Why let kids have all the fun?
Art and Wine Wednesdays for adults a big hit.
Mono Council for the Arts (MCA) is known for its popular kids art camps each summer and its art gallery in the Minaret Mall. But this winter, the non-profit, dedicated to art promotion and education in the Eastern Sierra, is expanding its offerings with Art and Wine Wednesdays for adults.
“The reason I joined the Board [of directors for MCA] eight years ago was to do adult classes,” artist Kristin Schipke said. “It’s really important that we have something else to do. There’s really nothing for people who have limited creative expression.”
Schipke petitioned to start the adult classes at that time but “it was all about finding the space. Really, Paul Rudder came through for us here.” The art classes are held on the second level in the Sierra Center Mall and Schipke organized the class with Kendra Knight, the MCA Arts and Education Director and owner of Bluebird Imaging.
MCA and Knight have been using the space for the kid’s art camps the last two years and the Rudders recently agreed to extend their use of the space into the winter. Knight and Schipke spent two weeks painting and decorating the space to give it a more “elegant” atmosphere for the adult classes.
Schipke is teaching the first session of Art and Wine Wednesday, a three-week class featuring glass on glass mosaics. The class was limited to 15 people, but Knight expanded the class to 20 based on interest. And they still had to turn people away.
“I was very surprised by how popular it is. Kendra wasn’t, she knew it was going to take off,” Schipke said. “I want everyone to participate but I guess it just means we’ll do more.”
Knight is currently developing a schedule for the rest of the winter. “People are asking for a Halloween or Day of the Dead class,” she said. “We’re getting a lot of good feedback.”
On Wednesday night, the room was bustling with energy as the students, all women, sat talking and laughing with one another as they drank wine and glued their mosaics. Schipke cut all the glass herself and provided a template for the students to use. Laurel Stanford, another artist, made metal frames for the mosaics and the students will spend the last class next week grouting their work.
Most of the adult students haven’t been involved in MCA previously and found out about the class through Facebook or friends.
“In Reno. They do these kind of art and wine things,” said Chelsea Glende, a teacher at Mammoth Elementary, and participant in the first Art and Wine Wednesday class. “It’s just something different to do in town.”
“I love that artists are teaching it,” said participant Jeanne Oakeshott, another teacher at Mammoth Elementary. “One of the reasons I’m taking it is because I love [Schipke’s] mosaics. Look at her art? It’s amazing.” Schipke’s art is on display, as will be each teacher’s work at the different classes.
“And the instruction and the organization is tight,”Oakeshott continued. “They didn’t just throw this together, it’s well thought out. And it’s a deal at the price they are charging.”
The mosaic class cost $95 for three weeks, including materials, wine and food provided by Bleu Handcrafted Foods. All future classes will vary in cost based on materials.
This is a fantastic adult learning opportunity and we don’t have enough of them in town,” Mammoth Elementary Principal Rosanne Lampariello said during the class on Wednesday. “I heart Mono Council for the Arts.”
Footloose Sports owner, Andrea Colasardo said she signed up for a “chance to get together with a bunch of women, have some wine, and get out of the house and do something creative. I’d never do this at home by myself.”
Anne Parkes and Kristy Williams signed up together because “we have a hard time getting together sometimes so this was a good excuse,” Parkes said.
“We’ve known all the stuff [MCA] does for the kids. But I didn’t realize this was the first adult class,” Williams said. “It’s been interesting seeing all the different women participating. We wouldn’t normally all be together.”
Williams and Parkes said they are planning on doing at least a few more Art and Wine Wednesdays this winter.
Next on the schedule: a three-hour acrylics on canvas class with artist Laurel Stanford, featuring food from Lynne’s Garden of Eat’n. “It’s fall inspired food with a fall inspired class,” Knight said. Schipke will be teaching another class in December— a one-night class creating mosaic Christmas ornaments. To sign-up or for more information, contact Kendra Knight at kendra@monoarts.org or 760.914.3752.
