60 Fun Things (Within 60 Miles) with Connie Herrera
Get Creative this Winter!
Now that our gardens have been put to bed (although raking leaves this year seems to go on forever) it’s time to move indoors and get busy! The Rochester area offers so many ways to get your creative juices flowing and maybe even discover talents you didn’t know you had.
Here are some ways to enjoy the winter and be creative … so let the snow fall!
Rochester Brainery
Crafts, Pottery, Photography, & the Book Arts
Little Button Craft & Press is passionate about locally made crafts and celebrating the artisans who create them. You can learn bookbinding, chalk calligraphy, printmaking, sewing, knitting, crocheting, and crafting of all kinds.
| 658 South Ave., Rochester | 585-371-7891 |
Rochester Brainery, where people can connect through fun, affordable, and accessible classes in writing, art, cooking, comedy, calligraphy, needlework, glassmaking, graphic design, and even beer-brewing. Most are single session, so there’s no long-term commitment.
| 585-730-7034 | 176 Anderson Ave. F109, Rochester |
The Memorial Art Gallery’s Creative Workshop features classes in drawing, painting, fiber arts, ceramics, and jewelry-making.
| 500 University Ave., Rochester | 585-276-8900 |
Flower City Arts Center offers classes in photography, the book arts (screen printing, letterpress, bookbinding, paper marbling), and pottery.
| 713 Monroe Ave., Rochester | 585-244-1730 |
Yarn Culture
Yarn & Fiber Arts
Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, whether you need help with a project or just want to sit and chat, these yarn stores are great sources of help, materials, and good cheer.
Village Yarn & Fiber Shop
“Knitting and Spinning Heaven” | 350 West Commercial St, East Rochester | 585-586-5470 |
Tina Turner Knits
Design, Instruction & More | 1387 Fairport Road #885, Fairport | 585-442-8002 |
Yarn Culture New York
1387 Fairport Road Suite 88, Fairport | 585-678-4894 |
Amelia’s Fabric & Yarn Shoppe
7 Upton Street, Hilton | 585-392-1192 |
Sew Green Rochester
438 West Main St., Rochester | 585-328-2642 |
Painting & Parties
Paint a canvas while enjoying a glass of wine, decorate pottery, or refinish and paint your latest flea-market treasure:
The Arty Party – Paint a Wine Glass 585-340-7473
Wine & Design 4165 Buffalo Road, Chili | 585-594-8007 |
Painting with a Twist Bring your favorite bottle of wine and paint along with their artist to create your own masterpiece.
Furniture Revival: Revelle’s Home Décor is perfect for that homemade gift. A variety of chalk paints to use for furniture and sign painting workshops.
1235 Hilton Parma Road, Parma
Create Your Own Painted Pottery – Just grab one of their smocks and choose from a wide assortment of clay pieces, all prepped and ready for your doodles and designs. Sketch your own design or use ready-made designs and stencils. After you’ve finished, it goes to the kiln and — violà —a few days later it’s ready to pick up, take home and display on your mantel.
Color Me Mine – 3349 Monroe Ave., Pittsford, New York 14618
Color Me Mine – 980 Ridge Road, Webster, New York 14580
Created by Us Pottery – 3 Railroad St. #C, Fairport, NY 14450
Splatters Studio – 93 S. Union Street, Spencerport, New York 14559
Credit: Studio 34
Glass, Wood, Metalworking & 3-D Design
Explore the oldest and newest art forms. Learn laser cutting, lathe work, woodworking, stained glass, flamework, fusing and mosaics, metalsmithing, bead embroidery, or branch out with 3-D printing and more at these amazing and creative places:
Studio 34 Creative Arts Learning Center & Gallery | 585-737-5858 |
Rochester Makerspace Located at the rear of 850 St. Paul Street
Rochester Woodworkers Society – Workshops, special interest groups, online resources, and networking
Home Depot DIY Workshops – Do-It-Yourself, Do-It-Herself, and Kids workshops help everyone kick off their project with confidence
Connie Herrera is the author of 60 Fun Things to Do Within 60 Miles of Rochester, 60 Great Places to Go With Kids Within 60 Miles of Rochester, and her newest book 60 Fun Things to Do When You’re Retired – Within 60 Miles of Rochester. “My goal is to help people rediscover where they live and see it with new eyes. So, if you’re new to the area, I want you to be astounded at your luck in moving here. If you’re here for a visit, I hope you’ll want to come back again to do more. And, if you’ve lived here all your life, I hope you’ll be surprised at how many places you haven’t yet explored and how many you want to visit again!” You can find out more at my website: 60funthingstodo