Assembly Craft Studio brings creativity to life

Clear glass bowls lined up the tables at Assembly Craft Studio as participants found their seats. Within the next two hours, those empty bowls would become colorful succulent terrariums. 

At the front of the room, founder and owner Liz Wright guided the class step by step using a projector, demonstrating everything from drainage rocks and activated charcoal to soil, glass and succulents before encouraging participants to make each design their own. 

Assembly was built around moments like these. 

“I wanted to create a space where it was just social, beginner-friendly,” Wright said. “There’s this thing you can do while you’re talking to people, you can learn a new skill, and nobody was doing it.” 

Wright founded Assembly about 10 years ago in Portland before relocating to Las Cruces in 2022. After teaching crafts online during the pandemic, she realized she missed the experience of creating alongside other people and opened up the current studio nearly a year ago. Today, Assembly offers eight to 10 workshops each month, ranging from watercolor painting and resin art to fabric dyeing, terrariums and other hands-on projects. 

Every workshop is designed with beginners in mind. Participants simply sign up, arrive, and learn a new skill with all materials provided. 

“I think what attracts people, everything’s beginner-friendly,” Wright said. “You can just come in, all the supplies are provided for you, you can try something new for two hours.” 

That welcoming atmosphere carried throughout the class. Participants worked at their own pace, pausing between steps to admire each other’s progress, exchanging ideas, and asking questions. Although everyone started with the same bowl and materials, no two finished terrariums looked alike. 

For Wright, creating something by hand is only part of the experience. 

“I think people are missing this human connection,” she said. “Can we all be in the same space at the same time? Maybe you’re going to sit next to strangers, but you can chat, and maybe you’ll meet new people.” 

She believes those moments have become increasingly important as more of everyday life moves online. 

“It’s not a screen, it’s not a keyboard,” Wright said. “I think we need to — we crave that.” 

Assembly continues to expand its offerings with rotating workshops and drop-in sessions, giving residents additional opportunities to explore creative hobbies at their own pace. Wright said she hopes visitors leave not only with a finished project, but with the confidence to return and try something new. 

For more information about upcoming workshops and registration, visit www.assemblycreate.com