CLASSES, WORKSHOPS + EVENTS

Weekly Classes.

Little Makers Studio Art.

Ages 2-5 years.

Wednesdays, 10-11 AM at The Children's Gallery Maker Studio.
Little Makers is a weekly class designed to expose toddlers and preschool-aged children to various media, including painting, drawing, and sculpting. We introduce basic concepts, like color theory, line and form, and direct observation, and expose children to a variety of tools for art-making.

Enrollment is offered per semester. Drop-in spots are available when space allows. Children attend one class per week. Students may re-enroll upon completion of each 6-week semester as long as they still fall within the age grouping.

Spring II: Mondays, April 21-May 26, 2025. Registration is open.

Summer I: Mondays, June 2-July 7, 2025. Registration is open.

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Hand-Sewing for Beginners.

Ages 7 and up.

Mondays, 5-6 PM at The Children's Gallery Maker Studio.

This class will introduce the basics of how to design, cut, and hand-sew a simple pattern. Participants will be aided in creating their own stuffed animals and accessories.

Monday, April 21-May 26, 2025. Registration for the full semester is required: $150 per artist.

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Drawing: Techniques and Methods.

Ages 5-13 years.

Wednesdays, 5-6 PM at The Children's Gallery Maker Studio.

This class focusing on drawing methods and techniques is suitable for beginner-advanced students with varying levels of experience in formal art instruction. Students will be introduced to different styles of drawing, including charcoal and colored pencils.

Wednesday, April 23-May 28, 2025. Registration for the full semester is required: $110 per artist.

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Model Drawing + Painting.

Ages 7 and up.

Mondays, 5-6 PM at The Children's Gallery Maker Studio.

From quick-sketches to polished portraits, students will learn how to copy a figure from inanimate and live modes. Students will be challenged to accurately capture the light, form, and spirit of their models using a variety of media.

Monday, June 2-July 7, 2025. Registration for the full semester is required: $110 per artist.

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Exploring Nature with Illustration.

All ages are welcome -- recommended for 4 and up.

Tuesdays, 11 AM-12 PM at Fishburn Park in Roanoke.

n this course, students will learn how to approach nature from an artistic perspective, and art from a scientific perspective through the practice of nature journaling. This practice emphasizes observation of the natural world and uses drawing and illustration to ask questions about what one sees: Why are some leaves pointy and some round? Why do beetles look different from butterflies? Why are crows bigger than sparrows? How do we recognize the visual differences between birds and bugs in the sky?  The instructor will lead students in observational exercises and guide them in their exploration of the world around them and the one on their page.

Tuesday, June 3- August 5, 2025. Registration for the full semester includes a nature journal, a set of watercolor paints and colored pencils, and a graphite pencil for each registered artist: $185 per artist. Drop-ins are welcome: $20 per artist.

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Writing + Illustration.

Ages 10-14.

Wednesdays, 5-6 PM at The Children's Gallery Maker Studio.

With instructor assistance, over a ten week course, artists will write and illustrate their own short-stories or poetry compilations. Each will be aided in planning their works with attention to narrative, and the relationship between written text and illustration on a printed page. Students will learn how to use the coptic method of book-binding to finish their completed works themselves by hand.

Our course culminates in a story-telling evening for friends and family to celebrate our group of young authors.

This course will be co-taught with the generous assistance of staff from the Roanoke City and County Public Libraries.

Wednesday, June 4-August 6, 2025. Registration for the full semester is required: $150 per artist.

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