Purple Apple Arts

BeadWork, Classes and Retreats by Sue Swanson

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Classes and Retreats

 
Purple Apple Arts welcomes you!

Summer, Fall, Winter 2025

Classes at White Bear Center for the Arts
Register at whitebeararts.org 

Jewelry Lab

This class is designed to teach the basics of bead stringing. It is a fun and easy class. We will begin with elastic bracelets, then progress to earrings, pendants and necklaces. Along the way, we will learn how to use tools and findings, including jump rings, stringing materials, crimps and clasps. Bring any old jewelry that needs to be fixed, altered or redesigned and we will refresh it, so it is wearable again. 

2 Saturdays, Aug 2 & 9 10:00 AM-12:30 PM

ID: 62071

$72 Member/$90 Non-Member

$10 material fee payable to instructor

Adults, teens 14+, all levels

 Fiber Open Studio

Join us at our fiber open studio, where creativity and community come together. We work on projects, share ideas and inspire one another. All types of fiber art that can be done at a table are welcome. Come and be a part of our vibrant community of makers! 

2 Fridays a month, 1:00-3:00 PM

May 2 & 16

Jun 13 & 27

Jul 11 & 25

Aug 8 & 22

September 5 and 19

October 3 and 17 

November 7 and 21 

December 5 and 19

 ID: 62076

Free with registration ($20 suggested donation)

Adults, teens 12+, all levels

ID: 62051
$44 Member/$55 Non-Member $12 material fee payable to instructor
Adults, teens 14+, beginning 1

Book Binding Basics
Tiny books are great to carry in your pocket so you can be ready when the inspiration to draw or write strikes. Students will learn to create sewn signatures and use different types of paper to create envelope pages, windows, and pop-up pages, then make different types of closures and bookmarks.
2 Thursdays, Jul 24 & 31, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
ID: 62046
$63 Member/$79 Non-Member  -   $10 material fee payable to instructor
Adults, teens 14+, all levels

Peyote Stitch Ring
This class will teach the basics of peyote stitch beadwork. We will cover how to begin, how to stitch an even count flat design, how to add thread and how to make a circle by zipping the ends together. We will make a ring using size 11 Miyuki delica glass beads from Japan. The ring is stitched using an off-loom needle and thread technique.
2 Saturdays, Jul 12 & 19, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
ID: 62061
$63 Member/$79 Non-Member - $12 material fee payable to instructor
Adults, teens 14+, beginning 2

Three-Dimensional Beaded Star

We will explore the Contemporary Geometric Beadwork discipline by learning to make one of the basic shapes – a warped square. It is a versatile piece that can be combined into jewelry and sculptures in many ways. We will focus on the star shape. It is made from Japanese Miyuki glass seed beads using an off-loom needle and thread technique. It is a great place to start learning to create shapes out of seed beads. 

2 Wednesdays, Aug 20 & 27, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

ID: 62066

$63 Member/$79 Non-Member - $20 material fee payable to instructor

Adults, teens 14+, beginning 2

ZENTANGLE STYLE DRAWING

If you love to doodle and want to learn some new patterns, this class is designed for you.

Regardless of how much previous experience you have, it’s fun to come together with a group to improve your skills and expand your practice.

Tangling and doodling are meditative drawing methods that use simple repetitive strokes to

build patterns combined to make small works of art.

Date: Saturday 9/13 10:00-12:00

Materials: $12.00 payable to instructor - all materials included

Age/Level: Adults, Teens 14+ Beginning 1

 

ADDING COLOR TO ZENTANGLE STYLE DRAWING

In this class we will experiment with using woodless colored pencils and Gelly Roll pens. We will learn methods of shading the designs and using pens to different effects.

Date: Saturday 11/15 1:00-3:00

Materials: $12.00 payable to instructor - all materials included

Age/Level: Adults, Teens 14+ Beginning

 

PARABOLIC PAPER STITCHING

Geometric shapes pop on black paper with metallic threads. We will stitch a variety of shapes and sizes using paper piercing and straight stitches.

Date: Saturday 9/20 and 9/27 1:00-3:00

Materials: $12.00 payable to instructor - all materials included

Age/Level: Adults, Teens 14+ Beginning

 

X AND O BRACELET

This bracelet is created with needle and thread out of size 8 seed beads. We will learn right angle weave for the base and then top it with cross stitch to create a thick spiral bracelet. Three strands can be combined into a cuff style bracelet or used to go around the circumference of a Christmas tree ornament.

Date: Wednesday 11/12 and 11/19  10:00-12:00

Materials: $12.00 payable to instructor

Age/Level: Adults, Teens 14+  - Beginning

VISION BOARD JOURNAL

A composition book becomes a place to record your thoughts and dreams. The class begins with choosing a collage from thousands of different images and kinds of papers. Then we will try out five ways to keep a journal. The goal is to create a book that you will love to return to each day, creating a writing practice that can help you untangle the events of your life.

Date: Thursday 9/18 and 25 10:00-12:00

Materials: $12.00 payable to instructor

Age/Level: Adults, Teens 14+ - Beginning

White Bear Lake Senior Center:

 ZENTANGLE STYLE DRAWING

If you love to doodle and want to learn some new patterns, this class is designed for you.

Regardless of how much previous experience you have, it’s fun to come together with a group to improve your skills and expand your practice.

Tangling and doodling are meditative drawing methods that use simple repetitive strokes to

build patterns combined to make small works of art.

Date: Tuesday 9/9 10:00-12:00

Materials: $12.00 payable to instructor - all materials included

Special orders are welcome. I teach custom classes for your group. I also teach private tutoring sessions. 
Email swansonmn@comcast.net for more information. 

Thank you for supporting local artists!

Sue Swanson MDiv, is an artist who helps people find Sabbath time in their busy lives by teaching them how to practice spiritual patterns together. She calls her work Prayercraft, which uses art as a gateway to healing, wholeness and meditation. She is interested in how we can learn to use artistic creativity both individually and in a group to express our spirituality.

Sue teaches classes and retreats exploring spiritual concepts such as: blessing, breath, gratitude, simplicity, creativity and Sabbath. Her beadwork has been published by Beadwork Magazine and Bead and Button Magazine. Her company, Purple Apple Arts, provides opportunities to explore traditional crafts including music, beadwork, collage, knitting and labyrinth walking. She studies traditional craft techniques in order to make them meaningful in our 21st Century lives.

Sue lives in Woodbury, Minnesota with her husband Roger.  She is the mother of two sons, Jeremy and Matthew and Nana of Victoria, Robert, William and Madeline and Eleanor. She holds a BA degree in Professional Communications from Metropolitan State University and a Master of Divinity degree from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. She is trained by Dr. Lauren Artess as an advanced certified Veridatas Labyrinth facilitator. Sue is a member of the International Labyrinth Society and Minnesota Labyrinth Network.

Sue’s artistic vision is: as the beads are woven together, the thread disappears, but its presence provides all of the underlying structure. Similarly, the Holy Spirit invisibly, yet essentially, weaves together the fabric of our lives and connects us with our spiritual community.

Creating circles of beauty and joy.