Workshops | Student Center | SIU

Join us for the Friday Night night draw & paint hosted on the last friday of the month. Each month we will focus on capturing still-life with a different art medium. This is a great way to improve your observational drawing skills and painting skills. All ages are welcome. Sign up for all or just one week. Materials included.

Bring your own objects (2-3 items) for a still-life item or pick from the craft shop still-life closet.

Handbuilt Clay Bowls 

Tuesday, February 7 •  6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. * Rescheduled Date *

Learn to make a custom ceramic bowl using pinch and coil hand-building techniques. Then add decorative surfaces of stamping and slips. Materials include 2 1/2 lbs. of clay, slips, and glazes. Let us know what color to glaze or come back to glaze it yourself. Pick up finished work two weeks after the workshop.

Cost: $25 students / $30 community, materials included.

Age: All ages welcome

Craft Shop Instructor: Sarah Willis

This one-night wheel-throwing workshop is perfect for beginners and those wanting a try it out. Come with a friend or yourself to throw pottery from start to finish using the pottery wheel to make a simple cup. Pick your glaze and our staff will glaze it for you. All materials are included. 

WORKSHOP FULL - Pottery Night #1: Wheel Throwing - Thursday, February 9 • 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. 

Pottery Night #2: Wheel Throwing - Thursday, March 9 • 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Pottery Night #3 Wheel Throwing - Thursday, April 6 • 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Cost: $22 students / $26 community. materials are included. 

Age: 16 +

Craft Shop Instructor: Emma Metz, Craft Shop Student Worker

Intro to Wheel Throwing - 5 weeks 

Learn the basics of throwing clay on the potter's wheel. Each week will focus on how to make a different form on the wheel from cups, bowls, and plates. The final class will focus on glazing and finishing. A return visit will be needed to pick up the final work after the glaze firing approximately 2 weeks after the last class. Perfect for beginners or those wanting to improve their skills.

WORKSHOP FULL - Session One - Tuesday, February 21, 28, March 7, (No Class March 14 - Spring Break), March 21, March 28 • 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.  

Instructor: Stephanie Dukat, Craft Shop Coordinator

WORKSHOP FULL - Session Two - Tuesday, April 4, 11, 18, 25, May 2 • 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. 

Instructor: TBD

Cost: $90 students / $100 community. Clay is extra $14 for 10lbs students / $16 for community. 

Age: 16 +

If you have a group of 4 - 6 people and would like to schedule a wheel-throwing lesson please email  craftshop@siu.edu for availability.

Marbled Paper Valentines  * WORKSHOP FULL*

Friday, February 10 •  5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Discover the technique of marbling on paper to make a unique valentine. Materials for 6 cards are included. Additional supplies such as pencils, stamps, markers, and paper will be available to add additional flair to your cards and envelopes.

Cost: $20 students / $25 community, materials included.

Age: All ages welcome

Craft Shop Instructor: Stephanie Dukat

Intro to Woodworking

Saturday, February 11, 18, 25 • 12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m

Cost: $55 students / $65 community, materials extra.

Enhance your woodworking skills and learn to use the wood shop safely during this beginning woodworking workshop. Attendees will learn how to make a small project while learning both hand tools and machines in the wood shop safety. This course includes a semester wood shop pass. Materials are extra and can be purchased from the wood shop cage. 

Ages: 18+ 

Craft Shop Instructor: Clayton Curry

Slab Built Coffee Mugs * WORKSHOP FULL*

Thursday, February 23 •  5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Learn to make a custom ceramic mug using hand-building techniques of slab building with decorative surfaces.  Materials include 2 ½ lbs. of clay, slips, and glazes. Let us know what color to glaze or come back to glaze it yourself. Pick up finished work two weeks after the workshop.

Cost: $25 student / $30 community, materials are included.

Age: All ages are welcome, children under 14 must be with a parent. 

Craft Shop Instructor: Sarah, Willis 

Metalsmithing: Enamel Pin

Saturday, March 4 •  1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Learn how to cut copper metal with a jeweler's saw and solder it to create a simple pin. We will use the enamel kiln to add a colorful enamel coating.

Cost: $30 students / $40 community, materials included.

Age: 16 +

Craft Shop Instructor: Arthur Gibson, Craft Shop student worker.

Printmaking with Linoleum

Friday, March 3 •  5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

This workshop will teach you how to design, cut, register, and print with a linoleum block to make a 4" x 6" print. Print on paper or bring a t-shirt or fabric to print on. Younger students can use the foam print technique. Materials are included.

Cost: $30 students / $35 community, materials included.

Age: All Ages, younger student use foam printing.

Craft Shop Instructor: TBD

Stained Glass: Copper Foil

Tuesday & Thursday Nights – March 21, 23, 28, 30  • 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. 

Students will learn introduction-level copper foil stained glass techniques to complete a 5” x 7” panel. The class will cover designing a pattern, cutting, grinding, copper foiling, soldering, and finishing. Materials are extra. A large selection of stained glass and stained glass tools is available at the Craft Shop Supply Store. Closed-toed shoes are required. Great for beginning to intermediate students

Cost: $100 students / $120 community, materials extra. Supplies can be purchased at Craft Shop.

Age:18+

Location; Craft Shop Paint Bar

Community Instructor: Tina Price 

Intro to Embroidery

Wednesday, March 22 •  6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m

Add some handmade style to your clothes. This workshop will teach you basic embroidery stitched so create a small patch. Embroidery hoops, fabric, and string are included.

Cost: $30 students / $35 community. Materials included.

Craft Shop Instructor: Riley Weber

Intro to Metalsmithing (3 weeks) 

Saturday, April 1, 8, 15  • 2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m

Cost: $56 students / $60 community, materials extra.

Design a custom copper or brass pendant or brooch. You will learn to cut, add texture, file, solder, and sand for a beautiful finish piece. 

Ages: 16+ 

Craft Shop Instructor: Arthur Gibson, Craft Shop Student Worker

Clay Planters

Create clay planters perfect for spring. This workshop will discuss how to design and build using hand-building techniques such as coil, pinch, slab, and decorative finishing using underglaze techniques. A return visit will be needed to pick up work after the glaze firing.

Date & Time: Thursday, April 13 & 20 • 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Cost: $40 students / $44 community, materials extra.

Location: Craft Shop, Paint Bar

Instructor: Sarah Willis, Craft Shop Graduate Assistant

Colorful Polymer Clay Beads 

Thursday, April 27 •  5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m

Add some handmade style to your jewelry collection and create fun colorful polymer clay beads.  This workshop will focus on how to add layers and combine colors to create fun and funky patterns. Once baked in our oven we will apply a clear coat to protect them from everyday wear and tear.  Then string your beads onto a leather cord. We have all the supplies for you to be creative and create your own look! Polymer clay is extra and a variety of colors will be available at the Craft Shop front desk. All ages are welcome.

Cost: $18 students / $20 community. Clay extra.

Craft Shop Instructor: Emma Metz

Fused Glass Suncatchers

Saturday, April 29 • 2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m

Learn to create a fused glass suncatcher using sheet glass. Perfect for hanging in the window. A return visit will be required to pick up work after the fuse firing. 

Cost: $22 students / $26 community, materials extra.

Ages: 16+ 

Craft Shop Instructor: TBD