JOY OF KALEIDOSCOPES with Linda Jacobs

4 Mondays: June 1st, 8th, 15th (& 22 if needed - may only need 3 weeks) 10:00am – 1:00pm

One of my favorite things to do as a child was to hold my kaleidoscope up to the light and turn it around and around, making endless designs in an infinity of colors. Now I make my own and you can too! We start by making a lens that will reflect and repeat the image. Then a goody chamber, full of wonderful tidbits and collectibles. Finally, a container to house it all in – like an empty Pringles can, a Hershey’s cocoa box, a macaroni and cheese box –you get the picture! Any container! Leave it plain and surprise the viewer when they look in, or gussy the outside up with fabric, glass, anything!

Materials: $10 - included in cost of class

Ages: 17 and older

Intro to Beadmaking Workshop

Saturday, June 6th

12:00pm - 3:00pm 

Step into the world of glass art with this beginner-friendly workshop! Students will learn how to wind molten glass onto a mandrel, shape it into a bead, and apply simple color and decorative elements.

This hands-on experience is a wonderful way to try flameworking for the first time and is the perfect introduction before committing to a full 6-week course.

Garden Fairies with Laura VanCamp

Sunday, June 7th * 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Invite some whimsy into your garden with a set of clay fairies. Designed for all skill- this class will utilize slab-building techniques to create 2 whimsical fairy decorations for enhancing your potted plants or outdoor gardens.

Play with Clay with Jim and Amy Anderson

Sunday June 7th * 2:00 - 4:00 pm

Have fun making two works of your choice. Explore a variety of tools and techniques and colored slips while your creativity flows!  All materials are included.  The projects will be fired then dipped in a clear glaze and re-fired before students pick them up.  Projects will be completed by the end of the class and ready to pick up in 2 to 3 weeks. 

Beginning / Intermediate Beadmaking

6 Sundays: June 14th, 21st, 28th; July 5th & 12th

9:00am – 12:00pm 

This class is a perfect introduction to the art of flameworking, as well as a supportive space for continuing students to refine their skills. We will focus on building a strong foundation—learning how to control molten glass while creating clean, well-shaped beads.

Students will explore different methods of forming beads on the mandrel, along with shaping techniques, dot application, and simple pattern design. Emphasis is placed on consistency, control, and understanding how glass behaves in the flame.

Whether you are brand new or looking to strengthen your fundamentals, this class offers a relaxed and creative environment to grow your skills in glass.

Embellished Boxes

In conjunction with Claudia Wallace’s exhibit “Embellished Boxes” at the Adrian District Library she will teach a class on collage. Using a wealth of provided materials and both paper ephemera and small objects you bring you will create a tag and begin transforming a cigar box into a place to keep your treasures. Glues, adding color, painting, and content inspired by words or phrases in addition to material choices will be addressed.

Date: Tuesday, June 16th, 5:30-7:30pm

Location: Adrian District Library

143 E. Maumee St., Adrian, MI 49221

Lecture: From Math to Muddy Waters: The History of the Cigar Box Guitar with Mike Mouradian 

Saturday, June 20th * 11:00am - 12:00pm

Cost: Free

Join us for a fascinating journey into the soul of American music as we trace the unlikely evolution of the cigar box guitar. This lecture explores how ancient mathematics, wartime necessity, and the birth of the Blues converged to create one of the most resilient symbols of musical ingenuity.

What to Expect:

 The Ancient Foundation: We begin with Pythagoras, the Greek philosopher who first decoded the mathematical relationship between string length and pitch.

 Necessity is the Mother of Invention: While high-society luthiers spent centuries refining sophisticated violins and lutes, "folk" instruments remained the heartbeat of the common people. We’ll examine the hunting bow, likely the world's first stringed instrument, and how its design persisted through time.

 A Perfect Storm of History: Discover how 19th-century tax laws inadvertently revolutionized instrument making. When the U.S. government mandated that cigars be packed in standardized wooden boxes, they provided a free, resonant "body" for anyone with a stick and a piece of wire.

 The Sound of Resistance and Resilience: We will explore the vital role these instruments played for enslaved people in the South and Civil War soldiers on the front lines. These humble boxes became the primary vehicles for the early Blues, later influencing rock legends like The Rolling Stones.

Lecture Highlights:

 Live Demonstrations: See and hear the raw, acoustic power of various homemade instruments.

 Visual History: View rare photos of the 19th-century cigar boxes that started it all.

 The Science of Sound: A simple breakdown of the math that makes a three-string guitar sing.

"If you can't buy it, build it." This lecture is a tribute to the spirit of the makers who proved that you don't need a golden instrument to play the music of the soul.

Bio: Mike Mouradian is a folk instrument maker driven by the belief that music should be accessible to everyone. Instrument making is about reclaiming the spirit of DIY folk history. Moving away from store-bought commercialism, Mike builds stringed instruments the way people have for centuries: with simple materials and a lot of heart. Drawing inspiration from historical traditions where instruments were crafted from everyday materials, Mike specializes in building soulful, handmade guitars and “canjos." His work has been showcased at the Ann Arbor Artisan’s Market, WSG Gallery, Detroit Artists Market, and the Ann Arbor Art Center. A career educator, Mike served as a public school teacher and a Clinical Professor of Education at the University of Michigan, and he now brings that lifelong passion for teaching to the art of instrument making.

Canjo Workshop Craft, Create & Play with Mike Mouradian

Saturday, June 20th

1:30pm to 3:00pm

Discover the roots of American folk music in this hands-on, single-session workshop. Guided by instrument maker Mike Mouradian, you will build your very own Canjo—a simple yet soulful stringed instrument (traditionally known as a Diddlybow) crafted from a tin can and wire.

After assembling your instrument, you’ll have the chance to decorate it, learn its fascinating history, and join the class in playing your first song. No experience is necessary, and all tools and materials are provided. You’ll head home with a finished Canjo, a music and history pamphlet, and the satisfaction of having made your own music.