Artisans on Main expanding in downtown Woodstock with new space for classes, events

The Clayworkers' Guild of Illinois is expanding in its downtown Woodstock Artisans on Main storefront.

Inside the new classroom space, Artisans on Main will be offering several classes, among them Intro to Clay, A Night Out and Clay Creations, said Anne Marie Whitmore Lenzini, president of the Clayworkers' Guild.

Intro to Clay is the only class that was previously offered. Before the new space opened, the store’s basement was where workshops were held.

Clay Creations has a monthly fee, and each event is tied to a theme. March’s Clay Creation will have a St. Patrick’s Day theme, Whitmore Lenzini said.

Joanne Thornberry said she is “looking forward” to teaching some of the Intro to Clay classes in the new space. She said she is an art teacher in McHenry, and clay is the “golden carrot.” She hopes the store eventually will offer some clay classes for children, and that it will be able to increase the frequency of clay classes to weekly.

The guild also hopes to offer wheelthrowing classes in the future. People also want to use clay for team-building events, Whitmore Lenzini said. The guild has gotten inquiries about such events.

The store’s expansion in the back of the building – which backs up to Benton Street but isn’t accessible from there – has been dubbed the “Artisans' Annex,” or “The Annex” for short.

“I just thought it was cool,” Whitmore Lenzini said of the name.

The store intends to ring in March with a grand opening celebrating the new space three years to the day of the store’s grand opening in its current location, 220 Main St.

On Saturday evening, Artisans on Main is hosting a grand opening for the annex, an event that also marks the third anniversary of the space and the 46th anniversary of the Clayworkers' Guild. Festivities are expected to run from 4 to 8 p.m., with live music from Canary & Sam starting at 5 p.m.

The guild was incorporated in March 1979. Whitmore Lenzini said the organization hasn’t been able to find the exact date of incorporation, so for her, “March 1 is a good day.”

People who attend the celebration will be able to see some of the items people make in the courses, although the room won’t be completely set up like it would be if class was in session, as the musicians will be performing inside the space.

But the guild is looking forward to sharing its clay knowledge and experiences with the community.

“We want to share what we know,” Whitmore Lenzini said.