Experience Level: Beginner 

Spend your morning among the flowers at Floriography Bouquet Workshop on Saturday, Sept. 5 from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Evergreen Lodge. 

Florist Ava Porter will teach students the basics of floral design using the Victorian language of flowers to create living masterpieces of fresh flowers with special meanings. Students will go home with a custom vase arrangement. 

$80/person. Registration closes on August 22 or when capacity is reached. 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 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. 

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn the basics of watercolor techniques at Beginning Watercolor on Tuesdays, Sept. 8, 15, 22, & 29 from 9-11:30 a.m. in The Studio. 

Former art educator Sally Walsh will teach students foundational skills and techniques. Students will learn new techniques each week to create paintings focusing on landscapes, flowers, fruit, glass, and special effects.   

$85/person*. Registration will close Sept. 1 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.  

*Students should bring: 

 — 140 lb. watercolor paper pad: no smaller than 9″x12″ (spiral bound is best) 

 — 16-color oval pan watercolor paint set, Prang brand preferred. 

 — Minimum of three brushes with pointed bristles: large (No. 9-12), medium (No. 6-8) and small (No. 3-5) 

 — Pencil, clear ruler, kneaded eraser, scissor 

Alternatively, students can choose to borrow these supplies for a $10 fee, which can be applied during registration. 

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations 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

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.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn the basics of watercolor techniques at Beginning Watercolor on Tuesdays, Sept. 8, 15, 22, & 29 from 12:30-3:00 p.m. in The Studio. 

Former art educator Sally Walsh will teach students foundational skills and techniques. Students will learn new techniques each week to create paintings focusing on landscapes, flowers, fruit, glass, and special effects.   

$85/person*. Registration will close Sept. 1 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.  

*Students should bring: 

 — 140 lb. watercolor paper pad: no smaller than 9″x12″ (spiral bound is best) 

 — 16-color oval pan watercolor paint set, Prang brand preferred. 

 — Minimum of three brushes with pointed bristles: large (No. 9-12), medium (No. 6-8) and small (No. 3-5) 

 — Pencil, clear ruler, kneaded eraser, scissor 

Alternatively, students can choose to borrow these supplies for a $10 fee, which can be applied during registration. 

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations 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

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.

Experience Level: Beginner

Assemble a whimsical frog suncatcher at Intro to Stained Glass: Frog on Thursday, Sept. 10 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in The Studio.

Students will learn how to cut glass, grind, foil, and solder while they work to make a fun, whimsical frog suncatcher. This class is sure to get your hands working and creativity flowing. Take your frog with you to display in your home or gift to a family member or friend!  

$100/person*. Registration will close Sept. 3 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

*Students should wear closed-toe shoes. Safety glasses and gloves will be provided.

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia 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, outdoor education, science, storytelling, and wellness. All experiences value hands-on, experiential teaching and learning, and are facilitated by and for the members of the community.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn the basics of working with a loom at Beginning Weaving I (Midday) on Saturdays, Sept. 12 through Oct. 10 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 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.  Students 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*. Registration will close Sept. 7 or when capacity is reached. 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 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

Sharon Bowles began weaving in 1990 and started teaching shortly after. 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.

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.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn the basics of working with a loom at Beginning Weaving I (Afternoon) on Saturdays, Sept. 12 through Oct. 10 from 2 p.m. 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. Students 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*. Registration will close Sept. 7 or when capacity is reached. 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 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

Sharon Bowles began weaving in 1990 and started teaching shortly after. 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.

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.

Experience Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Achieve that goal of learning to play a musical instrument at Learn Guitar: Get Started the Right Way on Tuesdays, Sept. 15 through Nov. 17 from 6 to 7 p.m. in The Studio.

Leading this course will be musician Rex Parvin, who has a very specific approach to teaching guitar based on a simple terminology he applies specifically to the guitar. It is essentially a 3-step process:

— Learn the notes on the guitar
— Learn how those notes go together to form chords.
— Apply and combine steps 1 and 2 to form chords and play songs, developing your own style and creative expression.

$200/person*. Registration will close on Sept. 11. All sales are final.

*Students should bring their own guitar.

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

About the instructor

Rex Parvin knew from early adolescence that his primary passion in life was music, having taken guitar lessons and learning to read music starting at age five. He learned how to conduct choirs in high school and went to college as a voice major, getting bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education, specializing in voice and conducting.

Rex’s musical abilities and passions led to a 30-year career as a full-time music director, studio musician, conductor, and guitar teacher. He is a “people person” who loves to interact with others and see them grow in their abilities and understanding of music, encouraging them to new levels of excellence. Those who have learned from him have always commented that they learned many new things in ways that were easily understandable and created a hunger to learn even more.

Experience Level: All Levels (All Ages 16+) 

Explore the magical qualities of the Elegant Writer pen paired with watercolor in Mystical Mushrooms Watercolor on Friday, Sept. 18 from 6-9 p.m. in The Studio. 

Emily Tackitt of Moonbeam Jellyfish will lead this whimsical mixed-media workshop. Students will learn how to sketch their own playful mushroom doodles before transforming them into enchanting woodland-inspired paintings using water-reactive ink techniques, watercolor washes, and expressive linework.  

Students will explore how a simple writing pen can create beautifully moody shadows, soft atmospheric textures, and unexpected magical effects when activated with water. 

$115/person*. Registration will close Sept 11 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final. 

*All supplies will be provided 

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

Emily Tackitt is the artist behind Moonbeam Jellyfish and works in mixed media, blending watercolor, acrylic, gouache, ink, drawing, and collage to create whimsical, fantasy-inspired artwork. With a process that is playful and intuitive, Emily is often guided by curiosity, storytelling, and whatever feels magical in the moment. Her classes are designed to feel supportive and accessible, encouraging students to build confidence through a thoughtful, step-by-step creative practice.