ENID, OK - JWL Fashion and Design Institute@ Leonardos: Sewing is a practical skill, but also a skill that requires focus and creativity. Fashion can be haute couture, custom dress making or a form of creative expression. Leonardo’s Children’s Museum has a new educational class for youth interested in fashion, thanks to a grant from Junior Welfare League of Enid. The JWL Fashion and Design Institute@Leonardo’s is open for youth from 3rd grade to 8th grade and will be held after school beginning Wednesday, October 3, from 3:30 to 5:30 for an eight week session. The class will start up again in January for another eight week session.
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“It will bring out skills they didn’t think they had,” says Education Coordinator Joyce Fayles who will be the instructor for the class. She says students will learn about different fabrics and how to use a sewing machine. They also will learn how to hand sew. These basic skills will then be used to make a fabric purse. The purpose is to teach STEAM curriculum (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) the JWL Fashion and Design Institute will educate and empower young people who have a desire for high fashion and would like to take a look at this industry. Now these ambitious youth can explore this career option here at Leonardo’s.
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The class is open to all boys and girls to learn important life skills and will start with the basics. The class is $72 for members and $80 for non-members and a healthy snack is also included. All materials are included in the tuition. For more information go online to leonardos.org or check Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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New Pottery Class Tribute: Former Phillips University Ceramic Art Professor Paul Denny loved helping people and making pottery. He recently passed away, but his memory will live on at Leonardo’s Children’s Museum with a new pottery class. On Thursday, October 4, Paul’s Beginning Pottery class will start at Leonardo’s and the teacher has a special connection to the art professor because she is his granddaughter. “I have knowledge of pottery because I grew up around it,” says Jamie Castle, Leonardo’s Art Education Coordinator.
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Castle, an Oklahoma state certified teacher, will instruct students age 13 and up, on beginning skills needed in pottery. “I’m going to teach the class like my grandpa did,” says Castle. She says students will start with the basics and be able to make a pinch, slap and coil pot by the end of the eight week class. Castle’s mother and aunt who learned a lot from their father will lend a hand with the class.
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“His passion was pottery and he had his own studio in his house so when he retired he could still work,” says Castle. Denny was one of the original teachers involved with Leonardo’s beginnings and helped get the “pottery lab” started. Originally the pottery lab was in the North East corner of the first floor of Leonardo’s and was a great space to make things that Denny would later fire in the kiln. It is believed that the special kiln was produced in the space because during renovation it had to be disassembled to remove it. This area is now a workshop for exhibit repair and the Education Annex has a kiln room.
Grandpa loved making vases Castle said. His work was popular and also sold in art galleries. As many artists have done he exchanged art with fellow artists he met worldwide in his travels. His own personal collection had several famous art pieces. In turn his art is spread throughout the country and abroad.
Denny was very generous donating pottery to many local charities and he also made mugs that were sold in the Leonardo’s gift shop. Longtime residents may have some of his work in their collections
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New Pottery & Fashion Design Classes at Leonardo's
Hi,
I am interested in pottery and potentially pottery classes. Also looking for resources for community type kiln firing options as I make pottery in a home studio but am in need of a kiln to use sometimes.
Thanks in advance, I greatly appreciate any ideas or resources!