Have you wondered why people meditate or how to counter your stress patterns more effectively? This class will assist you in establishing a meditation and mindfulness practice and introduce you to restorative Qigong movements that help reduce stress and anxiety. The class is taught in an informal, personalized manner by a certified stress management instructor with over twenty years of meditation experience. Please bring along a cushion or small blanket. *No Class: 2/16.

Learn about the eviction of a complete community living on Malaga Island in Casco Bay in 1912. Learn the prehistory of the island's use by our indigenous people and post history of the island after the eviction. Learn a bit about the mainland African American village in coastal Maine that no longer exists but predated the Malaga Island Colony. Visit the island remotely through a slide show created by Master Maine Guide, Alice. Course is presented via Zoom.

Working with gouache is a fast, easy way to do studies for larger paintings, helping you with color relationships and composition, but you’ll also find that adding your notes and thoughts turns your gouache journal itself into a work of art. Gouache paint is similar to watercolor, but it is modified to make it opaque. Gouache can be rewetted and dried to a matte finish, and the paint can become infused into its paper support, like watercolor. Contact Ed Higgins directly with any questions ed_higgins@icloud.com.

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.