Ancient Art of Mosaic Making Arrives in Mills

NYM Cultural Center To Host Mosaic Table Top Class

The Cultural Center in New York Mills offers a two-part mosaic table top making class over two October weekends. The first session runs Saturday October 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and the second is Saturday October 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Participants in the class spend a couple of relaxing days assembling their mosaics out of tiles, dishes, pottery, and glass. Instructor Pam Collins, a local artist from Staples, says the class is fun and stress-free, and that the instructions and guidelines are simple for anyone to follow, though it is recommended for ages 14 and up.

Students will break for lunch (bring your own, or visit a local restaurant). Depending on how quickly the students are able to finish gluing their designs, the second Saturday will be used for grouting and cleaning, which may not require the full day.

Says Collins on teaching art and helping the creative process in others, “I believe all humans have a need to be creative, and that art is made to examine our emotions and responses to the world we live in. Most adults do not allow themselves much, if any, creative time in their busy lives. Whenever I have an opportunity to help someone discover his or her creative side, I understand a bit more of the purpose for my life.”

Collins is mostly a self-taught artist, who, addition to working with mosaics, works in watercolors and fabric. She has studied under nationally known artists in pursuit of her favorite medium. Collins has lead numerous watercolor and mosaic workshops in her studio, at area art centers, and school districts. Her passion is contagious and inspirational. Pam has received grants from Five Wings Arts Council, funding from the McKnight Foundation, and in 2014, she won a Community Arts Leadership award.

Collins says of her art, “My art is my response and commentary of life around me. My reactions to what I see and experience dictate what kind of art I produce. When working in mosaics, subject matter varies greatly, and the medium allows for an abstract outcome.”

The class fee is $110, or $100 for members of the Center. Students should bring an empty ice cream bucket and rags, and if desired, design ideas and any personal knick-knack or dishes to incorporate into their piece. All other materials provided.

Pre-registration is required. To reserve a spot and pay class fees, please call the Cultural Center at (218) 385-3339 and for more information, visit the Center’s website at www.kulcher.org.

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The Cultural Center in New York Mills is a rural hub for creativity, community vitality, and lifelong learning in the arts. We offer visitors intimate opportunities to encounter art and artists in our 80-seat concert listening room, two galleries in a historic building, a gift store featuring local artists, an artist residency program, a sculpture park, and a variety of opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive. Since our incorporation in 1990, we have been passionate about connecting people to artists and rich cultural experiences in rural Minnesota, celebrating the local and being a window to the world.