Classes & Events

Jump to: January|February

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January 2026

Forest Floor Collage

Wednesday, January 14th, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Instructor: Mel Kolstad

Inspired by the colors and textures of the forest floor, Fond du Lac artist Mel Kolstad will lead an exploration of the engaging medium of collage. Using a variety of materials, students will learn how to compose at least one unique collage artwork and receive instruction in application tools and techniques. Their finished artworks will serve as beautiful reminders to find the artistry in nature. All supplies are included but students are welcome to bring collage materials from home.

To reserve your place in the studio click on the button below.

$50

Open Studio

Saturday, January 17th, 12:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Start your year off on the right foot - with an art project! Make our creative space your creative space and spend the afternoon in our distraction free zone. Bring a friend for some mutual inspiration and set your artistic resolutions for 2026!

FREE

Negative Painting

Wednesday, January 21st, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Instructor: Emily Runnerstrom

Negative Painting is a simple practice with a big impact. Students in this class will create a collage and compose an image by painting in the negative spaces around it. Their artwork will be varnished and ready for framing at the end of class. All supplies are included but students are welcome to bring collage materials from home.

To reserve your place in the studio click on the button below.

$60

Watercolor Monotypes

Friday, January 23rd, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Instructor: Lisa Baltes

Part watercolor, part printmaking, and completely inspirational! This class combines watercolor painting materials in unexpected ways. This class is perfect for watercolor aficionados who wish to experiment with their materials, anyone who loves a good printmaking method and all those art rebels who like breaking the rules! Omro artist Lisa Baltes will instruct students in the process of making painterly and abstract floral monotypes with watercolor paints and watersoluble crayons.

$55

Wine Bottle Herb Planter

Saturday, January 24th, 1:00 pm - 3:15 pm

Instructor: David & JoEllen Wollangk

With a few simple steps, students will take a wine bottle and turn it into a planter perfect to grow fresh herbs in your kitchen window during the cold Wisconsin winter! All supplies included, including sweet basil seeds to get you started.

This quick class only takes about an hour and will run in two sessions - from 1 pm to 2 pm and from 2:15 pm to 3:15 pm. Root & Runner will be in touch upon receiving your registration to inquire about your preferred time slot.

To reserve your place in the studio click on the button below.

$20

Book (art) Club Mini Lesson: The Flexigon

Thursday, January 29th, 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Instructor: Emily Runnerstrom

Calling all book and zine artists, print makers, and paper aficionados! From 5:00 pm to 5:30 pm every final Thursday of the month, We offer a mini lesson focusing on book binding or the book arts. In January the lesson will cover the construction of a twisting, turning FLEXIGON!

AND THEN from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm bring your own supplies and latest project to join others in the book art, zine, and printmaking community for an evening of creative community for no charge. We will have our printing press available for use (following a very short orientation)

To reserve your place in the mini lesson, click on the button below.

$15

Flying Heart Automata

Friday, January 30th, 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Instructor: Emily Runnerstrom

Make a flying heart automata for the special yet quirky loved one in your life! An automata (also known as an automaton) is a mechanical toy that moves using ingenious, and often simple engineering mechanisms. In this class participants will learn how to fabricate a simple mechanism that makes a heart soar, and embellish their heart with wings. All supplies are included.

To reserve your place in the studio click on the button below.

$55

February 2026

Collagraph Print Making

Wednesday, February 4th, 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Instructor: Emily Runnerstrom

Collagraphy is a printmaking method in which the printing plate is fabricated using common household materials. Cardboard, produce netting, leaves, fabric and other materials offer an abundance of creative potential. Students in this class will learn how to make a printing plate and will then have the opportunity to print it using intaglio and relief methods. All materials supplied.

To reserve your place in the studio click on the button below.

$60

R&R February Craft Party: Morse Code Jewelry

Friday, February 6th, 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm

You are invited to join us for a jewelry making session in the studio! Come make simple beaded jewelry with hidden messages using Morse Code as your design inspiration. Whether you spell out the names of loved ones, your favorite quote, or a cheeky secret message, it's going to be a fun crafting session with friends and everyone will leave with at least one piece of personalized jewelry. With tasty party food and fabulous camaraderie, this is a party you won't want to miss!

To RSVP click on the button below.

$35

Hands On Family Day: Felt Fortune Cookie Valentines

Saturday, February 7th, 12:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Drop in Event - No Registration Required

Make memorable Valentine's while you make memories! Families are invited to come to the studio to make these fun felt fortune cookies that can be filled with whatever message the maker desires.

This project requires the use of a hot glue gun. Little ones will need the assistance of their adults.

$1 for Two Valentines

Saddle Stitch Journal with Felt Cover

Tuesday, February 10th, 5 pm - 7 pm

Instructor: Emily Runnerstrom

Saddle stitch book binding is a simple and elegant method that results in a great journal or sketchbook that is easily tucked into luggage during an adventure or even your pocket for when inspiration strikes unexpectedly. In this class students will be able to make two saddle stitch books with a felt covers and elastic closures. All supplies included

To reserve your place in the studio click on the button below.

$25

Letterpress Collage

Wednesday, February 11th, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Instructor: Mel Kolstad

Fond du Lac artist Mel Kolstad joins us to teach this class that combines collage with letterpress printed elements. Students will learn basic letterpress printing and then explore how their prints can be worked into collage compositions. Students will have the opportunity to make multiple artworks during this class. All supplies included

To reserve your place in the studio click on the button below.

$50

Viking Knitting

Thursday, February 12th, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Instructor: JoEllen Wollangk

Viking Knitting is an ancient technique in which wire is knit into a cord. Elegant and unusual, the resulting cord is used for jewelry and other embellishments. In this class students will complete one bracelet in this method using copper wire using a few simple tools and a little bit of patience.

To reserve your place in the studio click on the button below.

$40

Developing a Mindful Sketching Habit

Thursday, February 19th, 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Instructor: Lisa Baltes

Are you new to art making practices but don’t know where to start? Do you want to improve your creative habits for 2026 and beyond? Omro artist Lisa Baltes joins us for an evening class during which she will share her tactics for developing sketching practices that will help you tap into your creative instincts and find your own style. Mindful sketching is a great self care practice that doesn’t require any fancy materials. You don’t even need to “know how to draw” but with consistent practice you will definitely see improvement. Students will engage in several exercises designed to trigger inspiration in a judgement free environment where nobody will be required to show their work - unless they want to! Mark making materials are included and sketchbooks will be available for purchase at a discount but students are encouraged to bring their own sketchbook or notebook (lined paper works great too!).

To reserve your place in the studio click on the button below.

$40

Simple Bottle Cap Fish

Friday, February 20th, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Instructor: David Wollangk

Create a quirky and colorful fish sculpture using a carved wood form and bottle caps! Don’t let the simple materials fool you. In this class students will learn valuable skills in material manipulation to take common supplies to an artistic level. Students in this class will complete one fish sculpture during the class and may just be inspired to make a whole school! All materials are supplied but students are invited to collect and bring unique bottle caps to add to their sculpture.

To reserve your place in the studio click on the button below.

$75

Mixed Media Artwork Using Your Child’s Art

Saturday & Sunday, February 21st & 22nd

12 pm - 4 pm, each day

Instructor: Emily Runnerstrom

It's time to pull out the abundant collection of artwork your children have made over the years that have been taking up space in drawers or under beds, and turn them into a bragworthy artwork you will proudly hang in your living room! This is a two day class during which students will learn important art composition concepts and techniques that will help them plan their artwork. On the second day, students will complete their artworks using a variety of art mediums and collaging their child’s artwork with special attention to methods of working with cheaper student grade materials that tend to be fragile and fleeting by nature. At the end of the weekend, students will leave with a finished artwork that captures theirs and their child’s creativity.

All supplies are included except child artwork. A 12”x18” cradled birch panel is included in the cost of the class but participants will have the opportunity to size up to 24”x24” for an additional $20 fee - 2 weeks advance notice required.

To reserve your place in the studio click on the button below.

$150

Tiny Books - 3 Ways

Wednesday, February 25th, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Instructor: Emily Runnerstrom

Learn three ways to tiny books for use as ornaments, jewelry, trinkets, and more! Students will learn simple binding techniques and make one leather bound ornament, a hardcover book necklace - complete with jewelry findings, and several tiny book charms. All supplies included.

To reserve your place in the studio click on the button below.

$40

Book (art) Club

Thursday, February 26th, 5:30 pm -8:00 pm

Calling all book and zine artists, print makers, and paper aficionados! From 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm bring your own supplies and latest project to join others in the book art, zine, and printmaking community for an evening of creative community for no charge. We will have our printing press available for use (following a very short orientation)

Drop In Event - No Registration Required

FREE

Life Drawing

Saturday, February 28th, 1:00 pm -4:00 pm

Working from a live models is a valuable experience for any artist interested in improving their figurative art skills and imbuing their portraits with personality and character. Root & Runner holds monthly Life Drawing sessions during which artists bring their own materials and work independently from a model. It costs $10 per artist. Fees Collected are used to pay our models.

Drop In Event - No Registration Required

$15

Mark Your Calendar

More exciting classes are in the works, but we aren't ready to open registrations for some of them quite yet.

Click the button to be notified when we are accepting registrations for the classes listed below. Please include the class title in the email subject line.

Abstract Art: Intuition, Composition, & Strategies for Success

Saturday, April 18th

Instructor: Marilyn Prescott

Class Cancellation Policy

Due to limited studio space, class cancellations must be made at least 1 week prior to the scheduled class. This gives us an opportunity to fill the space. You may cancel by email, phone or by dropping by Root & Runner Creative Space.

If you need to cancel your class:

If class cancellations happen more than one week prior to the class date, you have two options

1.) To retain the full value of your registration, we will offer the full class price in credit toward a future class.

2.) In the case you do not wish to put your registration fees towards a future class, Root & Runner Creative Space will retain 25% of your registration fees if you cancel more than one week before the class date. If you cancel less than one week prior to the class date, you forfeit any remuneration.

We do not prorate classes/workshops. If you are unable to attend 1 day of a multi-day workshop, there are no discounts.

If Root & Runner Creative Space initiates a class cancellation due to insufficient registrations, inclement weather, instructor unavailability, or any other reason, students will be reimbursed in full.