Arts Enrichment Programs

The Art Enrichment Program is free to all participants and is designed to engage children and adults in fresh approaches to creating art while keeping sustainability at the forefront of the curriculum.

Adult Art Enrichment: Clay Exploration

AGES 18+

In this class, participants will explore a range of handbuilding techniques, gaining hands-on experience with the fundamentals of working with clay manually. The goal is to encourage personal expression and imagination through the tactile process of handbuilding.

Instructor: Ricky Blanding
Ricky Blanding has studied ceramics and pottery for over 17 years and has been teaching clay and other mediums since 2011. A former fabrication artist at Pewabic Pottery, Ricky now runs Ricky Blanding Ceramics, creating commissioned works, sculptures, and small-batch pottery. He is passionate about fostering creativity and self-discovery through clay and sustainability.

Ricky shares this about his work: "Through my process, I strive to develop my own critical thinking, research, and experimentation skills. I also seek to stay true to myself, even when navigating the intersection of two worlds often seen as separate—Science and Art."

Ricky is also the founder of Scrap Soils, a Detroit-based nonprofit focused on composting.

**The first week of class will take place at:
Hope For Flowers
119 GARFIELD ST.
SUITE 500
DETROIT, MI 48201

**The remaining three weeks may be held at Ricky's ceramics studio, pending agreement from all participants. Ricky will discuss the benefits and considerations of this location change during the first class meeting.

Classes will be held on Thursdays 6:00-8:00pm:
February 20 & 27
March 6 & 13

FREE & OPEN TO DETROIT, HIGHLAND PARK AND HAMTRAMCK RESIDENTS ONLY

This class is currently full! To join the waitlist, please email us at artisanstudio@hopeforflowers.com.

Youth Art Enrichment

AGES 7-12

These FREE art classes are designed for children ages 7 to 12 who attend Detroit, Highland Park, or Hamtramck Public or Charter Schools, or who are homeschooled in these cities. The classes focus on fostering creativity and developing new artistic skills while emphasizing the importance of "reduce, reuse, and recycle" in every lesson. The goal of the Hope for Flowers Youth Art Enrichment program is to nurture the creative talents of young people in our community while raising their awareness of sustainable living practices. .

Location:
Hope For Flowers
119 GARFIELD ST.
SUITE 500
DETROIT, MI 48201
*West side of the Freelon building on the plaza

Classes meet for nine weeks on Saturdays:
January 11 - March 8, 2025

Morning Session Available: 10:00-11:30 AM
**Afternoon Session Filled

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED!

"Through our Art Enrichment Program, we hope to expand the possibilities that children see for themselves. We want to help them ‘color their worlds.’ I believe that experiencing the arts enhances our view of the world and our place in it, and gives us agency to create rich and vibrant lives."

- TRACY REESE

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