This semester, students will notice a re-vamped course offering in the Crafts center. While last fall the center offered the largest number of courses in their history, this semester is setting a new record.

The new course list will include old favorites, like basket weaving, as well as new crowd pleasers, such as Chinese brush painting and calligraphy. The center’s most popular courses, digital photography and digital macro photography will be offered in additional sections due to the steady weight list.

Jo Ellen Westmoreland, Assistant Director of the Crafts center, is excited to continue offering some of the students’ favorite classes.

“Our Friday craft courses are only five dollars and continue to remain extremely popular with students. A lot of students also like our beginning guitar and bike repair classes as well,” Westmoreland said.

Though the Crafts center offers a more varied selection of class sections to students, they also have a large group of community students as well. Raleigh crafter Katie Sarber is looking forward to this semester’s offerings.

“I have an etsy shop called Ginger Gems, so I’m always looking for different classes to improve my skills and learn about how to use different materials. It looks like this semester’s courses are going to be great,” Sarber said.

While the Crafts Center may feel more academic to students in art programs and majors, it still serves as a healthy outlet for many others.

“The center is a great way to relieve stress and use other areas of your brain,” Westmoreland said. “Enhancing creativity can help with problem solving and open your mind to a new way of thinking.”

Westmoreland suggests that after a difficult day of classes, the center can be a place for students to relax and try something new.

“Having a good stress reliever is important, and we work with students to make the classes convenient and affordable,” Westmoreland said.

The staff of the Crafts Center stresses that students can come by anytime to look at the facility and ask questions about the courses. In addition, students who are looking for studio space to work on their own art are welcome to rent a space in the center.

Crafts Center Director, George Thomas, encourages students to take advantage of the affordable classes offered.

“A six week course is offered to students for only $49. In those courses they are taught a basic skill, but once the class is over, they are welcome to use studio space to continue working,” Thomas said.

In addition, popular classes like bicycle repair are offered for only $10 and students who have completed the course can use the bike repair equipment for the remainder of their college careers.

“A student can be mad at the world and hammered by stress, but taking just a little part of an afternoon to do something different and take your mind off work can have an amazing impact,” Thomas said.

Most of the classes will start on January 23, but students can still register. To do so, go to the Crafts Center with cash or check, or mail in a registration form with payment.