Community members got a chance to try hand lettering under the tutelage of some of DaySpring Cards' professional artists last month.
The class, which was open to the community, was the first in what is planned to be a series of Creative Greenhouse art classes led by DaySpring artists. The initial class was held on July 27 in the meeting space at Captured by Mary on Broadway Street and was so popular that a second class was held on Aug. 1.
About 30 students attended the first class and were given materials and instruction in hand lettering, an art form that has become popular in recent years. Students started out making thin and thick lines, and up-stokes and down-strokes. By the end of the evening they were making their own designs.
Sometimes all it takes to spark creativity is to hand a person a pen or maker, said Senior Designer Jon Huckeby, who is organizing the Creative Greenhouse classes.
"Most of us have a creative side that we either don't use anymore or that has taken a back seat to something else," Huckeby said. "Remember back when you were a kid? We made things with our hands on a regular basis. We want to give people that permission to get back to making things and creating art with their hands. A simple thing like handing someone a marker can sometimes be a catalyst for giving them the permission they need."
Creative Greenhouse started as an idea to cultivate creative strength within the design departments inside of DaySpring, according to Brenda Turner, director of communication for the organization. Christi Slaton, creative director-design, had the idea in 2015 as a way for the design department to sharpen their own skills through workshops.
The company initially hosted several lettering and painting classes for the employees of its design department, and noticed there was interest from coworkers outside the department, she said. In the fall of 2015, Huckeby hosted a company-wide polymer clay sculpting class. It filled up within two days, Turner said.
"We wondered if we could do this same thing within the community," Turner said. "We wanted to share our gifts and help foster these same talents in others by teaching, inspiring and encouraging them."
It was around this time that Slaton talked with Mary Kim-Nitz, the owner of Captured by Mary on Broadway Street. The recently opened business offers space as an alternative office area and a meeting space, which was perfect for the Creative Greenhouse classes, Turner said.
The Creative Greenhouse classes make quality art instruction accessible to the community and help establish DaySpring Cards as a creative leader in the region, Huckabay said. The classes are also an opportunity to empower DaySpring artists and allow them to practice their leadership skills, he said.
The company has set a goal to host a new class each month. Upcoming workshops may include cartooning, decorative paper flowers, fashion illustration, bite-sized watercolor painting, caricatures, polymer clay and creative writing. Upcoming classes will be posted on the Creative Greenhouse Facebook page.
"No matter your level of experience, the classes will have something for everyone to increase their knowledge," Huckeby said.
General News on 08/16/2017