Education & Classes in Wheat Ridge

When Tabetha Landt Hastings opened the box of painting supplies, she could barely hold back the tears. Her sister had been an artist and avid painter, and Tabetha was trying to cope with her passing when she picked up the brushes she inherited and put paint to canvas for the first time. The sensation was almost indescribable to her: she instantly felt an intimate sense of familiarity with the art form despite never having attempted it before. She knew then that something more was going on within her—a new connection was forever made—and she dove into painting with her sister in mind.

Years have passed since that first stroke, but Tabetha maintains the same fervor that marked her beginnings in painting as she sells her own art and leads classes. Her three-hour workshops invite students to see where their imaginations can take them while interpreting a chosen work in a group setting. She also hosts a paint club, which gathers artists of all skill levels to paint together.

An abandoned silver mine isn't the most obvious setting for a childhood playground. But it's where Kary Kilmer discovered his passion for goldsmithing as a youngster. Later, he honed his metalworking skills through stints with other jewelry makers before creating his own inimitable wedding-band designs and opening the award-winning Crown Trout Jewelers. In between fashioning distinct pieces, such as uniquely shaped gold and silver bracelets and Viking knot baubles known for their ability to help wearers speak fluent Norwegian, Kilmer helms interactive classes, helping students invent their own wearable metal masterpieces.

Aviation Xtreme's simulators let land-locked folk fly aboard jetfighters and WWI- or WWII-era aircraft in aerial missions or close-range combat. Aspiring aces strap into the cockpit of their simulator and choose from aircraft such as an F-15A Eagle, F-4 Phantom, or P-51 Mustang. After a short instructional video, they take off into the realistic blue yonder on a chosen mission, which can include an anti-ship mission or ground-attack mission. Each simulator is part of a larger computerized network, allowing friends to go head-to-head in a dogfight or team up to carve clouds into self-portraits.

Open Media Foundation's staffers skillfully craft websites, edit videos, and capture studio broadcasts, but they don't work in a high-rise office building or inside a film-production studio. Instead, they use their tech savvy to help Denver community members to turn up the volume on their own stories. In addition to designing websites, producing videos, and providing other media services, the staff runs small-size classes to teach the fundamentals of video production, animation, and audio production to students hungry for the knowledge. The foundation also arms its protégés and members with high-tech hardware, such as video cameras, editing systems, and discreet teleprompters, to make professional-grade projects more accessible.:

Beginning in Columbus and now painting the town red in various cities throughout the county, Colors & Bottles scratches the creative itch of the public with its themed art classes that leave no blank canvas unvarnished. The mobile painting service, which The Ellen DeGeneres Show tagged as a "hip, new, and fresh" activity, stages its events at local bars, wineries, restaurants, and art galleries, helping boost neighborhood economies while creating a hard-to-follow trail for begrudging pottery wheels. During three-hour classes, an artist plucked from the local art community leads students through the creation of a themed painting, such as a city skyline or something more abstract. For an extra splash of inspiration, some venues allow students to bring their own drinks, while others have refreshments available to purchase.

Captain James Cook's nautical adventures have taken him from delivering yachts across oceans using only sextant navigation to earning the ASA's most-advanced instruction certification. Since 1986, he's channeled that oceanic expertise into Victoria Sailing School, where expert instructors help students of all skill levels earn ASA certifications and endorsements through hands-on techniques.

Before they set foot on a boat, however, aspiring seafarers get their feet wet in a safe classroom setting in the Colorado Executive Club Building. Upon passing their exams, they move on to practical sessions on the Cherry Creek, Lake Carter, or Chatfield Reservoirs, where they learn basic maneuvers or rig spinnakers on a J/22. More advanced students cut their nautical teeth on a J/30.

Along with sailing courses, 10-week coastal- and celestial-navigation classes help guests master the skills necessary for steering a course through the open seas, including an ability to decipher longitude, latitude, and the shouted, arcane demands of the moon. Weather for the Mariner classes teach students to analyze weather maps and prep strategies to avoid hurricane hazards.