Gordon Przybyla | Untitled drawings
Classes and Workshops
Newburyport Art is dedicated to providing quality art education programs for all ages and levels across a wide range of media taught by professional artists and educators through lectures, workshops, art classes, and exhibitions.
This page will contain information on upcoming sessions - whether in-person or online. Additional notice, details, and insights sometimes appear in our weekly newsletter.
Current registrations available below:
Wednesday Night Peter Kimmins Drawing Sessions
All but the Kitchen Sink Bracelet Workshop with Emily Allen (May 15th)
Intro to Chip Carving with Eric Goodson (May 15th)
Gilding the Lily, Introductory Gilding Course in Metal Leafing with Vera Struck (May 17th)
Cornell Box with Belle Carver Struck (May 22nd)
Abstract Alchemy with Rosalie Cuticchia (June 5th - 26th)
Nature Sketchbook with Johanna Finnegan Topitzer (June 6th - 27th)
Explorations in Mixed Media with Carole S. Rollins (June 10th – 24th)
Hand-build a Birdhouse in one day with Aysim Hakioglu (June 15th)
Printmaking with a Pasta Maker with Chris Robinson (June 17th)
Printmaking with a Pasta Maker with Chris Robinson (June 21st)
Plein air painting: Oils or Acrylic with Todd Bonita (June 28th)
Documentary Sketching with Yetti Frenkel (July 8th - 29th)
Color Theory with Jessica L. Murr (July 17th)
Alla Prima Painting with Todd Bonita (July 19th)
How to Get into Art Galleries and Price Your Artwork with Todd Bonita (July 24th)
Make Your Own Sketchbook with Johanna Finnegan Topitzer (July 26th)
Gelli Plate Printing & Collage with Maria Malatesta (August 2nd)
Alcohol Inks with Alison Odle (August 7th – 28th)
Gilding the Lily, Introductory Gilding Course in Metal Leafing with Vera Struck (August 30th)
Gelli Plate Printing & Collage with Maria Malatesta (September 13th)
Beginning Mosaic with Yetti Frenkel (September 9th–30th)
Watercolor Floral & Botanical Painting with Alison Odle (October 2nd – October 23rd)
Intro to Spoon Carving with Eric Goodson (December 7th)
Interested in leading a workshop or lecture or other session at Newburyport Art?
We would love to hear from you!
Wednesday Night Peter Kimmins Drawing Sessions
Upcoming Schedule:
April 16th – Jacques Gambu
April 23rd – No Session
April 30th – Jami Hurley
May 7th – Model TBD
May 14th – Barbara Wiechmann
May 21st – Model TBD
May 28th – Jami Hurley
(6:30 - 8:30pm) $12 per session for NAA members / $15 per session for non-members
All sessions are facilitated by Claudia Mathews. Registration in advance is encouraged as capacity is limited. A variety of setups will be available, including easels, chairs, stools, and donkey benches. Artists should plan to bring their favorite materials to work with. The NAA will also try to have some basics available, such as sketch pads, artist pencils, erasers, and pastels. All sessions are held in the upper-level Hartson Gallery, accessible only by stairs.
All but the Kitchen Sink Bracelet Workshop with Emily Allen
Thursday, May 15th, 6:00-8:00pm | Hill Gallery
$55 for NAA members / $75 non-members
Enjoy a chance to play and learn how to up-cycle old odds-and-ends into beautiful vintage bracelets with Dr. Emily Allen! Participants will use old jewelry, buttons, charms, chains and more to design their own everything-but-the-kitchen-sink bracelets, all the while learning basic jewelry techniques. All tools and supplies will be provided, but feel free to bring in some of your own pieces that you may want to reimagine into something new! No experience necessary.
Intro to Chip Carving with Eric Goodson
Thursday, May 15th, 5:30-8:30pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$55 for NAA members / $75 non-members
In this 3-hour, hands-on class, you'll be introduced to chip carving, a timeless craft that transcends cultures and taps into a fundamental human impulse: mark-making. You'll learn key knife grasps from Swiss and Swedish carving traditions, discover how to assess the wood grain direction when planning your cuts, and explore the interplay of light and shadow as you create a variety of shapes and patterns. These elements can be combined in countless ways to form unique designs. The beauty of chip carving lies in its simplicity — all you need to get started are one or two affordable knives and a carvable surface. No prior experience is necessary, and as long as you can open a jar of spaghetti sauce, you'll have more than enough hand strength to dive right in.
Gilding the Lily, Introductory Gilding Course in Metal Leafing
with Vera Struck
Saturday, May 17th, 9:00am-12:00pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$75 for NAA members / $95 non-members
Introductory workshop on how to prepare, apply, burnish, add a paint wash to accentuate the surface and seal metal leafing onto one small 2D drawing/painting and one small 3D object supplied by the student. Students must be 16 years or older to attend.
Cornell Box with Belle Carver Struck
Thursday, May 22nd, 6:00–8:00pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$75 for NAA members / $95 non-members
Artist Joseph Cornell made exquisite, personal and complex dioramas. Maybe you want to build an alter to a person or a place. Perhaps you want to build a momento mori or memory garden. Maybe you just want to play intuitively and assemble objects. No prior experience necessary-Belle will bring examples and demonstrate options for assemblage. Bring your magic bits, weird stuff from your drawers, old hardware, cloth remainders, maps, old books, and ephemera for this two hour workshop with NAA’s own Belle Carver Struck!
Abstract Alchemy with Rosalie Cuticchia
Four Thursdays, June 5th – 26th, 10:00am–12:30pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$225 for NAA members / $275 non-members
Painting in the abstract style is often intuitive, expressive, gestural, emotional, process driven, and, if we are lucky, it’s a little peek into the painter’s soul. How to get there is the question.
This series of four classes is about the tools, theories and methods that will lead and support us on our abstract journeys. All levels welcome. Students will be given a basic materials list and suggested palette. Class will take place on June 5, June 12, June 19, and June 26.
Nature Sketchbook with Johanna Finnegan Topitzer
Four Fridays, June 6th – June 27th | 10:00am–1:00pm | Meet at NAA
$200 for NAA members / $250 non-members
A way to relax your mind and understand the world around you. In this weekly meet-up, students will be introduced to using mindful focus to observe and record what they see in the outdoors. There will be a brief introduction with examples for students to use for inspiration. Then, the class will take a walk to look at nature weather permitting. Instructor will stop at a suitable place for students to find their own spot to focus upon and draw/paint/write. Class will then regroup and share their work in a guided group critique session. Former drawing experience is helpful but not necessary. This class is more about focusing on the world around you rather than achieving artistic skill. This is an indoor/outdoor class. This class will take place on 6/6, 6/13, 6/20 and 6/27.
Explorations in Mixed Media with Carole S. Rollins
Three Tuesdays, June 10th – June 24th | 10:00am–1:00pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$200 for NAA members / $250 non-members
In this Intermediate-to-Advanced-level workshop, attendees take a fresh approach to their work. Each brings a source of inspiration such as a poem, prose, a piece of music, a piece of art (not their own) or a concept that speaks to them intellectually and emotionally. From there they will create a mixed media piece based on that concept, to include their own drawings or water-based painting as well as other elements (such as printed patterns, torn paper, etc.) that lend meaning and visual enrichment. There will be lots of sharing and discussion to help each artist achieve his or her goals. This workshop will be held on June 10th, June 17th, and June 24th.
Hand-build a Birdhouse in one day with Aysim Hakioglu
Sunday, June 15th, 10:00am–1:00pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$75 for NAA members / $95 non-members
Build a bird house for your garden, or as a gift. Templates will be provided. After the workshop the instructor will bisque fire your work, and glaze with it with the color you selected from the color options provided.
Printmaking with a Pasta Maker with Chris Robinson
Tuesday, June 17th, 9:00am–12:00pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$75 for NAA members / $95 non-members
Curious about printmaking but don’t have a press? In this fun, hands-on workshop for adults, you’ll learn how to turn a pasta maker into your own mini printing press. Using recycled materials, we’ll explore the basics of printmaking—how to make a plate, apply and wipe ink, and pull unique prints. A relaxed and resourceful way to experiment with the print process using tools you might already have at home. No prior experience necessary.
Printmaking with a Pasta Maker with Chris Robinson
Saturday, June 21st, 9:00am–12:00pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$75 for NAA members / $95 non-members
Curious about printmaking but don’t have a press? In this fun, hands-on workshop for adults, you’ll learn how to turn a pasta maker into your own mini printing press. Using recycled materials, we’ll explore the basics of printmaking—how to make a plate, apply and wipe ink, and pull unique prints. A relaxed and resourceful way to experiment with the print process using tools you might already have at home. No prior experience necessary.
Plein air painting: Oils or Acrylic with Todd Bonita
Saturday, June 28, – 29 10:00am–5:00pm | Meet at NAA
$75 for NAA members / $95 non-members
Plein air painting is the practice of painting outside, or as the French term, "en plein air", literally translates to, "in the open air".
Join us with your paint box for a full day of outdoor painting and convening with nature and learning to see like an artist. I will begin with a lecture and demonstration on capturing light, color and atmosphere on canvas using a simple Impressionistic approach. We will discuss choosing a motif, composing a harmonized design, seeing value shapes, accurate drawing, and infusing visual poetry into your motif. Students will spend the rest of the day painting while I provide artistic guidance with side-by-side easel assistance. This one day workshop is packed with valuable information that has been passed down from the masters on how to simplify the outdoor painting process.
Documentary Sketching with Yetti Frenkel
Four Tuesdays, July 8, – 29 10:00am–1:00pm | Meet at NAA
$225 for NAA members / $275 non-members
This class will sketch as a group, picking a new location each week. Possible locations include the Tannery, the courthouse, the waterfront, a local coffeehouse, pub, or park. The idea is to increase our powers of observation and quickly capture the essence of a scene. People who want to improve their drawing or be "in the moment" intensely will enjoy this class. Students will be encouraged to find a topic that excites them and to create a documentary series. This class will be held on July 8, July 15, July 22, July 29.
Color Theory with Jessica L. Murr
Thursday, July 17th, 6:00pm–8:30pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$55 for NAA members / $75 non-members
Students will work with the three primary colors plus white in acrylic paint to understand and learn about color theory. The basics of how colors and paint interact on the substrate, as well as its application to real life will be included. Still life painting will be used to apply what students have learned from the course into their own artwork. Color schemes, how colors react to each other, and how colors evoke emotions will be taught. Students will walk away with a better understanding of how to mix paint colors, what is in their paint, find colors in real life, and how to create a cohesive color palette. This class is designed to be beginner friendly, and welcome to all types of artists.
Alla Prima Painting with Todd Bonita
Saturday, July 19th, 10:00am–5:00pm | Upstairs or Outside
$75 for NAA members / $95 non-members
"Alla Prima" is a technique in which a painting is completed in one session, wet into wet. This direct method lends itself to thickly applied impasto paint quality and expressive brush work. This class is suitable for beginners or for those who have some experience but are looking for a simple and focussed understanding of the nuts and bolts of oil painting. It is also ideal for Plein air painters who are looking to build upon their skill set. Our class begins with a demo, where we will introduce the Impressionist philosophy of completing a painting in three acts; (1) The Lay in, (2) Modification layer and (3) Art infusion layer. Individual steps from Drawing, Design, Value, Color and Creative oil painting techniques and tools will be discussed and demonstrated. With an understanding of these principles, students will be better equipped to meet the challenges of Alla Prima painting, and thereby, better able to express themselves as artist.
How to Get into Art Galleries and Price Your Artwork with Todd Bonita
Thursday, July 24th, 6:00pm–8:00pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
FREE for NAA members / $10 non-members
Are you an artist eager to take the next step in your career by getting your work into galleries? Do you struggle with how to price your art to reflect its value while staying competitive in the market? This two-hour lecture will provide you with practical advice, insider tips, and proven strategies to help you navigate the complex world of art galleries.
Make Your Own Sketchbook with Johanna Finnegan Topitzer
Saturday, July 26th, 9:00am–12:00pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$75 for NAA members / $95 non-members
Sure, you can go out and buy a blank book, but come to this class and you’ll find out how much more satisfying it is to make your own. Students will learn how to fold and bind pages together to make a blank book that can be used for sketching, writing, or collecting photographs. Students will be sent a list of tools to bring upon registration. A materials fee of $10 will be required at time of class. Create your own book and get inspired to fill it!
Gelli Plate Printing & Collage with Maria Malatesta
Saturday, August 2nd, 9:00am–3:00pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$55 for NAA members / $75 non-members
In this workshop, learn to make unique monoprints using a gelli plate. There will be demonstrations of various printing techniques which will include painting and drawing on the plate, using stencils, layering, combining shapes and image transfers. Printing and rice papers are great to print on as well as found and old papers. You may then use these printed papers in collage. This will be a fun and productive day of printing and experimenting with different methods and materials.
Alcohol Inks with Alison Odle
Four Thursdays, August 7th – 28th, 6:00pm–8:00pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$225 for NAA members / $275 non-members
Alcohol ink is a vibrant and expressive medium that offers a unique, meditative experience suitable for artists of all skill levels. This course is designed to guide you through the fundamentals of working with alcohol inks, progressing from simple techniques to more intricate and advanced styles. Whether you're new to the medium or looking to refine your skills, you'll have the opportunity to explore the fascinating and fluid nature of alcohol inks and unlock your own creative potential. No prior experience is required. This course will take place on August 7th, August 14th, August 21st, and August 28th.
Gilding the Lily, Introductory Gilding Course in Metal Leafing with Vera Struck
Saturday, August 30th, 9:00am–12:00pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$75 for NAA members / $95 non-members
Introductory workshop on how to prepare, apply, burnish, add a paint wash to accentuate the surface and seal metal leafing onto one small 2D drawing/painting and one small 3D object supplied by the student.
Gelli Plate Printing & Collage with Maria Malatesta
Saturday, September 13th, 9:00am–3:00pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$55 for NAA members / $75 non-members
In this workshop, learn to make unique monoprints using a gelli plate. There will be demonstrations of various printing techniques which will include painting and drawing on the plate, using stencils, layering, combining shapes and image transfers. Printing and rice papers are great to print on as well as found and old papers. You may then use these printed papers in collage. This will be a fun and productive day of printing and experimenting with different methods and materials.
Beginning Mosaic with Yetti Frenkel
Four Tuesdays, September 9th – 30th, 10:00am–1:00pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$225 for NAA members / $275 non-members
In this workshop participants will create a glass mosaic that can be included in a practical application such as a mirror or stepping stone, or displayed as a decorative object. Participants will learn how to design for mosaic, how to cut and construct with glass tile, what type of substrates to use, and how to cement and grout.
Watercolor Floral & Botanical Painting with Alison Odle
Four Thursdays, October 2nd – 23rd, 6:00pm–8:00pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$225 for NAA members / $275 non-members
In this engaging watercolor class, students of all skill levels will explore the beautiful world of florals and botanicals, unlocking their creative potential through expert guidance and hands-on practice. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an intermediate artist, this class will equip you with the techniques to create stunning watercolor pieces that showcase the elegance and intricacy of nature’s wonders.
Throughout the course, you will learn foundational watercolor techniques such as layering, blending, wet-on-wet, and dry-brush work, all while focusing on the delicate details of flowers and plants. You'll have the opportunity to experiment with color mixing, brushstrokes, and composition, while receiving personalized instruction to help you refine your skills. This class will take place on October 2nd, October 9th, October 16th, and October 23rd.
Intro to Spoon Carving with Eric Goodson
Sunday, December 7th, 10:00am–4:00pm | Upstairs Hartson Gallery
$75 for NAA members / $95 non-members
Spoons are central tools in the human experience; they may very well be the first and last tools we use in this life. They also make great projects for beginner carvers, with their convex and concave surfaces and changing grain direction. In this course, students will learn about wood selection, grain orientation, spoon design and ergonomics, and a wide variety of special knife grips (for both slöjd and hook knives) that make carving fast, efficient, and safe. Attention will also be paid to stretches and massage that help relieve hand fatigue. Finally, students will also discuss finishing oils, paints, and decorative techniques like chip carving and kolrosing. Loaner tools will be available, though if students have their own carving tools, they should bring them. Slöjd knives (Mora 106, 120, and 164) will also be for sale. All students will receive a spoon template that they can take home to make more! No experience necessary, and as long as you can easily open a jar of spaghetti sauce, you have sufficient hand strength.
