Oils are a very forgiving medium, great for learning because it’s easy to revise, repaint, wipe out and start over. Keeping an oil painting mobile and active throughout the process means that at any moment or any stage, your painting can surprise you and move you forward in a new direction. Sometimes one brushstroke allows you to see new possibilities. Ed has helped many artists power through their fear of starting, and gain confidence as oil painters. If you’ve never painted in oils before, don’t be afraid, contact Ed directly with any questions ed_higgins@icloud.com. *This class will focus on Color Mixing Strategies.

Attendees will learn the basic techniques for fly tying and progress to tying flies for catching freshwater fish in Maine's lakes and rivers. Vises, tools, hooks and all supplies needed to produce fishable flies will be provided by the instructor. Class size will be limited to 5-6 students to allow for individual assistance as required. Class will cover tools, hooks, fly size, fly type and construction techniques used to create flies. The student will learn to work with feathers, hair, tinsels, thread, wire, fur, beads and many other materials used in making flies. A materials fee of $25 must be paid to the instructor on the first night of class. *No Class: 2/17.

In this 1-day class, you'll learn everything you need to know to get started with watercolor painting. We will have an in-depth conversation about paper and pads, paint, palettes, and brushes. After a review of color theory, we'll fill in a color wheel and paint a small illustration printed on watercolor paper. All materials provided. *A $20 materials fee to be paid to the instructor on the night of class. **Snow Date: TUES 1/19.

In this hands-on class, you’ll prepare traditional Greek entrées including pastitsio, stuffed peppers and cabbage, and briami. We’ll focus on layering flavors and time-honored techniques that define Greek home cooking, bringing warmth, depth, and authenticity to every dish you create. All materials/ingredients provided. *Snow Date: 2/3.

Authentic Belly Dance, or raks sharqi, is an ancient form of dance. Raks sharqi means “dance of the east” in Arabic. Belly dance celebrates every body type and every stage of life. The dance is proud and powerful and soft and sinewy with elegant and isolating movements emanating from the core. It’s the Pilates of dance. And so much fun! This is a great refresher class for experienced dancers and suitable for dancers new to belly dance. Please wear comfortable clothing, similar to what you might wear to a yoga class that will allow for free movement and the ability to see your movement. Hip scarves make it even more fun. You can dance barefoot or in a pair of comfortable dance shoes in the studio. Zills (finger cymbals) will be used in class. Check in with the instructor before you purchase any. As an added bonus, you will also have access to a video library with instruction, drills, and ongoing choreography during the length of the session. *This five-week insert of classes will be for those who’ve taken at least one session of belly dance. The emphasis will be to create a group choreography. There will be an opportunity to perform the piece in the 15th Annual It Takes a Village Studio show in mid-May, provided the Spring Part 3 session is also taken. Performance is optional. Class Dates: 1/13, 1/27, 2/10, 2/24, 3/10.

Love fried rice? Discover the secrets to wok-tossed perfection in this lively cooking class! You’ll learn how to transform simple ingredients into golden, fragrant fried rice—balancing textures and flavors while mastering wok control. This dish represents creativity and resourcefulness in Chinese home cooking, making the most of leftovers with skill and flair. Perfect for beginners or seasoned cooks, you’ll leave with techniques to make restaurant-quality fried rice at home. *A $15 materials fee is due to the instructor at the beginning of the workshop.

This one day introduction workshop will provide an overview of beekeeping for those considering beekeeping or just wanting to learn more about honeybees. The workshop will cover equipment required, equipment sources, cost, level of effort required, basic bee biology and care, etc. The workshop is intended to provide basic background information and a general understanding of beekeeping, to help determine if beekeeping is for you. *This workshop is not intended to function as a full beekeeping course; it is highly recommended that a full "Fundamentals of Beekeeping" course is completed if your goal is to become a beekeeper.

This six class course of instruction is designed for those that wish to become a beekeeper. The course will cover the what, why, and how of beekeeping. Topics include but are not limited to bee biology, equipment requirements and setup, seasonal management techniques, diseases, pest management, honeybee environmental benefits, and hive products. The goal of this course is to develop a foundation for new beekeepers to be prepared to keep bees. A course textbook will be provided to each student. *NO CLASS: 2/18.