Use photos of your favorite summer memories (or any other photo of your choice) as inspiration for your newest sketch or painting. Learn how to incorporate your emotions and interpretations of the photo into your sketch rather than simply copy the photo.

Materials: Students may choose what sketch materials to bring. I suggest water-soluble materials like watercolors, gouache, water-soluble crayons, and/or dry sketch materials like pastels, pencils, pens, and so on. My suggested supplies are listed here: Artist Resource List

Step into history with this immersive Liberty Tea workshop, inspired by the resourcefulness of colonial America. Begin with an engaging presentation exploring the origins of “Liberty Tea,” followed by a walk through the medicinal herb garden to experience the plants that once flavored these early infusions. Participants will sample a refreshing cold herbal tea before creating their own custom tisane blend using a variety of dried herbs, flowers, and fruits. The workshop concludes with a relaxed “tea time,” where you’ll enjoy your handcrafted blend alongside a simple treat in a welcoming, social setting.

Join master potter, teacher, and writer Jack Troy for this immersive two-day hands-on workshop exploring the transformation of wheel-thrown forms through alteration and intuitive process. Using the potter’s wheel as a starting point, participants will create a range of bottle forms that evolve beyond their original shapes through paddling, shaping, and manipulation at both soft and leather-hard stages.

Through guided demonstrations and studio exploration, participants will develop sensitivity to clay’s changing responsiveness while learning how enclosed forms can be altered around trapped air pockets into dynamic organic and geometric shapes that are both sculptural and functional.

The workshop will also introduce Troy’s ongoing exploration of ishi no sasayaki—Japanese for “stone with secret voice.” These enclosed ceramic forms contain hidden rattles that create subtle, shifting sounds unique to each finished piece, bringing an unexpected sense of life and mystery to the work.

This lively workshop encourages curiosity, experimentation, and the expansion of personal form vocabulary beyond familiar approaches.

Participants should be comfortable throwing bottles 6" tall or larger.

Please bring a ceramic object you have lived with for several years that holds personal meaning and that you would be willing to share with the group.

Join Historic Yellow Springs for a guided visit to the Wharton Esherick Museum, home and studio of pioneering artist and designer Wharton Esherick. Often considered the father of the Studio Furniture movement, Esherick transformed wood into sculptural furniture, interiors, and architectural elements that blurred the line between art and everyday life.

Participants will experience the museum’s signature guided tour, exploring Esherick’s remarkable studio-home, grounds, and creative legacy. Along the way, you'll discover his deep connection to nature, innovative approach to design, and lasting influence on contemporary craft, furniture, and sculpture.

Participants will drive independently to the museum. Plan to meet at the visitors center 9:45. This unique field trip offers inspiration for artists, makers, designers, and anyone interested in the intersection of art, craft, and daily life.

Join Historic Yellow Springs for a guided visit to the Moravian Pottery & Tile Works Museum, the historic workshop founded by historian and artist Henry Chapman Mercer. Participants will tour the site, learn about Mercer's tile-making legacy, and take part in a hands-on sgraffito tile-making workshop.

Finished tiles will be fired and glazed by the studio and available for pickup approximately 3–4 weeks after the visit.

Participants will drive independently to the museum and should plan to arrive by 10:50 AM for an 11:00 AM tour.