SOUTHINGTON — Robert Riggs cut and mixed clay Tuesday, readying it for a class of children who will be learning about pottery next month.
The class is one of a half-dozen offerings for kids over the summer at Southington Community Cultural Arts, along with pottery and weaving opportunities for adults.
Summer workshops start July 8 and run into August.
While most adult programs break for the summer, there are still beginner pottery classes and open bench times.
Riggs said the group of potters working Tuesday want to continue through the summer. The open bench allows potters to come by the studio anytime from Monday to Saturday.
“It’s a great option for them to be able to work independently,” Riggs said. “They get to come in anytime that they want.”
Week-long classes for children include sculpting polymer clay, a favorite with kids looking to make animals or other miniatures, according to all-access art director Lauri MacLean. Other classes offered include teaching singing and songwriting to children, sculpture using metal objects and a smorgasbord week, which will include drawing, weaving and collage.
“Summer workshops at SOCCA. It’s the place to be if you’re young and creative, ” MacLean said.
In August, Jhenea Gooden is mixing recycling with art to create objects out of household items that would normally be thrown away. Bottle caps, cardboard tubes and other garbage can become creatures, sun catchers or robots.
“Everyday items become something else,” Gooden said.
She’s led similar art adventures at SOCCA.
In the upstairs weaving rooms, Ulla Budde instructed Joan Cockcroft on making a placemat. Adult weaving classes will continue through the summer and Cockcroft plans to continue making items for relatives.
She started about a year ago and praised Budde as a teacher.
“It’s just so relaxing,” Cockcroft said.
Classes for children ages 7 to 12 run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays. The cost is $210 per week for nonmembers and $195 per week for members.
For more information, call SOCCA at 860-276-1581.
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