In 1903, the first Adirondack chair was built in the town of Westport, N.Y. and has since taken the world by storm. Its contoured seat and back, along with its wide arms make it the perfect chair for lounging in after a hard day's work. You will start with surfaced pine, cut the pieces, shape them on a router table, sand them and then assemble your own Adirondack chair.
The student will hand forge a small Viking Knife, also called a blacksmith knife. The knife is a one piece, all metal design with an integral handel. The clade will be heat treated, ground and sharpened in class. This one-day class will cover the basic theory and practice of knife making and is a good introduction for the beginner.
This copper ornament class will allow you to make your choice of 2 of the 3 items advertised. The process will have you cutting out the pieces, forming and texturing on an anvil. You will also be using a small torch as part of the texturing process, and soldering. The maple leaf ornament will have a "glass drop" soldered into the center. The mushroom can be used to hold your jewelry, earrings, and rings. The cap can be lifted off to slide rings on the stem. The stem is epoxied to a piece of bluestone serving as the base. The fern is a wall ornament that can be hung or laid in a windowsill. The fern is 10 inches tall, the maple leaf is 5 inches by 5 inches and the mushroom is 5 inches tall.
This course will introduce students to the traditional craft of chip carving - a type of woodcarving in which a small knife is used to incise decorative floral and geometric designs into basswood or butternut. The design is created by the removal of small pieces (chips) of the wood. Chip carving is an ancient, traditional craft. Chip carved plates, jewelry and keepsake boxes, trays, breadboards, furniture and other items can make wonderful gifts and also decorate the home with traditional motifs. Some previous carving experience is helpful, but not necessary. Students will learn to carve a variety of practice designs already drawn on a board and may complete a round ornament as well.
Interested in blacksmithing but unsure how to start? Open Forge Night is the place for you! Every third Wednesday of the month during our blacksmithing season, come see demonstrations by expert blacksmith Steve Gurzler. Observing the demonstration is free and open to the public. If you want to try your hand at blacksmithing there is a $20 fee to cover the cost of materials. Safety precautions must be followed - including hard shoes with no open toes, long pants, goggles (supplied) and gloves (supplied).
This basic class will give you the foundation needed to start out on your journey of blacksmithing. You'll learn fire management, hammering methods, drawing out, upsetting, cutting, splitting, twisting, and convenience bending along with a demo of forge welding. Make punches and chisels and learn to harden and temper them. Heating material and heat management will be taught and much more.
This basic class will give you the foundation needed to start out on your journey of blacksmithing. You'll learn fire management, hammering methods, drawing out, upsetting, cutting, splitting, twisting, and convenience bending along with a demo of forge welding. Make punches and chisels and learn to harden and temper them. Heating material and heat management will be taught and much more.
Birch bark picture frames and mirrors have adorned Adirondack camps and cabins for centuries and were a favorite winter project for the guides to make. This is a great class for beginners with limited experience with woodworking and tools. You will select a frame and learn how to cut and fasten the Birch bark, twigs and other natural objects to create your own 'masterpiece'. Come see why this is one of our most popular classes. You'll be proud to hang this in your home!
Birch bark picture frames and mirrors have adorned Adirondack camps and cabins for centuries and were a favorite winter project for the guides to make. This is a great class for beginners with limited experience with woodworking and tools. You will select a frame and learn how to cut and fasten the Birch bark, twigs and other natural objects to create your own 'masterpiece'. Come see why this is one of our most popular classes. You'll be proud to hang this in your home!
This basic class will give you the foundation needed to start out on your journey of blacksmithing. You'll learn fire management, hammering methods, drawing out, upsetting, cutting, splitting, twisting, and convenience bending along with a demo of forge welding. Make punches and chisels and learn to harden and temper them. Heating material and heat management will be taught and much more.
This basic class will give you the foundation needed to start out on your journey of blacksmithing. You'll learn fire management, hammering methods, drawing out, upsetting, cutting, splitting, twisting, and convenience bending along with a demo of forge welding. Make punches and chisels and learn to harden and temper them. Heating material and heat management will be taught and much more.
This is a class to take if you are new to sewing or if you just need to refresh your skills. Topics included will be basic sewing and pattern skills needed for garment sewing and quilting. You will need to be familiar with theses skills to enjoy future quilting and sewing classes. Notions that are necessary, as well as nice to have will be shared a discussed. Students will need to bring their own sewing machine. Students may also wish to bring their other sewing tools and notions that they would like to learn more about.
This weave structure creates a light and airy scarf that is perfect for early spring through fall. It is always a wonderful accessory to add color to your wardrobe any time of year. A hem stitch will be hand sewn on the loom at the start and finish of the scarf, allowing the soft yarns to flow as a soft fringe.
Spinning, the ancient art of twisting fibers to make yarn or thread, still thrives today, and this workshop will show you how to bring its magic into your own creative practice. In this workshop, you will learn how to spin wool using spindles and a spinning wheel and hear stories and folklore about spinning while you practice. You will learn the basics of spinning, how to work with the properties of wool, and how to ply and finish the yarn you have spun. No experience is necessary.
This two-day class will take participants through the entire process of making their own claw hammer. Punching, forging the hammer to shape, heat treating, and mounting it on a handle. Participants with work together in striking teams of two.
Students are encouraged to bring whatever sharpening items they use for their tools and the correct method will be demonstrated. Most importantly, what to look for and how a tool performs will be discussed and displayed. All students will be given the opportunity to sharpen their own tools.
In this one-day class you will learn to create a tablerunner or placemats to use in your home or for a gift using stencils and a variety of other techniques. You will learn to cut a stencil and either use it in your painting or choose from a variety of stencils provided by the instructor. All materials will be provided. However, if you have a glue gun and would like to use it you may but the instructor will provide glue.
Understanding photography basics is the key to taking control of your camera and knowing you got the shot when you were taking it. If you would like to take your skill level from shooting in Auto to having full control over your camera, this intensive class is for you! A step-by-step PowerPoint presentation helps teach the basic principles of photography including: camera options and set-up, peripheral equipment, image exposure and histograms, and will touch on shooting for HDR and working with motion, depth of field, and composition. The class is paced to allow time for questions and interaction, with about half of the day in the classroom experimenting with the cameras, and the other half spent in the field, practicing camera techniques and shooting options. A comprehensive handout will include all the major points covered in the presentation. While the class instruction is mostly landscape based, these techniques and principles can be applied to all photographic situations.
To every season turn, turn, turn! This course is for people who have an interest in learning how to turn. The emphasis will be on learning how to use the lathe and tools safely and correctly. In this class you will learn the basics of creating spindle-based objects. Then you will use your new-found skills to create a candlestick and a wooden pen. Friends and family will be truly impressed! You'll need to take this class before moving on to the more advanced turning classes.
This Workshop is a Basketweaving Art Project. We will be following a Susi Nuss pattern to create three dimensional geese using colorful art paper. The weaving, a combination of origami and basket weaving, is appropriate for all levels of expertise. Students will then use wire to create a mobile to showcase these beautiful flying geese. Although working small can be challenging, this two-day class gives students plenty of stress-free time to be successful.
This two-day class will take participants through the entire process of making their own claw hammer. Punching, forging the hammer to shape, heat treating, and mounting it on a handle. Participants with work together in striking teams of two.
A gorgeous sunset awaits you in this one-day nature photography tour, designed for those who are already comfortable with camera basics such as the relationship between aperture, shutter and ISO settings. Start this eight-hour day with a very brief introduction and discussion, then take the rest of the day to play with photo techniques in the field at beautiful nearby Adirondack lakes and waterways. A great class for those who wish to receive mentoring while in the field.
This Workshop is a Basketweaving Art Project. We will be following a Susi Nuss pattern to create three dimensional geese using colorful art paper. The weaving, a combination of origami and basket weaving, is appropriate for all levels of expertise. Students will then use wire to create a mobile to showcase these beautiful flying geese. Although working small can be challenging, this two-day class gives students plenty of stress-free time to be successful.
Would you like to try blacksmithing, and get a taste of the craft? Join instructor Steve Gurzler for 3 weekday evenings to learn how to operate a coal forge to bring metal to incandescent heat and shape it with hammer in hand. This class will use the Artist Blacksmiths Association of North America (ABANA) curriculum to teach the basics of blacksmithing. Students can expect to create 2 or more projects during the 3 evenings. Class size is limited to ensure all can advance at their own pace.
Wool is a versatile ecological material for knitting, felting, and weaving, but processing it can be a bit tricky for a beginner. In this workshop, you will learn how to work with wool starting with raw fleece straight off the sheep and ending with handspun yarn ready to be incorporated into your craft projects. We will play with wool from a variety of sheep breeds, including some rare heritage breeds, and we’ll learn how to use their different qualities to create the perfect materials for your projects. You will learn how to use different wool processing tools like hand cards, wool combs, and a drum carder. If you like starting with natural materials and seeing them through to the finished product, this is a great workshop for you!
In this course, local and common non-local medicinal mushrooms will be discussed and identified. Students will learn the medicinal properties of each mushroom, how to make a double extraction tincture and how to grow oyster mushrooms at home. Students will leave with a tincture (in process that they will complete at home) and an oyster mushroom kit that will produce mushrooms after about 3 weeks.
Learn to forge a tomahawk with instructor Joe Szilaski. Students will be able to customize their design and will leave the class with a unique piece.
Come create a beautiful 12"-18" hardwood cutting board during two, half-day sessions. The class will discuss the types of wood being used, such as sapele, purple heart, African cherry and hard maple. The wood will be cut to size on a table saw. Then, using a joiner, students will make sure all pieces are the same size before gluing the various pieces together and allowing them to dry overnight. On the second day, the class will use planers to ensure that all boards are level and the same thickness. Students will then use a router to create a well and handles. Finally, the boards will be sanded.
Wool is a versatile ecological material for knitting, felting, and weaving, but processing it can be a bit tricky for a beginner. In this workshop, you will learn how to work with wool starting with raw fleece straight off the sheep and ending with handspun yarn ready to be incorporated into your craft projects. We will play with wool from a variety of sheep breeds, including some rare heritage breeds, and we’ll learn how to use their different qualities to create the perfect materials for your projects. You will learn how to use different wool processing tools like hand cards, wool combs, and a drum carder. If you like starting with natural materials and seeing them through to the finished product, this is a great workshop for you!
In this course, local and common non-local medicinal mushrooms will be discussed and identified. Students will learn the medicinal properties of each mushroom, how to make a double extraction tincture and how to grow oyster mushrooms at home. Students will leave with a tincture (in process that they will complete at home) and an oyster mushroom kit that will produce mushrooms after about 3 weeks.
Come create a beautiful 12"-18" hardwood cutting board during two, half-day sessions. The class will discuss the types of wood being used, such as sapele, purple heart, African cherry and hard maple. The wood will be cut to size on a table saw. Then, using a joiner, students will make sure all pieces are the same size before gluing the various pieces together and allowing them to dry overnight. On the second day, the class will use planers to ensure that all boards are level and the same thickness. Students will then use a router to create a well and handles. Finally, the boards will be sanded.
Learn to forge a tomahawk with instructor Joe Szilaski. Students will be able to customize their design and will leave the class with a unique piece.
Let the everyday slip away on this imaginative walk along the River Trail of the Adirondack Folk School. Drawing from Celtic lore, we'll weave a tale about Fairies, while connecting the dots between the Faerie folk of Ireland and the Adirondacks. We'll start with creating a house out of natural objects, both provided and found, for the Fairies of the Forest and end with sitting around the fire listening to the stories of the Fairy Tree Trail of Ardgillan Castle in Ireland, the Cottingley Fairies of England, and an Adirondack Poem or two on the Faerie realm. Enchanted tea and Fairy Bread will be served.
