The Blue Cat Gallery is holding many fun, themed craft activities for Wayne residents to come and craft. This year, they have already held a class on Oct. 30 where they made necklaces, keys, or magnets with glass fusing. On Saturday, Nov. 6, learn the basics about stencil penciling on fabric. One can bring their own fabric, (lowers fee to $10!) like a t-shirt or use the provided tote bag. On Saturday, Nov. 13, explore some creative canvas painting techniques.

All these workshops are held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but people may continue their art until close at 5 p.m. They also all have a base fee of $12. This fee includes all the materials you will need for these projects. If one cannot make it on those specific dates, The Blue Cat Art Gallery also offers private group workshops. These group activities include fused glass, clay play, watercolor mixed media, or if there is something specific that the group wants to learn about, find more information on the Facebook page (Blue Cat Gallery & Studio) or their website.

“The mission is to provide an aesthetic place either for viewing artwork or making artwork,” Carolyn Albracht, owner of the Blue Cat Art Gallery and art and design professor here at WSC, said.

In the past, Albracht has held drop-in classes, but to give some of her art education students some teaching experience, they are to come up with an artistic project to teach everyone around the community. These drop-in classes do not require a sign-up or an RSVP. These events are open to people of all ages to enjoy, children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult, with the intent to

“[The gallery] is meant to bridge the gap between the town community and the campus community,” Albracht said.

Back in Albracht’s hometown, she did a similar project to the Blue Cat Art Gallery. These experiences and skills allowed her to better balance the aspects of appreciating others’ artwork and promoting others to explore and create their own art. Her gallery features the work of local and regional artists on a two-month rotation Her previous gallery was something that she could do independently, but being a full-time professor, Albracht’s Blue Cat Art Gallery requires assistants to help with the workload.

Albracht created an internship for art students at WSC to get involved in this art gallery and acquire real work experience. These interns help with marketing, hosting classes, and running the Gallery during operating hours.

“Teaching the drop-in art classes benefits my education as an art education major because it gives me hands-on experience,” Hallie Jensen, an art major at WSC, said. “I get to see what it’s like in a setting similar to school classrooms. It benefits the community as well because it offers people of all ages the experience of an art workshop. They have access to our materials and knowledge to try something completely new.”