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May 2021 • News Graphic & Daily News • Exploring the Arts • 7 As society adjusts to "the new normal" of post-pandemic life, in-person art classes are slowly making their way back on to community event calendars for summer 2021. And experts all agree that whatever the medium, the world could use a healthy dose of communal creativity. "I think everyone can agree that this year emphasized the importance of connection and relationships," said Paula DeStefanis, director of the North Shore Academy of the Arts/Arts Mill in Grafton. "The arts can bring people together and even bring communities together, reducing isolation and making people feel safer." Here are just a few places to find art classes in the coming months: Thanks to the wide open spaces afforded by its location, the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts in Cedarburg will be ahead of the curve when it comes to social distancing as it prepares for the return of in-person classes in June. "Our classes, to start with, are a little bit smaller, and pretty much every single class has a six-foot table as their work station," said executive director Melissa Wraalstad. In addition to courses on quilting and sewing with artists of regional and national acclaim, the WMQFA is planning for its outdoor Tie Dye Lab on July 6, a multigenerational event geared toward ages 12 and older. The museum will also continue offering many of its popular virtual courses, said Wraalstad. "The virtual program has built us an audience outside of our area," she said. This June, Cedarburg photographer Deni Storm Rogers will once again be offering classes at her studio in the Cedar Creek Settlement. "I love teaching photography because it enables me to help others express their creativity," said Rogers, who opened her studio at the Settlement in 2018. "Also, I get to talk about one of my favorite subjects with people who share that passion." Classes will be divided based on age group (fourth grade and older) and will cover everything from photo history to lighting, composition and camera functions. For class times and details, email deni@ denistorm.com or call 262-573-5436. Art education has always been "the largest aspect" of the mission at the North Shore Academy of the Arts/Arts Mill, said DeStefanis. "Through education comes growth, humanity and understanding. We believe that by fostering creative minds and an appreciation for the arts, we are developing more community-minded citizens," she said. The NSAA Arts Mill offers a variety of art classes aimed at all kinds of students with all ability levels, said DeStefanis — "programs change constantly, and so do the people who attend," she said. Details of current offerings can be found at theartsmill.org. "At this time, most have been smaller-scale courses such as private lessons in art, drums, guitar, piano and dance," said DeStefanis. This spring and summer, the Cedarburg Cultural Center will have a variety of opportunities for instruction in stained glass, painting, pastels, photography, wearable art and more — and that's just for teens and adults. Their popular Color Your World Weeklong Art Camp for kids is being offered in July, as well as courses in acrylic painting, sculpture and more. The CCC has actually been holding art classes throughout the past year, said education manager Kerry Tharp. "We really wanted to keep the classes going for the community," she said. "It's important to have some normalcy during crazy times." For class listings, visit cedarburgculturalcenter.org and click the drop-down menu under "Visual Arts." Interior Garden Art Studio in Thiensville has been hosting art classes for students of all ages and all abilities for the past 20 years. Owner Carol Gengler uses a "design-your- own-art-sessions" model where students can choose dates and times that work for them, in addition to selecting the medium they would like to focus on. "Siblings come together, neighbors come together," she said. "I approach it from the fact of what they want to do, where their skills are, and we work from there." For more information, visit interiorgardenartstudio.com. The Mequon-Thiensville Recreation Department has both youth and adult art classes included in its summer lineup this year. Topics range from acrylic painting to quilting and decorative box-making to henna tattoos. Registration is open to residents of Mequon and Thiensville as well as non-residents, for an extra fee. To find the summer activity guide, visit mtsd. k12.wi.us/homestead/student-life/rec. Where to brush up on art skills this summer in Oz Submitted photo Wisconsin Museum of Quilt and Fiber Art's Tie Dye Lab a previous year.

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