Illuminating Invasion: Buckthorn Wands & Casting Beeswax
Sat, May 23 & Sun, May 24: Noon - 3 PM
How are we to feel about the tenacious stands of buckthorn and the honeybee colonies competing with native pollinators?
In this 2-day candle making workshop we will sit with such questions as we carve buckthorn saved from burn piles and create molds that will be used to cast beeswax taper candles.
Day 1: Develop your carving skills, by the end of the class we’ll mix and pour silicone around the carvings.
Day 2: We cut open our molds, extract the wooden wands, and cast beeswax in the space left behind. Silicone captures incredible detail making the candles utilitarian objects that archive two fraught species and sapien handcraft.
Tuition: $120 per participant
Materials Fee: $40 to be paid to instructor (wax, mold, wick)
Optional Tools to Bring: Carving knives provided. Bring your own if you have one.
Age / Ability Level: This class is open to any person with general hand dexterity. For participants under the age of 18, parent permission is required.
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Participants will learn to safely carve wood using a Morakniv and draw knives and will leave the class with a high-quality silicone candlemold, 2 candles, candlewick, resources for purchasing beeswax, and an instruction manual for candlemaking at home.
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CENTER FOR PEOPLE AND CRAFT is committed to building a diverse, inclusive learning community where people of all backgrounds feel welcome and able to participate. As we launch our first workshop series, we are dedicating space in each class for reduced-tuition scholarships to support anyone facing financial barriers. As we build a more robust scholarship program, we hope this initial launch will remove barriers and expand access to hands-on learning for all.
Anyone with financial need is encouraged to apply for a half-tuition scholarship. To be considered, please submit a brief online application. Please note that CENTER FOR PEOPLE AND CRAFT is operating with limited financial resources and an entirely volunteer staff. Therefore, we cannot guarantee a spot for every applicant. Each class has one scholarship slot available. Applicants who are not selected in this current round are welcome to reapply. Apply here
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Description text goes herPC is able to provide refunds up to two weeks before the start date of the class for which the registration was submitted, though we do retain a $20 fee for return payment processing. If you need to cancel your class within the two week window, a refund is not guaranteed, but will be considered based on several factors.
If CPC needs to cancel a class due to low enrollment, teacher illness, or other factors, you will receive a full refund. Read our full set of policies.
meet your instructor
Cal Stalvig (Afro-Norsq) brings an animist practice rooted in rural and urban landscapes, ritual, and craft — his work reflects an entwined relationship with Gitch-gaami/Lake Superior, Mississippi River, and a deep curiosity about ecology, ancestry, and transformation. Cal sees traditional craft as modern technology for collective survival, storytelling, cultural renewal and transmission. @boyboyblackbear