Happy New Makin’ Year from the Claremont MakerSpace
Greetings Upper Valley Makers:
We hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season, and we wish you all happy and healthy New Year full of learning and Making. What better way to start the new year than with some hands on experiential learning at the Claremont MakerSpace! Check out our early 2024 class lineup below.
For most classes and events, CMS MEMBERSHIP IS NOT REQUIRED. That said, members receive early access to class registration, a discount on registration fees, and there are some classes/events that are exclusively available to members only (this will be clearly noted in the event description).
Class policies (liability waiver, withdrawal, cancellation, etc.) can be found here.
Instructors: Interested in teaching a class at CMS? Please fill out our Class Proposal Form.
Tours: Want to see what the Claremont MakerSpace is all about? Contact Us to schedule your tour where you can learn about all the awesome tools that the CMS offers access to, as well as how membership, classes, and studio spaces work.
Upcoming Events
Events that are currently open for registration.
January Open Electronics Meetup
Jan. 16, 2024 6 p.m. — 9 p.m.
Bring your electronics projects and supplies and have fun visiting with other Electronics Enthusiasts. Work on your projects in our stocked Electronics and Digital Fabrication Lab. In addition to the MakerSpace’s soldering irons, diagnostic tools, and parts library, there will be some LED soldering kits and soldering irons available for purchase as well.
Hang out, finish your projects, think about future projects, and just enjoy being around other electronics enthusiasts.
Tiffany, the electronics shop lead, will be available to help you set up, find parts, and offer support.
Age requirement: Youth and adult (15 years and older). Under 15 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian partner.
Class Fees: Free for members and $5 for non-members.
Materials Fee: None (LED soldering kits and personal soldering irons are available onsite for purchase
New Year, New Skill! Make a basic cutting board
Jan. 18, 2024 6 p.m. — Jan. 25, 2024 8:30 p.m.
Would you like to learn how to use basic shop machinery to make a lovely hardwood serving/cutting board? Then this is the course for you. Starting with raw lumber you will learn how to make a useful and beautiful piece that can serve you or a special friend for years to come.
You will learn about wood selection, milling it “foursquare”, and designing a layout. Then you will practice gluing it up and sanding it (wet and dry) before applying mineral oil and beeswax.
All tools, materials, and safety gear will be provided – though, students are welcome to bring their own tools and gear.
About the Instructor(s): Peter Gunn is a long time high school history teacher who loves wood from trees to the table. Eight years ago he began taking woodworking courses and has been practicing steadily ever since. He loves working on the lathe and with the jointer and planer to reveal the beauty of wood and make useful things. Learning to make a cutting board encouraged him to develop his skills and nurtured his appreciation of what wood can become. During the holidays in 2020, when Covid altered so much of our world, he began making cutting/serving boards to raise money for local food pantries. Almost three years and over two hundred boards later, he is excited to share his knowledge. He hopes people will enjoy making something uniquely beautiful and growing their skills and self-confidence in the process.
***This class meets twice***
January 18, 2024 6pm-8:30pm
AND
January 25, 2024 6pm-8:30pm
With a snow-day scheduled for February 1, 2024 6pm-8:30pm
Class Fees: $60 CMS members/ $75 non-members
Materials Fee: Included in class fee
Prerequisite(s): none
Skill Level: Beginner
Age requirement: Any age (children under 16 years old must be accompanied by their adult)
Intro to MIG Welding
Jan. 25, 2024 5:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.
Thinking about trying out MIG welding? This is an introductory workshop in learning, safety, tools and techniques in MIG welding. No experience required.
Must provide your own safety glasses, leather work shoes and leather gloves. Helmets, jackets and materials will be provided.
Students will:
. Learn about safety in the metal shop and welding studio
. Learn about MIG welding equipment and materials to be used
. Use the MIG welding equipment to spot weld, draw a bead and join two prices of metal
About the Instructors: Jo Ann Clifford is a Master Teacher and Metal Artist. She has been creating metal Art in her home studio and at The Claremont Maker Space for several years. She is a past Artist In Residence at CMS and has shown her work regionally. She loves to teach and inspire others to try something new in a fun and supportive environment.
Class Fees: $65 non-members, $45 members.
Materials Fee: Materials will be provided.
You must be at least 18 years old in order to register for this class.
Make Something Special – Build a basic cutting board
Feb. 3, 2024 12:30 p.m. — Feb. 4, 2024 3:30 p.m.
Would you like to learn how to use basic shop machinery to make a lovely hardwood serving/cutting board? Then this is the course for you. Starting with raw lumber you will learn how to make a useful and beautiful piece that can serve you or a special friend for years to come.
You will learn about wood selection, milling it “foursquare”, and designing a layout. Then you will practice gluing it up and sanding it (wet and dry) before applying mineral oil and beeswax.
All tools, materials, and safety gear will be provided – though, students are welcome to bring their own tools and gear.
About the Instructor(s): Peter Gunn is a long time high school history teacher who loves wood from trees to the table. Eight years ago he began taking woodworking courses and has been practicing steadily ever since. He loves working on the lathe and with the jointer and planer to reveal the beauty of wood and make useful things. Learning to make a cutting board encouraged him to develop his skills and nurtured his appreciation of what wood can become. During the holidays in 2020, when Covid altered so much of our world, he began making cutting/serving boards to raise money for local food pantries. Almost three years and over two hundred boards later, he is excited to share his knowledge. He hopes people will enjoy making something uniquely beautiful and growing their skills and self-confidence in the process.
***This class meets twice***
Saturday, February 3, 2024 12:30pm -3:30pm
AND
Sunday, February 4, 6pm-8:30pm
With a snow-day scheduled for February 1, 2024 12:30pm – 3:30pm
Class Fees: $60 CMS members/ $75 non-members
Materials Fee: Included in class fee
Prerequisite(s): none
Skill Level: Beginner
Age requirement: Any age (children under 16 years old must be accompanied by their adult)
Let’s Create! Using Repurposed metal to create Art
Feb. 10, 2024 1 p.m. — 4 p.m.
Prerequisite: Intro to MIG welding class.
In this class you will create a fun& whimsical introductory metal art project using mostly repurposed/scrap metal. You will learn to see shapes and textures of metal objects through a new set of lenses. You will have instruction/ guidance on safe use of various metal shop tools to shape and refine your creations. You will use the MIG welding skills learned in the previous class to connect the parts of your project. The instructor will present a couple of introductory level projects to choose from.
Students must bring to class: leather work boots, leather gloves and safety glasses that fit
About the Instructors:
Jo Ann Clifford is a Master Teacher and Metal Artist. She has been creating metal Art in her home studio and at The Claremont Maker Space for several years. She is a past Artist In Residence at CMS and has shown her work regionally. She loves to teach and inspire others to try something new in a fun and supportive environment.
Class Fees: $60 non-members, $40 members.
Materials Fee: $15 materials fee to be collected by the instructor at class time.
Prerequisite: Must have completed Intro to MIG Welding at the Claremont MakerSpace.
You must be at least 18 years old in order to register for this class.
Intro to MIG Welding
March 7, 2024 5:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.
Thinking about trying out MIG welding? This is an introductory workshop in learning, safety, tools and techniques in MIG welding. No experience required.
Must provide your own safety glasses, leather work shoes and leather gloves. Helmets, jackets and materials will be provided.
Students will:
. Learn about safety in the metal shop and welding studio
. Learn about MIG welding equipment and materials to be used
. Use the MIG welding equipment to spot weld, draw a bead and join two prices of metal
About the Instructors: Jo Ann Clifford is a Master Teacher and Metal Artist. She has been creating metal Art in her home studio and at The Claremont Maker Space for several years. She is a past Artist In Residence at CMS and has shown her work regionally. She loves to teach and inspire others to try something new in a fun and supportive environment.
Class Fees: $65 non-members, $45 members.
Materials Fee: Materials will be provided.
You must be at least 18 years old in order to register for this class.
Introduction to Photography: Everything you need to know to start taking amazing photos!
March 9, 2024 11 a.m. — April 6, 2024 1:30 p.m.
Join us for an immersive journey into the fascinating world of photography. This introductory course is designed for beginners eager to explore the art and science behind capturing captivating images. Through a combination of theory and hands-on practice, you’ll gain a solid understanding of fundamental photographic principles and techniques.
Students need to bring a DSLR or a camera with changeable lenses
****THIS CLASS MEETS FOR THREE SESSIONS****
March 9, 2024 11:00am to 1:30pm
March 23, 2024 11:00am to 1:30pm
April 6, 2024 11:00am to 1:30pm
Course Syllabus
Session 1: The Basics of Photography and Visual Storytelling (2 hours)
Understanding your camera: Explore different camera types, their components, and basic functionalities.
Exposure triangle: Delve into the relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO for achieving well-exposed photographs.
Composition techniques: Discover the rule of thirds, leading lines, framing, and other composition principles to create visually compelling images with narrative potential.
Introduction to storytelling: Understand how photography can convey stories, emotions, and messages through imagery.
Hands-on practice: Engage in practical exercises focusing on capturing images that tell a story or evoke emotions.
Session 2: Lighting, Genre Exploration, and Image Selection (2 hours)
Reviewing captured images: Analyze and discuss the images taken during the previous session, emphasizing storytelling elements.
Lighting fundamentals: Explore the impact of natural and artificial light on storytelling in photography and techniques for utilizing light to enhance narratives.
Portrait and landscape photography: Introduction to different genres and their specific considerations in storytelling.
Continued hands-on practice: Apply techniques discussed, focusing on storytelling through images suitable for printing, and receive guidance from the instructor.
Selecting images for printing: Learn about the process of selecting images suitable for printing and preparing them for the print.
Session 3: Printing, Photo Editing, Story Development, and Critique (2 hours)
Printing workshop: Introduction to basic printing techniques; select images for printing and learn about the printing process.
Introduction to photo editors: Explore basic photo editing tools and techniques to enhance images for storytelling purposes.
Story development: Understand the narrative potential within a series of images, sequencing, and creating a visual story suitable for printing.
Critique session: Share and discuss your visual stories, review printed photographs, edited images, receive constructive feedback on storytelling aspects, and learn from peers.
About the Instructor(s):
After graduating with a fine arts minor and assisting in teaching photography classes during his undergrad. He transitioned into a role as a photographer and social media manager in a college communications department. After a few years, he has rediscovered his passion to teach. He’s now back as a part-time photographer, driven by his love for teaching and sharing expertise in photography.
Class Fees: $120/Members, $160 Nonmembers
Materials Fee: $10 (included in the class fee)
Prerequisite(s): none
Skill Level: beginner
Age requirement: 15 years and up
Let’s Create! Using Repurposed metal to create Art
March 28, 2024 1 p.m. — 4 p.m.
Prerequisite: Intro to MIG welding class.
In this class you will create a fun& whimsical introductory metal art project using mostly repurposed/scrap metal. You will learn to see shapes and textures of metal objects through a new set of lenses. You will have instruction/ guidance on safe use of various metal shop tools to shape and refine your creations. You will use the MIG welding skills learned in the previous class to connect the parts of your project. The instructor will present a couple of introductory level projects to choose from.
Students must bring to class: leather work boots, leather gloves and safety glasses that fit
About the Instructors:
Jo Ann Clifford is a Master Teacher and Metal Artist. She has been creating metal Art in her home studio and at The Claremont Maker Space for several years. She is a past Artist In Residence at CMS and has shown her work regionally. She loves to teach and inspire others to try something new in a fun and supportive environment.
Class Fees: $60 non-members, $40 members.
Materials Fee: $15 materials fee to be collected by the instructor at class time.
Prerequisite: Must have completed Intro to MIG Welding at the Claremont MakerSpace.
You must be at least 18 years old in order to register for this class.
Missed Opportunities
These classes are currently full at time of writing. If you are interested, please check the event’s page; spots occasionally open up. Keep an eye on this newsletter to see when these classes are offered again.
Intro to MIG Welding
Jan. 4, 2024 5:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.
Happy Makin’!
We are grateful for all of the public support that our 501(c)(3), non-profit organization receives. If you’d like to make a donation,please visit the Support Us page of our website.