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Art
in The Farms: An Allerton Folk School
Quilting: Meditative Slow Stitching by Hand
with Billie Theide
Experience Level: Beginner
Learn to make a beautiful hand-pieced and hand-stitched quilt from scraps of fabric at Quilting: Meditative Slow Stitching By Hand on Tuesday, April 7 from 1 to 4 p.m. in The Studio.
Instructor Billie Theide will help students explore hand-piecing and hand-quilting a quilt in a unique way by stitching from the outside in. The class will also explore the rich cultural history of meditative slow stitching.
$120/person. Registration will close April 1 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 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
Billie Theide is a former chair of the Crafts Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she is Professor Emerita. Theide is a metalsmith, jeweler and ceramicist. Her work is in public art collections around the world including the Smithsonian, Museum of Arts & Design in New York City, Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City and the Racine Art Museum, among others.
She is the recipient of a Visual Arts Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and five Artists Fellowship Grants from the Illinois Arts Council. Theide has been recognized for her excellence in teaching and is a Distinguished Member and Past-President of the Society of North American Goldsmiths.
Learn to Spin Yarn (April 9)
with Stephanie Block
Experience Level: Beginner
Learn the basic mechanics of using a spinning wheel to make your own yarn at Learn to Spin Yarn on Wednesday, Feb. 11 and Thursday, April 9 from 5 to 8 p.m. in The Studio.
After a brief introduction from instructor Stephanie Block, students will have time for hands-on spinning practice and the opportunity to spin alpaca fiber into yarn using Ashford scotch tension Traditional or Traveler wheels. Discussion of fiber production and preparation methods will also be included.
$130/person. Registration closes one week before each course begins, or when capacity is reached. 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
Stephanie Block is the co-owner of Sundrop Alpacas near Bement. She has been producing popular yarn from her own alpacas for more than nine years. Stephanie’s spinning style is self-taught, and she is continuously learning so that she can share that knowledge with others.
Abstract Acrylic Painting
with Erin Boggs
Experience Level: Beginner
Learn to use acrylic media to express yourself at Abstract Acrylic Painting on Thursday, April 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Greenhouse Auditorium.
Instructor Erin Boggs will help students learn about mark-making, how to choose colors, laying and composition to create an abstract painting on paper.
$60/person. Register here. Registration will close April 2 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.
About the instructor
Erin Boggs began taking art classes online during the covid lockdown and enjoyed it enough to continue on her own. She paints both small and large pieces on paper and canvas, and sells her work at both The Vault Art Gallery in Tuscola and Beyond Normal in Lexington.
Geometric WoodArt Workshop
with Jenna Musgrave
Experience Level: Beginner
Create art on wood at Geometric Wood Art on Monday, April 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Mansion Library.
Join instructor Jenna Musgrave of Gravy Studios as you stain and paint a large-framed wood piece in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Students will choose from a variety of stains and paint colors to create a unique, 3-diminsional framed piece to take home.
$75/person. Register here. Registration will close March 30 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.
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
Jenna Musgrave is the owner of Gravy Studios in Rantoul and an experienced workshop leader specializing in laser-cut wood décor and guided paint parties. Her events combine creativity with community and are designed to be fun, stress-free and beginner friendly.
Intro to Stained Glass - Flowers
with Kari Keller
Experience Level: Beginner
Learn about the art of stained glass at Intro to Stained Glass: Flower on Wednesday, April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. in The Studio.
Instructor Kari Keller will teach students how to cut, shape and assemble a stained-glass flower to take home. Grinding, fitting and soldering will be covered.
$100/person*. Register here. Registration will close April 8 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.
Harry Potter Cookie Decorating
with Jennifer Holhubner
Experience Level: Beginner
Learn how to decorate cookies for for a fun occasion at Harry Potter Cookie Decorating on Sunday, March 29 from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Mansion Dining Room.
Learn to decorate Harry Potter-themed cookies with royal icing, crusting butter cream and rolled buttercream! Instructor Jennifer Holhubner will demonstrate and explain wet-on-wet technique, outlining and flooding and make flowers. Each participant will receive directions to decorate five cookies.
$75/person*. Register here by April 10. All sales are final.
*Students should bring a take-home container.
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
Champaign-Urbana native Jennifer Holhubner taught herself how to decorate cakes when she was 16 years old and took up cookie decorating in 2019.
“Although they intimidated me, I forged on and got better with each order. I still have room to grow as we all do in whatever task we take on,” she said. “But I love to share the aspects of baking and decorating. I can actually now say, I am cookier!”
Jennifer also teaches decorating classes at Parkland College.
Wooden Planter Workshop
with Lou Ann Koebel
Experience Level: Beginner
Take wood boards and transform them into a decoration for your garden at a Wooden Planter Workshop on Saturday, April 4 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. in The Woodshop (located behind The Studio).
Instructor Lou Ann Koebel will help students build a small (20” x 9”) wooden planter from just a few boards of 5/4 treated deck material. The finished project will be suitable to hold pre-planted hanging baskets and designed to coordinate with any garden décor.
$150/person*. Registration will close April 15 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.
*Students should bring:
— Safety glasses
— Cordless Drill
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
Lou Ann Koebel has had a strong passion for woodworking since high school, and during the summer attends workshops at Marc Adams School of Woodworking in Indiana.
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.
Knitting 201: Socks
with Billie Theide
Experience Level: Knitting experience required
Put your knitting experience to use at Knitting 201: Socks on Sundays, April 19 & 26 from 1 to 4 p.m. in The Studio.
In this two-week course, instructor Billie Theide will help students further their knitting skills by expanding on the Knitting 101 courses taught at The Farms.
Those taking part will gauge, cast on, work with stitch markers, knit rib stitch, increase, decrease and slip stitches; create a heel flap and gusset, read knitting patterns, repair mistakes and graft.
$95/person*. Registration will close April 12 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.
Students should bring:
YARN
OPTION 1
— 1 skein - Malabrigo Ultimate Sock. This is a fingering weight yarn of 75% superwash merino wool and 25% nylon. There are 420 yards in the 100 gram skein. Avoid a dark colorway.
OPTION2
— 1 skein - Cascade Yarns Heritage. This is a fingering weight yarn of 75% merino wool and 25% nylon. There are 437 yards in the 100 gram skein. Avoid a dark colorway.
NEEDLES
OPTION 1
— 1 set 6” long double pointed needles in size US #1 (2.25mm)
— 1 set 6” long double pointed needles in size US #2 (2.75mm)
(Either can be Knit Picks, ChiaoGoo Natural Bamboo, Lykke Naturale or Clover Takumi)
OPTION 2
— 1 set 32″ long circular knitting needle in size US #1 (2.25mm)
— 1 set 32″ long circular knitting needle in size US #2 (2.75mm)
(Either can be Knit Picks, ChiaoGoo Natural Bamboo, Lykke Naturale or Clover Takumi)
Also bring:
— Pair of sharp scissors
— Laptop, iPad or smartphone
— Pencil
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
Billie Theide is a former chair of the Crafts Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she is Professor Emerita. Theide is a metalsmith, jeweler and ceramicist. Her work is in public art collections around the world including the Smithsonian, Museum of Arts & Design in New York City, Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City and the Racine Art Museum, among others.
She is the recipient of a Visual Arts Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and five Artists Fellowship Grants from the Illinois Arts Council. Theide has been recognized for her excellence in teaching and is a Distinguished Member and Past-President of the Society of North American Goldsmiths.
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.