art, wellness, outdoor education, storytelling, and science. All experiences value hands-on, experiential teaching and learning, and are facilitated by and for the members of the community.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn about honey bees, one of the most unusual insects in the world, at Intro to Beekeeping from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 23 in The Studio. Bees can survive under diverse climate conditions and are one of the few insects that produce food for humans. And such a food! Keeping honey bees happy and healthy is essential.

In this class taught by Maggie Wachter, learn the basics of starting a new hive: how to get bees, the honey bee life cycle, nutrition, equipment and what to do about mites. Would-be beekeepers and others with a lively interest in nature are welcome.

$20/person. Register by March 20. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia Bunting at owarren@illinois.edu.

About the instructor

When Maggie Wachter began her social work degree at the University of Illinois in 2008, she had no idea that she would become a beekeeper. As for honey, she kept a single jar in the back of her kitchen cabinet for recipes. Today she is a master beekeeper who never eats sugar.

Maggie received her first hive as a gift in 2008. By 2010, she was enrolled in the Master Beekeeper course at the University of Florida. From there, things happened quickly to turn her life around. In 2012, she started teaching beekeeping for Parkland Community Education and today she is a beekeeping teacher, honey judge, mead maker and master beekeeper.

Along the way, she met fellow beekeeper Steve Halfar. Together, they pollinate apple orchards, chase black locust honey and keep their 50-odd hives thriving. They have participated in honeybee research at the U of I and USDA.

During the summer, you can find Maggie and Steve selling honey at the Urbana Market at the Square on the first Saturday of every month. They are thrilled to be at Allerton to share their enthusiasm for nature and honey bees with others.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn a variety of binding options for artists’ books that can be produced by hand at Bookbinding for Artists’ Books on Mondays from March 31 through April 28 from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Allerton Mansion.

Artists’ books are works of art that utilize the form of the book. The first class will include a survey of books and binding styles, as well as an introduction to terms of book anatomy and commercial binding.

In this five-week course, retired graphic design professor Peter Bushell will also introduce a number of particular book styles and binding techniques, followed by time for hands-on production. These one-of-a-kind books will be blank models, but additional discussion is possible for those who have ideas for further development of books with content.

$110/person. Register by March 17. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate, please email owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Peter Bushell recently retired from a 29-year career as a graphic design professor from Illinois State University. While there he reveled in teaching students a variety of subjects including typography, image making, mark making and branding, information design, interactive and web design, as well as letterpress printmaking, book arts and book binding.

Bushell’s creative efforts in design, book arts, and letterpress printmaking have garnered awards and recognition from regional, national, and international competitions, exhibitions, and publications. Currently he continues to be active as a freelance graphic designer, a book artist, and a letterpress printmaker.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn the art of needlefelting at Needlefelt Bumblebee on Wednesday, April 2 from 5 to 8 p.m. in The Studio.

Instructor Stephanie Block will teach students how to make an a needlefelt bumblebee to honor the efforts of this very important pollinator. Participants will work through the step-by-step process and leave with a completed needlefelt bumblebee.

$65/person. Register by March 30. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate, please email owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the Instructor

Stephanie Block is the co-owner of Sundrop Alpacas near Bement. She has been producing popular yarn from her own alpacas for more than eight years. Stephanie’s spinning style is self-taught, and she is continuously learning so that she can share that knowledge with others.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn to make your own soap at a Soap Making Demonstration on Sunday, April 6 from 1:30 to 4 p.m. in the Mansion Dining Room.

Artist Sally Walsh will lead students through the process of making soap, including the science, safety, ingredients used and the herbal benefits. Students will take home a bar of soap in addition to a booklet of instructions and recipes.

Participants should wear old clothes.

$35/person. Register by March 31. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia Bunting at owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Sally Walsh is a retired art teacher from Richland Community College in Decatur. She has more than 30 years of teaching experience and has led previous art classes at Allerton.

About The Farms

The Farms: An Allerton Folk School, offers classes, workshops, and gatherings focusing on art, health & wellness, history, nature & outdoor education, or science. All experiences value hands-on, experiential teaching and learning, and are facilitated by and for the members of the community.

See the complete fall class schedule here.

Experience Level: Beginner

Create a sculpture out of just cardboard, paper and glue at Cardboard and Paper Sculptures on Monday through Wednesday, April 7-9 from 12 to 4 p.m. in the Greenhouse Auditorium.

In this class, Chicago-based artist Mary Seyfarth will cover design elements including form, scale, placement, color, and proportion and present tips, tricks and the means for each student to leave with their very own wildlife sculpture.

$130/person. Register here by March 24. All sales are final.

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia Bunting at owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Mary K. Seyfarth is the founder of MKS.Works, a visual arts studio in Wilmette that showcases a variety of sculptures of different materials. She first started working with ceramics in 1978 and it has been her life's work and passion since that time.