Foundry Workshops
If you’re looking for the opportunity to explore your creative side, you’ve come to the right place! The Foundry Art Centre offers unique opportunities to try your hand at new techniques, explore different mediums, and create finished pieces that you can proudly display or share with friends and family. Join us for a fun evening of creation and exploration.
If you are looking for an opportunity for one-on-one instruction, please visit our Studio Artists to see if there is a medium or class you would like to explore!
ADULT WORKSHOPS
Join the Foundry Art Centre for an evening of grown-up fun! Bring a date, a friend, bring any adult you want. No art skills needed, but you can flex those social muscles as you pick up a new creative skill. 21+ only, please.
Evening Stitch ‘n B***h
Monthly on Third Thursdays: November 19, December 17, January 21, February 18, March 18, April 15, May 20 | 6 - 8pm | FREE
Stitch ‘n Bitch with us during the Foundry’s new FREE fiber crafts club. All fiber crafts are welcome, from knitting, to embroidery, to crochet and beyond. Whether it’s your first time trying it, or you’re a pro. This is not a fibers class, but crafters are welcome to help each other out. Vibe with us as we craft, and… bitch. BYO snacks & supplies. If you need accommodations for this program, please contact the Foundry as soon as you are able.
Daytime Stitch ‘n B***h
Monthly on Thursdays: November 5, December 3, January 7, February 4, March 4, April 1, May 6 | 10am - 12pm | FREE
New to the Foundry this year, we will offer a Stitch ‘n Bitch session monthly during the day!
Stitch n’ Bitch with us during the Foundry Art Centre’s FREE fiber crafts club! All fiber crafts are welcome from knitting, to embroidery, to crochet, and beyond. This is not a class-but of course all skill levels are welcome and crafters are welcome to help each other out. Stitch n’ Bitch is an inclusive environment and everyone is welcome. Vibe out with us as we craft, and… bitch. BYO snacks & supplies. If you need accommodations for this program, please contact the Foundry as soon as you are able
Figure Drawing
Monthly on Wednesdays: November 18, December 16, January 13, February 10, March 10, April 14, May 12 | 6 - 8pm | $15 per session
The Foundry Art Centre is offering an opportunity to draw from a live model without instruction. The Foundry will provide a model for 2 hours during which participants can practice their figure drawing at their own pace, work on incorporating a figure into an existing piece, or however they’d like to use their time. Foundry staff members – who are also practicing artists – will facilitate the session. Each session will include a series of short poses (1 – 5 min) as well as some longer poses (10 – 20min). This class is for adult students (ages 21+). Space is limited and registration is required. It is recommend that participants bring tools and surfaces of their choice to the session. If you need accommodations for this program, please contact the Foundry as soon as you are able.
Silver Stacker Ring Workshop with Shanika Hartrum
Saturday, November 7 | 11am to 2pm | $100 | Ages 16+
Artist Shanika Hartrum from Moon.u.mental Jewlery will lead you in the creation of your very own stackable rings. No experience necessary! Whether you come alone or with a friend, this welcoming and beginner friendly class is perfect for all skill levels. In this class you will create 2 or 3 sterling silver stacker rings. Shanika will introduce you to techniques such as: ring sizing, forming, soldering (with a torch), finishing, patina, and polishing. This class is open to students ages 16+. All supplies provided, just bring yourself, a friend or two, and your creativity! If you need accommodations for this program, please contact the Foundry as soon as you are able.
Breath of Fresh Ink: Upcycling Fabrics with Printmaking
Saturday, November 14 | 1 to 3pm | Ages 16+ | $45
Creativity meets sustainability in this fascinating workshop where you will not only learn to carve your own printing block, but you will also breathe new life into one or more pieces of your clothing! Artist Natashna Anderson will guide participants through the whole process, from drafting an image, carving that image into a block, and then transferring the image to fabric. Attendees are encouraged to bring clothing from their closet that may be stained or flawed to upcycle. Participants will leave the workshop with an upcycled piece of clothing, a few experiment pieces, and a new skill set for future use. All printmaking materials will be provided, but please bring clothing or fabric to be printed on. This class is for all skill levels and is available for teen and adult students 16+. If you need accommodations for this program, please contact the Foundry as soon as you are able.
natashNa A., born Natashna Anderson is a Black-American designer and illustrator, currently based in Saint Louis. From Brooklyn to Chicago, she graduated at the height of Covid with a BFA from School of the Arts Institute of Chicago. Utilizing all her alma mater had to offer, she emerged with a large interdisciplinary background of printmaking, book arts, graphic design, illustration, and fine arts. Her work focuses on known and unknown narratives within blackness, typography and fairytales. Working as a designer and illustrator, her work spans both digital and traditional media. natashNa A. embraces the duality and loves the physicality of it. You can find her work on Target.com, painted on Chicago facades and entertaining the masses within printed publications.
Boughs and Blooms: Holiday Floral Arranging at the Foundry
Wednesday, December 16 | 6 to 8pm | $85
Join us at the Foundry Art Centre for a fun evening of floral arranging. Christine Laurentius from Blushing Bloom Designs will lead you step-by-step in designing a beautiful evergreen centerpiece (just in time for your holiday table!). You will walk away with floral arranging tips, some new friends, and a beautiful fresh arrangement designed by you! We will provide all of the flowers, the oasis foam and a vessel. Just bring yourself, a friend or two, and your creativity! If you need accommodations for this program, please contact the Foundry as soon as you are able.
Spring Workshops
Pet Portrait – Painting
Saturday, January 30 |12 to 2:30pm | Ages 18+ | $60
Those big, sweet eyes. Those lovable, furry paws. You have the best pet in the world, don’t you? In this exciting painting class, artist Beena McMahan will guide you in painting a lasting memory of your favorite pet! When you register for this class, you will be sent instructions in a confirmation email on how to submit a clear photo of the pet’s face so our instructor can prepare supplies in advance of the class. Please note that we are only able to include one pet in the painting. This class is for adults 18+ of all skill levels. If you need accommodations for this program, please contact the Foundry as soon as you are able.
Tabletop Moments Worth Remembering – Tell Your Story in Gouache with Brenda Gilliam
Saturdays, February 13, 20, and 27 |1 to 4 pm | Ages 18+ |$150 | Limit 12
In this unique three-part painting series, artist Brenda Gilliam will lead students in creating a visual image of a table setting or meal that relates to a special moment that brought joy and warmth. Brenda will help students become familiar with the versatility of painting with an opaque watercolor - gouache. Students will use the elements of design and color to appeal to the senses and will place the emphasis on pattern and shape repetition, color, and composition to help tell the story.
Students should bring with them a bird’s eye view image of a tabletop or meal that evokes a fond memory or a special moment shared with special people, a memory of a favorite meal at home or at a restaurant, a meal in solitude, or a quick snack at a café. This class will focus less on perfection and more on the feeling portrayed - warmth, connection, nostalgia, and the beauty of being together. If there is time, students can do two separate paintings or two versions of the same tabletop. *This workshop is 3 classes*. If you need accommodations for this program, please contact the Foundry as soon as you are able.
Brenda is an award-winning St. Louis painter and graphic designer. Her creative work is rooted in her observation, inspiration, interpretation, and experiences drawn from everyday life. “It is an appealing visual language of simplicity and balance, in my way, which often speaks to a viewer’s sensibility and familiarity”. With an extensive career in traditional and digital illustration and graphic design, Brenda focuses more energy toward her own creative pursuits. With the ingrained elements and principles of design she explores composition, pattern, shape, rhythm, repetition, interaction with layers of color in different styles, materials, and techniques.
Gold Stacker Ring Workshop with Shanika Hartrum
Saturday, February 13 | 11am to 2pm | $100 | Limit 12
Ready to dip your toes into the shiny world of goldsmithing? This beginner-friendly workshop is the perfect place to start! Artist Shanika Hartrum from Moon.u.mental Jewelry will lead you in the creation of your very own custom set of gold-filled stacker rings. No experience necessary! Students can choose to make a personalized set of 2-3 stunning gold-filled rings to mix, match, or stack high and proud! Shanika will guide students through the essential techniques of working with gold-filled metal such as: measuring & shaping, filing & polishing, using a torch to solder, and pro finishing techniques. This class is open to students ages 16+. All supplies provided, just bring yourself, a friend or two, and your creativity! If you need accommodations for this program, please contact the Foundry as soon as you are able.
Texture Lab: Build & Break with James Hendricks
Saturday, March 13 | 12 to 4pm | Ages 18+ | $65
Build it up. Scrape it back. See what survives. In this hands-on mixed-media workshop, artist James Hendricks will lead participants in creating richly layered surfaces using acrylic media, texture, drawing, and additive and subtractive techniques. Layers are built, partially removed, exposed, covered, and rebuilt as students explore how surface and material can become part of the image itself. Participants will leave with a finished textured mixed-media work and techniques they can continue using in painting, collage, and experimental work. This class is for students 18+. If you need accommodations for this program, please contact the Foundry as soon as you are able.
James Hendricks is an interdisciplinary and teaching artist based in St. Louis, Missouri. His work explores memory, erasure, material transformation, and the fragile structures we build around personal and collective histories. Working across drawing, collage, photography, installation, and experimental processes, he investigates what remains after images begin to disappear.
A Six-Week Silversmithing Creative Journey with Shanika Hartrum
Wednesdays March 24 – May 5 | 5:30 to 8:30pm | $425 | Ages 16+ | Limit 6
Have you ever wanted to make your own silver jewelry? In this six-week course, artist Shanika Hartrum will teach you the art of silversmithing one skill at a time. She will help you build your confidence, create beautiful jewelry, and discover just how much you can create in six weeks! Each week introduces new skills while building on the techniques you've already learned, so you'll finish the course with beautiful jewelry, practical experience, and the confidence to continue creating on your own. You will experience a relaxed, supportive, and hands-on studio environment where there is plenty of individual instruction and bench time. You will work with professional jewelry-making tools and utilize traditional silversmithing techniques while creating items that you will be proud to wear.
By the end of the six weeks, you'll have created several beautiful sterling silver pieces of handmade jewelry, such as stacker rings, bracelets, a stone-set ring or pendant, and a statement piece. More importantly, you'll leave with a solid foundation in silversmithing and the confidence to continue creating your own jewelry long after class ends.
No experience is necessary. Whether you've never picked up a torch or you're looking to build your skills, this course is designed to meet you where you are. Come ready to learn, create, and have fun alongside fellow makers in a welcoming, no-fail studio environment. Tools and materials will be provided; you will have the option to purchase additional materials to accommodate larger pieces and/or added embellishments. This class is for all skill levels and is available for teen and adult students 16+. If you need accommodations for this program, please contact the Foundry as soon as you are able.
Botanical Casting with Ramona Kristmann
Saturday, April 24 |11am to 2pm | $65 | Limit 12
Join artist Ramona Kristmann and learn the art of botanical bas-relief casting! Bas-relief casting is a simple and rewarding way to capture the ephemeral beauty of nature in a lasting art form. No artistic experience is necessary! You’ll leave this workshop with a botanical casting and ideas on how to dry-cure and finish your piece at home. Sign-up with a friend or come make some new friends. Either way, you'll have fun creating beautiful botanical impressions. This class is for adult students 18+. If you need accommodations for this program, please contact the Foundry as soon as you are able.
REFUNDS & CANCELLATIONS
Limited seats available and advanced registration required so sign up today to secure your creative seat. The Foundry Art Centre does not make up or refund classes if a student misses a class. Accommodations can be made for cancellations 14 days prior to the date of the workshop. Please contact program coordinator Christine Tavares with any concerns.
For more information contact Christine Tavares, Program Coordinator, at ctavares@foundryartcentre.org
