North River Arts Society

Open Studio

Start
Friday, January 02, 2026
End
Friday, December 18, 2026
Schedule
44 sessions
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills

Looking for more space to spread out and work on a project? Or maybe you want to work amongst other artists to feel inspired and get some helpful feedback on your work. Join other local artists any time between 9am-12pm, for Open Studio. Please pay $10 cash at the door. Bring all supplies you need to use, NRAS has easels available.

No registration, drop in only, cash or check.

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Monday Craft Night Open Studio

Start
Monday, January 05, 2026
End
Monday, June 15, 2026
Schedule
13 sessions
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills

No registration required – all are welcome! $10 cash only

Looking for a creative way to kick off your week? Join us every FIRST and THIRD Monday night at North River Arts Society for Drop-In Craft Night! Bring your own project—whether it’s knitting, sketching, embroidery, sewing, collage, or any craft you're working on—and enjoy a relaxed, welcoming space to create alongside fellow makers.

All skill levels are welcome. This is an informal, social night perfect for getting inspired, sharing ideas, and making progress on whatever you're into. Come solo or with friends—stay the whole time or just pop in!

This group is open to all ages, levels, skills and crafts.

Additional Information:

Please help us be respectful to our neighbors.
Do not park in front of neighbors or turn around in their driveways.

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Drop In Figure Drawing

Start
Friday, January 09, 2026
End
Friday, December 11, 2026
Schedule
11 sessions
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield MA 02051

Join North River Arts for Friday Night Figure Drawing!

Settle into a relaxed, creative atmosphere and spend your Friday evening drawing or painting from a live model. Each session begins with a series of short, dynamic poses designed to help you warm up, loosen your hand, and explore gesture. We then transition into longer poses, giving you the opportunity to dive deeper into proportion, anatomy, shading, and more refined detail at your own pace.

This is an uninstructed studio session, making it a wonderful option for artists of all levels who are looking to practice, build confidence, or simply enjoy dedicated time to create in community with others. Bring your preferred materials and enjoy a supportive, inspiring environment to grow your figure drawing skills.

Easels provided by NRAS. $20 drop in fee at the door, cash only. Space limited to 14 students.

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Try It Out! Beginners Oil Painting Class with Margaret Farrell Bruno

Start
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
End
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Schedule
4 sessions
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield MA 02051
Spaces left
1

Register

If you have ever wanted to try out painting in oils this is an easy 4 week start up class that won’t overwhelm. Learn the basics of oil painting including substrates and how different materials create varying effects. We will use a start up limited palette to help you understand color mixing and application and explore some basics of simplifying your composition. All lending for a fun way to proceed in your oil painting journey.

About the Instructor: Margaret Farrell Bruno

Margaret Farrell Bruno is a national award winning landscape and portrait artist who lives

and paints on the Massachusetts South Shore. Being a native of the area, she grew up

surrounded by the splendid coastline and luscious cranberry bogs, which continue to

inspire her pastel and oil landscapes. She left the South Shore as a young woman to study

at Pratt Institute fulfilling her BFA. She worked in and experienced the art culture of New

York City for many years, but was drawn back to her South Shore roots. Along with the

joys of raising her family, she continued her career and business as a Fine Artist and

Illustrator. Margaret’s work is in numerous public and private collections.

Margaret has always been and continues to be inspired by the works of such artists as

William Merrit Chase, Edgar Payne, William Wendt, Joaquín Sorolla, Sargent, and

Anders Zorn.

She is a member of several art societies, including a Signature Member of the Pastel

Society of America, Master Circle Status International Association of Pastel Societies,

Associate Member of the Copley Art Society, Signature Member of the Pastel Painters

Society of Cape Cod, Juried Artist Member of the Cape Cod Art Association, Oil Painters

of America and the Portrait Society of America. She is a recent past President of the Board

of Directors of the North River Arts Society.

Materials List: MFBruno-Try it out Supply List .pdf

Additional Information:

Please help us be respectful to our neighbors.
Do not park in front of neighbors or turn around in their driveways.

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Reflections and Light by Andrew Flight

Start
Saturday, February 28, 2026
End
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Location
Horan Gallery at Ventress Memorial Library

Join us in celebration of Andrew Flight with "Reflections and Light" at the Jeanne Horan Gallery at Ventress Memorial Library, February 28 - April 18. Opening Reception on Friday, March 6 from 5:30-7:30pm - We hope to see you there!

Artist Statement:

The relationship between light and shadow has always been an important part of my painting. Capturing the shape of a shadow or the subtle change in a tone can bring an image to life. Negative space and the changes created by light are what form the composition. Reflections are another aspect of this relationship and can be found throughout nature and in everyday objects. My eye has always been drawn to the distorted or nearly mirror-like effect of the optical illusions.

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Creative Garden Art: Papier-Mâché for the Outdoors with Sally Dean

Start
Tuesday, March 03, 2026
End
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Schedule
4 sessions
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills 02051
Spaces left
0

Join waitlist

Get ready to roll up your sleeves and have some fun! In this four-week hands-on class, you’ll explore the playful, artistic world of papier-mâché. We’ll begin by learning how to design and build strong structures, then move on to applying paper mâché strips and cement paper clay to create durable, weather-resistant garden vessels and ornaments. Each week builds on the last as you experiment with form, texture, and color while bringing your unique vision to life. Whether it’s whimsical creatures, elegant planters, or imaginative sculptures, your finished piece will be ready to brighten your garden just in time for spring. This class is all about creativity, laughter, and the joy of making something beautiful for your outdoor space — no prior experience needed!

About the Artist:

Sally Dean is a south shore artist who mostly works out of her back yard studio. Sally is a member of North River Arts Society, and is a gallery artist at South Shore Art Center in Cohasset . She is a graduate of The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and has a BFA from Tufts University. As well as painting Sally works in mixed media, printmaking murals and mosaics. She has recently retired from her position as Education Coordinator at The Art complex Museum in Duxbury, and is now enjoying life as a full time artist . Sally was the artist in residence in 2023 at South Shore Art Center working with school children teaching animal art .

@sallydean

Additional Information:

Please help us be respectful to our neighbors.
Do not park in front of neighbors or turn around in their driveways.

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Now Is Then by Sage Belber

Start
Saturday, March 07, 2026
End
Thursday, April 02, 2026
Location
Dolphin Gallery, located in the Hingham Library

Join us in celebration of Now Is Then by Sage Belber, on display March 7 - April 2 at the Dolphin Gallery, located in the Hingham Library. Opening Reception: Thursday, March 12th, 5:30-7:00 pm

Artist Statement:

Now becomes then, moments become memories, but in the moment: the weight of emotions, the dynamics of our relationships to others, and the places we inhabit hold such solidity, it’s hard to realize we are forever falling into the past and slipping into the future.

As these moments pass by, I catch the now with meditation and focus, my interpretation solidifies in oil paint on canvas, and is delivered to future viewers: a moment in time and its timelessness.

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Intro to Sewing with Olivia Harvey

Start
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
End
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Schedule
6 sessions
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills 02051
Spaces left
0

Join waitlist

In this 6-week class, students will learn the basics of clothing construction, from threading and using their sewing machines to reading patterns and sewing garments from start to finish. This class is perfect for those who are complete beginners or have a few simple sewing projects under their belts and would like to learn more. Prior students are also welcome!

This class is open to adults and high school students, please contact the office with any questions at northriverarts@gmail.com.

Materials List:

Sewing machine (North River will have a few machines for students to share if you do not have your own machine.)
Fabric scissors
Pins
Seam ripper
Soft measuring tape
Pencils/sketchbook
After students learn the basics, they will be asked to purchase a simple pattern and fabric for a project

Olivia Harvey is an avid sewist and upcycler who first learned how to sew as a kid right here at NRAS with Brooke Stanton — and she hasn’t stopped since! Along with making and embellishing her own clothes, Olivia also sells her upcycled creations through her online shop OHpleeze. She believes that everyone should learn how to sew because it makes life (and your closet) a lot more interesting!

Additional Information:

Please help us be respectful to our neighbors.
Do not park in front of neighbors or turn around in their driveways.

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Light and Shadow with Pastels with Heather Quay

When
Saturday, March 14, 2026
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield
Spaces left
5

Register

One goal of representational painting is to make an image appear three-dimensional on a two- dimensional surface. Understanding light and shadow helps to accomplish this artistic illusion. In this one-day workshop we will work on creating effective lights and shadows in a pastel painting, focusing on composition and value shapes as well as mark-making, layering, and blending. We will discuss form shadows and cast shadows and the way in which a shadow’s definition and color are influenced by the source, quality and temperature of the light casting the shadow. In the morning you will create a number of different studies focusing on how best to capture different aspects of shadows in the pastel medium. In the afternoon you will create a larger piece applying what you have learned. All students will have personalized feedback and guidance as you explore this topic. This class is appropriate for all levels. A materials list will be provided in advance.

About the Instructor: Heather Quay

“My goal is to have my paintings capture the feeling of a particular time and place. I have always been fascinated by the way that painters portray the quality and temperature of light. As a pastel painter, I continue to be drawn to scenes where the light is the central character. Whatever I am painting – from landscapes, both natural and manmade, to figures, animals, and portraits – I’m always striving to render the light I see onto the surface of my artwork.”

Heather’s work has been included in juried exhibits across New England and online, and has won a number of awards. She is an Associate Member of the Pastel Society of America, and a Signature Member of the Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod, the Connecticut Pastel Society and the Maryland Pastel Society. She is also a member of the North River Arts Society, the Central Massachusetts Pastel Society, the Pastel Society of New Hampshire and the Lyme Art Association. Heather is a Featured Artist on the Artsy Shark website. More about Heather and her work can be found at www.heatherquay.com

Materials list:

Quay Materials List 2026 Light and Shadow.docx

Additional Information:

Please help us be respectful to our neighbors.
Do not park in front of neighbors or turn around in their driveways.

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Festival of the Arts Poster Competition and Exhibit Opening Reception

When
Saturday, March 14, 2026
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills

Join us for the Festival of the Arts Poster Competition and Exhibit opening! Artist members are asked to submit work to this exhibit to be considered for the Festival of the Arts poster for 2026. Award winners will be announced at 7:30pm.

Catered by Mae's of Marshfield.

This event and the awards are sponsored by The Frame Center of Hanover with additional sponsorship from Mae's, Untold Brewing, and Image Resolutions.

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Christine Bodnar Demo

When
Sunday, March 15, 2026
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location
83 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills 02051
Spaces left
36

Register

Join Christine Bodnar for a 2-hour demo where she will discuss her process, materials and inspiration.

We recommend bringing a notebook and pen to take notes.

I can always remember having a drawing tool in my hand. My need to see through drawing was important to me, this was something I could do alone and gave me great joy. The fascination for color and how it could change the mood and feeling of a moment in time, came with my love for painting. The introduction of pastels became part of that love through their vibrant and immediate qualities. Through the course of a career in commercial printing, graphic design, and educator, I have found myself in the best place possible. I was told once during post graduate studies to just “keep painting“. Today, I am a painter who balances her time between teaching adult classes and growing as an artist.

Interpretation is contemporary realism with an expressive style. Christine has earned the Eminent Pastelist honor from the International Association of Pastel Societies. Her paintings have been shown in museums and galleries throughout the U.S. in national and international juried exhibitions and are in private collections across the country.

PLEASE NOTE: This demo will take place at Friendship Hall down the street from NRAS at 83 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills.

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Developing a Series with Kelley MacDonald

Start
Thursday, March 19, 2026
End
Thursday, April 23, 2026
Schedule
6 sessions
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield 02051
Spaces left
0

Join waitlist

One of the best ways to really explore and know a subject is to work in a series. Each week we will explore a subject of our choosing in a different way. In this class we will work on different examples of a single subject. Whether it is florals, images from travel, pet portraits, figures, water scenes or any subject you desire, …each student will have the opportunity to delve deep into their subject. A welcoming supportive atmosphere allows experimentation and growth. Use the medium you are familiar with! Come join us for this wonderful session!

All levels welcome.

About the Instructor: Kelley MacDonald

After getting her Art History degree at Wheaton College, Kelley continued taking art classes at various Art Associations for 10 years before she started painting. First with watercolor, then oil and now happily with acrylic and mixed media, it has been a lifetime of growing and exploring all things art.

Kelley has won numerous awards, and has taught classes and workshops for many years. While for the majority of her career Kelley has been a literal, representational painter, in the past 4 years she has been diving into abstraction, particularly Intuitive Abstraction. The history involved on the canvas, the multiple layers, the reveal and conceal and push and pull are what attracts her to this method.

A favorite thing to do is to travel, and be inspired by different landscapes and cityscapes. Kelley has traveled to Holland to paint, along with many places on this side of the ocean, namely Nova Scotia, Sedona, Santa Fe, St. Simon’s Island, Seattle, San Miguel de Allende, MX, California and Maine.

In 2009 Kelley founded the Artists’ Challenge Group “Girls Just Wanna Paint” which is a collection of award winning artists who post a response to a new topic every month consecutively since July of 2009. Aside from the Providence Art Club Kelley is a member of the North River Arts Society in Marshfield, MA. She has taught at the Art Club, Bristol Art Museum, and at North River Arts Society.

Materials List - All, or as many as you can manage:

Materials List for Developing A Series Class

-Any size canvas (new one each week) you choose - from 6x6 to 30x30 - whatever you are comfortable with. Canvas, board, canvas board… whatever you like to paint on. Your goal is to start a new painting each week

Disposable Palette

Colors - whatever medium you choose (acrylic, watercolor, pastel, oil) I would suggest at least this limited palette:

Large tube of titanium white
1 warm and 1 cool tube of
Yellow - (ex. Cad lemon and cad yellow medium)
Red (ex. Cadmium red light and Alizarin Crimson, magenta or rose)
Blue (ex. Ultramarine and pthalo)
Neutral such as BURNT umber (not raw)

Brushes in an array of sizes - I use flats, but you may use whatever you are comfortable with, in a 1/4 inch size, a 1/2 in size and a 1 inch size. Then a BIG one and a tiny, detail one.

At least one palette knife - any size

Water container such as a large yogurt or ricotta tub

Apron or overshirt - optional

Paper towels

Additional Information:

Please help us be respectful to our neighbors.
Do not park in front of neighbors or turn around in their driveways.

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Abstract Collage and Printmaking with Vintage Papers with Sarah Z Short

When
Saturday, March 21, 2026
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills, MA 02051
Spaces left
0

Join waitlist

In this workshop, students will explore the art of letterpress printmaking and abstract collage composition. Students will learn various techniques for creating layered letterpress prints using wooden type and vintage papers and ways to replicate the letterpress look on a gelliplate.

Students will be inspired by the close examination of abstract artists' works as they learn composition, color balance, and layering techniques for collage using the prints they’ve created.

By the end of this workshop, you will have a collection of collages that combine vintage materials with unique letterpress prints. These collages will showcase your skills in abstract composition and innovative printmaking techniques.

Materials List

Instructor Bio:

Sarah Z Short is a collage artist and printmaker from the woods of Rhode Island. Her background as an English teacher explains her love of books, which she also enjoys using as the primary material for her collages.

Sarah works with found paper and ephemera, utilizing the stories of the past in her contemporary art. She begins many of her pieces by printing with wooden type on pages rescued from discarded books. The prints are then abstracted in her collage compositions to make the original letter forms unrecognizable. Her interest is in the shapes and white space she can make with the typography.

Website: https://sarahzshort.com/

Instagram: @sarah_z_short

Recommended Lodging for Out-of-Town students:

Inn at Scituate Harbor

Fairview Inn

Additional Information:

Please help us be respectful to our neighbors.
Do not park in front of neighbors or turn around in their driveways.

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Cathy McCarthy Demo

When
Sunday, March 22, 2026
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location
83 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills 02051
Spaces left
44

Register

Join Cathy McCarthy for a 2-hour demo where she will discuss her process, materials and inspiration.

We recommend bringing a notebook and pen to take notes.

Cathy McCarthy is a self taught mosaic artist. Her first experience in mosaics was a life size shark that she installed at the bottom of a swimming pool in Southern California, when she decided to just try out a new form of art. From there on she was hooked and has created hundreds of mosaics including murals, a life size mosaic cow, and her most popular mosaic heart rocks. “I will mosaic anything that stands still!”

Cathy‘s mosaic work uses ceramics, stained glass, hand made tiles, and various found objects. Cathy’s formal education was in graphic design and illustration and now works primarily in pastel and acrylics. Her Mosaic work is secondary but actually her favorite medium to work with. “I’m always working on a mosaic in between my other work. It’s just fun!” Cathy lives in Scituate with her husband Kevin and her dog Samson.

PLEASE NOTE: This demo will take place at Friendship Hall down the street from NRAS at 83 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills.

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Live Model Portrait Drawing and Painting Simplified with Lauren Bass

Start
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
End
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Schedule
8 sessions
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield MA
Spaces left
11

Register

In this 8-week class, students will work from live models while learning a step-by-step approach to capturing the head with accuracy. Students will learn to see the head as a series of abstract shapes and value relationships—an approach that sharpens observation, strengthens drawing skills, and builds confidence across all areas of art practice.

Participants may choose drawing (graphite and white chalk on toned paper) or painting using the Zorn palette. Individual instruction and critiques are tailored to each student’s level, allowing artists to progress at their own pace in a supportive studio environment.

Class price includes weekly live model fees.

“Faces are the most interesting things we see; other people fascinate me, and the most interesting aspect of other people - the point where we go inside them - is the face. It tells it all.” - David Hockney

About the Instructor: Lauren Bass

Lauren Bass is an award-winning artist working in the realist tradition. In pursuit of honing her craft, she has traveled nationally and internationally to study with renowned figurative artists. Drawing on knowledge passed down through generations of realist painters, Lauren combines careful observation with years of dedicated study to gain a deep understanding of the affects of light and the human form. In keeping with this tradition, she shares her expertise through teaching at North River Arts in Marshfield. Lauren is known for her sensitive portraits and her ability to capture the emotion of a place or moment. Her work is in national and international collections.

Supply_list_portrait_class.pdf

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Festival of the Arts Poster Competition and Exhibit Artwork pickup

When
Friday, March 27, 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills

Friday, March 27 (5-7pm) and Saturday, March 28 (10am–12noon) at GAR Hall, 157 Old Main St, Marshfield Hills

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Festival of the Arts Poster Competition and Exhibit Artwork pickup

When
Saturday, March 28, 2026
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills

Friday, March 27 (5-7pm) and Saturday, March 28 (10am–12noon) at GAR Hall, 157 Old Main St, Marshfield Hills

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Focus on Figures Drop Off

When
Sunday, March 29, 2026
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street

Join us as we celebrate the 32st Annual Focus on Figures Exhibit judged by Corey Pitkin! April 11 -30th. This is an incredible show that you don't want to miss! Winners will be announced at 7:30pm. Cash bar!

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Liz Haywood-Sullivan Demo

When
Sunday, March 29, 2026
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location
83 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills 02051
Spaces left
41

Register

Join Liz Haywood-Sullivan for a 2-hour demo where she will discuss her process, materials and inspiration.

We recommend bringing a notebook and pen to take notes.

Liz is a landscape artist dedicated to painting in the pastel medium. Her award-winning paintings are exhibited and collected around the world. In 1996, she left the design world to follow her passion for fine art and since then has worked as a dedicated professional artist, art educator, and arts advocate.

In 2021, Liz rejoined the board of the North River Arts Society in Marshfield Hills, MA and shortly thereafter became its President.

From 2013 to 2017, Liz was President of the International Association of Pastel Societies, where she managed 3 international conventions and 12 international exhibitions. She is on the Board of Advisors for The Pastel Journal. She has earned Master Pastelist status with the Pastel Society of America and has Master Circle and Eminent Pastelist designations with IAPS. Her paintings have appeared in art magazines around the world, and she appears in 12 Artist Network videos, and in numerous books, including authoring the popular instructional book Painting Brilliant Skies and Water in Pastel (Northlight Books, 2013.) Her instruction can currently be found online at www.epiphanyfineart.com.

In addition to her painting, Liz’s current schedule includes teaching workshops nationally and internationally, along with judging and demonstrating for numerous pastel societies and art organizations. In 2016, She was invited to be a featured artist, instructor, and speaker at the Second International Biennial Pastel Exhibition in Suzhou, China. And in 2018, she was the keynote demonstrator and a faculty artist for the Pastel Society of Australia’s First Pastel Expo. Her artwork is represented by Vose Galleries of Boston, the oldest family-owned gallery in the United States.

PLEASE NOTE: This demo will take place at Friendship Hall down the street from NRAS at 83 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills.

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Focus on Figures Drop Off

When
Monday, March 30, 2026
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street

Join us as we celebrate the 32st Annual Focus on Figures Exhibit judged by Corey Pitkin! April 11 -30th. This is an incredible show that you don't want to miss! Winners will be announced at 7:30pm. Cash bar!

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Intro to Collage with Lindsey Caputo

Start
Thursday, April 09, 2026
End
Thursday, April 30, 2026
Schedule
4 sessions
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills
Spaces left
12

Register

In this four week class, students will be guided in collage, assemblage, and photomontage techniques that they can incorporate into their own studio practice. We will be playing with scale, juxtaposition, repetition, and composition. Students will also gain familiarity with materials such as exacto knives, cutting mats, modge podge, and mixed media mark making tools like oil pastels. By the end of the session, students will walk away with a small body of work and the confidence to keep a momentum to utilize these methods at home. This class is perfect for beginners and experienced artists alike. This will be an open studio-like atmosphere with instruction and demonstration at the beginning of class, studio time to create independent projects, and a critique at the end to get feedback from peers.

About the Instructor: Lindsey Caputo

Lindsey Caputo is an multidisciplinary based artist based in the Boston Area. She graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a BFA in Art Education. During her time at MassArt, she volunteered in several Boston Public Schools while earning an initial teaching license in K-12 Visual Arts education. Caputo received an MFA in Studio Art at Maryland Institute College of Art with a Certificate for College Teaching. Since then, she has been expanding her studio practice by engaging in her interest in “the weird” and the Avant Garde. In 2022, she became an Adjunct Faculty member in the Arts and Humanities Pathway at Tidewater Community College where she taught Art Appreciation, 2D Design, and Foundations of Drawing. Currently, she teaches Foundation Drawing and Drawing & Painting Studio at the Eliot School of Fine and Applied Arts.

Materials:

Found ephemera (recipes, newspaper clippings, photos, etc.)
Magazines (any genre)
Newspapers (all points of view, the globe or the post)
Exacto Knives
Scissors
Pencils
Cutting Mat
18x24 mixed media paper
Modge Podge Matte

Additional Information:

Please help us be respectful to our neighbors.
Do not park in front of neighbors or turn around in their driveways.

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Portrait Demo with Corey Pitkin

When
Friday, April 10, 2026
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills 02051
Spaces left
17

Register

Join award-winning artist, Corey Pitkin, for a 2 hour portrait demo in pastel. Corey will be painting from a live model and will discuss techniques, materials, form, etc.

Corey Pitkin PSA, IAPS/EP
A predominantly self-taught artist, Pitkin’s award winning work has been featured in The Pastel Journal, Art Renewal Center, Portrait Society of America, Pratique des Arts Magazine, International Artist Magazine, and Pastel World Magazine, and is held in collections across the globe. He is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America where he also serves on the Board of Governors and has achieved Eminent Pastelist status with the International Association of Pastel Societies. Pitkin teaches frequently online and regularly travels for in-person workshops. He currently resides in upstate New York with his wife Esther and children Anastasia and Xavier.

Additional Information:

Please help us be respectful to our neighbors.
Do not park in front of neighbors or turn around in their driveways.

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In Living Color: Two Approaches to Figure Painting with Corey Pitkin

Start
Saturday, April 11, 2026
End
Sunday, April 12, 2026
Schedule
2 sessions
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills 02051
Spaces left
14

Register

In this unique learning opportunity, figure painter Corey Pitkin will demonstrate two similar but distinct approaches to working from a live model in two different mediums: soft pastel and oil paint. On day one Pitkin will demonstrate using soft pastel and other dry media techniques including charcoal and PanPastel. On day 2 the focus will shift to oil painting using a simplified palette while discussing the creative opportunities that each medium can bring. This workshop is open to artist working in charcoal, pastel, or oil paint. Exploring all of the mediums being demonstrated is encouraged by not required. Mornings will begin with demonstrations and group discussion, and during the afternoons students will work in their selected media(s) while Pitkin provides individual guidance. A live nude model will be onsite for both days. Photographs of the model are not allowed.

Materials List: This workshop is open to soft pastel, PanPastel, and oil. Artists should be experienced in the medium of choice before the workshop. Please see materials lists below.

Corey Pitkin Oil Painting Supply List.pdf

Corey Pitkin Soft Pastel Supply List.pdf

Corey Pitkin PanPastel Charcoal Supply List.pdf

Corey Pitkin PSA, IAPS/EP
A predominantly self-taught artist, Pitkin’s award winning work has been featured in The Pastel Journal, Art Renewal Center, Portrait Society of America, Pratique des Arts Magazine, International Artist Magazine, and Pastel World Magazine, and is held in collections across the globe. He is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America where he also serves on the Board of Governors and has achieved Eminent Pastelist status with the International Association of Pastel Societies. Pitkin teaches frequently online and regularly travels for in-person workshops. He currently resides in upstate New York with his wife Esther and children Anastasia and Xavier.

Additional Information:

Please help us be respectful to our neighbors.
Do not park in front of neighbors or turn around in their driveways.

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Focus on Figures Opening Reception

When
Saturday, April 11, 2026
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street

Join us as we celebrate the 32st Annual Focus on Figures Exhibit judged by Corey Pitkin! April 11 -30th. This is an incredible show that you don't want to miss! Winners will be announced at 7:30pm. Cash bar!

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Colorful Watercolor Illustration with Tara Connaughton

Start
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
End
Wednesday, May 06, 2026
Schedule
4 sessions
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield
Spaces left
8

Register

Watercolor has long been used to create colorful illustrations that highlight this versatile medium’s unique and luminous qualities. These small paintings stand beautifully on their own, or can be used in many other ways including cards, prints, pattern design, collage, and more.

In this class, we will focus on sharpening our drawing and painting skills with in-class exercises and a series of your own small paintings of subjects of your choice. We’ll practice fundamental concepts from developing a drawing through to layering paint to build depth and dimension with color and value. Through demonstration and instructor guidance, you’ll learn core drawing, painting, and color mixing techniques that will help provide you the tools and inspiration to create one-of-a-kind watercolor illustrations.

During class we’ll also look at a variety of watercolor styles as inspiration, and we’ll discuss how you can digitize and use your paintings for sharable art such as small prints and stationary.

This class is best suited for students with some prior watercolor experience.

Materials List: TC_NRAS_WatercolorMaterialsList.pdf

About the Instructor: Tara Connaughton

Tara Connaughton is an artist/illustrator & art instructor living near the coast in Scituate, MA. Her botanical and nature-inspired paintings have earned multiple awards, and she has exhibited her artwork through numerous local and regional galleries and venues around the Boston area.

Tara teaches watercolor and botanical illustration through local workshops, privately, and at organizations around the Boston area and South Shore. She has a Certificate in Botanical Art & Illustration, and uses her passion for painting and love of nature to teach and inspire others to find their creative spirit and connect with the world around them.

Tara also creates custom art and illustration for clients across a wide range of subjects, with a focus on custom art for wedding invitations and stationery.

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Introduction to Mosaic Art with Cathy McCarthy

Start
Thursday, April 16, 2026
End
Thursday, April 30, 2026
Schedule
3 sessions
Location
83 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills 02051
Spaces left
10

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Discover the colorful world of mosaics in this hands-on workshop with artist Cathy McCarthy. During the class, you'll explore techniques for creating mosaic art using glass, beads, and other materials, giving you a solid foundation to create your own piece.

Each participant will receive all supplies needed—glass, beads, glue, grout, and a surface to work on, and a glass cutter. Finished pieces will be yours to keep, and you’ll have the option to purchase your glass cutter for $20 to continue creating at home.

This class is perfect for beginners or anyone curious about the mosaic-making process. Come see what goes into crafting a mosaic and leave with a unique work of art!

Cathy McCarthy is a self taught mosaic artist. Her first experience in mosaics was a life size shark that she installed at the bottom of a swimming pool in Southern California, when she decided to just try out a new form of art. From there on she was hooked and has created hundreds of mosaics including murals, a life size mosaic cow, and her most popular mosaic heart rocks. “I will mosaic anything that stands still!”

Cathy‘s mosaic work uses ceramics, stained glass, hand made tiles, and various found objects. Cathy’s formal education was in graphic design and illustration and now works primarily in pastel and acrylics. Her Mosaic work is secondary but actually her favorite medium to work with. “I’m always working on a mosaic in between my other work. It’s just fun!” Cathy lives in Scituate with her husband Kevin and her dog Samson.

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One Day Intuitive Abstract Workshop with Kelley MacDonald

When
Saturday, April 18, 2026
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield 02051
Spaces left
12

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So many of us love the color and line work of Intuitive Abstract pieces, but don’t know where to start to create them. This workshop explores the building of Non Objective work, where there do not have to be any recognizable items or shapes. This method is without planned outcomes, and is spontaneous and surprising. This session is for beginners and experienced painters alike. We will have exercises that release us from intention, and allow for visceral colors, shapes and lines, and then to finish the piece we rely on compositional guidelines to bring the painting together. It will be a fun and supportive day where you will surprise yourself in a good way!

About the Instructor: Kelley MacDonald

After getting her Art History degree at Wheaton College, Kelley continued taking art classes at various Art Associations for 10 years before she started painting. First with watercolor, then oil and now happily with acrylic and mixed media, it has been a lifetime of growing and exploring all things art.

Kelley has won numerous awards, and has taught classes and workshops for many years. While for the majority of her career Kelley has been a literal, representational painter, in the past 4 years she has been diving into abstraction, particularly Intuitive Abstraction. The history involved on the canvas, the multiple layers, the reveal and conceal and push and pull are what attracts her to this method.

A favorite thing to do is to travel, and be inspired by different landscapes and cityscapes. Kelley has traveled to Holland to paint, along with many places on this side of the ocean, namely Nova Scotia, Sedona, Santa Fe, St. Simon’s Island, Seattle, San Miguel de Allende, MX, California and Maine.

In 2009 Kelley founded the Artists’ Challenge Group “Girls Just Wanna Paint” which is a collection of award winning artists who post a response to a new topic every month consecutively since July of 2009. Aside from the Providence Art Club. Kelley is a member of the North River Arts Society in Marshfield, MA. She has taught at the Art Club, Bristol Art Museum, and at North River Arts Society.

Materials List -

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MinniYogi & NRAS: Mindful Artists

When
Sunday, April 19, 2026
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills
Spaces left
10

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Join us for yoga and artwork at North River Art Society! Ages 3+

This is a super fun program designed to teach children the basics of mindfulness, meditation and movement. We’ll be using provided materials to make crafts for our yoga story flow lead by yoga instructor, Chrissy Sullivan.

We’ll also be learning helpful breathwork techniques to calm our nervous systems at any age! Each class will have an educational theme and will include partner and group poses, easy alignment tips and some singing and dancing!

To register a sibling: please add a "guest" at registration for discounted price.

Chrissy is a certified Vinyasa Yoga instructor with an additional specialization in youth and mindfulness. She has two beautiful babies who can often be found flowing beside her. Ever since she was a child herself, Chrissy has been drawn to a more spiritual and artistic way of life. She is greatly influenced by her grandmother, a lifelong montessori teacher and her great aunt, a Harvard professor and yoga guru. As a true nurturer, Chrissy has always been drawn to helping others. She believes it’s so important to start with our youth. If we can teach children the basic principles of yoga and how to calm their own central nervous systems we can directly benefit their lives and our communities as a whole. Chrissy created MinniYogi in 2020, a carefully curated yoga program for children and caregivers of all ages. The program includes flashcards which teach the child and caregiver the basics of yoga and meditation and how to apply them to everyday life. Chrissy incorporates the cards in all of her classes. Come join us for lots of silliness and learning! Because children learn best when having fun!

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Spun Cotton Birds with Michelle Chung Levesque

When
Saturday, April 25, 2026
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills, MA 02051
Spaces left
12

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Join us for a hands-on one-day workshop exploring the whimsical art of spun cotton bird making. In this session, participants will learn the technique ofusing a diluted glue solution to build up cotton fibers into various shapes, with a special focus on birds. From songbirds to more imaginative varieties, Michelle will demonstrate how the same core process can be adapted to create many different types of birds, allowing for both guided learning and personal creativity.

Participants will be led step-by-step through forming, shaping, and finishing their own cotton bird. By the end of the day, each student will leave with a completed bird(s) and the skills to continue experimenting with cotton at home.

This workshop is suitable for beginners and experienced makers alike and is perfect for anyone interested in sculpture, folk art techniques, or playful mixed-media processes.

Instructor Bio: Michelle Chung Levesque is a self-taught fiber and mixed media artist who loves to work with wool, fabric, paper, and metal wire. As a lifelong creative and maker of stuff, Levesque has always enjoyed the challenge of making beautiful things from unexpected raw materials and she strives to show this passion in whatever she creates.

Materials List:

a bag of jumbo cotton balls
Bottle of Elmer’s glue, clear or white
acrylic paints and assorted brushes (NRAS has some available for those who do not have any)
paper towels

Additional Information:

Please help us be respectful to our neighbors.
Do not park in front of neighbors or turn around in their driveways.

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Lidded Glass Jar Basket Woven in the Nantucket Style with Joy Sawyer

When
Saturday, May 02, 2026
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills 02051
Spaces left
12

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Learn the art of traditional Nantucket-style basket weaving in this half-day workshop focused on creating a beautiful lidded glass jar basket. Students will weave a classic cane basket around a glass jar base, then finish their piece with a fitted lid and signature Nantucket-style details.

This workshop is perfect for beginners and returning weavers alike, and participants will leave with a functional, timeless basket that can be used for storage, gifting, or display.

All materials are included, and each student will go home with a completed lidded jar basket.

About the Instructor: Joy Sawyer

In the 1980’s when I was raising my two sons I had a basket making business called Duxbury Bay Baskets. I taught classes all over the Boston area, sold my creations at art and fine craft fairs, and exhibited my work in local art shows. I put my reeds away in the 1990’s when I started my 25 year career as an Interior Designer. After my husband and I retired I picked up a Nantucket basket that had been sitting unfinished for a decade and I was once again smitten! I encouraged him to learn this amazing craft and he has been a talented student. We started Nimble Fingers Studio three years ago and now teach shaker style baskets, Nantucket baskets and Nantucket bracelets. We are delighted that you will be joining us for a class.

Additional Information:

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Do not park in front of neighbors or turn around in their driveways.

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Focus on Figures Pick Up

When
Sunday, May 03, 2026
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street

Join us as we celebrate the 32st Annual Focus on Figures Exhibit judged by Corey Pitkin! April 11 -30th. This is an incredible show that you don't want to miss! Winners will be announced at 7:30pm. Cash bar!

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Focus on Figures Pick Up

When
Monday, May 04, 2026
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street

Join us as we celebrate the 32st Annual Focus on Figures Exhibit judged by Corey Pitkin! April 11 -30th. This is an incredible show that you don't want to miss! Winners will be announced at 7:30pm. Cash bar!

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The Art of Seaweed Pressing with Stephanie King

When
Saturday, June 06, 2026
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield Hills 02051
Spaces left
6

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Get ready to jump in and get your hands wet! Your nature art journey starts here. Designed to coincide with World Ocean Day, this class sets the stage for deeper engagement with the world's oceans and to raise awareness about the vital role oceans play in our lives — from regulating climate and producing oxygen to providing food, jobs, and biodiversity.

Join Cape Cod educator/artist, Stephanie King, for a relaxed and creative workshop on the unique art of seaweed pressing. In this workshop we will make seaweed pressings using drift seaweed collected off the coastline of Cape Cod. Together we will learn how to create a “travel” press as well as learn the basic techniques for pressing seaweed on to paper. Collecting seaweed that has washed ashore is a lovely way to enjoy nature and create art with very little environmental impact. This art form is a wonderful way to relax, go with the flow and preserve your seaside memories. We will make several pressings of seaweed that can be used in scrapbooking, made into cards, or framed.

*For the love of the land and sea, all materials will be sustainably collected on Cape Cod by the instructor. Please bring a small container to bring some leftover seaweed home for further exploration.

About the Instructor: Stephanie King

Stephanie King is a native of Massachusetts. She maintains a full-time studio in Sandwich, MA. Stephanie is a Cape Cod based eco-artist who creates mixed media art on paper, canvas and wood panels using seaweed and botanicals. With a background in Sociology and Montessori education, Stephanie transitioned into a career in the visual arts in 2023. Driven by an innate desire to create and an aspiration to effect positive change in herself and her community, Stephanie’s art invites viewers to see seaweed and botanicals in new ways. She has been observing and studying plants, seaweed and nature through an artistic lens since 2005. She established ‘Seaside Botanical Art’ on Cape Cod in 2023. Since then, her artwork has been included in several group exhibitions as well as two solo shows on Cape Cod. She received an honorable mention in the 2024 Autumn Juried Exhibition at the Falmouth Art Center. In the Fall of 2025, Stephanie received the C.A.R.E for the Cape & Islands Stewardship Award for her commitment to preserve and enhance the natural environment, culture and history of the Cape and Islands. In addition to practicing sustainable methods while collecting drift seaweed and wild botanicals, she regularly cleans beaches and uses her work to educate and create behavior change.

Website: https://www.seasidebotanicalart.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-king-18750b359/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/stephanieking_botanicalart/

FB: Seaside Botanical Art

Additional Information:

Please help us be respectful to our neighbors.
Do not park in front of neighbors or turn around in their driveways.

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Fearless Drawing - More is More! with Suzette Lebenzon

When
Saturday, June 20, 2026
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Location
157 Old Main Street Marshfield
Spaces left
0

You can do this! Explore sketching with abandonment. Step out of your comfort zone and draw with a variety of materials, letting all the imperfections, “mistakes,” and corrections lead you to beautiful discoveries and exciting images. Perfectionism is highly overrated. Let fearless mark making lead you to dynamic images that engage and delight! Layer, smudge, erase…it’s all good.

In this workshop, we will look at some of the masters of intuitive drawing (both past and present) for inspiration. You will watch Suzette demonstrate various techniques and be coached through exercises using different mediums. You will utilize still life as subject matter. Please bring 3-5 objects from your home to arrange in your space and a patterned dishtowel or fabric piece to wrap into the still life. Anything goes! Ordinary objects are often poetic. Don’t over think what you bring in. Suzette encourages you to bring the drawing tools you already have in your kit and not to worry if you don’t have every element on the extended

materials list. Get ready to wow yourself…

Materials list:

Must have:

A book of cheap sketch paper for exercises
A Bristol pad, Vellum or Smooth, as big as you please but not smaller than 11x14
A graphite pencil
Some willow or vine charcoal
Paynes Gray acrylic ink
white charcoal or white conte crayon or white pastel
3 colors watercolor, acrylic gouache, or acrylic paint and a brush

Nice to have:

watercolor, gouache, acrylic sets
pastels, oil or soft
ink tense pencils
Cran d’arche Neocolor crayons or like product
water-soluble graphite
acrylic markers
crayons
gel pens
prior works you are willing to tear into collage material

About the Instructor: Suzette Lebenzon

Suzette Lebenzon has painted since her childhood in Scituate, MA. She has kept a studio and shown in galleries most of her adult life. Her home and studio are in Wellfleet.

Suzette was a recipient of the Mass Cultural Council’s Unrestricted Artists’ Grants. In 2023, Suzette was inducted to the National Association of Women Artists, as a Signature Member. Her work has been curated into shows at the Art Complex Museum in Duxbury, the Scollay Square Gallery in Boston’s City Hall, and the Galatea Fine Art Gallery in SOWA.

She is represented by the AMZehnder Gallery in Wellfleet, MA; and the BBLG Gallery in Smithtown, NY.

Additional Information:

Please help us be respectful to our neighbors.
Do not park in front of neighbors or turn around in their driveways.

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Floral Magic in Pastel with Julie and Michael Freeman

Start
Saturday, July 11, 2026
End
Sunday, July 12, 2026
Schedule
2 sessions
Spaces left
12

Register

In this captivating 2-day workshop Julie and Michael will help you discover the beauty of pastels. You will explore color, layering, blending and composition as you learn how to create a vibrant floral artwork. They will share: their knowledge; skills; materials/process; tricks and tips and their love of detail – all of which can be applied to any genre, and the workshop is perfect for all skill levels. Two tutors, two creative days.

About the Artists:

Julie and Michael are international award-winning artists sharing a love of pastel and realism. They’ve been fascinated with realism since childhood and in their artwork, they strive to create paintings with greater depth and feeling than can be achieved with a photograph. Julie is in the IAPS Master Circle (IAPS-MC) a Master Pastelist in: New Zealand (MPANZ); and Australia (MPSA) and is a Signature member of the Pastel Society of America (PSA). Michael is an IAPS Eminent Pastelist (IAPS-EP), a Master Pastelist in: the Pastel Society of America (PSA-MP); New Zealand (MPANZ); and Australia (MPSA) They both have had articles and their pastel paintings published in many leading art magazines and sell their work internationally and through galleries in New Zealand. Between them they have over 40 years of teaching experience and currently teach workshops Internationally and throughout New Zealand. Julie also teaches privately from their studio in Greenhithe, Auckland.

www.juliefreeman.co.nz www.michaelfreemanartist.com

Additional Information:

Please help us be respectful to our neighbors.
Do not park in front of neighbors or turn around in their driveways.

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