Art in Community WBCA Members' Exhibition Now on View Upcoming events She Loves me The Holiday Musical Dec. 1-20 || LakeshorePlayers.org She Loves Me December 1-20 The Hanif Performing Arts Center This charming, holiday musical shares inspiration with the beloved films You've Got Mail and The Shop around the Corner. This holiday romance will leave your heart full all holiday season long! Elf Jr. December 8-December 17, 2023 Lakes International Language Academy (LILA) Upper Campus, Forest Lake Join Buddy the Elf in his quest to find his true identity. Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list and that his half-brother doesn't even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. CART Observational Drawing Tuesday, January 23-February 27 White Bear Center for the Arts Designed to provide a solid foundation in observational drawing, this series with Jessica Turtle introduces the materials, and techniques White Bear Center for the Arts' Members Exhibition opened on November 13 with a record breaking 245 pieces of artwork on display. Each piece was created by a different artist, and all artists are members of White Bear Center for the Arts, making it an incredible display of local creativity. The show spills out of the Ford Family Gallery into the Exhibition Hall and atrium, filling the art center with motion and color. Find textiles, ceramic art, paintings. drawings, photographs, and more lining the walls, telling the stories of an entire arts community. "This show is a celebration of our members, with each piece offering a window into their diverse talents, creativity. and dedication," said Sara Nephew, WBCA's Creative Services Director. "Cheers to the artists, the heart and soul of our treasured community. The show is on display now through January 17, 2024, and is free for all. The Community Reception & Holiday Reception for the show will be held on Thursday, December 7 from 3:30-8:30 PM. Woodfire Exploration On a farm in Hudson Wisconsin, at the home of local potter Zac Spates, sits a kiln. It's a large, handbuilt, hut-like structure around five feet tall. And a few times a year, it fires hundreds and hundreds of pieces of pottery by the heat of burning wood. Zac Spates built this anagama woodfire kiln seven years ago with the help of friends, from a mixture of hard firebrick and high temperature cast cement. About once a year, Zac Spates offers his Woodfire Exploration class through White Bear Center for the Arts, in order to teach the firing process. This fall, WBCA students had the chance to visit Zac's studio, and try their hand at firing the kiln. The process started in September when students got to work throwing mugs and plates and vases on the wheel in preparation for the event. After glazing their pieces, the students headed to Zac's farm to begin the 48-hour endeavor of firing the kiln. "Firing is my favorite part of the process" Zac said in a conversation with White Bear Center for the Arts. "It's always such an excitement to go from unfired pots to opening the kiln to brand new finished pots that are always different. Over the course of 48 hours, students stoked the kiln with pine, oak, and a smattering of other hardwoods, and the kiln reached 2,200 degrees fahrenheit. Each firing produces different colors and patterns from the wood ash, flame, heat and oxygen, so each piece is unique. Student Kerrie Walters learned about White Bear Center for the Arts for the first time through this class, after searching for woodfire experiences in the area. "It was special to see the pots every time you opened up the kiln to stoke the fire, Kerrie said. "It makes you closer to all steps in the process of creating ceramics." In the end, students came away with one-of-a-kind pieces of woodfired pottery, as well as the unique experience of stoking the kiln with wood hour after hour, and watching as their pieces transform in the heat of the kiln. "The labor involved in firing is completely different from turning on an electric or gas kiln," Zac said. Zac values sharing this firing experience with the broader clay community. "I've always wanted to share the process because I believe it's important for someone doing pottery to understand other processes, he said. "There's no better way than to experience it yourself." Art in Community WBCA Members ' Exhibition Now on View Upcoming events She Loves me The Holiday Musical Dec. 1-20 || LakeshorePlayers.org She Loves Me December 1-20 The Hanif Performing Arts Center This charming , holiday musical shares inspiration with the beloved films You've Got Mail and The Shop around the Corner . This holiday romance will leave your heart full all holiday season long ! Elf Jr. December 8 - December 17 , 2023 Lakes International Language Academy ( LILA ) Upper Campus , Forest Lake Join Buddy the Elf in his quest to find his true identity . Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list and that his half - brother doesn't even believe in Santa , Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas . CART Observational Drawing Tuesday , January 23 - February 27 White Bear Center for the Arts Designed to provide a solid foundation in observational drawing , this series with Jessica Turtle introduces the materials , and techniques White Bear Center for the Arts ' Members Exhibition opened on November 13 with a record breaking 245 pieces of artwork on display . Each piece was created by a different artist , and all artists are members of White Bear Center for the Arts , making it an incredible display of local creativity . The show spills out of the Ford Family Gallery into the Exhibition Hall and atrium , filling the art center with motion and color . Find textiles , ceramic art , paintings . drawings , photographs , and more lining the walls , telling the stories of an entire arts community . " This show is a celebration of our members , with each piece offering a window into their diverse talents , creativity . and dedication , " said Sara Nephew , WBCA's Creative Services Director . " Cheers to the artists , the heart and soul of our treasured community . The show is on display now through January 17 , 2024 , and is free for all . The Community Reception & Holiday Reception for the show will be held on Thursday , December 7 from 3 : 30-8 : 30 PM . Woodfire Exploration On a farm in Hudson Wisconsin , at the home of local potter Zac Spates , sits a kiln . It's a large , handbuilt , hut - like structure around five feet tall . And a few times a year , it fires hundreds and hundreds of pieces of pottery by the heat of burning wood . Zac Spates built this anagama woodfire kiln seven years ago with the help of friends , from a mixture of hard firebrick and high temperature cast cement . About once a year , Zac Spates offers his Woodfire Exploration class through White Bear Center for the Arts , in order to teach the firing process . This fall , WBCA students had the chance to visit Zac's studio , and try their hand at firing the kiln . The process started in September when students got to work throwing mugs and plates and vases on the wheel in preparation for the event . After glazing their pieces , the students headed to Zac's farm to begin the 48 - hour endeavor of firing the kiln . " Firing is my favorite part of the process " Zac said in a conversation with White Bear Center for the Arts . " It's always such an excitement to go from unfired pots to opening the kiln to brand new finished pots that are always different . Over the course of 48 hours , students stoked the kiln with pine , oak , and a smattering of other hardwoods , and the kiln reached 2,200 degrees fahrenheit . Each firing produces different colors and patterns from the wood ash , flame , heat and oxygen , so each piece is unique . Student Kerrie Walters learned about White Bear Center for the Arts for the first time through this class , after searching for woodfire experiences in the area . " It was special to see the pots every time you opened up the kiln to stoke the fire , Kerrie said . " It makes you closer to all steps in the process of creating ceramics . " In the end , students came away with one - of - a - kind pieces of woodfired pottery , as well as the unique experience of stoking the kiln with wood hour after hour , and watching as their pieces transform in the heat of the kiln . " The labor involved in firing is completely different from turning on an electric or gas kiln , " Zac said . Zac values sharing this firing experience with the broader clay community . " I've always wanted to share the process because I believe it's important for someone doing pottery to understand other processes , he said . " There's no better way than to experience it yourself . "