Upper School Intersession 2025

In this hands-on workshop, you'll step into the role of both artist and scientist. After an introduction to the field of scientific illustration, you’ll get a crash course in botanical art — working with graphite pencils to sketch a chosen plant specimen. To capture its most intricate details, you'll use a Foldscope, a paper microscope (that you can take home after the session), to explore your plant at the microscopic level. This tool will allow you to observe elements like pollen and stomata, which you can add to your botanical composition.

Scientific illustration bridges art and science, helping to communicate and document nature's beauty and complexity. From its roots in early natural history to modern uses in conservation and education, this field brings visibility to the unseen and often unnoticed details of our world.

Foldscope is the paper microscope that began as an idea to make science more accessible. Since its invention at Stanford nearly 10 years ago, Foldscopes have reached over 2 million people and found applications in a variety of settings. Foldscope’s accessible design reminds us that scientific observation isn’t limited to professionals; it’s a universal skill rooted in curiosity and the desire to understand our world.

Participants will be able to keep their Foldscope after the session. No prerequisite skills or knowledge required to participate.

Create your own hot glass experience in this hands-on hot glass class. Blow, shape, and color your project. Explore the technical and the artistic basics of glass working in this fast-paced beginner's class.

In this 2.5 hour activity, you'll learn the basics of small-scale metalworking using a variety of tools! You'll get an introduction to the world of soldering, shaping, and polishing metal to create little pieces of wearable art!

No experience whatsoever is necessary, but come with some idea of what you want to make, closed-toed shoes, and no flowy sleeves! Or, if you DO have experience from a past Jewelry Intersession or a WoW Workshop, you'll have the freedom to explore techniques you already know, get instruction on anything more advanced, or ask for advice on anything you're working on!

Interested in a longer, more in-depth course where we'll get more practice and get to cover things more thoroughly? Check out the 5 hour In-depth version of this class!

Landscape architecture is the study and practice of designing environments (outdoors & indoors) of varying scale that encompasses elements of art, environment, architecture, engineering, and sociology. Learn about key concepts in large-scale landscape design with Chungpo who runs a landscape architecture firm with major projects in the U.S. and China. He'll share the design process with real examples from site visits to construction completion. You'll learn about the tools and softwares that landscape architects use and you'll get a change to practice with a small design exercise.

Learn how to create realistic wounds for Film and Television. Join Makeup Artist Elizabeth Fox as we use professional grade products to make cuts, bruises and multiple other gore and wounds. Elizabeth will show you how to navigate using the correct product for the job. We will use silicone build ups for scaring and cuts, bruise wheels and tattoo palates to make burns and bruises and learn on set blood techniques, using multiple fake blood products. A small makeup FX kit will be provided.

Students will learn the techniques of screen printing including screen preparation, using a manual printing press, printing a single color. Students will take their completed T-shirts home as well as their screens. Students will need to have an image ready in advance of class; image specifications to be provided.

Students will learn the fundamentals of stained glass to create a small stained glass suncatcher. In this all-day intensive, students will learn how to:
- use glass cutting tools and glass grinders
- cut specific shapes out of art glass
- choose from a dozen design templates
- choose from a large assortment of colorful art glass
- cut each shape to the pattern
- copper foil each piece
- solder pieces together to complete pattern

Please note, students will be cutting glass and creating lots of shards. Also, they will be using hot soldering irons. Safety protocols will be addressed at the start of class. Safety goggles, bandaids and gloves will be provided. Please note: we will be using leaded solder (tin 60%, lead 40%) and chemicals such are flux and patina.

Students will take home their project at end of seminar.

Cartoons are not just funny, they can be profound, disturbing, illuminating and always entertaining. David Horsey, who has won two Pulitzer Prizes for his editorial cartoons and has produced a nationally-syndicated cartoon strip, will lead a hands-on workshop looking at the many types of cartooning, from comics and graphic novels to animation and political cartoons. He will demonstrate how he creates his work and students will draw their own cartoons during the session. There will be a lively discussion of all things cartoonish. Students are encouraged to bring their own finished drawings for a critique or share examples of cartoons that they read and admire.

Create your own hot glass experience in this hands-on hot glass class. Blow, shape, and color your project. Explore the technical and the artistic basics of glass working in this fast-paced beginner's class.

In this 2.5 hour activity, you'll learn the basics of small-scale metalworking using a variety of tools! You'll get an introduction to the world of soldering, shaping, and polishing metal to create little pieces of wearable art!

No experience whatsoever is necessary, but come with some idea of what you want to make, closed-toed shoes, and no flowy sleeves! Or, if you DO have experience from a past Jewelry Intersession or a WoW Workshop, you'll have the freedom to explore techniques you already know, get instruction on anything more advanced, or ask for advice on anything you're working on!

Interested in a longer, more in-depth course where we'll get more practice and get to cover things more thoroughly? Check out the 5 hour In-depth version of this class!

Learn how to knit or work on your stitches! This class is designed for both beginners, who want to be able to knit basic stitches to create projects of all types, and experienced knitters who want support as they work through a project. Students will learn how to cast on, knit, purl and cast off as well as important techniques of how to back out of your work to fix mistakes. In addition, knitting has a language all its own and some of this will be taught so the students can confidently buy their own yarn and read simple patterns. Useful handouts will be provided. Time will be given to practice and students will be able to take their work home for the evening and when the class is done. No experience necessary to take this class. Supplies will be included.

This class is offered twice; students are welcome to attend both if they want more knitting time.

This Makeup class is open to EVERYONE who wants a chance to play with makeup and explore creative boundary breaking looks! Today, Makeup is all about artistic expression and changing the rules so come to learn new techniques and explore your artistry. This class will concentrate on colors and playing with the eyes and appliqués. This fully inclusive class (everyone is welcome) will show you looks from TV shows and campaigns that are proving that makeup is a form of art than anyone can do. Bring your makeup kit and brushes (or just your creative self).   A small makeup kit will be provided.