by Jessica Henderson
Kitsap County is fortunate to have this amazing resource in the Community where people of all ages and skill levels are welcome to learn from one another in one of ten well-equipped artisan studios! Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network is a non-profit with a 25,000 sq. ft. facility where people can take classes or work on projects from Woodworking to Welding, Printmaking to Glass Arts, and more.
For folks that are new to the community, it’s a great place to make friends and build connections. There are many volunteer opportunities as well as Community Service projects such as building benches for local organizations, baking pies, or working on podcasts featuring local news. For discounts on classes and free access to open studios, you can become a member of BARN, but membership is not required for participation. Financial assistance is available for all BARN classes, as well as a Companion Program for those with physical, sensory, or cognitive challenges who could use assistance in order to participate.
BARN is a great place for youth to participate in hands-on activities that spark their creativity! Monthly Teen Nights are free and feature craft projects, food, and social time for high school students once a month. Youth Maker Mondays are after-school classes in subjects such as Cooking, Stained Glass, Robotics, Comics, Sewing, and more. Every summer there are dozens of classes for kids age 8+ in July and August. You can learn more about all of these programs at bainbridgebarn.org/youth.
BARN is open 7 days a week, so if you haven’t already checked it out, you can stop by and take a walk around! You are sure to be inspired and find something you’d like to learn! So many options:
... Drop in and say "Hello!" or drop me a line if you have questions or want to teach!
- Jess jessh@bainbridgebarn.org
Jessica Henderson,
PROGRAM MANAGER at BARN
Jessica's background is in performing and visual arts, with degrees from Williams College and New England Conservatory. Jess came to BARN after eleven years as the Arts Coordinator at IslandWood, where she oversaw arts education programs for all ages. Prior to working at IslandWood, Jess was the Director of an overnight summer camp located on 900 acres on a mountaintop in Pennsylvania. Outside of her work at BARN, Jess loves to sing and can be heard singing jazz standards at some of the local venues on Bainbridge Island. She’s enjoyed bringing this passion to BARN where she directs a community singing group! Her other hobbies include watercolor painting, running, biking, salsa dancing and speaking Italian. She’s excited about developing new skills in many areas of BARN, including fiber arts, letterpress, and wood carving.
BARN Photos credit: Rick Gordon
