This workshop will help you with some of the technical skills you will need as an artist to go from preparing your painting surfaces through matting and framing and hanging your artwork. Part open studio and part studiocraft, this course will help participants learn about the process of preparing for, developing & curating a group exhibition. This course will culminate in a small group show at Merrymeeting Arts Center Gallery in Bowdoinham. Participants are expected to bring artwork already in progress but not yet finished as the first few class sessions will be about finishing/preparing the work for the show. The last class will meet at the gallery for show setup. Contact Ed Higgins directly with any questions ed_higgins@icloud.com.

“Unboxed” is a dynamic and engaging art camp designed for tweens (ages 9-12) to unlock their creative potential through exploration of drawing, painting, printmaking, and collage. This isn't about rigid instruction or perfect results; it's about fostering self-expression, encouraging experimentation, and nurturing a sense of curiosity. We aim to create a safe and supportive environment where tweens can confidently try new techniques, collaborate with peers, and discover their unique artistic voices. The camp culminates in a student exhibition, celebrating their hard work and sharing their creations with family and friends. “Unboxed” is rooted in the belief that everyone is creative. We move away from the pressure of realistic representation and towards the joy of process, experimentation, and personal narrative. All materials included.

All levels welcome! Traditional techniques of application and blending will be emphasized. You will be surprised how easy it is to get impressive results right away, with a few simple pro tips and tricks. Express yourself with pastels in a relaxing, supportive, positive setting and unleash your inner pastel artist! Contact Ed Higgins directly with any questions ed_higgins@icloud.com.

If you’re the kind of artist who doesn’t want to limit your work to one medium, this is the class for you! Many people don’t realize how many conventional painting media play nice with each other. For example, pastel (or oil sticks) and oil paints, acrylic and pastel, watercolor and ink, and on and on. This class will emphasize experimentation and expressive mark making. Artists will be able to create visual depth and tactile appeal by combining diverse elements. Mixed Media Painting allows artists to build rich, three-dimensional textures and layers that traditional paintings cannot achieve. Contact Ed Higgins directly with any questions ed_higgins@icloud.com.

Oils are a very forgiving medium, great for learning because it’s easy to revise, repaint, wipe out and start over. Keeping an oil painting mobile and active throughout the process means that at any moment or any stage, your painting can surprise you and move you forward in a new direction. Sometimes one brushstroke allows you to see new possibilities. Ed has helped many artists power through their fear of starting, and gain confidence as oil painters. If you’ve never painted in oils before, don’t be afraid, contact Ed directly with any questions ed_higgins@icloud.com. *This class will focus on Expressive Brushwork.

Back by popular demand! This winter we’ll be taking a deep dive into studying animals, particularly studying our feathered friends, birds. To really learn about any subject, you have to draw it. We’ll begin every class with speed sketching warm up drills, followed by working from reference images and videos that will focus us on constructive anatomy and capturing the moods, aspects, and expressions of our subjects. You may work in any media you prefer. There is no set materials list, but a hardbound sketchbook or mixed media journal is recommended for your studies. Contact Ed Higgins directly with any questions ed_higgins@icloud.com.

Learn to make this complex layered accordion book, also called a carousel book. In this three week class, we will designing the background, middle ground & foreground of our star books. Finishing the book by stitching the three layers together & adding decorative covers with ribbon ties. Tools & materials provided. *A material fee of $20 should be paid to the instructor on the first night. **Snow Date: 3/25.

Learn why this popular and powerful visual tool is so effective. This project can help you realize your goals! A variety of media (words, pictures, fabrics, shapes - or any media that you like) representing your aspirations, hopes, and dreams will be arranged on a collage board to help you clarify and concentrate on your path forward. Materials are provided.