Holmes Center for the Arts partners with Holmes Fair on workshops, projects
BERLIN TWP. − Among the many opportunities being offered this summer at Holmes Center for the Arts is a new lineup of classes and workshops designed to help participants shine at the Holmes County Fair in August.
Classes and workshops in home arts will offer how-to instructions for beginner’s knitting, holiday-themed centerpiece design and gardening basics. Also on the schedule are workshops in scrapbooking, greeting card making and T-shirt/sweatshirt decorating.
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An exciting partnership
Holmes County fair board member Kim Kellogg shared his excitement about the partnership with HCA.
“On behalf of the Holmes County Fair Board, we are excited about the partnership with Holmes Center for the Arts and the opportunity for more community members to display their talents and share those talents with the entire community," he said.
HCA's executive director, Holley Johnson, encourages Holmes County artists and artisans to consider entering one or more pieces in the fair, whether or not they created their artwork at the Arts Center.
“The Holmes County Fair is one of the highlights of the year for our community,” Johnson said. “By putting your artwork in the fair, you are contributing to this great event that helps support local youth, businesses, the arts, and community organizations.”
Instructors have long connection with the fair
Several of the instructors for the home arts classes at HCA have long connections with the Holmes County fair. Cheryl Shaver, who will teach the centerpiece workshop June 3, has been involved with 4-H for 23 years as a 4-H parent and by serving on the 4-H Advisory Committee.
Before that she assisted her husband, Eric, in his role of fair veterinarian. Altogether, she has devoted 36 years to the Holmes County Fair.
The Shavers started crafting for their church’s craft show a few years ago, and this past year decided to make centerpieces and door swags using things they had around the house, with a few added new items.
Cheryl Shaver said she enjoys putting her ideas into something that brings joy to others. She decided to offer a centerpiece class with themes of holidays and also in celebration of the 100th year of the Holmes County Fair. She promises the workshop will be fun and will show people talents they didn’t know they had.
Shannon Stutzman, retired East Holmes family and consumer science teacher, will share her years of experience both in teaching and with the ins and outs of the fair. She was a 4-H adviser in Holmes County for more than 20 years and has served as a judge of 4-H projects and home arts at the Holmes County Fair as well as Ashland, Coshocton, Stark, Tuscarawas and Wayne county fairs.
Stutzman’s class on beginning knitting runs for four weeks, June 1, 8, 15 and 29.
“What I get out of knitting, it’s relaxing, and people don’t know this but, knitting is good for your brain because you are using a lot of critical thinking when following a pattern,” Stutzman said. “The repetitiveness is super calming and there is medical evidence that it helps to lower blood pressure.”
Stutzman plans to get students started in the basics of knitting, how to cast on, to knit and purl and how to bind off. She said with these skills students will have learned everything they need to know to follow any pattern.
Leslie McKelley, who will teach workshops on handmade greeting cards and scrapbooking May 16 and 23, has had many award winning entries at the Holmes County Fair.
For more information about the home arts classes offered at HCA, as well as information about open studio for oil painters and other art classes and camps going on this summer at HCA, visit www.holmescenterforthearts.org.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Getting crafty: Holmes arts enter lineup focuses on fair entries
