NORWICH — The Chenango Arts Council, located at 27 West Main Street in Norwich, will be hosting a DIY Soap Making workshop from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 12.

The class is open to all ages and all supplies are provided. Registration is $15 for Chenango Arts Council Members and $20 for non-members. To register, visit ChenangoArts.org.

Ashe Martin, a Cortland-area artist with 20 years of experience in a variety of mediums, will be leading the class. Chenango Arts Council Administrative Assistant Mary Beth Miller said Martin will walk participants through hot-process soap making using a crock pot, locally-sourced herbs, and other ingredients to add scent and color.

"She’ll show you how to make your own bar of soap," said Miller. "She’s using the hot process, so she’s got a crock pot that she uses to do it. You combine oils and lye and other natural components to create your own bar of soap. There’s essential oils and other natural colorants."

There will be a variety of molds available to choose from, ranging from plain styles to fun shapes, and participants will go home with two bars of soap they made themselves.

This workshop was made possible in part by the Roger Follett Foundation.

"We got a grant from them which we’ve been using for a bunch of workshops to be able to help cover costs of supplies and instructor fees so that we can offer those at a lower price," said Miller.

Now on display at the Chenango Arts Council is "From a Different Point of View," a gallery featuring the natural photography of Bill Baburchak.

"There’s an emphasis on birds and also otters, and it’s shot in a low-level style so you see the animal and their surroundings kind of the way they do, from their point of view," Miller explained.

The gallery will be on display until the end of June. Visitors are welcome to check out the gallery during the Chenango Arts Council's operating hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Appointments to view the gallery during off-hours can also be made by calling the Chenango Arts Council at 607-336-2787.

Chenango Arts Council's programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.


For more information on the Chenango Arts Council and their performances and programs, visit ChenangoArts.org or the Chenango Arts Council Facebook page.