Workshop Descriptions

Nature Collage

It’s often said that Mother Nature is a great artist, but have you ever made art out of nature itself? Learn about the arts of collage and assemblage as we show you how to use natural park materials to create your own scene.

Fun with Fiber Art: Mini Weavings

Weaving is one of the oldest artforms! You will learn how to construct a simple loom using repurposed materials, then create a vibrant colorful, unique weaving using a variety of yarns and natural materials.

Lego Stamping/Printmaking

What do fractals, nature, art and LEGOs have in common? Patterns! Learn about pattern and printmaking basics as you use LEGO bricks to build and print your own images! We have an alternative LEGO stamping project for younger groups, just ask us when booking.

Plein Air Drawing: Capturing the Beauty of Nature

Observational drawing builds skill and appreciation of your surroundings. Bring a sketchbook and we’ll provide the drawing materials. An experienced
drawing teacher will lead you through the art park and guide you through technique, composition, and developing your artistic eye.

Make and Fly Your Own Bird

Learn about the birds that live in and around our area and the important role they play in our ecosystem. You will make a three dimensional bird of your own
using your imagination and a variety of art materials and fly your birds during educational bird games.

BIRCH TREE RESIST PAINTINGS

Learn how to paint the perfect woodland scene featuring birch trees and accompanying leaves using a few simple techniques and materials.
You will be guided step-by step through the painting process and be introduced to new art terms and techniques related to this project.

FUN WITH FIBER ART: CIRCLE WEAVINGS

Weaving can be a complex process. In this workshop, you will learn how to construct a simple loom using repurposed materials, and create a colorful, unique weaving using a variety of yarns.

GELLI PLATE PRINTMAKING

Gelli prints are a fresh twist on monoprinting. You will learn about nontraditional printmaking, then create a series of unique prints from gelatin plates combining natural materials, stencils and paint. This method allows for experimenting with layers as well as exploring natural shapes and textures.

LEAF RELIEFS: RAISED TINFOIL ART

Learn about elements of art as you create a unique 3D relief project! Explore texture, shape and value as you combine tinfoil with leaves and other natural materials collected from around the park to create your work.

LINOCUT RELIEF PRINTING

Realize your true artistic abilities by learning how to create linocuts. With all forms of printmaking, it’s easy to print one image multiple times, with each print varying just slightly in appearance. You will carve images into a linoleum block, then use
it to make a series of prints.

MANDALA ROCK ART

Discover the art of mandala rocks. In this workshop, you will learn the history and meaning behind mandala designs and practice techniques to create patterns using dots. You will combine this knowledge to paint your own mandala art on rocks.

MINI MACRAME WALL HANGINGS OR MACRAME PLANT SHELVES

Enjoy a blast from the past with the once-again popular art form, macrame. A fixture of every 1970s home, macrame is making a comeback on the contemporary art scene. In this project, you will learn a variety of knot-tying techniques to create a unique macrame project perfect for any home.

NATURE JOURNALS: BASIC BOOKMAKING

Engage the natural world using your own handcrafted nature journal. You will learn basic bookbinding techniques to create nature journals. These 6” x 9” 16 page journals include prompts for journaling and can be used to document your nature adventures.

ORGANIC WIRE SCULPTURES

Create a metal sculpture, using techniques similar to sculptures in the park. Working from an image of wildlife or plant life, participants will create their own 3D wire form by bending and shaping metal wire. The finished organic 3-D wire sculptures will be mounted on a base for display.

POINTILLISM PAINTING

Capture the feeling of an old Marvel comic book page, or a Lichtenstein painting, using only dots to compose your picture. Pointillism uses tiny dots of pure color to compose a larger image. Using Q-tips and a variety of paint colors, you will use your imagination to produce a painting that any budding comic artist would enjoy!

RECYCLED PAPER COLLAGE

Collage art is a creative way to recycle materials. Learn about composition and collage techniques as you make your own piece. Using shaped paper punches and collage techniques, you will transform magazine pages and other recycled papers into colorful compositions.

SEED MOSAIC: A MINNESOTA TRADITION

Each year the State Fair displays seed mosaics created by Minnesota artists. In this workshop, you will learn about this great tradition and make your own unique seed mosaic.

MANIPULATED MONOPRINTS

Unlike other types of printmaking, a monoprint can only be printed once. You will create an abstract painting on plastic and then print it onto paper. Taking the non-traditional route, you will manipulate your monoprints using black pens. The final product will be unique to each participant.

WATERCOLOR LEAF PRINTS

Using watercolor paints and leaves from the park, you will create a unique and vibrant composition. After a lesson about the history of watercolors and art techniques, you will try your hand at a creative process that is part printmaking and part watercolor painting.

TISSUE PAPER RESIST ART

Have you ever thought of tissue paper as a painting tool? We’ll show you how! Learn about geometric and organic shapes and create invisible resist art using a white crayon on white paper. Then you will combine bleeding tissue paper and water to make a vibrant multicolored background. Watch your art emerge like magic as the wax resists the color!

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