Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced craftsperson, you are in for an incredibly fun and creative time with more than 30 nature-based workshops to choose from, and talented instructors who love returning to the gathering to share their creativity. Create rustic furniture from sturdy benches to whimsical side tables, garden-inspired pottery, or leather projects; try your hand at blacksmithing and paper crafts, and explore ways to upcycle and reclaim items for art and sustainability. Start your days with morning coffee and treats on the Art Cafe patio, enjoy daily lunches on the Green, and browse the incredible Woodlanders Silent Auction featuring rustic arts, nature crafts, books, tools, and more (donated by instructors and students!) benefitting Shake Rag Alley’s mission. Take time to relax, soak up the sunshine, enjoy the company of a great group of nature-loving folks, and discover the magic of Shake Rag Alley’s lush gardens, tall trees, historic buildings, and natural spring-fed stream. We can’t wait to welcome you!
Come for a day, two, or all three and have the time of your life!
As one of the founding members of the Mississippi River Sampler Guild and later a member of the Textile Artists of Greater Yellowstone, Zann Liljegren has been creating and teaching hand embroidery of all kinds for 30 years. Working with antique samplers also allowed her to learn textile preservation. She has previously taught Sashiko for Shake Rag as well as how to use the simple running stitch to create small, beautiful works of art. She is a retired psychotherapist and adds those skills to helping students move through their creative blocks. This year she is branching out into traditional rug hooking.
Workshops
Carole Spelić grew up with educator parents and no television, so since childhood she’s been making things in 2D and 3D. She graduated from Bates College (ME) with a BA in Fine Art and earned her MA and MFA from the University at Albany (NY). After graduate school, Carole lived in Manhattan, New York City for 17 years where she was assistant coordinator for the state university system’s Studio Semester in New York program.
She’s retired from her Senior Lecturer position in the Art area at the University of Wisconsin – Platteville as well as from being Program Director with Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts, and is now enjoying life as a full-time artist, musician, workshop leader, and gallerist. Carole and her partner, painter Richard Moninski, own and operate Green Lantern Studios, a gallery of fine art and handicrafts in Mineral Point.
Recent exhibitions include work at the Museum of Wisconsin Art (West Bend), The Pump House (La Crosse), the Nohr Gallery (Platteville) and other regional venues. Her current artwork demonstrates a lack of fear of materials and processes.
Workshops
Perfect Placemat Pairs – April
Perfect Placemat Pairs – November
Rustic Gothic Hexagonal Side Table – Woodlanders Gathering
Retired Youth Program director for Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts, Elizabeth did not have art classes at school when she was young. Enthralled by watching Jon Gnagy on television, she enjoyed getting one of his “Learn to Draw” kits from her mom. “Since then I have explored many art materials, but the current material I work with is handmade paper. I got into making paper first as a sculptural medium because the clay pieces I was making became too big to fit into a large kiln. After making large paper structures, I then discovered how much I enjoy making imagery with colored paper pulp.”
Workshops
Handmade Paper – Woodlanders Gathering
Jim Kern is a talented and enthusiastic creator with a passion for rustic crafts that celebrate natural materials and traditional techniques. With a love for all things handmade, Jim specializes in crafting unique home décor, leathercraft, and accessories using reclaimed wood, natural fibers, leather, and other raw materials. From handcrafted bags and accessories to rustic wall art and furniture, each piece reflects a deep appreciation for the simplicity and beauty of nature.
Workshops
Introduction to Leathercraft – Woodlanders Gathering
Handsewn Leather “Boho” Bag – Woodlanders Gathering
Leather Dual (Wine) Bottle Holder – Woodlanders Gathering
Christina Kubasta is a poet and fiction writer who also explores collaboration and connection with the visual arts. Her new poetry book Under the Tented Skin is just out from Unsolicted Press (May 2025). Find her at ckubasta.com and on Instagram @CKubastathePoet.
Workshops
Darn Socks! – Woodlanders Gathering
Knitting 101: Basketweave Scarf
Beth Hobby earned her undergraduate degree in art from Hood College (Frederick, MD), and an MFA in sculpture and ceramics from George Washington University (Washington, D.C.), and taught studio arts on the college level for many years. Her own work is concentrated in the areas of assemblage/construction, collage, digital art, and encaustic. She has exhibited at Hood College, George Washington University, St. John’s College (Annapolis, MD), Washington Project for the Arts and The Art Barn (Washington, D.C.); Naperville Art League (Naperville, IL); The Exhibit and Lonnie’s Art Gallery (Morris, IL); and Longbranch Gallery in Mineral Point, among numerous other venues. Beth also taught and exhibited at Hood College, Howard Community College, Prince George’s Community College, and Valencia Community College. Her work hangs (and sits!) in numerous collections belonging to indescribably unusual people and other quirky artists.
Aside from teaching, Beth was the executive director of a Big Brothers Big Sisters agency and owned a landscaping business in Orlando, where she planted at least 5,500 azalea shrubs, 435 crepe myrtle trees, and and three plastic palm trees. She lives in Morris, IL, with her cat, Fig, but spends lots of R and R time in Mineral Point.
Workshops
Sandy is a sculptor, writer, art gallery owner, and former documentary and public affairs producer/executive producer for PBS, public television in Houston, Texas and Hartford, Connecticut in the days when video tape was 2 inches wide, cameras weighed 100’s of pounds, and editing was done manually from one enormous machine to another.
She owned her own television production and public relations company, Great Scott Productions, in Berkley CA.
She served as development director and executive director of the Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts in Iowa and was also a member of the Board of Economic Development for the state of Iowa.
Sandy and her late partner, Judy Sutcliffe created Longbranch Gallery in Mineral Point in 2000, started the Woodlanders Gathering in 2001, and founded Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts in 2004. She continues to serve as a volunteer, participant, and co-instructor for Shake Rag Alley and owns Longbranch Gallery.
Workshops
I am retired environmental mediator living in Alexandria VA. I’ve collected pretty or unusual rocks from places as diverse as the parking lot cracks at her nearest Starbucks to river edges in New Zealand and beaches in the Caribbean. I found found the craft of wrapping rocks with interesting fibers in a workshop at my favorite creative crafting store and now evaluate interesting rocks as potential for decorative wrapping. While I am not an expert, over the years i have taught origami, macrame and other crafts to kids, fellow employees, and friends.
Workshops
Jonna has finally settled down in Mineral Point as the Program Manager at Shake Rag Alley after various professional opportunities in historic preservation and the arts led her to several U.S. states and Europe. With a head for historic preservation and a heart for art, she earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in historic preservation from the Savannah College of Art & Design and went on to direct their study abroad program in France. Jonna is an amateur mixed media artist, painter, maker, and unbridled collector of art supplies and paper scraps.
Workshops
During her art teaching days at Wingra School in Madison, Lindy’s favorite class offering was “Mish Mosh” Fridays. That’s when the kids were greeted by an overabundance of art supplies, found objects, “whatzits”, sticks and other gifts from nature. Lindy marveled at the creative and unique assemblages that were born. That sort of creative spirit is what calls Lindy to the Woodlanders Gatherings! Her mantra…”what else could this be?”
Workshops
Mike led his first Shake Rag class at the age of fifteen during the second Woodlanders Gathering in 2003. Now a board member since 2012, Mike still enjoys helping with classes when needed, and he still comes to Woodlanders every year. You can find Mike on several of Shake Rag’s committees, and serves as Board President.
Workshops
After retirement as an architect, Hal Aavang was looking for a way to combine a practical skill with his lifelong love of working with metal, and to also use this skill as an art form. He found the blacksmithing program at Shake Rag Alley, and started with a basic blacksmithing class taught by Bob Tuftee using the traditional coal forge. In order to continue blacksmithing at home, the propane gas forge provided a clean and readily available forging heat for his projects. A MIG welder and oxy-acetylene torch added additional support for his home blacksmithing shop where he works on many pieces such as traditional hooks, fire pokers, flowers, custom live art tables, other art projects, and an expanding list of future works. Hal is a member of the Upper Midwest Blacksmith Association. He keeps, sells, donates to charitable causes, and displays his work, and accepts commissions.
Workshops
Introduction to Gas Forge Blacksmithing: The Basics
Forging Hooks & Leaves – Woodlanders Gathering
Forge a Calla Lily – Woodlanders Gathering
Joelle White has been throwing pottery for 10 years. She studied from 2008 to 2011 at UW-Platteville, acquiring a biology and art background. After graduation she developed a love for the wood-fired pottery process and enjoys decorating the surfaces of her functional pots with floral designs.
Workshops
Learn to Use a Pottery Wheel – Woodlanders Gathering
Katie White grew up on a farm in Stockton, IL. She graduated from Northern Illinois University in 2012 with a BFA degree in ceramics. She has participated in ceramic residencies throughout the country including the Cub Creek Foundation in Appomattox, VA, Red Lodge Clay Center in Red Lodge, MT, as well as at Wichita State University in Wichita, KS. Katie moved to Mineral Point in June 2017 and worked as studio assistant at Bruce Howdle Studio. She continues to create her pottery and sculpture at the Globe Clay Center and wood fires in the Mineral Point area.
Workshops
Nick Scheuer has been carving birds since he was a Boy Scout 40 years ago. He has developed a coloring system as popular as his rustic, whittled, carving style. His colorful songbird carvings may be seen at Longbranch Gallery in Mineral Point.
Workshops
Carve a Tufted Titmouse Looking Down at a Cat on the Ground Below – Woodlanders Gathering
I now live in a small town of Hopkinton, Iowa. Spent most of my adult life taking all kinds of craft classes. The ones I enjoyed I practiced a lot so I could master them. Some of the crafts I really enjoyed most include carving, knitting, tatting, Hedebo, papercutting and Zentangle. I try to incorporate some of the crafts together. I have really enjoyed putting Zentangle on carvings. When people see them, they ask me to teach classes. I really enjoy passing along the craft to others.
Workshops
Todd started his journey as a full time twig builder in 1995. He built massive amounts of twig furniture for many years. However, at this point in his life, his focus is on twig sculpture. He’s been teaching at Shake Rag Alley’s Woodlanders Gathering since the early 2000’s.
Workshops
Rustic Coat Tree – Woodlanders Gathering
Garden Chair – Woodlanders Gathering
Shiree Woodard is a visual artist who feels most alive when creating and finds inspiration in the curiosities of everyday life. With a deep passion for supporting fellow makers, she loves helping people bring imagination into the tangible, through hands-on exploration and sharing techniques. She earned a BA in Art with an emphasis on Printmaking and Watercolor from Western Michigan University and then studied Art Therapy at Southwestern College in Santa Fe, NM. She later, co-created Process Art Studio in Madrid, NM alongside her husband Andrew. Today she is excited to be part of the vibrant Mineral Point community where she continues her art practice and helps to offer 3D printing services to the area.
Workshops
Jim Arendt retired from a long career as a teacher and YMCA director. “I became interested in willow furniture watching John Schakel, the master willow bender, give a demonstration at Woodlanders many years ago. Shortly after that I registered for Shake Rag Alley’s bent willow chair class with John. As fate would have it, I was John’s only student and through that class we developed a lasting friendship. Over the years I helped John gather the willow needed for a class and assisted him. I have built many chairs on my own, but some of my most cherished undertakings are the three youth willow chairs I have made for my three grandchildren. I was deeply honored when Shake Rag Alley contacted me to teach the Make a Bent Willow Chair class. I am looking forward to working with everyone in lovely Mineral Point.”
Workshops
Rustic Garden Bench – Woodlanders Gathering
Bob Tuftee has been blacksmithing almost 30 years now. “I started out making ironware for my camping gear doing Mountain Man rendezvous events.” Bob lives in LeClaire, Iowa, and has done all kinds of blacksmithing, including forge work for his business, Upper Mississippi Valley Mercantile Company. He has sold to re-enactors across the country and has also sold ironware to movie and production companies. He has been the village blacksmith at Pioneer Village in Scott County Park, Davenport, Iowa, for the past 25 years, plus teaching and leading workshops at the Old Blacksmith Shop at the Galena History Museum in Illinois. Bob is an active member of ABANA (Artist Blacksmith Association of North America), IVBA (Illinois Valley Blacksmith Association), and UMBA (Upper Midwest Blacksmith Association), and is currently a board member of UMBA. He has taken several advanced blacksmithing classes throughout the years. Most of his blacksmithing work is done in a coal forge. Bob retired in 2012. He worked almost 45 years in skilled trades as a millwright and certified welder, the last 28 at Alcoa in the Davenport area.
Workshops
Cindy Fleming, a long time resident of Mineral Point, credits her discovery of the power of art and creativity to Shake Rag Alley. She makes jewelry, hooks rugs, creates mosaic, and dabbles in watercolor.
Workshops
Jamie Rogness is a highly creative and versatile artist who works in a broad range of mediums, predominently using natural materials. She is a master woodcarver, working with both hand and power tools to create intricate sculptures from tree branches and exquisite designs on ostrich eggs. Her concrete leaf castings are beautifully realistic. She has taught a variety of classes at the annual Woodlanders Gathering at Shake Rag Alley for over 10 years, including handsome, handmade lampshades with a touch of nature.
Workshops
Lee Ann was fortunate to be raised in a creative and nature-loving family. She grew up camping and hiking all over the country, and her parent always nurtured and encouraged creativity. Her father taught himself woodworking and furniture making, and her mother has been a wood carver for over 35 years, following in the footsteps of her father and grandfather. Lee Ann loves the joy and the community that wood carving affords, and she looks forward to to share her craft with others.
Workshops
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For 38 years I worked for the Madison Metropolitan School District as their graphic artist before retiring. Prior to that I worked in 2 different ad agencies in Madison. I have been enjoying creating fun and out of the norm gourd projects for 20 years originally joining the Wis. Gourd Society in 2005. Through that, I was the co-editor for the gourd quarterly newsletter until WGS ended in 2020. My gourd art has been in the Monroe Art Gallery, Middleton Public Library, The Madison Civic Center and currently is with 2 art galleries and a retail store. I have taught a variety of gourd classes throughout Wisconsin and attend gourd workshops myself including out of state gourd workshops and festivals. There is so much more to still be experienced. It is a unique art form available to everyone and anyone.
Workshops
International Santa Claus Gourd Vases
Washi Egg Ornaments – Woodlanders Gathering
Cathy Kitto is a retired educator with 40 years of experience in six states and England as a teacher and school principal. Since retiring she has been able to pursue her interest and develop her skills in fabric art, specifically painting on silk and nature printing on shirts and other fabrics. When not enjoying her new-found hobby, you can find her in her garden playing with her flowers.
Workshops
Tom Cabezas is a Mineral Point wood-worker and mixed media artist. He has been designing and building unique quality furniture since 1991. With a background in sculpture and a deep respect for craftsmanship and detail Tom strives to create work that does not attempt to place form over function or function over form. His work has been shown nation-wide and has won numerous awards. Tom earned an MFA in sculpture from UW-Madison.
Workshops
Megan Kulick’s artistic credentials revolve around years spent on staff at Shake Rag Alley. She is a stay-at-home mom who loves coming back to teach soaps and scrubs as well as other fun and fanciful Shake Rag Youth Program classes!
Workshops
Class Confirmation
You will receive a confirmation of your workshop registration via email about a week prior to the class. If you do not have an email address, you will receive a snail-mail confirmation. Please check the online class listing for supplies to bring to class (there will also be a link to the Supply List in your class confirmation). Some supplies may need to be ordered well ahead of time.
Please note that your class registration will not be confirmed without full payment.
Please read your class confirmation carefully as it may include a supply list and other important details, and note our community standards on our Planning Your Workshop Experience page.
Materials Fees
Many classes have materials fees in addition to the tuition. These are identified in the class listing and are usually paid with the tuition payment; however, in some cases materials fees are paid directly to the instructor at class time (check the class listing).
Cancellation Policy
While we recognize that life intrudes and plans change, in consideration of the time and energy instructors invest in preparing for classes (and this includes purchasing supplies and assembling workshop kits), we must adhere to the following cancellation policies:
Student cancellations
> Cancellations made 30 days or more before the start date of the workshop are eligible for a 75% refund OR a gift certificate in the full amount. The gift certificate can be applied to workshops or lodging one year from the date of cancellation and is transferable.
> Cancellations made 29 days or fewer before the start date of the workshop are not eligible for refunds or gift certificates. We encourage all students to purchase trip insurance, which is available for a reasonable fee.
> Cancellation requests must be made by contacting our office at info@shakeragalley.org or (608) 987-3292.
> If you have booked lodging with Shake Rag Alley in conjunction with your class and cancel less than seven days in advance of your reservation, a $50 cancellation fee will apply.
Cancellations by Shake Rag Alley
> If Shake Rag Alley must cancel a class for any reason, you will be notified via email or phone and will be eligible for a full refund or, if you prefer, a transferable gift certificate. You may also consider donating your refund to support our operations or scholarships.
If you have booked lodging with Shake Rag Alley in conjunction with a class canceled by Shake Rag Alley, you may receive a full refund on lodging or gift certificate should you wish to cancel.
Waiting Lists
If a workshop you are interested in is sold out, please fill out this waiting list form. We will contact you if a spot becomes available. The class code requested on the form is the Workshop ID shown at left, beneath the Add to Cart button.
18 Shake Rag St.
Mineral Point, WI 53565
(608) 987-3292
