Minnetonka Community Education

Through different creative activities including printmaking, cyanotype, and drawing, we will explore the beauty, inspiration and therapeutic effects that nature can have on us.

Make simple and fun prints with ink and unexpected objects! From potatoes to q-tips to recycled containers, explore creative printmaking techniques and make beautiful prints to take home. 

Make and take home fun Halloween soaps in non-scary shapes: pumpkins, ghosts, bats, witches hats and spider webs. Perfect for Halloween party gifts. Costumes optional.

Charming and colorful soaps in festive holiday shapes and scents. A fun family activity to create handmade gifts people will be happy to receive.Create signature fragrances by blending beautiful aromas such as French Vanilla, Peppermint Candy, Cinnabon, Sugar Plum, Citrus Ginger, and Chocolate. You can also keep them fragrance free. Gently cleanse and nurture your sensitive winter skin with handmade, super moisturizing, detergent-free soaps. You will use products free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, mineral oil, formaldehyde, harsh artificial preservatives and dyes, and does not use animal testing in any of its ingredients. Take home soaps, DIY recipes, expert soap making tips and resource lists.

The average person has over 1,000 photos on their smartphone. Join travel photographer, Kristen Macauley, to learn about the best apps, companies and printing systems to help your pictures escape your phone.

The art of quilling, or the coiling and shaping of narrow paper strips to create a design or decorative pattern, has been around for hundreds of years. Work with artist Meg Erke to learn the basic techniques of twisting, coiling, shaping, looping and designing with paper. Students will have the opportunity to make their own special quill work and create greeting cards, or ornaments with their finished quilling, along with the skills to continue creating at home. 

Cyanotype is an beautiful old process from the 1840's known for the distinct blue color of each print. Make cyanotypes on paper using plants, objects and the sun. Discover how to hand treat paper with chemistry to get different artistic effects, create a set of prints to take with you and leave with the skills to keep creating at home.

For most of us, our smartphone is our only camera. Learn how to take the best quality photos by exploring technology, apps, and additional equipment that can make your photos outstanding. Rules of composition will be covered, allowing for better photos on any camera. Taught by travel photographer, Kristen Macauley.

Learn the art and craft of floral arranging to create everything from small arrangements to dramatic centerpieces. You’ll learn everything from how to best condition cut flowers to how to select the best shapes and colors for an arrangement. Flowers will take on a new meaning! Join us for one or all three classes in this series. Registration will close 3 days prior to the class start date to allow enough time to acquire adequate course materials.Introduction to Floral Arranging Learn the basics of floral design including color, symmetry, and composition. You'll get tips and tricks to properly care for your cut flowers and extend their vase life, as well as, how to achieve effortless looking arrangements in a classic style. Each student will create their own floral arrangement in floral foam. Thanksgiving Centerpiece Create a festive harvest arrangement by learning to mix fruits and vegetables with flowers, and foliage. Unique, simple, and colorful. You will also learn many other ways to combine fruits, vegetables, flowers and texture for more delightful centerpieces for your festive holiday table. Winter Centerpiece Learn how to use different evergreens and winter accents to style a unique and personalized holiday arrangement. You will use fragrant materials like spruce, pine, cedar, juniper, eucalyptus, magnolia, berries, cinnamon, twigs, pods, pinecones, and ribbon. 

Learn to use water media to paint a wide variety of unique and beautiful paintings  through one-on-one instruction. Learn at your own pace. Patterns provided - no drawing is required. Continuing, as well as beginning students are welcome. Please note the September dates have changed since the publication of the catalog. There is a material fee of $20.00 that is included in the class fee. Please remember to bring a lunch to class to enjoy. A supply list can be found by clicking the link below:http://tinyurl.com/MCEWaterColorSupplyList