learn new skills and grow creatively with us
class schedule
we offer classes in Pottery, Painting, Drawing, Mixed Media, Photography, Printmaking, Arts & Wellness, along with Art Talks and free Gallery Tours throughout the year.
open studio sessions are available for printmaking.
interested in private lessons or scholarships? learn more
Spring schedule
scroll to view all classes or browse a specific category.
Pottery classes are held in our Pottery Studio.
Printmaking classes are held in our Printmaking Studio.
All other classes are held in our Paint Studio.
Art Talk
No Studio: A Decade As A Nomadic Painter
with Chris Long
Thursday, May 28
6 - 7pm
Free, or suggested $10 donation
Join us for an engaging presentation on life as a nomadic artist. Painter Chris Long shares his journey from sculptor and teacher to traveling the country in an RV—and what ultimately brought him back to Rhode Island. Hear stories from the New Orleans art scene, Colorado art fairs, and being stranded out west during the pandemic, as well as how he built a living selling his work online through social media…
featured event
pottery classes
If a class is sold out, join the waitlist by adding your contact info on the registration page.
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All Level Handbuilding
Instructor: Annie Barnard
Expand your skills, this hands-on class. Explore coil, slab, pinch, paddling, sculpture, molds, and expressive surface design for both functional or decorative pieces.
Wednesdays, 8 weeks
June 24 - August 12
10am - 1pmMembers $375
Non-Members $400 -
Pottery I
Instructor: Jason Fong
Discover the basics of ceramics in this beginner class. Learn wheel throwing, handbuilding, decorating, and glazing while creating multiple projects and building confidence with clay.
Mondays, 8 weeks
June 22 - August 17 | Skipping July 13
6 - 9pmMembers $375
Non-Members $400 -
Open Studio
Instructor: Kris Greco
Open Studio is your time to create at your own pace. Develop skills, explore new ideas, and experiment freely with personalized guidance, demos, and support based on your interests.
Tuesdays, 8 weeks
June 23 - August 11
10am - 1pm
Members $375
Non-Members $400 -
Drinking Vessels
Instructor: Alison Purwinis
From morning coffee to evening tea, every drink deserves the right vessel. In this wheel-throwing class, create mugs, cups, and tumblers while exploring form, balance, handles, and the subtle details that turn everyday sipping into ritual.
Tuesdays, 8 weeks
June 23 - August 11
6 - 9pmMembers $375
Non-Members $400 -
Intro to Wheel Throwing
Instructor: Roxann Kasper
Begin your journey at the wheel and discover the joy of shaping clay. Learn foundational throwing, decorating, and glazing techniques while creating finished pieces and building confidence in the ceramic studio.
Mondays, 8 weeks
June 22 - August 10
10am - 1pmMembers $375
Non-Members $400 -
Pinch and Slab Tea Set
Instructor: Kayla Falcone
Craft the timeless ritual of tea in clay. Using pinching and slab techniques, build a personally designed teapot and matching cup while learning how form, function, and craftsmanship come together.
Saturdays, 3 weeks
August 8 - 22
10am - 1pmMembers $140
Non-Members $165 -
Wood Fire
Instructor: Jason Fong
Bring your bisqued work (in a cone 10+ clay body). Fire it in our backyard wood kiln and be part of the full process—from prep to final atmospheric results.
Sat, July 18 & Sun, July 19
Glaze talk & work day
Sat, Aug 15 & Sun, Aug 16
Load & fire daysMembers $120
Non-Members $145 -
Pottery II
Instructor: Sherry Italiano
Fridays, 8 weeks
June 26 - August 14
10am - 1pm
all of your questions about classes answered in our frequently asked questions section.
2D classes
Look for the 🌿 for classes with an Arts & Wellness component that combine art-making with reflection, relaxation, and self-expression.
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Early Morning Plein Air Oil Painting
Instructor: Trish Hurley
PaintingThere’s nothing better than truly trying to capture the essence of a summer morning around South County. Each day will be at a different location for a different set of artistic challenges.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday | 3 days
July 28 - 30
8 - 11amMembers $140
Non-Members $165 -
Postcards From Home: Painting Local Landscapes in Gouache
Instructor: Susan Sward
PaintingInspired by your own photographs of South County and surrounding areas. Working in a postcard size journal, we’ll capture the essence of familiar places—beaches, farms, meadows, winding rivers, and local landmarks.
Tuesdays, 5 weeks
June 23 - July 21
10am - 1pmMembers $180
Non-Members $205 -
Creative Color Bootcamp
Instructor: Sharon Estes
PaintingMake color part of your personal expression. Learn the power of color and how to use it to your advantage giving your paintings that wow factor.
Mondays, 5 weeks
July 27 - August 24
1 - 3:30pmMembers $170
Non-Members $195 -
Introduction to Soft Pastels
Instructor: Linda O'Connor
PaintingLearn the essentials of soft pastels—from materials to techniques—while creating both still life and landscape pieces.
May 18 - June 8
Mondays | 3 weeks
Skipping May 25
9:30am - 12pmMembers $125
Non-Members $150 -
Pastels in Plein Air
Instructor: Jeneane Lunn
PaintingPainting in Plein Air using the techniques of the Impressionist painters, we will work to capture the changing light effects of nature while creating complex, beautiful layers of color while enjoying the serenity of the outdoors.
Mondays, 4 weeks
June 22 - July 13
1 - 3:30pmMembers $150
Non-Members $175 -
Realism Drawing
Instructor: Lisa Adams
DrawingThe “art of seeing” is the key to realism. Gain confidence to draw anything. Learn skills, material, techniques and tips that sharpen your drawing skills and observation. All levels are welcome.
Thursdays, 4 weeks
August 6 -27
1 - 3:30pmMembers $160
Non-Members $185 -
Basic Drawing
Instructor: Burl Dawson
DrawingLearn how to see the way an artist sees and by doing so, you will learn how to draw in a relaxed way.
Sundays, 5 weeks
June 28 - July 26
9:30 - 12pmMembers $170
Non-Members $195 -
Summer Sampler Series: Collage
Instructor: Ann Bianchi
Mixed MediaLooking forward to dabbling with a new skill? We have just the creative solution! This 2 hour foundation sampler workshop will highlight fundamental skills and techniques for new and favorite art methods.
Wednesday, August 26
1 - 3pmMembers $40
Non-Members $65 -
Binding Matters: Shape, Structure and the Pamphlet Stitch
Instructor: Suzi Ballenger
Mixed MediaDiscover how a book’s binding and spine shape can transform the way it’s seen, handled, and read. In this hands-on workshop, we’ll experiment with creating distinctive, sculptural spines from decorative and handmade papers, then binding our pages using the pamphlet stitch.
Wednesday, July 15
1 - 4pmMembers $60
Non-Members $85 -
Reading & Writing The Ekphrastic Poem
Instructor: Michael Klein
Mixed MediaExplore Ekphrastic poetry by the masters and write your own based on a favorite work of art or art in the current exhibition at SCAA. Bring a favorite notebook and pen for this fun workshop!
Wednesday & Thursday
June 24 & 25
1 - 4pmMembers $100
Non-Members $125 -
Tarot Inspired Card Creation 🌿
Instructor: Erica O'Connell
Mixed MediaExplore symbolism and storytelling by creating your own tarot-inspired artwork through collage, drawing, or painting.
Fridays, 2 weeks
June 5 - 12
6 - 8pmMembers $60
Non-Members $85 -
Make a Beautiful Mess: A Day of Guided Experiments in Mixed-Media
Instructor: Sarah Z Short
Mixed MediaA single day of permission to play. Students cycle through techniques — gelli plate printing, marbling, letterpress printing, monoprinting, and mark-making — experimenting freely with materials. There is no “right” result.
Tuesday, August 18
10am - 3pmMembers $90
Non-Members $115 -
Create a Cast Paper Floral Mirror
Instructor: Lisa May Tobin
Mixed MediaBring your curiosity to the art of papermaking and create a beautiful cast paper mirror. Learn techniques to design flowers, grapes and birds that will make a stunning decorative piece.
Wednesday, July 1
1 - 3pmMembers $40
Non-Members $65 -
Seaweed Eco-Printing Workshop🌿
Instructor: Sasha Azbel
Mixed MediaAn introduce eco-printing with seaweed alongside select land-based plants. Enjoy working with a variety of seaweed species collected along Rhode Island’s coastline and harvested leaves and flowers from SCAA’s garden to develop a unique visual language on cloth.
Tuesday & Thursday | 2 days
July 28 & 30
11am - 3pmMembers $120
Non-Members $145 -
Sustaining a Studio Practice 🌿
Instructor: Taleen Batalian
Creativity / WellnessWhether you are at the early stages of your studio practice, or you have maintained a long-term art practice, this course will meet you where you are and provide you with guidance and support to expand your work and your practice.
Tuesdays, 2 weeks
August 4 - 11
10am - 2pmMembers $120
Non-Members $145 -
Linocut Printmaking
Instructor: Patricia Cheyne
PrintmakingCreate printed images as stand-alone artworks or combine with other pieces to enhance any mixed media artworks—like cards, wrapping paper, and collages, for example. This is a great skill to add to your artistic toolkit.
Saturday, July 25
10am - 4pmMembers $100
Non-Members $125 -
Monotypes & Monoprints
Instructor: Robert Pillsbury
PrintmakingExploring Monotype and monoprints, where painting and printmaking paths cross. Learn a wide range of techniques to create beautiful prints. Open to all levels, no printmaking experience is required.
Saturdays, 4 weeks
August 8 - 29
12:30 - 3:30pmMembers $160
Non-Members $185 -
Printmaking Open Studio
Instructor: Robert Pillsbury
PrintmakingWork independently in the printshop with access to the press and support from an experienced monitor.
Saturday, July 18
12:30 - 3:30pmMembers $30 per session
Non-Members $55 per session -
Advanced Macro/Close-Up Photography
Instructor: Shane Gutierrez
PhotographyRefine your macro skills with advanced techniques in lighting, focus stacking, and composition.
May 13 - June 10
Wednesdays | 5 weeks
6:30 - 9pmMembers $170
Non-Members $195 -
Introduction to Documentary Photography
Instructor: Christina Ascani
PhotographyLearn to capture real-life moments and tell compelling visual stories through documentary photography.
May 23 - June 13
Saturdays, 3 weeks
Skipping June 6
10am - 1pmMembers $140
Non-Members $165 -
Learn to See: A Photography Scavenger Hunt
Instructor: Shane Gutierrez
PhotographyA scavenger hunt with a photography angle – a fun and refreshing way to see and learn. Find specific objects or views within the landscape, and explore composition and a creative approach to taking photographs.
Mondays, 5 weeks
July 13 - AugositiMembers $170
Non-Members $195 -
Beyond the Camera
Instructor: John Hames
PhotographyDevelop your skills through weekly exercises designed to challenge your preconceptions of what photographs can be, and how you might better understand your decision-making in their creation.
Fridays, 5 weeks
June 26 - July 24
11am - 1pmMembers $160
Non-Members $185
Each class at SCAA is more than instruction—it’s a chance to connect, experiment, and grow alongside other artists in a welcoming studio environment.
art talks & gallery tours
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Art Talk | No Studio: A Decade As A Nomadic Painter
with Chris Long
Thursday, May 28
6 - 7pm
Free, or suggested $10 donationJoin us for an engaging presentation on life as a nomadic artist. Painter Chris Long shares his journey from sculptor and teacher to traveling the country in an RV—and what ultimately brought him back to Rhode Island. Hear stories from the New Orleans art scene, Colorado art fairs, and being stranded out west during the pandemic, as well as how he built a living selling his work online through social media…
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Gallery Tour | Stories Behind the Art
with Wendy Rappaport
Monthly
Monthly
Dates TBA
Free - No RSVP neededSpend time with volunteer Wendy Rappaport, an Expressive Arts Facilitator, as she shares insights into a selection of works and the unique ways artists express themselves. Wendy has interviewed the artists and is excited to share their stories with you.
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