Needham Community Education

Not sure if acrylic painting is for you? Please join us for a single class, (with all materials supplied), designed for beginners who have very little or no experience and want to explore the beauty of acrylic paint. Enjoy an educational, relaxed, and fun evening creating an acrylic painting from start to finish. The instructor will talk you through everything you need to know, from how to mix paint colors to what sort of brush strokes to use.

In this series of workshops, the instructor will demonstrate step-by-step how to paint the subject. A line drawing, photo and tonal study are provided for each workshop. A materials list can be found here. Limited to 12.

In this series of workshops, the instructor will demonstrate step-by-step how to paint the subject. A line drawing, photo and tonal study are provided for each workshop. A materials list can be found here. Limited to 12.

Capture the serene spirit of the seaside by creating your own beautiful and melodic decoupage shell wind chime. In this relaxing, hands-on workshop, you will learn the art of decoupaging delicate paper designs onto assorted seashells to create a personalized coastal treasure for your home or garden. The instructor will guide you through the process, which will include: shell preparation, decoupage techniques, design, assembly and adding finishing touches. All supplies will be provided. Note: A $35 materials fee is payable to the instructor in class. Limited to 8.

Needle felt your very own cheeky frog with fiber artist Chelsea Brown! In this workshop you will learn basic sculptural needle felting techniques as well as a crash course in felting fiber types. Students will leave this class with a base knowledge of how to create simple 3D sculpture and the best types of fiber for felting. Take the guesswork out of your own felting practice and gain a fabulous frog as a bonus! This workshop will be very customizable, so students can really utilize their creativity and make the project their own. While this workshop is great for beginners, due to the customizability of the project it will benefit all skill levels. Important: Felting requires manual dexterity. Note: A $15 materials fee is payable to the instructor in class. Limited to15.

Create a picture using materials hand-picked off New England beaches. Local artist Kerry Consentino-Vilorio, owner of The Orange Jellyfish, will demonstrate how to create beautiful custom pebble art and sea glass designs. Then, you will unleash your creativity as you design and make your own custom pebble art picture, using various styles of beach sea glass, pottery, stones, driftwood and shells. Each design will be glued on to cardstock and enclosed within an 8x8 glass frame. You will be able to work at your own pace, with a great deal of autonomy, within a relaxed environment. Feel free to bring any special beach, shells, stones or sea glass from home that you may want to incorporate within your picture. While the frame color for all will be gray lacquer, the cardstock colors available for selection will be white, light crème, or light blue. The finished product will be something you can display proudly, or give to someone as a special gift. Limited to 25.

Have you ever wanted to draw something in 3-D? In this introductory class, you will learn how to create amazing depth effects and master perspective drawing. Every object has three dimensions: height, width, and depth. Yet, in drawing, the artist only has a flat, two-dimensional surface to work on. This class will help you better understand perspective drawing, starting with exercises on basic shapes, landscapes, interior rooms, or cityscapes. Topics such as viewpoints, one-point perspective, two-point perspective, and three-point perspective will be covered, and maybe even a few optical illusion drawings. You will be guided through a series of exercises designed to master these important drawing concepts. Artists of all levels are welcome. A materials list can be found here.

In person or virtual NCE's talented art instructor, Eddie Bruckner, offers private/semi-private lessons both online via Zoom and in-person at your home! Lessons are a minimum of 2 hours long, and each registration allows for 1 person (or 2 people together) to schedule either two 2-hour lessons or four 2-hour lessons directly with Eddie. Open to students of all levels who wish to improve their artistic skills in the medium of their choice. Eddie is typically available for private lessons weekdays during the day as well as some evenings and weekends. Lesson packs are valid until June 30, 2026. There are no refunds or credits for unused time.

In person or virtual NCE's talented art instructor, Eddie Bruckner, offers private/semi-private lessons both online via Zoom and in-person at your home! Lessons are a minimum of 2 hours long, and each registration allows for 1 person (or 2 people together) to schedule either two 2-hour lessons or four 2-hour lessons directly with Eddie. Open to students of all levels who wish to improve their artistic skills in the medium of their choice. Eddie is typically available for private lessons weekdays during the day as well as some evenings and weekends. Lesson packs are valid from June 1, 2026-September 15, 2026. There are no refunds or credits for unused time.

Bring the coast to your table in this beginner-friendly pottery workshop. You will hand-build a ceramic oyster plate from clay and paint decorations on your creation — all in one session. Your instructor will guide you step by step so you can create a functional, food-safe piece that’s both stylish and personal. You will be able to use your final product with pride when oysters are on the menu. The dish is also a perfect hostess gift. Pottery with a Purpose donates $1 from every registration fee to mental health initiatives. Non-alcoholic beverages will be served. Limited to 30.

Gather friends and family members, or participate on your own and meet some new people in this fun evening of Zentangle drawing. Zentangle is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun method of creating beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. It heightens focus and creativity, while providing enjoyment and an increased sense of personal well-being. No artistic ability is required! You will learn a variety of “tangles” (patterns) and combine them in their own unique way. All supplies will be provided, including extras so you can continue drawing Zentangles at home.