The Artist's Garden
In this exploratory class, Jen Anderson, of Jen Anderson Studio & Garden, invites you into the world of the Artist’s Garden; a space where plants become partners in the creative process. Drawing from her own creative process, pigment and flower gardens, flower-pressing practice, and experience as a garden consultant, Jen will share how the garden can inspire, inform, and supply your art.
Mindful Creative: Drawing
Unlock a sense of calm and creative possibility in this uplifting course designed to help you unwind and connect. Together, we’ll embark on a series of playful drawing exercises that focus not on perfect observation, but on mindfulness and the freedom of intuitive movement. Enjoy the meditative flow of drawing, boost your hand-eye coordination, and watch your creativity spark in new directions.
Upcycle: May Day Bunting
Give new life to your favorite old clothes and fabric scraps—turn them into vibrant, personalized décor! Imagine transforming a beloved shirt you can’t part with, or a boldly patterned dress with a story, into a cheerful garland. Bring these special pieces to class, along with any leftover fabric from past projects, and let’s create a one-of-a-kind, mix-and-match bunting together. Brighten up your home or workspace with your own custom creation!
Upcycle: Soft Chains
Come build connections with us.
Hand or machine sew links from a mix of fabrics and upholstery cording. You can create a beautiful sculpture, whimsical garland or wearable piece! Students will learn various textile fabrication/piecing methods, durable connections, and all about turning fabric. Bring along your own sewing machine, we’ll have a couple available to borrow (request by email and we will try to accommodate.) If you have a fabric stash or pile of scraps, this is a great way to put them to use.
Carve-a-Bug, Print-a-bug
Do you love bugs? Have you ever looked closely at our tiniest critter friends? Have you examined the colors, patterns, and textures of the small creatures around us?
Here’s your chance to utilize your observation skills and put your Bug Eyes to work! Working alongside naturalist-artist Amy Mester, we will study the microscopic world of insects, magnifying their coolest features and representing them through printmaking. Using a variety of carving tools and ink, you will both learn and play, ending up with a batch of beautifully hand-carved prints suitable for the Queen Bee herself!
Upcycle: Soft Sculpture
Step into a world of creativity at our lively workshop, designed to spark your imagination and help you make something truly unique! Discover hands-on techniques for crafting soft sculptures as you experiment with shape, color, and texture. Whether you prefer hand sewing or want to bring your own sewing machine, you’ll find plenty of inspiration and support. We’ll provide a variety of textiles, but feel free to bring your favorite non-stretch cotton fabrics to add your personal touch.
Kite Building
Come play, build, and fly in this joyful kite-making workshop for youths, families, and curious adults. Together, we’ll explore the universal joy of kite flying, an art form and activity shared by cultures around the world.
Natural Dye: Creating a Spectrum
Immerse yourself in the art of natural dying by experimenting with three vibrant dye baths to create stunning color variations and ombré effects. Learn traditional techniques such as overdying and simple shibori to craft unique, beautiful patterns. Each student receives cotton fabric for hands-on exploration and may also bring an extra item, such as a t-shirt. Experience a day filled with creativity and inspiration—invite your friends and sign up now!
Botanical Hammering
In this class, you’ll create a unique wall tapestry by using botanical hammering to imprint the vibrant shapes and colors of fresh herbs and native plants onto natural muslin. We’ll gather our plant materials from the studio’s garden and nearby prairie, then use simple hammering techniques to transfer their beauty onto fabric, resulting in a one-of-a-kind botanical design.
Creating Connection: Bar & Fisherman’s Chain
Forget the torch and tank—unleash your creativity with cool chains that require no heat at all! Dive into the timeless art of cold-connection bar chain making, where you’ll learn clever techniques and discover playful variations to make your designs stand out. If you have a torch, you can expand on these ideas and explore even more possibilities with soldered chains. Walk away with hands-on samples, a finished chain, and a toolkit of inspiration.
Creating Connection: Forged Ring & Bangle Set
Need to take out some frustrations? Channel your energy and creativity into the fascinating world of metalsmithing! In this immersive class, you’ll dive deep into traditional metalsmithing techniques, mastering both soldering and a variety of forging methods. Under expert guidance, you’ll shape, join, and manipulate metal to design your own stunning set of bangles—each one reflecting your personal style.
Creating Connection: Tab Setting
We’ll begin the class by setting meaningful intentions for your creative process, drawing a parallel to metalsmithing, where intention shapes both the design and outcome of your work. In this class, we’ll explore the classic metalsmithing technique of tabs to connect alternative materials with metal. Along the way, you will also gain several other basic metalsmithing skills. Students are welcome to bring in materials or objects they would like to incorporate into their metal work, no bigger than approximately 1.5 x 1.5”, and we will have options available too. Students will leave with a finished pendant.
Creating Sacred Spaces
Join Treehaus Studio and Better Place Forest for a two-part ceramic workshop designed to guide you in creating a sacred space for healing rituals. The goal is to establish a physical location where healing is embraced rather than avoided.
Creating Connections: Keepsakes
Transform meaningful keepsakes into art by creating a stunning, tranquil wall hanging that tells your story. In this heartfelt workshop, you’ll design a personal piece using cherished objects, combined with a variety of provided materials. Learn to add gorgeous hammer textures to copper, saw and shape metal, and bring everything together with chain, wire, or cord. The result? A one-of-a-kind memory piece that radiates beauty, sentiment, and your own creative spirit.
Creating Sacred Spaces
Join Treehaus Studio and Better Place Forest for a two-part ceramic workshop designed to guide you in creating a sacred space for healing rituals. The goal is to establish a physical location where healing is embraced rather than avoided.
Cut Paper Painting
Join us in the studio for a fun and enjoyable workshop where we will turn ordinary scraps of paper into captivating images full of depth, texture, and personal stories. This collage method is easy to learn and accessible, even if you have limited space, and it repurposes scrap paper. If you're looking for a way to relax and unleash your creativity, this workshop is perfect for you.
Clay Sculpture - St. Croix River Turtles
The St. Croix and Namekagon rivers are home to eight species of turtles, which you can often see basking on rocks, logs, and along the shores. Join us for a two-part workshop where we will explore the turtles that inhabit the St. Croix River Valley and use that knowledge to create beautiful ceramic sculptures.
Ceramic Curio Shelf
In this hand-building ceramic workshop, we’ll use slabs and coils to create curiosity shelves, which provide a beautiful display for small, treasured nature collectibles.
Intro to Paintbrush Making
Join us for an exciting workshop that explores the artistry of traditional brush making! Discover both time-honored and modern techniques for crafting brushes using natural materials such as deer tail, human hair and horsehair.
Intuitive Paint and Stitch
Join us for a class that focuses on creating and enhancing painting surfaces using textiles. We will begin by drawing inspiration from our surroundings and observing the colors, lines, forms, and movements around us. Then, you can explore acrylic paint in a relaxed environment, painting freely and loosely on canvas. As the class progresses, you will incorporate textiles into your paintings.
Land Art: ALa Andy Goldsworthy
Andy Goldsworthy is one of our most well-known environmental artists. He has been engaged in outdoor art-making since the 1970s. His decades of practice have fostered a humble and sensitive attention to form, light, color, condition, and temporality. Like many land artists, he exclusively uses natural materials found at the site of his creations, avoiding glue, rope, or other artificial tools. This approach allows him to understand the intrinsic qualities of the natural materials.
Plein Air - Walk and Weave
We will begin the evening by constructing a loom frame using branches and twine. After learning some basic weaving techniques and examining various examples, we will pack into a Paddlefish Adventures van and head to Standing Cedars Land Conservancy to collect natural materials to create plein air weaving while walking along the beautiful paths. Long grasses, fallen twigs, colorful leaves, and textured bark will form a lovely composition. We will conclude back at Treehaus Studio with a fun show-and-tell, where we can share our unique, ephemeral weavings.
Sumac Branch Weaving
This introductory class on experimental weaving transforms ordinary sumac branches into looms. Participants will learn fundamental weaving techniques using up-cycled materials and found objects.
GIANT PUPPET MAKING with Sandy Spieler
Join us for a five-day puppet-making intensive led by Sandy Spieler, the Founder of In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre (HOBT)—a Minneapolis-Saint Paul area arts nonprofit. Participants will work alongside Sandy and learn a traditional building method using cornstarch, papier mache, and clay for a more detailed, fluid face or creature. Each participant will select a being from either forest, prairie, pond, river, or sky and work together to create a unified performance that celebrates the living beings at The Acreage. You will be invited to perform as a group during the annual fall celebration.
Embroidery - Natural Elements
If you're seeking a relaxing hobby, embroidery might be perfect. Join us at the Treehaus for a refreshing weekend of de-stressing.
The Giving Tree
Join us in the studio to create a vibrant homage to your favorite tree and all its life-giving qualities. Each student will be asked to bring a series of photographs of their favorite tree and its location. Be prepared to share memories or stories associated with the tree as a group and through your work. Together, we will learn who and what depends on that tree and its role in the ecosystem.
From there, students will work alongside artist Carrie Katzenmeyer to sketch and plan their paintings. Then, they will work through the steps to complete and share the final piece.
The Sketchbook Project
The Sketchbook Project encourages you to dedicate time each day to build a library of inspiration. It serves as a platform to process life, document your surroundings, and engage in play and experimentation.