Adult Classes
Visual Arts & Hands-on Programs
Weaving on a Rigid Heddle Loom Two Day Workshop
Two Full Days in the MAC Studio:
Saturdays, April 15 & 22, 9:00am-4:00pm each day
(with 1 hr. lunch break each day)
In case of cancellations, make up dates will be determined by the instructor.
$150 MAC members | $160 nonmembers (equipment provided, yarn not provided)
Students should bring lunch to each session.
Classes are non-refundable once a session has sold out, unless we can fill your spot.
Lisa Elliott, Instructor
Maximum 6 students
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 full day workshop over two weekends, you can 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, 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.
All Levels Watercolor Painting for Adults with Drop-In Option
Spring Session 1 (8 weeks) - 2 Options
Thursdays, 10:00am to 12:00pm in the MAC Studio - Two Hours
March 16 - May 4, 2023 (8 classes) - CLASS FULL (Drop in still available)
or
Fridays, 9:30am to 12:30pm in the MAC Studio - Three Hours (new this year)
March 17 - May 5, 2023 (8 classes)
In case of inclement weather, make up dates will be scheduled. If enrollment is low, classes may be combined to a single day.
Thursday Session (Two Hour Classes): $195 MAC members | $225 nonmembers (supplies not included)
Friday Session (Three Hour Classes): $290 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
Jay Ryan, Instructor
Minimum 4 students
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 check back on Friday afternoon to register for the next drop-in class.
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.
*NEW* Visible Mending with Sashiko
One Day Workshop
FALL CLASS TBA, 10:00am-1:00pm in the MAC Studio
One Three Hour Workshop
*Please note this class has been rescheduled from its original date of April 9.
$60 MAC members | $65 nonmembers
Plus $10 materials fee per student
Classes are non-refundable once a session has sold out, unless we can fill your spot.
Crickett Warner, Instructor
6-10 students
Description: Join the renewed trend of repairing your clothing with beautiful traditional Japanese mending techniques and patterns. First recorded in Japan in the 16th century, peasants repaired worn out clothing using scraps and layering to make material stronger. Local patterns identified people from different regions. Using thread and needles specifically made for sashiko stitching, most students will complete one patch during the workshop, and some may finish up the last bits at home. Patterns and directions will be provided. Some denim jeans will be available to practice on, but it's best for students to bring their own (holes not required) so the masterpieces can be worn!
Students should bring the following:
- Scissors if available (some will be provided)
- A garment for mending (usually jeans or a denim shirt, but an apron for embellishing works too)
- Students are welcome to bring their own materials for patches (mid-weight or lighter cotton or linen fabrics are best, blends are okay)
- Students may also bring their own thimbles if available (no need to purchase)
Materials included with fee: sashiko needle, skein of sashiko thread, traditional sashiko thimble, erasable marking pen, linen material for lining patch, variety of cotton materials to choose from, pins, and board. The instructor will also provide an iron for pressing seams, several pairs of scissors, a clear ruler, templates for marking patterns (to be used in class), examples of finished work, a slideshow, and more.
About the Instructor: A lifelong fiber creator, Crickett learned to sew, quilt and knit from her grandmother. With thrift and hip-ness in mind, she patched her first pair of jeans in the mid-70’s and has been rescuing clothing ever since. Following the fashion of recent years, Crickett acquired a pair of ripped jeans (yes, she paid extra for the holes) and soon found that her knees were chilly. Employing traditional Japanese philosophy of boro and sashiko stitching technique and scraps of cotton and linen from her stash, she soon warmed up and began to create wearable art.
In the past few years, the trend of “upcycled” clothing has grown and a movement toward “slow fashion” – make, mend or thrift your wardrobe – with the environment in mind. The average American throws away approximately 80 pounds of used clothing each year, with the average lifespan of a piece of clothing approximately 3 years. Following in her grandmother’s Depression era thrifty footsteps, Crickett believes that it is better for the environment to repair and reuse whenever possible.