EXPRESS YOURSELF
Participation in art is a great way to unwind and de-stress
If you’re a person who doesn’t feel you have a creative bone in your body, the executive director of ArtFusion 19464, says you’re wrong.
“It’s not a matter of not being creative — it’s just not knowing how to express it,” Julie Tonnessen said. “Everyone has creativity inside of them and there are many ways to express it.”
Through the process of engaging in any artistic endeavor, you’ll reap many benefits beyond the creation at hand — without your phone to distract you from being fully present.
“It enables you to let go of other things going on in your life,” Tonnessen said. “It gives you time to yourself to unwind and destress.”
Sense of accomplishment
Engaging in the arts can also offer you a sense of accomplishment.
“I hear a lot of comments from people that, ‘it was such a great break and was so fun,’” she said. “They say, ‘I didn’t know I could do something creative,’”
Right now, there are more adults than youth taking classes at the non-profit community art center in Pottstown.
“It’s new for us to have more adults than kids taking our classes,” Tonnessen said, adding that classes are geared towards different age groups.
Pottery, jewelry making and stained glass are currently their most popular offerings for adults. They are either offered as either a one or two-day workshop or a six to eight-week series of classes that take place either in the evenings, on weekends or during the day.
“Our one-day workshops give a taste to explore,” Tonnessen said. “People will jump around until they find one that clicks.”
Traditional jewelry-making techniques
In their jewelry-making class, participants learn traditional jewelry-making techniques.
“They learn how to solder, hammer, shape, saw, drill and torch metal,” she said.
Their one-day jewelry-making workshop enables participants to make a stamped intention
ring.
“A stamped intention ring gives people the opportunity to set intentions for the next year,” Tonnessen said, adding people choose a word and either put it on the inside, so it’s close to the heart, or outside, for all to see. “It’s a mindful and creative exercise.”
They like to cap most of their classes at ten people since it’s a size that’s most beneficial to those attending.
“It makes everyone feel connected and people can make connections — our classes have a lot of fun together because people talk and get community going,” she said, adding another benefit. “The instructor can give one-on-one attention to every student.”
Introduction to stained glass
In their introduction to stained glass class, participants make a stained glass panel during the six-week course.
“They can learn how to choose the colors and pick a pattern, how to cut pieces, and grind, foil and solder them,” she said.“We also offer one-day workshops in stained glass to give you a taste and they’re easier for the schedule.”
Most recently, they started up a drawing class.
“They do a different drawing project every week,” Tonnessen said. “They do still lifes, shading, how to draw bodies, and learn a survey of different techniques to build their drawing skills.”
ArtFusion’s pottery classes offer the option to work on the wheel or do hand-building of clay.
“Participants get to choose and focus on what they want to learn,” she said.
If you’d like to upcycle a table of your own, they offer an opportunity for you to do that through their mosaic class where you get to add a design made of different-colored tiles to the top of your table.
ArtFusion offers different classes every semester with their spring semester being the most current.
“Our stained glass class that starts on April 3 still has space,” she said. There’s plenty of stuff coming up to sign up for.”
Art retreat
They even have a two-day weekend art retreat coming up for adults on June 8 and 9.
“It will be 9 AM to 4 PM each day and we will have lunch for you,” she said. “It will be a getaway and you’ll get to do a jewelry project, a pottery project, and a mosaic birdhouse.”
If you want to make the weekend a true vacation, they have partnered with Three Daughters Inn, a bed and breakfast in Pottstown, that can accommodate you for a stay.
Regardless of which retreat or class you choose to take among all of ArtFusion’s offerings, Tonnessen said they all have a connection to the past.
“Through using traditional techniques, they connect you to all of those artisans and crafters that came before you,” she said.
ArtFusion 19464 is a nonprofit community art center, serving Pottstown since 2005. They offer classes for kids, teens and adults on a wide variety of topics. One- and twoday workshops and multi-week classes are available. Their gallery hosts rotating exhibits featuring local artists, instructors and students. For more information, visit www.artfusion19464.org
“I hear a lot of comments from people that, ‘it was such a great break and was so fun. They say, ‘I didn’t know I could do something creative.’”