October is set to be a busy month for the Southern Cultural Heritage Center with cooking and painting workshops planned.

Lisa and John Martin, owners of Martin’s At Midtown have become regulars when it comes to leading cooking workshops at the SCHC, and now that the weather has gotten cooler the couple is back and raring to go.

“We’ve missed it. When it got hot we stopped (leading the bread cooking workshops), but we are excited to be back.

The couple is not only scheduled to hold a bread making class, but will also lead the Harvest: Interesting Produce Workshop.

“We will be cooking with fall vegetables and focusing on things we can get here, Lisa said.

The class will include recipes using winter squashes and jicama, a Mexican root vegetable. Participants will also learn methods of pickling.

The Baguette Bread Making workshop is the fourth of four bread classes held in a series, Lisa said.

“We started with the easiest one.”

All of the prior classes have been hands-on as this one will be too, she said, and participants will make a classic French bread.

“It’s a simple bread, but we find it as one of the more difficult to make.”

The cooking workshops will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. with the Baguette Bread Making workshop scheduled for Oct. 14 and the Harvest: Interesting Produce Workshop will be held Oct. 27.

The cost of each workshop is $30 for SCHF members and $35 for nonmembers and includes all supplies.

Vicksburg native Nancy Mitchell will also offer two “More Than a Painting” art workshops.

Mitchell said she believes anyone can learn to draw and be creative, however, in today’s world not many people have time for weekly art classes.

The “More Than a Painting” art workshops are based on a painting Mitchell designs to mimic the style of a renowned artist and for each of the workshops, participants will be painting “The Song of Marin” in the style of American artist, Selden Gile.

During the three-hour workshop, participants will go through a step-by-step process, which will allow them to recreate the painting, adding their personal style.

In addition to leaving the workshop with a finished painting, they will also learn the basics of composition and color mixing. Mitchell will also provide a handout on the artist.

Classes are scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 28 and from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 29. The cost is $40 for SCHF members and $45 for nonmembers and includes all supplies.

For more information or to make reservations, call 601-63102997 or email infor@southernculture.org.