The Visual Arts Department at the Ashtabula Arts Center offers education for all ages and experience levels, as well as year-round opportunities for artists to showcase their work and network with other artists. The accessibility of our Visual Arts programming is a priority, and classes, workshops, and community art events are offered both on site at the Arts Center and as outreach throughout Ashtabula County. Our facilities include an art studio, clay studio, and gallery. In addition to classes and workshops, individual instruction is available in multiple art forms. Artists and art students also have opportunities to be part of our 13th Street and Straw Hat production teams, helping to create set pieces and projections.
AAC Wooly Wonders Knitting & Crochet Club
for teens/adults with knitting/crochet experience
with Pam Amy, facilitator
Tuesdays
March 3, 17
April 7 & 21
May 5 & 19
9:30 a.m.
free to participate; no registration required
Help the Wooly Wonders Club keep the community warm! We’re making baby bonnets for Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, and scarves for Samaritan House. If you cannot attend in-person, you can also donate premade baby hats and scarves to the AAC; we will deliver.
Fused Glass Workshops
for age 12 & up/adults
with Beth Burke
Saturdays
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
workshop fee $37
materials fee $10
limit of 15 students
Learn the basics of glass fusing. Create a fun glass- fused masterpiece while being introduced to glass cutting, frit, and enamel techniques. Closed-toe shoes are required. Projects can be picked up after firing.
Mar 14: Glass House w/Stand
May 2: Fairy Doors
Candle Dipping
for ages 8+ with Adult
Instructor Kassie Rice
weeks/wrkshop workshop
Saturday, March 21
12:30-2:30 p.m.
workshop fee $27
materials fee $5
limit of 15 students
Dip your own candles and carve fun designs! Create the perfect gift or decoration.
Retro Frog Scrubby Holder
for teens/adults
with Erica Ledford
Monday March 23rd
6:00-7:30
class fee $37
materials and firing fee $10
limit of 9 students
Glaze a ceramic frog for the kitchen (or the patio, or the bookshelf); all the vintage charm, none of the vintage lead paint.
Sewing 911
for teens/adults
with Nancy Baucom
Thurs, April 9
or Sat, April 25
1-3pm
workshop fee $34, materials fee $15
limit of 8 students
Learn hand-sewing techniques for when a sewing machine is unavailable, whether at home, in an emergency, or on vacation. Participants will learn how to stay prepared using a special kit, which you complete.
Fused Glass Workshops
for age 12 & up/adults
with Beth Burke
Saturdays
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
workshop fee: $47
materials fee: $15
limit of 15 students
Learn the basics of glass fusing. Create a fun glass- fused masterpiece while being introduced to glass cutting, frit, and enamel techniques. Closed-toe shoes are required. Projects can be picked up after firing.
Mar. 21: Village Landscape
Apr. 18: Let Your Garden Grow
Life Drawing Club
for adults with life drawing experience
with Ralph Bacon, facilitator
Sundays, 6-8 p.m.
February 15
June 14
modeling fee: $12 with advance registration, $17 walk-in (walk-in payments are cash only) per workshop
This series of studio-style workshops will be held in the green room, and will feature both nude and clothed models. Artists will need to bring their own drawing supplies. Ralph Bacon will be facilitating, but please note that this time is for self-guided drawing, not introductory-level instruction, and anyone registering should have experience in life drawing.
Needle Felting
for teens/adults
with Nancy Nelson-Brotz
Tuesdays, 7:30-9 p.m.
workshop fee $22, materials fee $11
Mar 24 – 3D Toadstools
Mar 31 – 3D Pet Snail
Apr 7 – 3D Potted Succulent
Apr 14 – 2D Redbud Tree
Apr 21 – 2D Gnome Buddies
Apr 28 – 2D Robin Redbreast
May 12 – Highland Cow
May 19 – 2D Nibbling Bunny
May 26 – 2D Grape Hyacinths
Jun 2 – 2D Seeds on the Wind
Chalk Pastels
for teens/adults
with Mary Underwood
Thursdays, 3-5 p.m.
workshop fee $29, materials fee $7
limit of 10 students
Develop a competent understanding and application of the soft, painterly aesthetic of chalk pastels. You will progress beyond simple sketching to create art that feels alive with atmosphere and depth.
April 9 – TBD
April 23 – TBD
May 7 – TBD
May 21 – TBD
Canvas and Cocoa
for teens/adults
with Solita Jones
Mondays, 7-9 p.m.
workshop fee $22, materials fee $8
limit of 15 students
Create an 11×14 acrylic painting. Bring a friend and have fun creating easy canvas art! Feel free to bring snacks, pop, or wine — cocoa will be provided!
Mar 30 – Moonrise Over Lake
(blacklight painting)
Apr 27 – Dandelion Sunset
May 18 – Void Cat in Flowers
Glaze a Garden Lantern
Erica Ledford
Monday, April 27
6:00-7:30
workshop fee $37
materials and firing fee $10
limit of 9 students
Glaze a one-of-a-kind lantern suitable for indoor or outdoor use. These lanterns are a great way to add a little glow to your space.
Glazed Soap Dish
for teens/adults
with Erica Ledford
Monday, April 6
6:00-7:30
workshop fee $22
materials and firing fee $10
limit of 9 students
Match your dish to your decor! This handmade, self draining dish will extend the life of your soaps. It can also function as a sponge holder.
Shibori Dyeing
for teens/adults
with Sandy Shellenberger
Saturday, Apr 18
12:30-3 p.m.
workshop fee $52, materials fee $25
limit of 8 students
The word “Shibori” derives from the Japanese verb shiboru, meaning “to wring, squeeze, press.” The closest English translation would be “shaped-resist dyeing.”
Cinco de Mayo Dinner and Flowers
for teens & adults
with Joshua Woodard
Tues, May 5
6-8pm
workshop fee $62, materials fee $5
limit of 10 students
Come celebrate Cinco de Mayo at the Ashtabula Arts Center! Join floral designer and floral business owner Joshua Woodard for a fun and festive evening as he guides you in creating a vibrant floral arrangement inspired by the spirit of Cinco de Mayo. Using bright, colorful blooms, you will learn how to properly green an arrangement, build balance and texture, and design a piece that captures the joy of the celebration.
Whether you are a beginner or have experience with flowers, this hands-on workshop is designed to be creative, relaxed, and enjoyable. Bring your friends, enjoy great company, and spend the evening eating, drinking, and celebrating this lively holiday together. Come ready to design, laugh, and leave with a beautiful arrangement you created yourself!
Mother’s Day Treasure Box
for grades 1 & up
with Cara Gaetano
Thursday, April 30
6-7:30 p.m.
workshop fee $27, materials Fee $5
limit of 15 students
In this fun Mother’s Day art class, kids will turn a simple shoebox into a sparkling treasure box. Using cut-out pages from books and magazines, along with gems, glitter, and colorful decorations, they will cover the entire box inside and out. You can bring treasures that remind you of your mom to add to your treasure box, too! Students must be able to use scissors independently.
Ceramic Toad Abode
with Tracey Kuntz
Tuesday, May 12
7:30-9 p.m.
workshop fee $32, materials fee $10
limit of 9 students
A toad abode (or toad house) is a small, sheltered, and damp dwelling placed in a garden to provide toads protection from predators and the sun. Glaze a handcrafted abode to help in your garden.
Wooden Spoon Carving
for teens/adults
with Ralph Bacon
Wednesday, May 20
5:30-8pm
workshop fee $32, materials fee $10
Cleveland Art Museum Guided Tour Trip
for all ages (ages 15 and younger must be accompanied by an adult)
with Nancy Nelson-Brotz
Tues, May 26, 9:30a.m.-2 :30 p.m.
$42 per person
limit of 19 students
Join us for a visit to the Cleveland Museum of Art, where we’ll get a guided tour of the highlights of the museum!
Leave from AAC at 9:30 a.m. Tour 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Lunch 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (not included in trip cost)
Free time 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Travel 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Batik Dyeing (2 Days)
for teens/adults
with Sandy Shellenberger
Saturdays, May 30 & June 6
1-3pm
workshop fee $72, material fee $25
limit of 8 students
Batik is a dyeing technique using wax resist. The term is also used to describe patterned textiles created with that technique. Batik is made by drawing or stamping wax on a cloth to prevent colour absorption during the dyeing process, creating a patterned negative. Using multiple cycles of wax application and dyeing, artisans can create intricate coloured patterns.
