The Studio Arts and Crafts Centre, located in Union EG30, offers a wide variety of classes, workshops and activities for UWM students and the Milwaukee community alike.
On a typical Saturday, some students work diligently on school projects for the following week. Others, like freshmen Sabrina Johnkins and Bryan Selner, stopped in to shake off the stress of academia, and get elbows deep into the ceramics sculpting area towards the back. Sabrina worked on the shingles for a clay roof to top off her half built ceramic house. She has been going there more lately to enjoy a little clay crafting with her friends. Others gravitate to the potter’s wheels next door or glaze kiln fired works in dull mattes or vibrant colors.
Jewelry and metal-smith student Gwen Sobon leads activities and classes in her area of practice and has seen a rise in interest and participation at the Craft Centre since she started last summer. She said many student organizations use the full print and screen-making tools to create art, promotions and gear such as t-shirts and posters for their respective causes.
You can check out tools to work on your personal projects there, such as sewing machines and kits, all the tools you would need to craft, fire and glaze a ceramic piece, screen-print a t-shirt or develop black and white photography prints. UWM is one of the few UW campuses left with not one but two full wet lab dark rooms, one accessible to the Craft Centre.
Every week, the Centre features a project of the week, where students can come and work on a designated project with a group. Last week, in honor of Halloween, they created Halloween wreaths as well as personalized copper key-chains engraved with texture stamps. This week, they will be designing bow rings and studded bracelets and key-chains.
You don’t have to be an art major or even be in an art class to enjoy the benefits of the Arts and Crafts Centre. Student memberships are free and a one day pass for community members is ten dollars. Open ceramics days are a popular event; you can buy a 25 pound bag of clay for fifteen dollars, and they also have a project room to store your art, for works in progress.
This month they will be offering an Intaglio printing class November 14 and 15 using salt water etching. Create saltwater etched copper plates to then print multiple images on the printing press. There will also be a wire and tube jewelry workshop November 4 and 6 this month to craft earrings and necklaces out of gauge wire. Finally, they will hold a wet felt-making class November 19 using hand dyed merino wool to create felt art.
They are open Monday-Thursday 11 a.m- 9 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Just stop in the Studio Arts and Crafts Centre during open hours to sign up for classes or call 414-229-5535. The website can be found under the UWM Union page of the school site with more information regarding class times, dates and sign-ups.