Waterfall Arts Belfast

The longest running group of its kind in the Midcoast area, the life drawing group at Waterfall Arts began over a decade ago. Anyone who has an interest in drawing from the figure can join this on-going, long running, non-instructional group. The models, both male and female, are different each week and the group is supportive and respectful. There is a costumed model each second Saturday of the month. The poses tend to be long, one or two a session.…

Learn all about clay, wheel-throwing techniques, hand building, and the process of glazing and firing. Make pots, figures, sculptures and bowls. Exceptional instructor Linda Stec provides guidance and support. New and returning students are welcome. Come and have fun!   Wonders of Clay with Linda Stec March 27 - May 22 (no class 4/17) Wednesdays, 3:30 - 5:30PM $150 Age: 6-15 Members receive class discounts! Check out our membership program here.    ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Linda Stec has been teaching clay…

This event features art making (ceramics in this case), good drink, and good company. Working with clay is relaxing and fun and if you add in a whole room of people working in clay, having fun and enjoying a little wine, it’s even better. Unleash your creativity and have a good time doing it. We’ll supply everything you need – clay, equipment and instruction and for a small donation, the wine!

Ever drop off your kids at one of our programs and think, "Gee, this looks fun - I wish *I* could do this!" WELL NOW YOU CAN! Pull up a seat in the Bridge Studio and order off our menu of materials and projects to explore. Once you have your stuff, go for it! Indulge your inner child and try something else... and something else!

Dyeing with Indigo has a long history, dating back to at least 2500 BC. There are many methods and techniques to using indigo, from fermenting your own plant stuff, reducing with urine and lots of other unpleasant steps. We will not be experimenting with those methods in this class! Learn how to make a concentrated stock, and use it to add beautiful layers of blues to your fibers! We will cover proper procedure for working with indigo, making a vat, how to “read” a vat and adjust it for proper dyeing conditions.

Parent and young child work side by side to explore materials in this relaxing weekly class. Adults learn how language and behaviors can nurture (or inhibit) creative development, and get insight into how artmaking for littles is really learning, made visible! There will be lots of opportunities to get messy - bring extra clothes!

Collagraph printmaking employs both relief and intaglio print making techniques. By combining these techniques different tonal effects and color intensity can be achieved. In this introductory session participants will experiment with a variety of materials and textures to create their own collagraph plates. Printing can be done with and without a press making the process easy to duplicate in a home studio space.   PRINTMAKING: COLLAGRAPH with Karin Otto Wednesday, June 26 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM $45/$40.50 with member…

If you are looking to build up your drawing skills, increase your eye hand coordination, and develop confidence in your ability as an artist then this is the class for you. Drawing coaches Mike Fletcher and Julie Rose will help you develop your creative muscles with a variety of exercises and projects designed to engage and stimulate the draft-person in you. Students will have the opportunity to explore a variety of approaches to drawing technique and media while they work…

The return of the popular make and take camp where we create a whole little world of our own... in addition to painting, printing, sculpting, drawing, building, playing, gluing, weaving and photographing!   Teensy Tiny Town III with Bridget Matros July 8 - 12 Monday - Friday, 9:00AM - 3:00PM for ages 8 to 12 $225 (10% sibling discount) Members receive class discounts! Check out our membership program here.    ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Bridget Matros, Waterfall Art’s Youth & Family…

No painting experience necessary! This class is about an approach to art. Here you will practice closing off the inner critics and open up the meditational space needed to connect with the medium. Get ready to immersions yourself in the space of creation.

Learn how to achieve multiple colors in a linoleum cut image through reduction printing. This 3 hour workshop will be an introduction to the technique of reduction printing. Students will learn about cutting tools, materials, carving sequence and ink mixing. Students will use 6x9 easy cut linoleum blocks and have the opportunity to carve and edition their own print.

Animals, Beasts, Critters and Creatures inspire a wild week of clay sculpting, face painting, chalk drawing, nest building, paw printing, puppet making and more!

This 5-hour workshop will go through the fundamentals of watercolor painting, and it's transparent properties. Through traditional approaches, participants will explore washes, water ratio to paint, how to use the most of the white paper, and manipulation of brushes. Several different techniques will be covered, allowing each participant their individual interpretations. The workshop will be held indoors and if time and weather cooperate, may include some plein air painting. Participants should bring good quality 140lb. cold press paper (such as Arches or similar) and whatever watercolor paint and brushes you may have. There will be materials to share if needed.

Monoprinting is a form of printmaking that produces a unique print and a great process for understanding the basics of the printmaking process in general. Students will learn several approaches to applying ink and creating texture to a plate. Images are then transferred on to paper using a printing press. A variety of materials and tools are often used to embellish prints.   PRINTMAKING: MONOTYPE with Karin Otto Wednesday, July 24 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM $45 (general) $40.50 (members)…

Mugs, tiles and boxes and more are ready for you to add your personal touch. You decorate them, we’ll fire them, and you pick them up in a few days. Join Linda Stec for this paint your own pottery workshop, it’s a great way to have fun with friends or spend time with your family!  Everyone is welcome, kids under 12 must come with a supervising adult. Cover price includes one mug or tile; a small selection of other pieces will be available as well. Not confident with a brush? – no worries!  Use our stamps and easy to use squeeze bottles.

Color Theory + Outdoors = plein air painting. We'll be interpreting the landscape with lessons in color theory to guide us into integrated and balanced color interaction. We'll start in the studio to introduce the day's focus and then head out to work. By afternoon, we'll wind up back at Waterfall Arts to look over our work and pat each other on the back for a job well done; a relaxing way to learn, paint, and take in the view.…

Drip, pour, drag, layer, heat, and incise! Investigate the art of encaustic painting in this very hands-on workshop using pigmented wax, and a heated palette! Explore a rich variety of marks and surfaces while doing image transfer, etching, and collaging in this seductive medium. Take both your flat collections of drawings, collected papers, pictures and incorporate found objects. Class time will be divided between demonstrations, individual work time, and discussion about historical and contemporary practices. We will also touch on…

Back to the 1400's and the scripted letter; we'll be working with the Italic alphabet. Practice makes perfect so there will be plenty of that in addition to working with some designs that bring old letters into the 21st century. We'll study the work of calligraphers past and present and look at possibilities for illuminating letters with gold leaf. Lots to learn about methods and materials in 3 days. No previous experience needed. A lot can be accomplished in a…

Take painting pottery to the next level. In this one day workshop work alongside ceramic artist Maggie Blue as she demos different techniques in surface design. Using low-fire glazes, students will experiment with pattern application and image transfer on bisque ware. A variety of pre-fired vessels, platters, plates, bowls, tiles, cups, mugs and other items will be available to participants. All levels welcome!   CERAMICS: SURFACE DESIGN with Maggi Blue Saturday, August 10 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM $65 (general)…

Drypoint is a type of intaglio print making where a needle is used to incised lines into a plate. Different effects can be achieved through the depth and frequency of line as well as the amount of ink used. For this introductory session participants will use plexiglass plates to learn basic etching techniques. PRINTMAKING: DRYPOINT with Karin Otto Wednesday, August 14 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM $45 (general) $40.50 (members) Ages 15+ Members receive class discounts! Check out our membership…

Getting out and around in Belfast, with sketch pads and drawing boards in hand. We'll be spending two days gallivanting about, enjoying the architecture and natural beauty of our hometown. Lessons in linear perspective, structures of design and composition, use of methods and materials will focus our efforts to capture the essential Belfast. No previous experience necessary. DRAWING: DRAWING BELFAST with Kris Engman August 15 - 16 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM $120/$108 with member discount Age 15+ Members receive…

Join us for an all day, all-ages, fun and educational photo activity day! Youth 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult (but don't worry, this is just as interesting for grown-ups!). We will all build a room-sized camera obscura, make our own pinhole cameras, and create lumen prints and cyanotypes outside. Everyone will leave with artwork, a lens-less camera, and a new appreciation for light and optics. CAMERA OBSCURA with Mike Fletcher & Julia Raite Monday, August 19*…