"Craft Time" for the rest of us

When we offer various craft programs for children, we often get adult patrons saying that they would love to participate. While there aren't currently plans to have glitter and glue sticks available to the over-18 set, there are plenty of opportunities around town to either make something neat or watch creation in action.

One of the most well-known is the Shidoni Gallery and Foundry in Tesuque. You have the opportunity to see bronze art casting in action, tour through the finished products in the sculpture garden, or use the foundry yourself to create something wonderful. If you're not quite ready to take on bronzing, Santa Fe Clay offers workshops and classes for all ages and abilities in the ceramic arts. Located in the Railyard District, they also have a gallery so you can gaze at other works for inspiration. For those of a more translucent bent, Bullseye Resource Center offers presentations and classes in working with glass. You can spend an afternoon watching experienced glassworkers showcase their talents or enroll in a workshop to create something of your own.

If you'd like to create something but don't want to get your hands dirty, the Santa Fe School of Weaving at Miriam's Well offers classes in weaving for all abilities and a knitting salon on Sundays. They have yarn and finished works by fiber artists for sale. For those of you who have always wanted to see your name in print, Santa Fe is home to a plethora of writers' groups and workshops. Among them is Wordharvest, which offers workshops on everything from writing your first chapter to selling your finished work. After all that casting and spinning and firing and knitting and writing, you and your family might be hungry. Thankfully, the Santa Fe School of Cooking also offers classes for all ages, and restaurant tours for the really hungry.

Santa Fe Creative Tourism has even more resources for experiencing your crafty side whether you're a visitor or resident. So feel free to bring the kids to the library's programs, and you don't have to feel as if you're missing out at all!