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Your Wednesday nights are about to get a little more enchanting—and just a tad more refined. This summer, UAB Center for the Arts is serving up something delightfully extra: Whimsical Wednesdays: A Regency Summer at UAB’s ArtPlay, running June 10–July 15.
These once-a-week adult art classes, inspired by the Regency era, feature a new theme each Wednesday, from needlework to cookie decorating. Each session lets you gather, create and share a little creative “tea” inside UAB’s ArtPlay in Birmingham’s Southside—a historic Gilded Age home full of architectural charm. Honestly, the setting alone is worth the RSVP.
Read on for class details and registration—whether you join for one evening or all season long.
1. The Art of Stationery: A Regency Collage Atelier—June 10
Make handcrafted stationery at UAB’s ArtPlay. (Jacob Blankenship / Bham Now / UAB Center for the Arts)
Teaching Artist: Rachel Brockwell is a local fiber artist with 15 years of proficiency teaching a range of mediums, from crochet and knitting to collaging and paper crafts.
- What: Swap out emails and texts for something far more delightful: handwritten letters on beautiful stationery. In this workshop, you’ll use patterned paper scraps, handpicked keepsakes and artistic guidance to craft custom correspondence worthy of any society invitation. You’ll leave with a fully personalized set and plenty of inspiration to keep creating long after the session ends.
- When: Wednesday, June 10 | 6PM
- Where: UAB’s ArtPlay
- Cost: $50 | Register by Wed, June 3.
- Register
2. A Royal Affair: Delectable Designs in Icing—June 17
Your tea time guests won’t stop talking about the delicious cookies you make and decorate. (UAB Center for the Arts)
Teaching Arts: Francesca Scalici is a lifelong baker and owner of Francesca’s Kitchen, which she has run from her home for the past 10 years, serving up custom cookies for baby showers, birthdays, weddings and more.
- What: Afternoon tea deserves the perfect pairing: artfully-decorated cookies. In this beginner-friendly workshop, you’ll discover the essentials of decorating with royal icing while making lovely iced treats of your own. You’ll leave with stunning creations and a new skill that’s sure to impress your family and friends.
- When: Wed, June 17 | 6–8PM
- Where: UAB’s ArtPlay
- Cost: $50 | Register by Wed, June 10.
- Register
3. The Elegant Hand: An Introduction to Calligraphy—June 24
Teaching Artist: Carrie Towns is a Birmingham-based calligrapher and engraver with over a decade of expertise specializing in copperplate calligraphy and refined hand lettering.
- What: Elevate your handwriting in this introduction to the timeless art of calligraphy. You’ll explore foundational strokes and techniques that form the basis of elegant script—perfect for those juicy, tea-filled notes you’ll be inspired to send your friends after the summer’s must-attend soirées.
- When: Wed, June 24 | 6–8PM
- Where: UAB’s ArtPlay
- Cost: $50 | Register by Wed, June 17.
- Register
4. Stitches of the Season: Needlework for the Modern Aristocrat—July 8
Learn the calming art of needlepoint in this unique class at UAB’s ArtPlay. (Jacob Blankenship / Bham Now)
Teaching Artist: Rachel Brockwell is a Birmingham-based fiber artist with 15 years of work in crochet, knitting, collaging and paper crafts. Her work is rooted in sustainability and vegan values, often featuring recycled and reclaimed materials.
- What: Find out why needlepoint was a celebrated Regency-era pastime. You’ll be taught two essential stitches along with the practical skills to choose a canvas, read a pattern and start projects of your own long after class ends.
- When: Wed, July 8 | 6–8PM
- Where: UAB’s ArtPlay
- Cost: $50 | Register by Wed, July 1.
- Register
5. A Summer Promenade in Watercolor: Postcards of the Countryside—July 15
Paint a mini Victorian-inspired landscape in this Whimsical Wednesdays art class at UAB’s ArtPlay. (Jacob Blankenship / Bham Now)
Teaching Artist: Heather Hyatt is an art educator and artist with over two decades of teaching who’s passionate about helping students build confidence, find their artist voice and find joy in the artistic process.
- What: Victorian elegance meets the sweeping allure of the Regency era in this beginner-friendly class. Guided by a 19th-century-inspired palette, you’ll paint an atmospheric mini landscape on a postcard or memento to take home.
- When: Wed, July 15 | 6–8PM
- Where: UAB’s ArtPlay
- Cost: $50 | Register by Wed, July 8.
- Register
For more classes and programming, check out UAB Center for the Arts and see what hands-on experiences await you.
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