Laurie Longberry of Berry Farm Studios in Black Forest offers classes and workshops for children (and adults) who are interested in learning arts and crafts. Longberry said she believes that everyone can learn to draw.This summer, Longberry is hosting creative workshops that include the fundamentals of drawing, acrylic painting, watercolor, mosaics and printmaking ñ and more. ìIt’s half art-based, half craft-basedî she said. ìA little more in depth experience than they might get at school or at home.îShe provides those who attend the workshops with the supplies they need to complete a project, which they can take home at the end of the class.Her classes are small ñ a maximum of five students. ìIt allows for one-on-one time,î Longberry said.She teaches classes all year-round for all age groups, but Longberry likes to focus on ages 5 to 15. That age group ìsometimes slides in between the cracks,î she said. Longberryís classes are available to home-schooled students as well.She also teaches a drawing class for ladies.Longberry’s background in art is as varied as her classes. She was a floral designer for almost 20 years, before going back to school later in life. ìI’m a mom of four kids, and so I didn’t take up art until I went back to school in my 30s and decided I wanted to be an artist,î she said. ìIn terms of east Colorado Springs, I’m one of the few art schools there is. One of the things I’m really passionate about is being able to do this for the kids out here.î Longberry has three years of schooling in art, five years of teaching experience and takes advanced workshops with professional artists two to three times a year to continue her education.She also is a merit badge counselor for art under the Boy Scouts of America, and has taken safety training for working with youth under the Youth Protection Program with the BSA.Occasionally, Longberry teaches classes through the Pikes Peak Library District.Longberryís husband is also an artist, who works from home as well in woodworking and wood turning from their home. Currently, Longberry’s studio is her dining area in the house, but she and her husband hope to build an additional ìart barnî on the property so her art classes can expand and she can accommodate a broader range of students.The workshops fill up ìfairly fast,î Longberry said. ìFamilies are always welcome to come meet me and check things out before they sign up, too,î she said.The creativity workshops she offers in the summer are Wednesdays, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and run from May 28 through July 30.For more information, visit http://berryfarmstudios.com, call Longberry at 719-332-0216 or email her at laurie@berryfarmstudios.com. The classes are $25 each, and for those who sign up for five or more of the classes, they will receive a gift bag.
