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Allerton Programs
Learn to Bake Scones
with Leah Bodine

Experience Level: Beginner
Level up your coffee and teatime and Learn to Bake Scones on Monday, Feb. 24 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Mansion Carriage House.
Scones are the perfect companion for warm beverages, and in this workshop Chef Leah Bodine will lead students through the process of mixing batter for two different flavors of scones. Students will take home recipes, instructions and dough to bake their scones at home.
$45/person. Register here by Feb. 17. 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
Leah Bodine calls herself the ‘accidental chef’ with years of experience in the food industry. She started her catering company, Blue Dragonfly Catering, to express her creative mind in food preparation and cultivating recipes. She loves sharing her skills with others and seeing the fascination on students’ faces when they realize how creative they can be and how easy it is to do so.
Her experiences in the food industry have led her to live in Paris and cater for rock and country legends.
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 Spring Session schedule here.
Will run
Irish Baked Goods: Barmbrack & Irish Soda Bread
with Leah Bodine

Experience Level: Beginner
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by taking part in Irish Baked Goods: Barmbrack & Irish Soda Bread on Monday, March 17 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Mansion Carriage House.
In this workshop, Chef Leah Bodine will teach the basics of creating the batter needed for these Irish favorites. Students will take home recipes, instructions and the batter to bake these treasured treats!
$45/person. Register here by March 10. 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
Leah Bodine calls herself the ‘accidental chef’ with years of experience in the food industry. She started her catering company, Blue Dragonfly Catering, to express her creative mind in food preparation and cultivating recipes. She loves sharing her skills with others and seeing the fascination on students’ faces when they realize how creative they can be and how easy it is to do so.
Her experiences in the food industry have led her to live in Paris and cater for rock and country legends.
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 Spring Session schedule here.
Teen Art Studio: From Realism to Abstraction
with Jane Camp

Ages: 13 - 18
Experience Level: Beginner
Inspired by nature and the bountiful natural elements found at Allerton, budding artists ages 13 to 18 are invited to learn and create at our Teen Art Studio: From Realism to Abstraction on Saturday, March 29 from 1 to 4 p.m. in The Studio.
Heartland Community College art professor Jane Camp will instruct students on observational drawing in graphite, pen and ink and charcoal that move into abstractions of nature through collage and the various drawing media. No previous experience is necessary.
$45/person (ages 13-18). Register by March 15. 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, email Sarah Putman at sputman2@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
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.
Youth Art Studio
with Belinda Beccue

Ages: 8 - 13
Allerton Park and the Monticello Area Arts Council are partnering to offer Youth Art Studio for 3rd to 8th graders, on Saturday, Apr. 5 from 9am to 3pm in the Studio. The program will culminate with an art exhibit and reception held in the Studio from 3-3:30pm for parents to see the student artwork.
Inspired by the unique beauty of Allerton Park, this one-day workshop is an immersive artistic experience that allows the artist to communicate through multiple fine arts mediums with an emphasis on the natural world. Projects will include canvas painting, wire sculpture, a fiber weaving piece, photography, and more. This program will introduce a variety of materials and techniques, expand skill sets, and develop mastery and expressive style of the young artist.
Please bring a non-perishable sack lunch, a refillable water bottle, and wear clothes appropriate for a hike and messy art creation. All art materials are included in the registration fee.
$85/person. Register here. Space is limited and the program typically sells out. All sales are final.
If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate, please email Sarah Putman at sputman2@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
Belinda Beccue is a local artist and long-time art educator. Belinda is a leading member of the Monticello Area Arts Council and one of the founding members of the Allerton Park Nature Journaling Club.
Capoeira Angola and Afro-Brazilian Culture (April 15)
with Mark Becker

Experience Level: Beginner
Get an introduction to Afro-Brazilian movement at Capoeira Angola and Afro-Brazilian Culture on Tuesdays, April 15 through May 13 in the Music Barn.
Instructor Mark Becker will introduce students to the richness of Afro-Brazilian movement, music, language and culture through the traditions of Capoeira Angola — a martial art that combines fluid and low-impact movements with music to encourage self-expression, mastery and community.
This course is designed for all ages, skill levels, and physical abilities.
*Ages 8-12 require adult supervision to participate.
$120/person or $35/class. Register here by April 8 for the series or one week prior to each class.
Individual class links:
— April 15
— April 22
— April 29
— May 6
— May 13
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
Mark Becker, a student of Capoeira Angola in the tradition of Mestre João Grande, has studied under Contramestre Denis Chiaramonte for 8 years, with 19 years of experience in the art of Capoeira. He is also a student of traditional Samba Chula, an art form from the Recôncavo region of Bahia, Brazil while also serving as the Director of the Bloco Gavião, a community drum ensemble focused on Afro-Brazilian drumming traditions such as samba-reggae, maracatu and afoxé.
Mark has a master’s degree in education from the University of Illinois and enjoys designing learning experiences for all ages to feel belonging in the exploration of Brazilian culture.
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 Spring Session schedule here.
Capoeira Angola and Afro-Brazilian Culture (Full Series)
with Mark Becker

Experience Level: Beginner
Get an introduction to Afro-Brazilian movement at Capoeira Angola and Afro-Brazilian Culture on Tuesdays, April 15 through May 13 in the Music Barn.
Instructor Mark Becker will introduce students to the richness of Afro-Brazilian movement, music, language and culture through the traditions of Capoeira Angola — a martial art that combines fluid and low-impact movements with music to encourage self-expression, mastery and community.
This course is designed for all skill levels, physical abilities, and ages 8 or older.
*Ages 8-12 require adult supervision.
$120/person or $35/class. Register here by April 8 for the series or one week prior to each class. All sales are final.
Individual class links:
— April 15
— April 22
— April 29
— May 6
— May 13
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
Mark Becker, a student of Capoeira Angola in the tradition of Mestre João Grande, has studied under Contramestre Denis Chiaramonte for 8 years, with 19 years of experience in the art of Capoeira. He is also a student of traditional Samba Chula, an art form from the Recôncavo region of Bahia, Brazil while also serving as the Director of the Bloco Gavião, a community drum ensemble focused on Afro-Brazilian drumming traditions such as samba-reggae, maracatu and afoxé.
Mark has a master’s degree in education from the University of Illinois and enjoys designing learning experiences for all ages to feel belonging in the exploration of Brazilian culture.
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 Spring Session schedule here.
Intro to Mosaic Art
with Kari Keller

Experience Level: Beginner
Learn a unique art form at Intro to Mosaic Art on Wednesday, April 16 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in The Library.
Kari Keller will teach students the basics of mosaic art, from selecting tesserae to assembly and grouting. All will take home a unique, hand-decorated flower pot at the end of the workshop.
$90/person. Register here by April 1. 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
Kari Keller has been a Champaign/Urbana resident since 2008, originally hailing from the tiny community of St. Anne. Illinois. She has had a passion for art since she could hold a crayon and loves to experiment with many different styles, rarely sticking to one theme for long.
Keller has dabbled in cartoons, acrylic pouring, zentangles, patterns, logo design, pottery painting and other art forms. Her influences include Alphonse Mucha, HR Geiger and the art of Northwest coastal Native Americans. She also has a thriving side business as a face painter.
Kari is happiest when immersed in a new project and can’t imagine life without art!
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 Spring Session schedule here.
Capoeira Angola and Afro-Brazilian Culture (April 22nd)
with Mark Becker

Experience Level: Beginner
Get an introduction to Afro-Brazilian movement at Capoeira Angola and Afro-Brazilian Culture on Tuesdays, April 15 through May 13 in the Music Barn.
Instructor Mark Becker will introduce students to the richness of Afro-Brazilian movement, music, language and culture through the traditions of Capoeira Angola — a martial art that combines fluid and low-impact movements with music to encourage self-expression, mastery and community.
This course is designed for all ages, skill levels and physical abilities.
$120/person or $35/class. Register here by April 8 for the series or one week prior to each class. All sales are final.
Individual class links:
— April 15
— April 22
— April 29
— May 6
— May 13
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
Mark Becker, a student of Capoeira Angola in the tradition of Mestre João Grande, has studied under Contramestre Denis Chiaramonte for 8 years, with 19 years of experience in the art of Capoeira. He is also a student of traditional Samba Chula, an art form from the Recôncavo region of Bahia, Brazil while also serving as the Director of the Bloco Gavião, a community drum ensemble focused on Afro-Brazilian drumming traditions such as samba-reggae, maracatu and afoxé.
Mark has a master’s degree in education from the University of Illinois and enjoys designing learning experiences for all ages to feel belonging in the exploration of Brazilian culture.
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 Spring Session schedule here.