ANDERSON — Stephanie Shockey and her daughter, Maddy, have been interested in painting for a while, but in Stephanie’s words, they’d “never really had a chance” to explore the hobby.

The pair’s trip to Mounds State Park Saturday proved to be an ideal occasion to remedy that situation.

The park hosted a class, “Painting in the Park,” to allow participants to explore the medium and get feedback on their creations depicting white dandelions carrying seeds.

“We really love coming to Mounds Park so it seemed like a double win for me to come and try it for the first time,” Stephanie Shockey said.

“I do feel it is relaxing,” she said. “Having the instruction with it is helpful since we do not really know what we are quite doing yet. I never take the time to do it on my own, so if there is a structured class, I feel like it is forcing me to sit down and carve out the two hours that I need to do something like this.”

The painting classes have been hosted for 10 years by Park Place Arts, a custom frame shop and art gallery in Anderson. Owner Eliot Reed said the classes have grown in popularity over the years.

“This one today was sold out, and the January one was sold out,” Reed said. “We have been successful to keep it going as long as we have, doing it three or four times a season. It has been really good over the years.”

Melody Carr, the class instructor, tasked participants with painting an image of an object they would find in the park.

“I enjoy interacting with the people and seeing their ideas,” Carr said. “I always think it is interesting that I teach the same thing, but everyone has something different. Also, seeing them start out thinking they cannot do it and that it is too hard and, by the end of it, they are really happy with it.”

Reed agreed.

“I like the difference in everybody’s paintings,” he said. “You can kind of see people’s personalities and even though they are all the same topic or kind of the same technique, there are lots of differences in everybody’s work.

“I think that is what is neat about art. It is about expression and kind of doing your own thing and showing your personality.”

Deb Rood traveled from Sheridan for the class. Painting, she said, has been a lifelong interest of hers.

“Way back in grade school, I started painting,” Rood said. “I have always had a love for it. I am recently retired and am just enjoying the things I did when I was a kid.

“The park is amazing and what they have to offer is astounding,” she added. “I have been here before with Park Place and it is great. I would not miss it for the world.”