Sculpture Series with Michael Gerber
Explore sculpture techniques with Michael through costume mask-making, polymer clay miniatures, found-object sculpture, and nature-based earth sculptures. All classes are beginner friendly! Most supplies are included unless specifically noted.
This class:
Found Sculpture: Thrift Store Edition
Instructor: w/ Michael Gerber
Cost: $35 per person
Time and date(s): Saturday, December 5th, 2026 1:00PM-4:00PM
Location: Art Lab’s 3D Lab
Skill level: Any
Audience: age 12-adult
Description:
Ever seen a beat-up teapot, a rusty doorknob, or a handful of old brass buttons and thought “I could make something from that!” In this class, you’ll build a unique 3D sculpture out of secondhand and thrifted materials (think broken jewelry, electronic components, fabric scraps… whatever catches your eye!) We’ll supply an assortment of found objects to compliment or contrast anything you bring from home! Combine them with a variety of wire, adhesives, and air-dry clay to build something beautiful or just kitschy and strange!
For an extra twist, you can opt into our item lottery: draw a few mystery objects at random and challenge yourself to work them into your piece. No sculpting experience required, but bring your sense of humor and adventure!
Other classes in the series:
Costume Mask Making Saturday, October 17th & 24th from 1:00PM-4:00PM
Found Sculpture: Thrift Store Edition, Saturday, 12/5/26 from 1:00-4:00PM
Sticks and Stones (Nature Sculpture) Saturday, 1/16/27 from 1:00PM-5:00PM
Making Faces, Saturday, 2/20/27 from 1:00PM-4:00PM
3D Character Sculpture Saturday, 3/20/27 from 1:00PM to 4:00PM
About the Instructor:
Michael Gerber has over 30 years of sculpting experience and more than 15 years of experience in pyrography, working across a range of media from character sculpture to burned wood pieces. He owned and operated Mikey Burns Things, a commission-based studio for pyrography and sculpture, and has a particular affinity for character creation, having studied film and stop-motion animation and applied that knowledge to designing and building sculpted characters.
Michael holds an MFA in Theatre from Ohio University and a BA from Western Oregon University, and brings additional experience as a writer, director, and performer, including a role as Artistic Director of Barter Youth Academy at Barter Theatre, and as owner/operator of Appalachian Performing Arts Academy. That background in performance and timing informs how he approaches character, form, and storytelling in his sculptural work.
At the Art Lab, Michael draws on this range of experience to help students build technical skill and find their own voice in sculpture and pyrography. He lives with his two cats, Chetney and Zeke, surrounded by sculptures and pyrography pieces, in a house that always smells vaguely like a campfire.