Winter workshop series celebrates the domestic arts

YOUNGSVILLE, NY — Domesticities at The Cutting Garden, located at 4055 Route 52, will sponsor a series of workshops in February and March designed to counter the winter doldrums. First in the series will be “The Language and Art of Flowers,” scheduled for Saturday, February 9 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

The workshop will begin with a presentation on the language of flowers as practiced in history. Helena Clare Pittman will then lead you in creating a composition with a floral or historical theme. You can study the structure of a single flower or create a still life from vintage objects. Bring a sketchpad, watercolors, pencils or another medium. Clare Pittman is an award-winning author and illustrator of children’s books. She has taught at SUNY-Farmingdale, Hofstra University, Queens College and Parsons School of Design. She currently teaches as Nassau County Museum of Art and at Duke Pottery.

Upcoming workshops include “Dying Textiles with Natural Minerals” on Saturday, February 16; “Bringing the Winter Landscape Indoors” on Saturday, February 23 and Saturday, March 22; “Sculpting Wool” on Saturday, March 1; and “Making Simple Salves” on Saturday, March 8.

The fee is $20 per class, materials and handouts included. The pottery workshops count as two classes. If you register for three or more classes, you will receive a 10 percent discount. Class size is limited, so email cuttinggarden@hotmail.com or call 845/482-3333 to register.