Chesterfield Arts Starts Spring Classes

Six students filed into the pottery classroom at Tuesday night for their first pottery class of the year. A few of them sat down behind a wheel right away—they had taken the class before and were eager to get started.

The instructor, Angela Mircsov, passed around blocks of clay, and within moments wheels were whirring. After she got the two rookies up to speed, they dove right in as well.

The class was third to fifth grade pottery, one of the many arts classes that Chesterfield Arts offers throughout the year. This week was the first of the spring session—classes were supposed to start at the beginning of February, but most were cancelled because of the icy weather.

Classes cover drawing, painting, sculpture, pottery and theatre and are divided by grade level. The older the students, the more specific and advanced the classes get. Younger kids have a class in painting and drawing, while adults choose from classes that focus on pastels, illustration, oils or watercolors.

"We have the same local artists that teach the adult classes, so they have their followings, and a lot of people just continue to take the course," said Annie Spiller, education and outreach coordinator for Chesterfield Arts.

Adult classes are mostly on Wednesday evenings, while the kids' classes are spread through the week, with kindergarteners on Saturdays and sixth through eighth graders on Thursdays.

Angela Mircsov, instructor for the third through fifth grade pottery class, said she tries above all to give the students an experience that goes beyond what they get in school. By the end of the course, each of them will have 10 to 15 pieces of pottery to take home, including a final project that is more than 6 inches tall, which is built partially on the wheel and partially by hand.

Sophie Orlet, a fifth grader at Shenandoah Elementary, has taken the pottery class twice before. She said she enjoys it because she finds the wheel relaxing and fun.

"I like that you can make your own stuff and no one's judgemental, like at school," she said.

Olivia Pawlikowski, a third grader at Geggie Elementary, said this is her second time at the wheel, and she has also taken other art and acting classes at Chesterfield Arts.

"I like it because I can make my own art and make new friends," she said. "Every class there's a new teacher so you get to meet new people. It's really fun."

Even though the first session of spring classes is already under way, there is still time to sign up for the second session, which starts mid-March. Visit Chesterfield Arts' website for a full list of classes and to register.