Past Workshops

The workshop page is up and running.

WORKSHOPS OF THE PAST:

• Chainsaw & Handtool Sharpening with Bruce Ruutila and Brian Yaklyvich •

Learn how to sharpen your chainsaw, lawn mower blades and hand tools. Bring your scissors, hand planer, chisels, drill bits, and knives to learn how to sharpen and care for them. 

• Bead Making (Lampworking) with Sherrie McCabe •

Students will be provided detailed instruction in the safe operation of a torch and the traditional Italian methods used to melt glass and manipulate it to produce glass beads. You will use glass rods in a variety of colors to create designs and patterns. Techniques such as centering, shaping, applying dots and stripes, raking, feathering, and plunging will be demonstrated and practiced. There will also be an introduction to sculptural beads.

Because the class could have a combination of beginning and more advanced students, Sherrie will begin by introducing the basics but is happy to add advanced techniques such as hollow beads and making murinni canes for those who have previously taken the class.

• Whistle and Flower Carving From Soft Maple Tree Twig with Pekka (Peter Olson) •

Pekka will guide participants through the process of carving whistles and flowers from freshly cut soft maple tree twigs. Participants who are 10 years old and older are welcome.

• Basic Timber-Framing Class with David Suutala & Steve Stier–
Constructing a Stage Roof for the Porcupine Mountains Music Festival •

Skilled framers with combined experience of over 40 years will guide participants through design, layout, boring and chiseling mortises, forming and pegging tenons, cutting braces, and assembling bents for the 20-foot by 20-foot stage roof. Participants will be shown/taught the basic information and hand skills of timber-framing that will enable them to progress to higher technology tools and machines and to build their own basic structure. All skill levels are welcome, but keen interest is necessary. This is a hands-on workshop, so come prepared to work hard, learn a lot and have a great time.

The two classes will be held at the Porcupine Mountains Folk School. The first session is designed for all skill levels. The second session will engage advanced wood workers, contractors, and graduates of the first session.

• Homemade Lotion, Lip Balm, & Soap with Linda Montonati and Zona Wick •

Make & take home your own natural vegetarian-based products. Each participant will learn to make soap, face and body lotion, and lip balm; and will go home with recipes and samples of each.

• Felted Loon with Heidi Bukoski •

Students will learn to needle-felt, also known as dry felting. Needle-felting uses a barbed needle. This technique has many applications which will be discussed. Students will create a life-like loon made entirely of wool. The finished loon will measure approximately 7” x 4”. It will have garnet bead eyes and swim in a pond of blue wool.

• Wool Mitten Making with Mary Brownell and Roberta Chabot •

Students will make their own wool mittens with a flannel lining. They will receive instructions, a pattern and guidance about how to sew their mittens. All materials for the mittens will be provided.

• Fused Glass Jewelry with Ali Rogan (September’s Artist-in-Residence) •

Students will work with specialty fusing glass to create glass jewelry. They will explore and discover the many glass textures/techniques in glass fusing, including dichroic and iridized glass.  The glass will be layered and kiln fired to fuse it into a solid piece of glass. The completed pieces will include pins, necklaces, and earrings, etc. plus jewelry findings. Hot glass raking will also be demonstrated to the students. Each student should be able to finish 2-3 pieces of jewelry, plus a raked glass pin. 

• Reverse on Glass Painting with Ali Rogan (September’s Artist-in-Residence) •

Students will create a beautiful image on a glass medallion ornament. They will use the “Porkies”  as inspiration for painting their favorite image or animal in the Park. This ancient technique of painting on the reverse side of the glass will be created by using the cold painting process with acrylic paints. Instructor will demonstrate the different styles of painting on glass, and students can use their own drawings to inspire their paintings. Other decorative metallic finishes can be used to finish this jeweled, beveled ornament. Completed work will be ready for display and boxed up for safe transportation home.

• Yoga, Not for Beginners, with Jackie McMullen •

This 2-day workshop will deepen postures, taking them to another level, by working with alignment and breath. The main focus will be spinal alignment but will also include partner yoga, adjustments, meditation, and ab-zen. In addition to the sun salutation, students will work on basic twists, warrior poses, triangle, and half moon. Back bends and headstands will be offered if time permits. An understanding of the basic poses and the ability to work on the floor is essential.

• Making Plant Medicines: Herbal Teas with Andrea Corpolongo Smith •

Learn how to create a personalized herbal tea blend that nourishes your specific body type, helps to heal chronic discomforts, and tastes wonderful! Participants in this class will discuss several ways to recognize patterns of health and disease in themselves and those around them. Everyone will be given the opportunity to determine his or her constitutional type, identify potentially unbalanced organ systems in his or her body, and finally create, taste, and take home a personal tea blend. Proper methods for brewing medicinal teas will be discussed and handouts will be provided. The herbs covered in this class will include Dandelion, Nettle, Red Clover, Chamomile, Damiana, Scullcap, Licorice, Peppermint, and Rose.

• Twig Wreath Workshop with Wayne Walma and Pam Beal •

Wayne and Pam have been making beautiful birch twig wreaths for years. The inspiration for the design came from old-fashioned birch brooms. The wreaths are extremely durable and need minimal care. They make wonderful Christmas decorations but look at home when displayed year-round, indoors or out. Participants will have the opportunity to make a 14- or 16-inch wreath. Each student will cut and assemble his or her twigs and learn to operate the foot crimping machine. The final wreath will be simple and rustic, and further decorating options will be discussed. These wreaths make excellent gifts!

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• Herbs for Stress Relief with Andrea Corpolongo Smith •

Learn to select and prepare common herbs to safely deflate some of the stress in your life. This class will introduce students to several readily available herbal teas and tinctures, such as catnip, lemon balm, chamomile, mint, motherwort, St. John’s Wort, sweet violet, kava kava, and more, that aid in sleep, reduce anxiety, or simply bring about calm deep breaths. Other safe and natural stress reduction techniques that complement the use of herbs will be discussed. Handouts and herb samples to taste and smell will be provided.

• Build Your Own Snowshoes with Jarrod Stone Dahl •

Participants will learn fundamentals of “green” woodworking skills while making these Ojibwe style snowshoes. Staves will be worked by the participants to rough size with final shaping by crooked knife or whittling knife. Steam bending the staves into jigs, nylon lacing, and finishing will follow. Handouts and in-depth discussion of styles, uses, history and stories will be shared during this four-day affair.

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• Build Your Own Toboggan with Jarrod Stone Dahl •

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For this two-day workshop, participants will spend the first day learning about the type of wood being used while preparing their staves for steam bending. For assembly the second day, participants will attach cross bars using hand-peened copped rivets along with the rope and any other final touches. Everyone will leave this workshop with a finished 8-10’ long toboggan of their own.

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• Wooden Spoon Carving with Jarrod Stone Dahl •

For this one-day workshop, participants will learn to make a spoon from a piece of firewood using axe, chisel, and knife. We will discuss form and shape while working with the grain and type of wood as several types of wood will be provided. Use of gouge and proper axemanship will be stressed. Spoon blanks are available to those with weaker hands or simply for a head start. Chip carving tools will also be available for those wishing to decorate their finished product.

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• Food Preservation Basics with Joanne Pihlaja and Lucia Patritto •

MSU Extension Regional Educator Joanne Pihlaja and Gogebic County Extension Director Lucia Patritto will demonstrate safe and efficient home canning and freezing and provide opportunity for hands-on learning. Participants will learn the basic techniques for sterilization of equipment, proper processing of preserves, sauces, fruits and vegetables, using the pressure canner, hot water bath and freezing methods, and how to prevent food-borne illness. Participants will make homemade salsa and freezer jam. Please bring your own apron if you are able to. All other materials will be provided. Adults are encouraged to bring a young person—at least 12 years old—to help promote these great food preservation methods among younger generations.

• Ukrainian Egg Decoration for Hobby and Fun with Jim Michie and Jody Maloney •

Learn the basics necessary for you to embark on lifelong enjoyment of decorating eggs in the Ukrainian style, also known as Pysanky. Jim and Jody will show you the basic tools and techniques for dyeing your own Ukrainian Eggs, and you can enjoy making several of your own in time for Easter. This class is for beginners, but experienced egg makers are always welcome to share knowledge and tips. Participants will receive their own kits, which include all of the necessary tools, waxes, and dyes. Eggs will be provided.

• Felting with Heidi Bukoski •

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Choose to take one or both felting classes; both are suitable for beginning felters. In the first class, students will choose to make either mittens or slippers in black or white wool, embellished with bits of color. This will be accomplished using traditional wet felting techniques, starting with loose fibers, not knitted yard. In the second class, students will make a felted wool rose. This class covers both wet and dry felting techniques. The petals and leaves are wet felted and the flower is constructed using a felting needle.

• Encaustics with Melissa Hronkin •

Come and discover the sweetness and luminosity of working with the ancient and contemporary art of encaustics (pigmented beeswax) and beeswax collage! Participants will learn about the history of the medium and the honeybees that help create it. We will create several small-scale works in experimental encaustics, Xerox transfer, and mixed media collage. No experience required, just a sense of adventure! Check out the blog www.melissa-hronkin.blogspot.com for Melissa’s work and links to encaustic information.

• Soap Making For Kids with Cameryn Polkky •

• Copper Bowl Making with Ed Gray •

In the traditions of American Indians living in the U.P., artist Ed Gray will use ancient methods with primitive tools to teach how to create a 6-inch copper bowl annealed by fire.

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• Painting with Watercolors with Nancy McCabe •

Designed for both beginning and intermediate students. Instructor Nancy McCabe will teach how to paint with watercolors. Experiment with wet on wet, dry brush, the lifting of colors, washes, and some “just for the fun” painting techniques.

• Fruit Tree Care and Pruning with Jim Isleib from MSU Extension •

Learn where to plant, how to train new trees, and how to control pests that could harm them. We will end the class with pruning tips.

• Traditional Finnish Wood-Carved Evergreen Tree •

Students will leave class having learned some of the basic techniques of an ancient Scandinavian art form. Every participant will carve a traditional Finnish evergreen tree using skills passed down for centuries and mastered by instructor Pekka.

• Crocheting with Sherry Havela •

The Crochet Class welcomes all skill levels, from beginners to advanced. A simple scarf pattern and a limited supply of yarn and hooks will be available for practice. You may bring a project of your own choice. Come and enjoy 3 hours of uninterrupted time with friends.

We will discuss the latest in yarns and tools, places to obtain materials, and the history of crocheting.

• Winter Knitting with Sarah Wagner and Karen Berg •

The Winter Knitting Class welcomes beginners and experienced knitters alike. The informal 3-hour sessions are designed so that you may come and go as you wish. Beginners will be taught to cast on stitches and will learn the knit and pearl stitches. There will be a limited supply of yarn and needles available to practice with. You may choose to knit the scarf pattern we will provide. For that you will need 132 yards of super bulky yarn and size 17 needles. Whether you are a beginner or experienced knitter you are welcome to bring a project of your choice. Come and enjoy 3 hours of uninterrupted knitting time with friends.

We will discuss the latest in yarns and tools, places to obtain supplies, and the history of knitting.

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• Snowshoeing Hike with Bob Wild •

Bob Wild will lead a Snowshoe Hike. He will provide snowshoes. He will meet you at the Whitetail Cabin parking lot, just a short distance beyond the turn-off to the Ski Hill. Please register for the class by February 1 so that he will know how many pairs of snowshoes are needed. Of course you may bring your own snowshoes if you have them. You are welcome to take the Hike whether or not you are attending a Folk School class.

• Practical and Decorative Rope Work with Jared Smith •

Students will become familiar with rope and cordage. They will be instructed in basic and decorative KNOTS as well as splicing and rope whippings.

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• Above Ground Container Gardening with Carol Huntoon and Sherrie McCabe •

Learn to garden without a plot…garden made easy. Plant you seeds in containers/buckets, and move your garden to suit the sun and the weather. Be eco-friendly be saving soil (from year to year) and using recycled materials to make a “funnel bucket” to take home with you. In addition, you will receive written instructions.

See this page for current workshops and information on how to enroll.

The Porcupine Mountains Folk School is sponsored in cooperation with the Porcupine Mountains State Park and the Friends of the Porkies, whose mission is to promote and enhance the use of the Porkies. The DNR is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural resources for current and future generations.