PORT TOWNSEND — Artist Martha Worthley walked into Northwind Art’s classroom to see tables awash in color — where “the convivial riot of it all was completely seductive,” she said.
Worthley was visiting the Northwind Art School at Fort Worden State Park during a collage-making workshop, as participants were “experimenting and producing a whole range of imagery,” making the ingredients for their artwork.
As executive director of Northwind Art, Worthley is part of the crew presenting such classes. This season, Northwind will host more workshops than ever before, with a variety of teachers, including Worthley.
“As a nonprofit community art school, we want to offer activities to pique all kinds of creative interests,” Northwind spokesperson Diane Urbani said.
“Making something in a group setting, whether it’s an evergreen wreath or a collage greeting card, is just relaxing and satisfying.”
More than 65 art classes, including many that are designed to relieve holiday stress and busyness, are listed at NorthwindArt.org. Advance signup is necessary, and participants are encouraged to register early as classes are filling up.
Holiday offerings include:
Handprinted Holiday Wrapping Paper with Martha Worthley, Nov. 30.
Decoupage a Jar with Leila Block, Dec. 1.
Collage and Pop-out Holiday Cards with Anne Schneider and Carol Nielsen, Dec. 2.
Family Ornament Making with Jodi Ericksen, Dec. 2.
Winter Evergreen Wreaths with Laurie McKenzie, Dec. 3.
Transparency Stars with Meg Kaczyk, Dec. 7.
Holiday Painting Fun with Leila Block, Dec. 8.
Mindfulness Practices for Art Making as a Gift to the Self with Meg Kaczyk, Dec. 9.
Solstice Spiral with Leila Block, Dec. 21.
Non-holiday art classes also are on tap throughout the fall and winter. Among those coming up are:
All Levels Rock Wrapping with Sue Stanton, Dec. 3.
Easy Silk Painting with Evette Allerdings, Dec. 4.
Women in Art History: Faith Ringgold, with Lorelei Amato, Dec. 5.
Paint and Sip: Your Bouquet with David Repyak, Dec. 7.
Aging Creatively art workshops for people with memory loss and their caregivers: Dec. 2 and Dec. 16.

