That question was answered with a great big YES at a recent workshop at Whispering Woodlands, in rural Verona, Wisconsin, a short drive from Madison. The class was expertly taught by Ben Rinehart , assistant professor in the Department of Art and Art History at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin.

First of all, a few words about Whispering Woodlands. The studio, which is also home to the studio's owner Jackie Hefty, is on 12 acres of land at the dead end of a gravel road. Jackie gave a warm welcome, encouraging us to come early and take a walk, find a nice spot under a tree, or sit on the deck for conversation. The studio itself is comfortable, pleasant, and well equipped. In addition to offering a growing roster of classes, the studio is available for individual artists, as well as for group retreats and gatherings, and customized classes. Check out the possibilities! The rates are quite reasonable, registration and payment were easy, and Jackie's facilitation of the whole experience was supportive and professional. And she also has a great sense of humor!

The studio began offering workshops in 2008, and hopes to continue to expand their offerings to include a wide range of classes and workshops in visual arts, writing, music, and other related topics. If you have a particular interest, contact Jackie at whisper@tds.net. She is also eager to hear from artists who may be able to offer classes.

And now, about the class:

I've made dozens of boxes (including some with dividers, and even a few with drawers), but I am primarily self-taught in box-making. I was attracted to the class by the beautiful setting on the studio's web page, and by the course description and beautiful photo of Ben's book, "Creating Books and Boxes: Fun and Unique Approaches to Handmade Structures. I wasn't disappointed!

Perhaps what impressed me most about Ben's approach to teaching was his skill in working with people with a wide range of experience, from beginners to veterans. In planning the class, Ben clearly thought about what could be readily accomplished over a two-day period. The class was comfortably paced so that we could each work at our own rate, and Ben could spend individual time with each person.

I came away from Ben's workshop with so much more than a beautiful box. I really do know the basics of making covered boxes, and have accumulated my own little tricks. But so many times over the two days I would find myself having an AHA moment, understanding a new way to approach a small, tricky problem in planning, cutting, and constructing even the simplest of my boxes. Over lunch on the second day, I tried to count up the number of little tricks that I had learned, and I think I lost track at 10! My work will be greatly improved by what I learned.

Just a few examples:

Cutting corners: No, I don't mean being more efficient in my work (that's not a goal of mine). I mean, literally, how to cut corners in paper and book cloth in ways that reduce bulk and make for a much smoother finish.

Do the math: My first boxes were simple hinged lid boxes, and over the years I have experimented (with varying success) to modify the basic design and dimensions. Ben introduced a technique, a formula of sorts, which makes it possible to adapt structures in a way that is more predictable than my trial-and-error method.

Divide and conquer (or more accurately, conquering dividers): Ben taught a really neat way to install dividers. Again, the focus was on creating a sturdy and seamless fit.

Color! I've always been a bit tame (conservative) in combining colors and papers, but Ben's encouragement (and a wonderful array of paper choices that he offered) helped me to take a brave step "out of the box" (so to speak), with a very satisfying result.

Inspired, I came home and got a copy of Ben's book. Though nothing would compare with taking a class, the book is written for all levels of experience. I would include a rave review of the book, but would simply be repeating what has already been said on Amazon, where readers have given it a 5-star rating.

If you want to try you hand at making a box or book but feel a bit daunted and can't make it to a class, consider starting out with a kit that Barnes and Noble have created to accompany Ben's book. It comes with almost everything you need to make five different boxes. It includes a handy and well-written small book based on the larger book mentioned above, and also covers many of the tips and ideas I found useful in the workshop.

Oh . . . . and by the way, did I tell you that I came away with a beautiful box? Click here to see what we did.