Program Registration

 Wednesdays, September 11th-25th

7:00-9:30 pm 

Come learn the art of canning. Learn three different canning methods - art of water bath, pressure canning, and meals in a jar. Handouts, hands on experience provided.

This class will be taught by Wendy Mencel. Wendy earned her Master Canner certification through Cornell University. She can can anything! When Wendy is not canning, she is the Minister of Trivitt Anglican Church in Exeter.

 Saturday, Sept. 14th 10am-4pm 

This is a one day workshop for those new to art or a refresher to those with some experience. Painting is about making decisions, deciding on which colours to use is one of the most confusing ones. In this colour workshop, you will boost your confidence and make better decisions. This is an opportunity to deepen your understanding of colour and save money by not buying all those unnecessary tubes of colour. We will start with the colour wheel and work towards understanding how colour creates the mood in your work.

Wednesdays, Sept. 18-Oct. 9th

7:00-9:00pm 

Class supplies included: pencils, erasers, quality paper. Bring your own sketchbook (any size) and a folder of some kind for carrying your work home and to class.

The class will be taught by illustrator and cartoonist Maisie Lovie who has been drawing professionally for about 10 years creating fun illustrations for all ages to enjoy. See Maisie’s resume and portfolio at Mazie Lovie. 

Thursdays, Sept. 19th to Oct. 24th 

1:30-3:00pm 

The ukulele is one of the easiest instruments to learn - you don't have to have any musical experience to tap into your inner musician and learn how to play your favourite songs. In this light-hearted class, you'll learn how to strum, form chords, play songs, and play well with others. All you need is a song in your heart and eagerness to learn. Oh yes, you will need to bring your own ukulele.

The class will be taught by Deb Jackson, an avid member, and leader of the Bayfield Ukulele Group.

Thursdays Sept 19 to Oct 24, 7-8pm 

Get ready to dance your way to fitness with our exciting 6-week Zumba class led by the energetic and talented Taiyler Smith! This class is perfect for all fitness levels and combines high-energy dance moves and music to create a fun and effective workout. Whether you’re looking to burn calories, improve your coordination, or just have a blast, this Zumba class has it all. Join us and feel the beat as you groove your way to a healthier, happier you. Don’t miss out – sign up today and let’s get moving!

Saturday September 21st create - 9am to 4pm

Saturday October 5th – additional finishes and glazes – 9am to noon.  

Suitable for beginners or with some experience 

Let’s get together to explore and combine the rustic and the elegant qualities of different clay bodies. Learn to create functional or decorative hand-built pieces while learning eye catching ways to accentuate form and texture.  Experience numerous effects of oxides, stains, slips, underglazes and glazes.  

Ruth Anne appreciates all forms of art. Throughout her teaching career she has worked in many areas of the visual arts but for the last 20 years has focused on the endless variety of possibilities when working with clay. Ruth Anne is a firm believer that everyone has creativity and can enjoy great satisfaction and happiness as they learn art skills. It has been very exciting this past year being part of the dedicated team at the South Huron Arts Center working to promote the arts in our area. Art makes you happy: try it you'll see

Mondays,Sept. 23rd-Oct 28th,  7:00-8:00pm

In this class participants bring their own acoustic guitar and learn to play. Whether this is the first time you've taken a guitar class, or you know some rudimentary chords, or you took this program previously, this is the class for you! 

Learn the parts of the guitar, the names of strings, how to chord, read the music, and play songs. Keep improving your skills.

The class will be taught by experienced guitar teacher Andrew Gill.

Monday, Sept. 23rd to Mon. Oct. 21st

6:30-8:30pm

Learn how to sew on a machine or improve your skills by making a lovely Christmas apron for yourself or a friend. This class will have a maximum of 6 participants, so you will receive lots of one on one help. You can bring your own machine (and manual) or use one of ours. 

Participants provide their own straight pins and scissors for cutting fabric..

 Tuesdays, Sept. 24th to Oct. 15th

8:30-9:15am

A 4-week program of dance-based exercise for adults of all ages: warm-ups, flexibility work, learn an easy dance routine, cool down stretches.  Dance is great for the brain and the body!  The class is an exercise class but built around dance with gentle stretching and no jumping. Improve your strength, balance, and coordination, and tap into your own creative expression. Women and men welcome! Come for the music! Come for the dance! Come for the exercise! Come for the fun!

The instructor for this class will be Deb Homuth. Deb has been passionate about the arts, since playing the donkey in the Christmas play in Grade 1. She studied ballet, tap and jazz from the time she was 4, earning her Gold Medal in Ballet from the University of Western Ontario when she was 18, and touring with a professional jazz and tap dance company for three years while attending university. She has taught years of dance classes, acted in many theatrical productions, and now enjoys directing and choreographing the annual South Huron Community Theatre shows as well as teaching classes in exploring the arts at SHAC.

Supportive Arts for Adults with Varying Abilities  

 Tuesdays, Sept. 24th to Oct. 15th 10:45-11:45

This class is designed for adults with varying abilities and will involve music, drama, creative movement, and visual arts as well as some social time with others. After taking this class, participants may decide to go on to take a more specialized class in the arts area they enjoy most. Bring a smock or painting shirt.

This class will be taught by Deb Homuth.

Tuesdays, Sept. 24th to Oct. 15th 

9:30-10:30am   Ages 2.5 to 3yrs.

Bring your preschooler and join in the fun! The arts play a vital role in early childhood development: creatively, cognitively, and physically. They will dance, and move to the music, they will imagine and pretend, they will paint and make crafts, listen to stories, help to clean up all while spending time with you and other kids their age. Stretch their happy little creative selves by participating in this joyful class together. Creative kids are happy kids. Little ones should have a painting shirt and running shoes. All children should be accompanied by a caregiver.

This class will be taught by Deb Homuth.

Depending on demand a second session may run beginning in late October-November.

Introduction to the Art of Cake Decorating Basics with Sherri Riehl

Saturday, October 12th 1:30-4:30pm

All materials included.16 yrs. +

Come learn the art of cake decorating basics with Sherri Riehl of Make a Wish Cakes, Exeter. All materials provided. 

More than 20 years ago Sherri began baking and decorating cakes. Her path led her to Toronto where her passion grew as she studied chocolate making, pastries, and all things cake! Come get a “taste” of Sherri’s passion and learn how to decorate your first cakes too.

 Learn How to Draw Cartoons with Maisie Lovie

Tuesdays, Oct. 15th  to Nov. 5th 6:30-8:30pm

Ages 13 yrs. +

Learn about comics and cartooning, and every little part of what makes them great! From storytelling to character design, to page layout, there’s so many things that make up a comic, but let’s learn the important basics together and go from there. By the end of the class, you’ll have made your own comic, whether you choose a simple 3 panel comic, like Garfield, or a few pages of a bigger story. 

Class supplies included pencils, erasers, quality paper. Recommended – bring your own sketchbook (any size) and a folder of some kind for carrying your work home and to class.

The class will be taught by illustrator and cartoonist Maisie Lovie who has been drawing professionally for about 10 years creating fun illustrations for all ages to enjoy. See Maisie’s resume and portfolio at Mazie Lovie.  

The Art of Making Healthy Breakfasts and Lunch Snacks with Kathleen Becker

Thursday, October 17th 6:30-9:00pm

Ages 17 yrs. +

With everyone getting back into the swing of school lunches, sporting events and busy mornings, we have a class that will help! Offer your family healthier meal and snack choices. Participants will learn batch cooking for the freezer and fridge including egg muffin sammies for mornings on the go (class will include how to make your own English muffins).  We will discuss and give out instructions for freezer pancakes, waffles, along with batch cooking guides. 

 The Art of Stained Glass Saturday, 

Oct. 19th & Dec 7th, 9am-3pm

15 yrs. +

In this one-day Saturday workshop, you will learn all the basic techniques of the copper foil method- cutting, grinding, foiling, and soldering. Learn about art glass, tools, and good practices as you create a charming suncatcher. You may discover a new passion! 

This class will be taught by Cherida McCullagh. Cherida has been working with stained glass for 28 years. While living far from home in Ottawa, she took her first stained glass course and has been creating ever since: sun catchers, panels and even cement patio stones. 

Cherida lives on her family farm south of Wingham, with her partner, Brian. Together they raise beef cows, pasture raised meat chickens, and enjoy making maple syrup in the spring

  Tuesdays Oct 22nd to Nov 26th  6:30-9:00pm

All tools and materials supplied

Think you might like to give working with clay a try? Then this program is for you! Using hand-building techniques and the pottery wheel, learn the fundamental building blocks of working with clay to create functional, sculptural, and decorative pieces. Hand building is done completely by hand and begins with rolling, coiling or slab building. You will be introduced  to the potters wheel where you will learn how to make a cylinder. Learn to honour the craft of both, the process, and the outcomes. Lean into the patience needed to refine your skills while having a very good time.  No previous clay experience required.

The class will be taught by Iryna Dmietrieva of Exeter. Iryna moved to Canada with her husband and two young sons from Ukraine. She worked in an art school in Ukraine teaching pottery and painting. Iryna has a Masters degree in Art and tws a secondary school teacher at an arts secondary school in Ukraine. She is enjoying living in Exeter where she currently works at the Relouw Day Care Centre

Wednesdays Oct 23rd to Nov 27th 1-3:30pm

All tools and materials supplied

Think you might like to give working with clay a try? Then this program is for you! Using hand-building techniques and the pottery wheel, learn the fundamental building blocks of working with clay to create functional, sculptural, and decorative pieces. Hand building is done completely by hand and begins with rolling, coiling or slab building. You will be introduced  to the potters wheel where you will learn how to make a cylinder. Learn to honour the craft of both, the process, and the outcomes. Lean into the patience needed to refine your skills while having a very good time.  No previous clay experience required.

Marilyn, with her husband Gerry, own Ailsa Craig Village Pottery. Marilyn fell in love with the potters wheel in 1976 when she took her first pottery course at Fanshawe College in London. Her first studio was in the basement of their home. In 1996 she had enough of working in the small, dark space and decided to build a studio on the property. A decision that changed her life. In this age where technology rules the day, Marilyn finds great comfort in going back to the basics— creating with clay and sharing that joy with others. 

Acrylic Paint Class: for Beginners and Intermediate with Dawn Greco Age 15+

Saturday, Oct. 26th  9:00am to 2:00pm Participants will work on a Canadian inspired piece of art while exploring a variety of acrylic painting techniques and develop basic painting skills. You will work mainly from a photograph and will also experiment with abstraction. While like oil paints, acrylics are water-based and preferred for home-studio use. You will learn to identify fundamentals of representing form, composition, values, style, colour theory, and how to mix colours.  

All materials included.

Saturday, Nov. 2nd 10:00am to 4:00 pm.

This class is suitable for anyone – from absolute beginners to those with some previous experience in oil or other mediums. Ages 15 yrs. to adult. 

This one-day workshop is meant to be a fun, relaxing and enjoyable introduction to oil painting. It will cover the basics and help students learn to simplify the process of painting in oils. The one- day workshop will cover an overview of the oil painting materials you’ll need to get started, care of brushes and materials, guidance on some basic colour mixing and composition, how to do quick value exercises and painting sketches. You will complete a painting in one sitting (alla prima method), and continue on your own.

This class will be taught by Jane Roy. Jane is an emerging artist who primarily paints representational landscapes in acrylic and oil. Each year, she takes on a project to work on skills, like tone, composition etc. these projects have included poppies, Canadian scenes, wildlife themes and skyscape studies. https://www.janeeroy.ca/about-me

Improve Your Guitar Skills with Andrew Gill Part Three

Mondays, Nov. 4th-Dec. 2nd

In this class participants bring their own acoustic guitar and continue to build your guitar skills.This class is for students who have taken two sessions with Andrew previously or experienced guitar players. 

The class will be taught by experienced guitar teacher Andrew Gill.

The Art of Homemade Breads and Soups

Thursday, Nov. 14th 6:30-9:00pm 

Fall is a great time for comfort foods and what is better than homemade breads and soups. Come learn more about homemade, from scratch cooking featuring learning to make your own versatile bread dough that can be used as plain bread or with adjusted flavours for your family’s palate. Participants will also make and take homemade soup.  

This class will be taught by Kathleen Becker whose cooking skills are well known throughout the area. Kathleen is a mom to three kids. She cans and preserves her garden harvests every year and makes all her family’s breads from scratch. Cooking and baking have always fascinated her, teaching herself how to cook and bake and garden through more trial and error than she believed possible. Baking, cooking, and gardening have become a therapeutic passion of Kathleen’s and she hopes they will be come that way for you too.

Watercolour Paint Party with Barbara Pickett: 

Thursday, Nov. 14th 7-9:30pm

Italian Door (“Who’s behind the Door”)

Looking to have a fun and creative evening? Join our Watercolour Paint Party!. A paint party is a casual get-together where everybody learns how to create a specific painting from a professional instructor. Although the class is structured, it's still in a very laid-back environment where creativity and laughter flow freely.

Paint Your Own Christmas Cards with 

Mary Lynn Smith Saturday, Nov. 16th

In this wonderful Christmas workshop, you will paint four miniature paintings which then will become original Christmas cards. Learn technique, and create something beautiful to share with others in the spirit of the season! Learn how to print your cards if you wish to make more copies.

This class will be taught by Mary Lynn Smith.  Mary Lynn has been painting for several years and really enjoys lots of colour  and contrast. Time spent outdoors “plein air” painting is one of her most valued  experiences and she finds it very rewarding. Rocks, trees and skies are her  favourite subjects. She has worked in various media and experimented with  different styles. She hopes she can create paintings that will capture you just as  she was captured by the beauty of the world she is seeing.  She hails from Strathroy Ontario and is a retired registered nurse. She has  shown paintings in juried art shows throughout Ontario and enjoys commission  challenges. She teaches classes in beginning painting, tile and glass painting as  well. Website………………. marylynnsmith.ca

 Printmaking for Change with Autumn Ducharme

Saturday, Nov. 23rd 9:00-4:00 

Participants will learn about the history of printmaking and revolutions. We will learn how to prepare a linoleum block, and carve it. We will choose a cause dear to us and create a poster together collectively. The poster will be made up of each individual person’s 5x7 block printed together to form a poster image. The beauty of printmaking lies in its rich history, its hand made qualities, and its ability to create multiples. At the end of the workshop each participant will have a poster to take home that we have created together. Extra posters will be put up in local supportive businesses in order to share our message. The true heart of the history of printmaking was born to relieve power from the elite and share information with one another. Let’s print together! 

Autumn Ducharme of Salamander Studios is a printmaker, painter, and muralist living in Goderich, Ontario. Originally from Exeter, she studied at BealArt in London, after high school, and then went on to complete her BFA at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University, NSCAD U in Halifax. Since graduating she has been teaching workshops, taking commissions, printing house portraits, and painting murals at local farms. Her work is greatly inspired by a sustainability course she took at Dalhousie University, and working at Firmly Rooted Organic Farm part time for the past three years. She is fascinated with exploring visual communications about our environmental relationships and concepts of home. You can visit her work at salamanderstudios.ca and see what’s new at @autumnducharme @waterwritingjournal and @justforhouses on instagram.