Five Thursdays, April 23–May 21, 6:30–8:00 PM

A five-week discussion class built around a deceptively simple question: what counts as art, and who gets to decide?

What you’ll do
Each week, you’ll explore a different answer to the question of what art is—from ancient Greece to the present—and put it to the test with real examples. There will be short lectures to introduce the ideas, but the heart of each session is conversation: you’ll discuss, disagree, and work out where you stand.

What you’ll learn

• Week 1 — Art as imitation: is art valuable because it reflects reality? 

• Week 2 — Art as expression: is art the communication of inner experience? 

• Week 3 — Art as form: does art's value lie in structure and composition? 

• Week 4 — The institutional question: does the "art world" decide what counts? 

• Week 5 — The open question: can art even be defined?

Great for: Anyone curious about art and ideas. No background in philosophy or art history needed.

Instructor: Phil Mack holds a PhD in philosophy and has over ten years of experience teaching at UW–Madison, Marquette University, and UW–Milwaukee. He makes big ideas accessible through conversation, not academic jargon, and is building a public philosophy practice in the Madison area.

Schedule
This is one class held over five dates. Registration includes all five sessions.

• Session 1: Thursday, April 23, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 2: Thursday, April 30, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 3: Thursday, May 7, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 4: Thursday, May 14, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 5: Thursday, May 21, 6:30–8:00 PM

Cost: $105

Materials: Short handouts will be provided in each session - no outside reading or preparation required.

What to bring: Just yourself.

May 12, 6:00–8:30 PM 

A beginner-friendly printmaking workshop built around color, texture, layering, and the fun of unexpected results. This is a single-session class. 

What you’ll do
Using acrylic paint, texture tools, and layering techniques, you’ll create a collection of one-of-a-kind gelli plate prints. This class emphasizes experimentation and process, with plenty of room to play, explore, and discover what happens as colors and patterns build. You’ll leave with a unique set of prints that can be used for collage, journaling, or framing.

What you’ll learn

• How to use a gelli plate for printmaking

• Layering techniques with acrylic paint

• How to build texture, pattern, and depth in a print

• How to create prints for collage, journaling, or display

Great for: Beginners. No prior printmaking experience needed.

Instructor: Alison Walker is an artist and instructor known for accessible, process-based workshops that help students build confidence through hands-on experience. Her classes are welcoming, supportive, and focused on curiosity, exploration, and skill-building.

Schedule
May 12, 6:00–8:30 PM 

Cost: $65 (materials included)

Materials: All materials are provided.

What to bring: Just yourself.

Five Thursdays, April 23–May 21, 6:30–8:00 PM

A five-week discussion class built around a deceptively simple question: what counts as art, and who gets to decide?

What you’ll do
Each week, you’ll explore a different answer to the question of what art is—from ancient Greece to the present—and put it to the test with real examples. There will be short lectures to introduce the ideas, but the heart of each session is conversation: you’ll discuss, disagree, and work out where you stand.

What you’ll learn

• Week 1 — Art as imitation: is art valuable because it reflects reality? 

• Week 2 — Art as expression: is art the communication of inner experience? 

• Week 3 — Art as form: does art's value lie in structure and composition? 

• Week 4 — The institutional question: does the "art world" decide what counts? 

• Week 5 — The open question: can art even be defined?

Great for: Anyone curious about art and ideas. No background in philosophy or art history needed.

Instructor: Phil Mack holds a PhD in philosophy and has over ten years of experience teaching at UW–Madison, Marquette University, and UW–Milwaukee. He makes big ideas accessible through conversation, not academic jargon, and is building a public philosophy practice in the Madison area.

Schedule
This is one class held over five dates. Registration includes all five sessions.

• Session 1: Thursday, April 23, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 2: Thursday, April 30, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 3: Thursday, May 7, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 4: Thursday, May 14, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 5: Thursday, May 21, 6:30–8:00 PM

Cost: $105

Materials: Short handouts will be provided in each session - no outside reading or preparation required.

What to bring: Just yourself.

Five Thursdays, April 23–May 21, 6:30–8:00 PM

A five-week discussion class built around a deceptively simple question: what counts as art, and who gets to decide?

What you’ll do
Each week, you’ll explore a different answer to the question of what art is—from ancient Greece to the present—and put it to the test with real examples. There will be short lectures to introduce the ideas, but the heart of each session is conversation: you’ll discuss, disagree, and work out where you stand.

What you’ll learn

• Week 1 — Art as imitation: is art valuable because it reflects reality? 

• Week 2 — Art as expression: is art the communication of inner experience? 

• Week 3 — Art as form: does art's value lie in structure and composition? 

• Week 4 — The institutional question: does the "art world" decide what counts? 

• Week 5 — The open question: can art even be defined?

Great for: Anyone curious about art and ideas. No background in philosophy or art history needed.

Instructor: Phil Mack holds a PhD in philosophy and has over ten years of experience teaching at UW–Madison, Marquette University, and UW–Milwaukee. He makes big ideas accessible through conversation, not academic jargon, and is building a public philosophy practice in the Madison area.

Schedule
This is one class held over five dates. Registration includes all five sessions.

• Session 1: Thursday, April 23, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 2: Thursday, April 30, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 3: Thursday, May 7, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 4: Thursday, May 14, 6:30–8:00 PM

• Session 5: Thursday, May 21, 6:30–8:00 PM

Cost: $105

Materials: Short handouts will be provided in each session - no outside reading or preparation required.

What to bring: Just yourself.

May 30, 1:00–4:00 PM

A beginner-friendly metal clay workshop where you will make your own sterling silver ring with a set stone focal point.

What you’ll do
In this three-hour class, you’ll learn the basics of working with metal clay while building a ring from start to finish. You’ll construct a metal clay band, think through ring sizing and shrink rates, and learn a method for setting a stone to be fired in place. You’ll also explore additive construction and finishing techniques that help bring the piece to a high-shine polish. Your ring will be fired in a kiln after class and made available for pickup. This is a single-session class.

What you’ll learn

• How to construct a metal clay ring band

• How to set a stone to be fired in place

• How to refine and polish a finished ring

Great for: Beginners. No prior experience with metal clay needed.

Schedule: May 30, 1:00–4:00 PM

Cost: $145

What to bring: Details to come.

June 4 & 11th, 9:30–11:00 AM

A welcoming two-session watercolor class for beginners, with room to learn foundational techniques and get more comfortable with the medium.

What you’ll do
Through guided exercises and short demonstrations, you’ll explore beginning watercolor techniques on paper while painting trees in a few different ways. You’ll work with tools like a credit card, palette knife, and brush to experiment with texture, mark-making, and simple ways of building depth. The focus is on observation, process, and learning by doing, so you can build confidence as you go.

What you’ll learn

• Beginning watercolor painting techniques

• How to use different tools to create texture and variation

• How to paint trees using a credit card, palette knife, or brush

• How to create depth in a watercolor painting

Great for: Beginners and anyone looking to get more comfortable with watercolor.

Instructor: Rita Carpenter is a watercolor artist and photographer drawn to the balance between loose color and careful control. Her classes are thoughtful, encouraging, and built to help students get comfortable with the medium while building confidence along the way.

Schedule
This is one class held over two dates. Registration includes both sessions.

• Session 1: June 4, 9:30–11:00 AM

• Session 2: June 11, 9:30–11:00 AM

Cost: $78

What to bring:

• Watercolor paints in at least yellow, blue, and red

• A mixing area, such as a white plate

• A medium round watercolor brush, size 8

• A 1/2-inch flat watercolor brush

• A fine mist sprayer filled with water

• Two water containers

• 140 lb cold press watercolor paper

• A board to paint on

• Paper towels or a small towel

• A pencil, eraser, and permanent black Micron pen

• Painting tape

NOTE: Beginner set of watercolors, paper, and brushes can be purchased for $50 in advance directly from the instructor, Rita Carpenter. 

Contact Rita:
Cell phone: (608) 289-6876
Email: artonthefly2018@gmail.com

June 7, 1:00–4:00 PM

A beginner-friendly mosaic workshop where you will create your own mosaic cactus step by step. This is a single-session class. 

What you’ll do
In this class, you’ll be guided through the process of making a mosaic cactus from start to finish. You’ll learn how to cut glass, lay out your design, and finish the piece with grout in a supportive, hands-on setting. By the end of class, you’ll leave with your own finished mosaic cactus.

What you’ll learn

• How to cut glass for mosaic work

• How to lay out a mosaic design

• How to finish a piece with grout

Great for: Beginners. No prior mosaic experience needed.

Instructor: Alexis Johnson is a stained glass and mosaic artist based in Edgerton, Wisconsin, where she operates Eagle Art. Her classes are supportive, hands-on, and beginner-friendly, with a focus on helping students build confidence as they learn mosaic techniques step by step.

Schedule
June 7, 1:00–4:00 PM

Cost: $55 (materials included)

What to bring: All materials are provided.

June 4 & 11th, 9:30–11:00 AM

A welcoming two-session watercolor class for beginners, with room to learn foundational techniques and get more comfortable with the medium.

What you’ll do
Through guided exercises and short demonstrations, you’ll explore beginning watercolor techniques on paper while painting trees in a few different ways. You’ll work with tools like a credit card, palette knife, and brush to experiment with texture, mark-making, and simple ways of building depth. The focus is on observation, process, and learning by doing, so you can build confidence as you go.

What you’ll learn

• Beginning watercolor painting techniques

• How to use different tools to create texture and variation

• How to paint trees using a credit card, palette knife, or brush

• How to create depth in a watercolor painting

Great for: Beginners and anyone looking to get more comfortable with watercolor.

Instructor: Rita Carpenter is a watercolor artist and photographer drawn to the balance between loose color and careful control. Her classes are thoughtful, encouraging, and built to help students get comfortable with the medium while building confidence along the way.

Schedule
This is one class held over two dates. Registration includes both sessions.

• Session 1: June 4, 9:30–11:00 AM

• Session 2: June 11, 9:30–11:00 AM

Cost: $78

What to bring:

• Watercolor paints in at least yellow, blue, and red

• A mixing area, such as a white plate

• A medium round watercolor brush, size 8

• A 1/2-inch flat watercolor brush

• A fine mist sprayer filled with water

• Two water containers

• 140 lb cold press watercolor paper

• A board to paint on

• Paper towels or a small towel

• A pencil, eraser, and permanent black Micron pen

• Painting tape

NOTE: Beginner set of watercolors, paper, and brushes can be purchased for $50 in advance directly from the instructor, Rita Carpenter. 

Contact Rita:
Cell phone: (608) 289-6876
Email: artonthefly2018@gmail.com