Hands-on Classes
Visual Arts & Hands-on Programs
*NEW* Writing Class: 6 Weeks, 6 Stories
Fall Session 2, 2025
Tuesday evenings, 6:30-8:30pm in the MAC Studio
October 28 - December 9 (6 weeks, no class Nov. 25)
$235 MAC members | $275 nonmembers
Sarah Banse, Instructor
Class Size: 5-12 students
In case of cancellations, make up dates will be determined by the instructor.
Accessibility: There are several steps with handrails leading downstairs into our lower level studio.
Due to limited class size, tuition is non-refundable unless we can fill your spot.
6 Weeks, 6 Stories is an opportunity to experiment with new forms and share fresh work in a supportive environment. This generative class is for anyone ready to take on a writing practice, whether you're a seasoned writer or brand new to the world of fiction. You can expect to write a new story draft (ranging from 300-1000 words) each week, and to be workshopped by the class with written feedback from the instructor. We will also look at the work of contemporary authors to create a craft toolbox that you can apply to your own work. You'll leave class with: new ideas and inspiration, six new story drafts, writing prompts to carry you forward, and a grasp of the fundamental elements of short fiction.
About the Instructor: Sarah Banse has an MFA in fiction from Emerson College where she was a Dean’s Fellow. While at Emerson, Banse was an assistant editor at Ploughshares, literary journal. She was also a senior fiction reader there for nearly a decade and wrote for their blog. Banse currently reads for The Harvard Review, for their annual contest. Find out more on her author website.
Watercolor Painting for Beginners
Fall Session 2025
Fall Session 1 - Instructor Patty White
Tuesdays, 1:00 to 3:00pm in the MAC Studio - Two Hours
September 9 - October 28, 2025 (8 weeks)
Tuesday Session (Two Hour Classes): $195 MAC members, $225 nonmembers
Fall Session 2 - Instructor Patty White
Tuesdays, 1:00 to 3:00pm in the MAC Studio - Two Hours
November 25 - December 16, 2025 (4 weeks)
Tuesday Session (Two Hour Classes): $105 MAC members, $120 nonmembers
Patty White, Instructor
Minimum 5 students, supplies not included
Description: This course is designed for adults who would like to try watercolor painting, but have limited experience with the medium. Throughout the eight weeks, students will learn about materials, and begin mixing colors and experimenting with varied brush strokes, while working on still life, landscape and/or imaginative painting—all in a nurturing environment.
A supply list for "Watercolor for Beginners" is available at the Art Loft, located in Fairhaven, MA.
To register, please fill out the form below.
About the Instructor: Patricia White is a painter and Gallery Instructor Associate at the MFA Boston. She is past President of the Marion Art Center and current President of the BWAA. She studied Illustration and Realist Painting at SMFA/Tufts University. She has shown her work in numerous exhibitions in MA and RI, including the Marion Art Center, the MFA Boston’s Annual GI Shows, the Blue Foot Cafe, the Marion COA, the Judith Klein Art Gallery and the New Bedford Art Museum.
All Levels Watercolor Painting for Adults
Fall Sessions 2025
Fall Session 1 - Instructor Jay Ryan
Thursdays, 10:00am to 12:00pm in the MAC Studio - Two Hours
September 11 - October 30, 2025 (8 weeks)
or
Fridays, 9:30am to 12:30pm in the MAC Studio - Three Hours
September 12 - October 31, 2025 (8 weeks)
Thursday Session (Two Hour Classes): $195 MAC members, $225 nonmembers
Friday Session (Three Hour Classes): $295 MAC members, $325 nonmembers
One Day Drop-In (all levels welcome) THURSDAY: $30 per day
One Day Drop-In (all levels welcome) FRIDAY: $45 per day
Fall Session 2 - Instructor Jay Ryan
Thursdays, 10:00am to 12:00pm in the MAC Studio - Two Hours
November 6 - December 18, 2025 (6 weeks) No Class Nov. 27
or
Fridays, 9:30am to 12:30pm in the MAC Studio - Three Hours
November 7 - December 19, 2025 (6 weeks) No Class Nov. 28
Thursday Session (Two Hour Classes): $150 MAC members, $175 nonmembers
Friday Session (Three Hour Classes): $225 MAC members, $250 nonmembers
One Day Drop-In (all levels welcome) THURSDAY: $30 per day
One Day Drop-In (all levels welcome) FRIDAY: $45 per day
Jay Ryan, Instructor
Minimum 4 students, supplies not included
Description: This course is great for those with a little painting experience and is also a perfect “next step” for those who would like to explore watercolor painting beyond a basic understanding of color and brush strokes. Using the brilliant nature of light (and dark), we’ll “push” the medium, adding other water media, brushes, and paper surfaces, and experiment with palette color mixing to capture magic and luminosity. In each class, we will start a new painting together using landscape, still life, the figure, abstract or imaginative thought, or narrative ideas as subjects. Each class will also provide a brief and supportive group “critique”. Students will leave with expanded knowledge of technique and traditional and contemporary use of watercolor.
About the Drop-In Option: Can't commit to a full session? If you'd like to join an "open paint" session guided by an instructor, this option is for you! Drop-in students should register by Wednesday at 2:00pm for the upcoming Thursday 10:00am class or Thursday at 2:00pm for the upcoming Friday 10:00am class. Drop-in registration is accepted on a week by week basis, for the upcoming class only. Space is limited and may change on a weekly basis. A MAC representative will contact drop-in students with any changes to availability or if the class has filled for the week.
To register, please fill out the form below. If the form is unavailable, that means the class is full for this week. Please email info@marionartcenter.org to inquire about drop-in for the current session.
About the Instructor: Jay Ryan is a Fairhaven painter and a Gallery Instructor at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. A former K-12 public school art teacher and administrator, Jay has studied at Massachusetts College of Art, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and Framingham State and Lesley Universities. His work has been locally shown at the Judith Klein Gallery, ArtWorks! and Gallery X in New Bedford, and the Marion Art Center.
Weaving on a Rigid Heddle Loom
Fall Session 1, 2025
Thursday evenings, 6:00-8:30pm in the MAC Studio
September 18 - October 16 (5 weeks)
$150 MAC members | $160 nonmembers
Plus $10 loom/equipment fee payable directly to instructor
Lisa Elliott, Instructor
Maximum 6 students
In case of cancellations, make up dates will be determined by the instructor.
Accessibility: There are several steps with handrails leading downstairs into our lower level studio.
Due to limited class size, tuition is non-refundable unless we can fill your spot.
Description: Learn a new fiber skill on a rigid heddle loom! Have you ever wanted to try weaving but not sure where to begin? In this course over five weeks, you can create and take home your very first woven project. Students will weave one of the following: a scarf, table runner, set of placemats, or set of tea towels. Looms and weaving equipment are provided for a $10 fee, but let us know if you have your own rigid heddle loom that you would like to bring to class. Students will provide their own yarns. After registering, students will contact the instructor before the first class to discuss your project and calculate the amount of appropriate yarn needed for your project. To register, please fill out the form below. 
About the Instructor: Lisa Elliott comes from a family of artists: her parents, siblings, husband, and children. She received her BFA in Graphic Design from the Rhode Island School of Design and later completed four additional semesters in weaving at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. After several years of weaving on her four-harness floor loom, where she’s currently working on rag rugs, she discovered the joy of creating wearables and home accessories on the simple rigid heddle loom. The simplicity of plain weave puts emphasis on color interactions. Finger-controlled techniques and the use of a pick-up stick can add subtle or dramatic textural details.
*NEW* Abstract Acrylics: Boats & Stormy Seas
with Elyse Laurelle
Fall 2025
Postponed - TBA
Saturday mornings, 4 weeks
10:00am to 12:00pm in the MAC Studio - Two Hours
Cost: $110 MAC members | $125 nonmembers
Description: Delve deeper into the method of abstract painting with acrylics, beyond a one-day workshop. In this class, attendees will learn how to work with acrylic paint to create their own boat and stormy sea paintings. The instructor will provide demos and examples while working on a painting with participants throughout the class. This four-week program gives students time to develop their paintings through layering, color exploration, and classroom discussion.
Elyse will share techniques and offer advice with constructive feedback. The goal of this class is for participants to feel more comfortable working abstractly with acrylic paints and to create a painting, or paintings, of their very own. The instructor will offer demonstrations and examples, but students are encouraged to explore their own artistic styles with their boat- and sea-inspired artworks.
Recommended materials:
- 8" x 10" or 11" x 14" Classic Cotton Canvas
- Wooden Palette
- Palette Knife
- Array of flat and round brushes suitable for acrylic paint in a variety of sizes
- Liquitex Acrylic Ink: Deep Turquoise
- Golden Acrylics Heavy Body
- Titanium White, Black
- Phthalo Blue (Green Shade)
- Burnt Sienna
- Red, yellow, and green colors
Participants are encouraged to purchase other colors if they are new to color mixing. Students may also purchase an acrylic paint set or brand that works for any budget. The paints listed above are the instructor's recommended brands and colors.
More Adult Classes
Check out our Music and Movement classes for adults through the links below!
