2024 Mini Workshops
This series of mini-workshops* is designed to be an affordable introduction to various useful and creative skills and techniques. Each short-term class costs only $50 per person, and the class size is limited.
*This mini-workshop project is supported in part by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts through a grant to The Rio Grande Rift Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting hands-on learning in the real world. Click HERE to make a donation to further this mission.
Applicants are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis upon receipt of tuition. Note: If you prefer to pay by check, please send in your check payable to The Rio Grande Rift Institute, PO Box 248, Dixon, NM 87527. To pay in cash, stop by the shop in Rinconada during open hours to register and pay in advance. These classes are expected to fill quickly, so early registration is necessary to secure your place.
Basic materials for use during the classes are included in the price of tuition.
April 20-21, 2024: Letter Carving in Stone with Instructor Mark Saxe will cover the basics of learning to carve beautiful lines, letters, and numbers in stone. Students will have the chance to practice carving a house number or word using a hammer and chisel and a slab of stone, which is theirs to take home. Hammers and chisels are available for purchase. This class is the perfect introduction to stone carving. Limit 7 students.
May 4-5, 2024: Introduction to Welding with Guest Instructor Peter McInerney will cover the fundamentals of MIG-welding. The material used for welding will be mild steel, and we will have both flux core (FCAW) and solid-wire (GMAW) machines running. The class will include demonstrations and hands-on practice, with a project piece (toolbox or similar) to take home. Limit 5 students.
May 18-19 (and optional 21) 2024: Mold Making in Concrete with Guest Instructor Petro Hul will cover the basics of designing and making rubber and plaster molds. Students will work together to create a bench mold and concrete bench, and in the process will learn the basics of making objects on their own using readily available materials. Day 1: Introduction to materials, one-piece and two-piece plaster molds, alginate casting of students’ hands for a take-home piece. Day 2: Building form for the bench, filling the forms with concrete, discussion of design, tinting, etc. Day 3: (optional): Open the form. Plan installation. Limit 7 students.