Broken Plate Botanicals class brings hands-on art to Jamestown

Broken dinnerware found a second life in downtown Jamestown as Broken Plate Botanicals gave teens and adults a low-pressure way to make art with their hands. The class at The Arts Center showed how a small, in-person program can turn repurposed dishes into something decorative while giving local residents a practical creative outlet.

Instructor Joleen R. led the session on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Arts Center, 115 2nd St. SW in Jamestown. The class was open to ages 14 through adult, making it a fit for teenagers, parents, hobbyists and anyone looking for a beginner-friendly project that did not require building skills from scratch. The format centered on transformation, not perfection: participants worked with broken or unused dinnerware and turned it into decorative botanicals.

That scale matters in a community like Jamestown, where small classes can shape whether an activity feels welcoming or intimidating. The Arts Center noted that classes with fewer than three participants may be canceled, a detail that underscores how dependent this kind of programming is on local interest. When enough people sign up, the result is a hands-on gathering that is personal, approachable and distinctly local.

Broken Plate Botanicals also fit into a broader arts operation that has been part of Jamestown since 1964. The Arts Center is run by the Jamestown Fine Arts Association, a nonprofit that says its mission is to enrich the Jamestown area community through the arts. Its downtown facility includes an exhibition gallery, performance stage, classroom, office, artist-in-residence apartment and studio. The adjacent Hansen Arts Studio houses a ceramics studio and adult classroom space, while the Arts Center and Hansen Arts Park area add mosaic benches and sculptural features to downtown Jamestown.

The association has recently offered classes in ceramics, stained glass, acrylic and watercolor painting, wood carving, photography, print making, fused glass, crochet and cake decorating, giving the Broken Plate Botanicals class a place within a steady lineup of hands-on instruction. The Arts Center says gallery admission is free, with hours Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., plus special appointments. It also supports youth and community programming including Arts After School, 2nd Saturday and summer camps, backed in part by funding from the North Dakota Council on the Arts and other grants.