Upcoming Classes and events
View Arts on Main’s Class Policies: https://www.gloucesterartsonmain.org/class-policies
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Children's Flower Arranging Workshop
Children's Flower Arranging Workshop 🌼
“Anchored in Tradition”
Sponsored by the Garden Club of Gloucester Mathews
Saturday, March 28
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Join the Garden Club of Gloucester & Mathews on Saturday, March 28th from 11:30am - 1:00pm for a FREE Kid’s Flower Arranging Workshop at Arts on Main!
This hands-on workshop is the perfect opportunity for kids to get creative and learn the art of floral arrangement. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP by March 23rd to save your kiddo’s spot! Don’t miss this fun and festive way to celebrate spring!
Contact Beth Tripp at tripphome@msn.com or (757) 880 - 1884 to RSVP TODAY!
For ages 5-13
Watercolor Workshop: LET IT BLOOM
Watercolor Workshop: lET IT BLOOM
Instructor: Jan Finn-Duffy
Wednesday, April 1
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Relax and learn how to paint a beautiful spring scene using watercolors! Mix different shades to make the work look dimensional.
Step by step guidance will help you enjoy the beauty of the watercolor medium. All skill levels can do this! It’s sure to be an evening of fun with paint! Beginner-friendly!
All supplies will be provided by the instructor. Bring your friends and come have fun painting with watercolors!
FOR AGES 16+
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Jan Finn-Duffy is a self-taught watercolorist with a passion for painting and sharing watercolor skills with aspiring artists. She has a working studio at 40 Church Street in Mathews, VA, where her art is displayed and lessons are taught. Her art has been published in multiple international publications. Please visit her website www.JanFinnDuffy.com for more information.
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Tea Blending Workshop - Spring Edition
Tea Blending Workshop - Spring Edition
Instructor: Lori Whitmore
Saturday, April 4
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Our Tea Blending Workshop is calling- and you’re invited to sip, create, and bloom with us!
Join Savory Blends Tea Co. for a Spring Edition Tea Blending Workshop, an interactive experience where tea meets creativity. This hands-on workshop blends education, connection, and fun in a relaxed atmosphere perfect for welcoming the new season. Taste a curated selection of tea blends, learn about herbs and wellness benefits, how to pair ingredients and craft your very own custom loose-leaf blend using fragrant botanicals and seasonal ingredients. No experience needed- just come ready to sip, laugh, and create something beautiful.
What Your Ticket Includes:
- Guided tea tasting experience
- Learn tea basics
- Learn herbal wellness benefits
- Blend your own custom tea creation
- Name & label your personalized blend
- Take-home tea
- Curated goody bag
- Interactive tea games & social activities
- Light bites + a special giveaway
Why Guests Love This Experience
- Beginner-friendly & interactive
- Perfect for friends, solo self-care, or date nights
- Relaxing yet social atmosphere
- Leave with your own signature tea blend
- Sip into spring. Create something uniquely yours.
All supplies will be provided by the instructor. For ages 18+
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Lori, “The Tea Lady”Founder & Master Tea Blender, Savory Blends Tea Co. Based in Richmond, VA, Lori is a lifelong tea enthusiast turned entrepreneur, world traveler, and passionate tea educator. Her journey with tea began as a personal obsession—curating unique blends from her travels and exploring the medicinal power of herbs. Today, that passion has blossomed into Savory Blends Tea Co., a handcrafted loose-leaf tea brand rooted in wellness, culture, and creativity. Inspired by an article in Essence magazine about entrepreneurship, Lori felt a spark—one that led her to turn her deep love of tea into a purpose-driven business. Her mission is simple but powerful: to turn tea skeptics into believers, one flavorful steep at a time. Lori specializes in custom wellness blends and loves sharing the healing power of tea through workshops, themed tea parties, community events, and tea catering experiences. Her work has been featured in The Richmond Times-Dispatch, YurView 757, Style Weekly, and she's proud to be a 2024 Comcast RISE Award recipient.
Sharing Our Umbrella Paint Night
Sharing Our Umbrella Paint NIGht
Instructor: Juli Schuszler
Thursday, April 9
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
This workshop will be completed using acrylic paint on an 11" x 14" stretched canvas. All materials necessary to paint this image will be provided by the instructor. All levels of experience are welcome, from beginner to experienced. You will receive a reference picture and printed step-by-step directions. Special instruction will be available to those needing help mixing colors and applying paint to create the details of this scene. Bring a friend, neighbor, relative, or spouse for this fun and engaging class!
OPEN TO ALL AGES!
Children under 12 must be accompanied
by a parent/guardian
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Juli Schuszler is a Gloucester artist known for her vibrant and dramatic oil masterpieces showcasing the beauty of the natural world. A passion for color is evident in Juli's paintings, inspired by an ongoing love of nature and gardening. Much of Juli’s inspiration comes from her garden. Juli works from real life observations and her own reference photos, focusing on the play of light and shadow, creating drama and visual interest in her art. Often working on large canvases, Juli paints carefully and slowly, creating numerous layers of paint, building as she goes. Juli says, “I like to search for striking and dramatic light in the images that I collect for my references.... I want to transport the viewer to a beautiful world of color and light with my paintings, to take them into a garden of delight!” Anyone can see that the common thread through all her artwork is a love of color and light. Retired from careers in commercial art and then in teaching Art and English in public school, college, and university, Juli now pursues her own art in her home studio. Her artworks are featured in the Bay School for the Arts, The Charles H. Taylor Art Center, and the Crossroads Art Center as well as the RAL Art Center Gallery.
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Oil Painting Basics
Oil Painting Basics
Instructor: Majorie Perrin
Saturday, April 11
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
This class provides insight into oil painting for beginners starting out in oils as well as experienced painters who are developing techniques. During a demonstration of developing composition, participants discover the results of painting wet-in-wet and creating form with color. By understanding how the paints work, students will be able to translate what they see into finished oil paintings. Emphasis will be on employing a full range of techniques to create an expressive painting. Students can choose to work from their own photos or from still life.
All supplies will be provided by the instructor.
For adults and teens ages 14+
The class will break for lunch around 1pm. Plan to bring a lunch with you, or try one of the local restaurants on Main Street. We have 5 restaurants all within walking distance of the gallery!
This program has been organized by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and is funded, in part, by the Paul Mellon Endowment and the Jean Stafford Camp Memorial Fund.
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Marjorie Perrin paints the world around her using the richness of oil paint to convey mood and sense of place. Her style is influenced by Impressionism and Classical Realism. She taught Studio Art for 30 years at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Studio School and continues to teach art workshops for the VMFA Statewide Program.
Marjorie graduated with honors from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; she also studied at Art Students League of New York and Virginia Commonwealth University. She has received several awards, most recent are Second Place Artists’ Choice Award for Tidelands Plein Air event in Tappahannock, Virginia in 2024, First Place at Gloucester Arts Festival Community Artist Plein Air Competition in 2019 and an Honorable Mention in the same event in 2024 in Gloucester, VA and Third Place in Plein Air Westhampton 2019 in Richmond, VA. She has also received two fellowships to the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.
Her work is included in numerous private and corporate collections in Richmond, Virginia, including the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, E.R. Carpenter Corp., Medical College of Virginia, Henrico Doctor’s Hospital, and Mutual Assurance.
She is an active member in the Portrait Society of America, Oil Painters of America, the Virginia Plein Air Painters Association, the Maryland Society of Portrait Painters, and the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association.
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Masked: Wearable Felted Sculptures
Masked: Wearable Felted Sculptures
Instructor: Nastassja Swift
Saturday, April 18
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Across the globe, varying cultural traditions and ceremonies involve, and are oftentimes centered around, the making of and performance in a heavenly embellished and ornate mask. Masks can conceal one’s identity, channel the presence of another being or entity, or simply protect its wearer. In this workshop, we’ll delve into the art of sculptural mask making, creating our very own performance mask with wool. We’ll go through the process of needle felting and learn three-dimensional techniques to build an object suitable to be worn, imagining the many ways it can be brought to life.
Age range: Middle and High School.
All supplies will be provided by the instructor.
This program has been organized by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and is funded, in part, by the Paul Mellon Endowment and the Jean Stafford Camp Memorial Fund.
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Nastassja Swift is a multidisciplinary artist holding a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University. In 2022, she was selected as a Distinguished Fellow at the Penland School of Craft. She was commissioned by the SCAD Museum of Art in the spring of 2023 to perform “Turning Seeds,” a collaborative and site-specific masked performance. Nastassja has been selected for a Public Arts Commission in Richmond, VA, and is the recent recipient of the Center for Craft: Craft Research Fund Artist Fellowship, a VMFA Fellowship, a Dr. Doris Derby Award, an Art Matters Fellowship Award, and a Virginia Commission of the Arts Fellowship. Nastassja has participated in several national and international residencies and exhibitions, including a solo exhibition in Doha, Qatar in 2016, NADA Miami, The Urban Institute of Contemporary Art in Michigan, and fellowships at the Vermont Studio Center, SPACES, and MASS MoCA. Nastassja is currently living and working in Virginia.
Paper Daffodil Workshop
Paper Daffodil Workshop 🌼
Instructor: Ronda Bowden
Wednesday, April 22
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Spring has sprung! Join us at Arts on Main and make delicate and realistic paper daffodils to get in the mood for Spring! Learn the process through step-by-step instruction with all supplies included.
For adults and teens ages 14+
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Ronda Bowden is a paper flower artist who focuses on realism and whimsical arrangements.
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
April Flowers Paint Party
April Flowers Paint Party
Instructor: Juli Schuszler
Saturday, April 25
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
This workshop will be completed using acrylic paint on an 11" x 14" stretched canvas. All materials necessary to paint this image will be provided by the instructor. All levels of experience are welcome, from beginner to experienced. You will receive a reference picture and printed step-by-step directions. Special instruction will be available to those needing help mixing colors and applying paint to create the details of this scene. Bring a friend, neighbor, relative, or spouse for this fun and engaging class!
OPEN TO ALL AGES!
Children under 12 must be accompanied
by a parent/guardian
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Juli Schuszler is a Gloucester artist known for her vibrant and dramatic oil masterpieces showcasing the beauty of the natural world. A passion for color is evident in Juli's paintings, inspired by an ongoing love of nature and gardening. Much of Juli’s inspiration comes from her garden. Juli works from real life observations and her own reference photos, focusing on the play of light and shadow, creating drama and visual interest in her art. Often working on large canvases, Juli paints carefully and slowly, creating numerous layers of paint, building as she goes. Juli says, “I like to search for striking and dramatic light in the images that I collect for my references.... I want to transport the viewer to a beautiful world of color and light with my paintings, to take them into a garden of delight!” Anyone can see that the common thread through all her artwork is a love of color and light. Retired from careers in commercial art and then in teaching Art and English in public school, college, and university, Juli now pursues her own art in her home studio. Her artworks are featured in the Bay School for the Arts, The Charles H. Taylor Art Center, and the Crossroads Art Center as well as the RAL Art Center Gallery.
Watercolor Workshop: Turtle
Watercolor Workshop: Turtle 🐢
Instructor: Jan Finn-Duffy
Wednesday, April 29
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Relax and learn how to paint a turtle using watercolors! Mix different shades to make it look dimensional.
Step by step guidance will help you enjoy the beauty of the watercolor medium. All skill levels can do this! It’s sure to be an evening of fun with paint! Beginner-friendly!
All supplies will be provided by the instructor. Bring your friends and come have fun painting with watercolors!
FOR AGES 16+
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Jan Finn-Duffy is a self-taught watercolorist with a passion for painting and sharing watercolor skills with aspiring artists. She has a working studio at 40 Church Street in Mathews, VA, where her art is displayed and lessons are taught. Her art has been published in multiple international publications. Please visit her website www.JanFinnDuffy.com for more information.
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Frida, Pastels, & Portraits
Frida, Pastels, & Portraits
vmfa special workshop!
Instructor: Dawn Flores
Saturday, May 2
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Study the art of portraiture through the work and photographs of Frida Kahlo. Students will work in pastels as they hone their understanding of drawing portraits by working from photographs of the Mexican artist and/or her work. A slide presentation on the VMFA’s 2025 exhibition Frida: Beyond the Myth will be presented as part of the workshop.
For adults and teens ages 14+
All supplies will be provided by the instructor/VMFA. Just come have fun!
This program has been organized by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and is funded, in part, by the Paul Mellon Endowment and the Jean Stafford Camp Memorial Fund.
*For Pay What You Can options, please contact Arts on Main at (804) 824-9464
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Dawn Flores is a professional artist and instructor who teaches art courses nationally. She double majored in art and theater at the Edgewood College, the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and Loyola University in New Orleans, and earned a Certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration from the New York Botanical Garden.
Beginner's Graphite Drawing Class
Beginner's Graphite Drawing Class
Instructor: Jody Ball
Tuesday Evenings in May
May 5th, 12th, 19th, & 26th
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Drawing is such a pleasant exercise, and good drawing skills are important to anyone wanting to begin a two-dimensional artistic journey. This series of four classes will provide you with the information and practice necessary to develop basic drawing skills! Students will be taught to see objects as they really are and apply drawing skills to render a subject as it really is in a variety of ways. You will gain a new appreciation for how things are created and be taught to observe a subject, separating it in your mind to build it back on paper. We will use a variety of graphite pencils, a sketchbook, and erasers. Practice work outside of the class is highly recommended and encouraged!
For adults and teens ages 12+
Students are required to bring their own supplies. Click the button below to view the supply list.
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
“Drawing and painting have been a part of my life as long as I can remember. As a child, my parents enrolled me in art lessons with a prominent hometown artist after my mother declared that all I did was draw and color! I now live in Deltaville, VA, but passionately taught art to students of all ages for many years in a homeschool co-op environment and my studio when I lived in Ohio. My first love is the pastel medium, and my representational paintings usually tend towards a softened, sometimes impressionistic appearance. Nature is my inspiration, and I am possessed by the colors, forms, and textures that are possible in creating two-dimensional art. My paintings grace the walls of many homes across the country, and I currently show my paintings at Gloucester Arts on Main, the RAL Art Center in Kilmarnock, and the Bay School Community Arts Center in Mathews.”
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Beginner's Rigid Heddle Weaving
Beginner's Rigid Heddle Weaving
Instructor: Caryn Hogg
Saturday, May 9th
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Ever wondered about weaving but didn't have access to a loom or know where to start? Ever thought "I'm more a math and science person than an artist"? Ever found it hard to sit still during an art class? If so, then this is the class for you! Weaving is an art form that dates back thousands of years and relies on simple math and mechanics to design, plan, and create beautiful and functional art. Students in this class will use Arts on Main's rigid heddle looms to learn beginning weaving techniques and create lovely practical artwork for you to use in your home.
All supplies will be provided by the instructor. For ages 16+
*This class is limited to 4 students and slots fill up fast!
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
“Hi, I'm Caryn Hogg. By day I work in Healthcare I.T. and am a tech nerd, but my creative side loves all things fiber arts. I am on a life journey from knitting to spinning to weaving to tatting to... who knows?! I am always excited to share my knowledge with people and love being living proof that anyone can make beautiful things with string - you just have to be willing to try!”
Watercolor Workshop: Maui Beach
Watercolor Workshop: Maui bEACH
Instructor: Jan Finn-Duffy
Wednesday, May 13
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Relax and learn how to paint a lovely Maui Beach scene using watercolors! Mix different shades to make it look dimensional.
Step by step guidance will help you enjoy the beauty of the watercolor medium. All skill levels can do this! It’s sure to be an evening of fun with paint! Beginner-friendly!
All supplies will be provided by the instructor. Bring your friends and come have fun painting with watercolors!
FOR AGES 16+
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Jan Finn-Duffy is a self-taught watercolorist with a passion for painting and sharing watercolor skills with aspiring artists. She has a working studio at 40 Church Street in Mathews, VA, where her art is displayed and lessons are taught. Her art has been published in multiple international publications. Please visit her website www.JanFinnDuffy.com for more information.
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Secrets of Classical Drawing: The Still Life
Secrets of Classical Drawing:
The Still Life
Instructor: Salis Dembling
Saturday, May 30
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Learn skills taught in ateliers and academies in centuries past and put them to use to create your own fresh artwork. You’ll learn tricks of the trade—classical drawing techniques to arrive at correct proportions and to create the illusion of form in two dimensions. These skills can be utilized when drawing traditional subjects like figures and landscapes, or they can be incorporated into your own contemporary practices. Still life drawing is an excellent way to learn important Realist techniques before attempting realistic portrait or figure drawing or painting, and it is a beautiful artform in and of itself! Suitable for beginners and artists at all levels.
For ages 11+
All supplies will be provided by the instructor.
This program has been organized by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and is funded, in part, by the Paul Mellon Endowment and the Jean Stafford Camp Memorial Fund.
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Salis Dembling is a portrait and comics artist who was raised in New York City and Massachusetts and spent her formative years in L.A. and South America. She is mixed/Black and the daughter of Black historian Sterling Stuckey and the granddaughter of poet Elma Stuckey. She studied drawing and sculpture at Columbia University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree. She also studied painting and illustration at The School of Visual Arts and in the studio of portrait painter John Murray. She completed the professional four-year atelier painting program and teacher training program at Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia. She has exhibited art in Peru, Colombia, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Richmond. Salis’ approach to teaching is based on a proven method - largely drawn from her studies at a traditional atelier, specifically with her teacher Jon deMartin, a master draughtsman, painter, and educator. She has co-taught portrait workshops at Studio Incamminati and currently teaches traditional figure drawing, portrait drawing, cast drawing, still life, and master copy drawing at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. In addition, she is a musician, composer, and the founder of the band Cast Shadows.
Beginner's Shuttle Tatting Workshop
Beginner's Shuttle Tatting Workshop
Instructor: Caryn Hogg
Saturday, June 13
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Discover the timeless art of shuttle tatting in this beginner-friendly class designed to spark creativity and confidence! Shuttle tatting is a delicate lace-making technique that uses a small handheld shuttle to create intricate knots and loops, forming beautiful designs perfect for jewelry, edging, ornaments, and heirloom pieces. With just thread and a shuttle, you’ll learn how simple movements transform into stunning lace. Whether you love fiber arts or are looking for a relaxing new hobby, this class will give you the skills—and inspiration—to start creating elegant, handcrafted lace of your own!
All supplies will be provided by the instructor. For ages 16+
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
“Hi, I'm Caryn Hogg. By day I work in Healthcare I.T. and am a tech nerd, but my creative side loves all things fiber arts. I am on a life journey from knitting to spinning to weaving to tatting to... who knows?! I am always excited to share my knowledge with people and love being living proof that anyone can make beautiful things with string - you just have to be willing to try!”
Sunny Daffodil - Color Your Canvas Kids Class *CLASS FULL!
Sunny Daffodil ☀️
Color Your Canvas Kids Class *CLASS FULL!
Instructor: Christina Micket
Saturday, March 21
10:00 AM - 11:15 PM
Enjoy a fun morning painting a Sunny Daffodil at Arts on Main! In this class, the young artist will be provided a pre-sketched canvas and acrylic paints. They will be instructed by Christina and encouraged to get creative! Consider wearing play clothes, as we try to stay tidy, but accidents can happen.
For children ages 4-12 (children under 6 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian)
*CLASS FULL!
If you would like to join the waitlist, please call the gallery at (804) 824 - 9464
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
“I believe art is for everyone. It can bring people together, and has the ability to put the artist in touch with themselves. When we learn to let go of perfection, painting can be both healing and very meditative. I began drawing and creating from a young age, and enjoy sharing the joy of creating with others. I’m excited to resume art instruction, focusing on making creative expression accessible and enjoyable for young artists. Building on my experience leading "Color Your Canvas Kidz" at Arts On Main from 2014-2021, and many various community workshops for adults, I'm prepared to help inspire participants of my classes. My approach prioritizes fun, exploration and self expression. Each class has a concept painting, and I empower students to create from their heart. I look forward to sharing a fun, creative, relaxed space with the young artists in our community!”
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
ARTIST TALK: “The Bold and the Beautiful: A Survey of the Neoclassic and Romantic Movements”
ARTIST TALK:
“The Bold and the Beautiful: A Survey of the Neoclassic and Romantic Movements”
This talk is free and open to the public.
Thursday, March 19
7:15 PM - 8:00 PM
18th- and 19th-century Europe were captivated by two competing artistic movements:
Neoclassicism and Romanticism. Neoclassic art inspired by the ancient world was undeniably en vogue for most
of the 18th century, dominating every salon and private home throughout Europe. At the close of the century,
Neoclassicism was met with a reactionary artistic movement: Romanticism. With shocking imagery and an
emotionality previously unexamined in European visual art, Romanticism was the polar opposite of
Neoclassicism. Join Elizabeth Cruickshanks as she examines these two artistic movements and the fascinating
hold they had on the European public.
Elizabeth Cruickshanks is an art historian who previously served as the Coordinator of the VMFA’s Fellowship Program. She received her BA in art history from the University of Virginia and her MA in the history of art and architecture from the University of Virginia, with a concentration in the art of 18th- and 19th-century Europe.
This program has been organized by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and is funded, in part, by the Paul Mellon Endowment and the Jean Stafford Camp Memorial Fund.
STamp Making Workshop
Stamp making workshop
Basics of Linocut Relief Printmaking
Instructor: Lauren Sowder
Saturday, March 14th and Sunday, March 15th
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Ready, set, carve! In this two-day workshop, you will learn techniques of linocut relief printmaking. You'll carve and print a small rubber block and you'll leave with a handmade stamp of your own creation. You can use your imagination to create your own design or choose from a selection provided by the instructor. This workshop is beginner friendly: no experience is necessary and all supplies will provided. Be prepared to handle sharp tools.
For ages 16+
Take a look at some of Lauren’s phenomenal work!
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Lauren Sowder is a multi-media artist based in Newport News, Virginia, with a BA in English and Studio Art from Christopher Newport University. She works primarily in printmaking and watercolor, using her art to celebrate the connection between humanity and the natural world.
Paper Daffodil Workshop *CLASS FULL!
Paper Daffodil Workshop 🌼
*CLASS FULL!
Instructor: Ronda Bowden
Saturday, March 14
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Tired of the cold weather? Come get warm at Arts on Main and make delicate and realistic paper daffodils to get in the mood for Spring! Learn the process through step-by-step instruction with all supplies included.
For adults and teens ages 14+
*CLASS FULL!
If you would like to join the waitlist, please call the gallery at (804) 824 - 9464
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Ronda Bowden is a paper flower artist who focuses on realism and whimsical arrangements.
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
2nd & 3rd grade Palette Pals & Reception
Palette Pals Reception at Arts on Main
Thursday, March 12
5:30pm - 6:30pm
Join us at Arts on Main on Thursday, March 12 from 5:30pm - 6:30pm for a reception featuring 2nd & 3rd Grade Palette Pals! One artist from each course will receive a “Best in Show” award!
Palette Pals is Arts on Main’s signature educational program and part of our Youth Art Enrichment Programs. Founded in 2011 in one elementary school as the After-School Enrichment Program, it is now in every elementary school in Gloucester County, with over 3000 children participating to date. Palette Pals is currently conducted as an extracurricular, before-school program for students in grades K-5, led by the school’s art teacher. The program’s focus is on teaching STEAM-based art lessons that focus on current SOL objectives in math and science. Our goals are to provide hands-on experiential learning through art making and to increase student understanding of concepts related to math and science. This program is provided at no charge to the children or the schools and relies solely on grants and donations.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Hand Woven Pouch Workshop
Hand Woven Pouch Workshop
Instructor: Janet Griffin
Saturday, March 7
12:00PM - 4:00PM
Learn the art of weaving in this engaging, hands-on workshop! Students will create a small handwoven pouch using a simple cardboard loom, intertwining colorful yarns to design their own unique pattern. This beginner-friendly workshop is a great way to explore texture, color, and the meditative rhythm of weaving. No experience needed!
All supplies will be provided by the instructor.
FOR TEENS AND ADULTS
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
“Hi there, my name is Janet Griffin and I am a fiber artist. Specifically, I’d like to say I am a tapestry Weaver. I use a cotton warp background on my loom, and I inlay wool yarn to create an image. My Tapestry weavings are based on the techniques developed by Theo Moorman , based in England. Additionally, I find felted wool extremely creative. Felted paintings, felted bowls, felted flowers, felted purses work extremely well together. My favorite kind of fiber is Corriedale, Romney, and Merino wool or yarn, cotton yarns, Silk, Leicester locks , and Mohair. Feathers are kind of fun too. As you can tell I’m very much drawn into texture. I do love how wool can be soft and fluffy; and yet transformed into wet, thick fabric.”
March 2026 First Friday
March 2026 First Friday
“Those Who Teach Us”
featuring
Jody Ball, Ronda Bowden, Jan Finn-Duffy, Sara McCourt, Doug Mock, Juli Schuszler, Lauren Sowder, Christopher Wagner, Rebecca West
“Those Who Teach Us” is a special exhibition celebrating the artists who shape, inspire, and guide our creative community here at Arts on Main. This show highlights original works by the very instructors who lead classes within our gallery—offering a glimpse into their personal artistic practices beyond the classroom. In the classroom, they demonstrate technique, encourage experimentation, and help students find their artistic voice. In this show, we see their personal expressions—works that reflect their individual styles, inspirations, and artistic journeys.
“Those Who Teach Us” celebrates the profound impact of mentorship in the arts. It’s an opportunity to honor the makers who guide, inspire, and remind us that art is meant to be shared. Join us in recognizing the mentors behind the masterpieces—and experience the work of the artists who make learning possible.
The opening of this show will take place at Arts on Main on Friday, March 6th from 5:30pm - 7:30pm. This event is free and open to the public. Live music will be performed be Something Different Duo. Light bites will be served while beer and wine will be available for purchase. The show will be on display at Arts on Main until Saturday, March 28th. The gallery is open Wednesday - Saturday from 12-5pm.
Thank you to Arts on Main March Exhibit Sponsors, Cheryl & Jim Woodward!
Live music will be performed by Something Different Duo during the opening reception!
Many Thanks to our First Friday Music Sponsors, Cheryl & Jim Woodward!
“We are a father /daughter team providing quality easy listening of popular music spanning several generations.”
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Jody Ball
Jody Ball’s artistic style tends toward a blend of realism with a softened impressionistic edge, combined with subjects that excite her heart. Truth, honesty, and a sense of peace are the underlying messages she desires to communicate in her work, and the beauty of creation is her guide. Sometimes she likes to use a more straightforward approach to challenge herself and keep her drawing skills in check.
Jody has had a very limited history of formal training, taking a one-year course in commercial art at the University of Cincinnati in the early 1980s. As the years passed, she volunteered her artistic abilities for many church, school, and local community organization projects. She created stage settings for a variety of events, was asked to draw her hometown church and the local historical society building, she painted storefront windows, and even the town firehouse!
Finally able to settle into her first love of fine art, she is now able to show her work and has accumulated many awards and honors over the years. In addition to showing her art at Gloucester Arts on Main, she displays her paintings in Mathews at The Bay School Community Art Center and the RAL Art Center in Kilmarnock.
Ronda Bowden
Ronda Bowden is a paper flower artist who focuses on realism and whimsical arrangements.
Jan Finn-Duffy
“I have been making art instinctively and passionately since I was a child. Every artistic endeavor has been a learning experience, each building upon the next to bring me to the point where I am today. I have learned how to paint from university classes, from extensive independent study, from workshops, but mostly from trial and error … and trial and triumph. It is one of the biggest joys in my life. In the words of Albert Einstein, which I have borrowed to apply to my view of art, each painting is a way of “opening up yet another fragment of the frontier of beauty.” I paint in my studio and en plein air. For the past 15 years, I have had the honor of teaching watercolor skills to beginners and those wishing to develop their artistic skills. A few of my paintings have been accepted to the National Watercolor Society show, the Northlight publication “Splash” which features watercolor artists from around the world, and the international watercolor magazine “The Art of Watercolor”. God has given me the gift of being able to paint, and it is a privilege to share what I have been given with others who also love art.
Sara McCourt
An avid knitter, Sara found that the needles in her hands were the gateway tool to a deeper passion: fiber. Wondering about the sourcing and processing of her mail-order wools led her to complete her Master’s Spinning Certification program at the Olds College in Alberta, Canada. She then began to use her handspun yarns first in knitting and then in weaving. This of course led to the use of natural and synthetic dyes in her work. Now, Sara spins and dyes her own yarn, fibers, and fabrics for use in her various fiber arts. Besides teaching spinning and dyework classes, she is the owner of Arborglyph Fiber Arts, LLC, where she sells hand dyed yarns and spinning fibers. She is also a contributing writer to Ply magazine.
Doug Mock
Doug Mock is an award-winning watercolor artist and teacher living in White Stone, Virginia. Born in 1966 in Central Pennsylvania he was raised in a small dairy farming community where strong work ethic, love of family and appreciation of nature were of major importance. Doug is mostly self-taught, with significant influence by figurative watercolorist Mary Whyte. Mock creates art inspired by people and nature. His work is characterized by unique design, bold color and creative subject matter. Capturing life’s simple moments, Doug’s art connects with collectors on an emotional level. Doug has been juried into and regularly appears in shows and exhibitions throughout the United States. His work is appreciated and can be found in private collections throughout the country. He is a member of prominent watercolor organizations and is a signature member of the Virginia Watercolor Society and the Southern Watercolor Society.
Juli Schuszler
Schuszler inherited her artistic talent form her Hungarian father. She began painting with oils at age 10. She received her BFA with a concentration in studio art from Old Dominion University, and her MAT from the Citadel in Charleston, SC, where she began a teaching career. Her career and travels have taken her to many beautiful places in both Europe and the Tropics. She especially loves the tropical climate for its vibrant palette and has traveled to Jamaica, St. Lucia, and throughout Florida for inspiration.
Schuszler resided in Miami for over 10 years, teaching and sharing her passion for art. While residing in Miami, she continued her advanced studies in studio art and art education at Florida International University, studying oil painting and pastels with David Y Chang. In 2003, she moved to Gloucester, VA to both teach and exhibit. After teaching in both public school and at regional community colleges, she retired in 2019 to focus fully on her art. Schuszler exhibits in regional shows and art centers and maintains a studio in her Gloucester home.
Lauren Sowder
Lauren Sowder is a multi-media artist based in Newport News, Virginia. She works primarily in watercolor, printmaking, and film photography. Her work delves into themes of personal growth and resilience while celebrating the connection between humanity and the natural world, fostering connections with others, the past, and ourselves.
Lauren is largely inspired by the local ecology in the southeastern United States, predominantly the Tidewater region of Virginia and North Carolina. She finds inspiration by immersing herself in nature, incorporating photography into her practice by taking photos to use as references for her linocut printmaking and paintings. Lauren’s most recent art practice is also partially shaped by the limited studio space in her home, which has driven her to create smaller pieces that experiment more with technique and color.
Christopher Wagner
Christopher B. Wagner is a sculptor originally from Kentucky but has lived and worked all over the country. In the summer of 2022 he relocated from the West Coast to Williamsburg, VA to work at William & Mary University. He received a B.A. in art history and sculpture from Georgetown College after which he studied Sculpture at Edinboro University in which he graduated in 2010 with an M.F.A. He has been making and exhibiting his art ever since his work can currently be seen at Linda Matney Gallery in Williamsburg, VA, Guardino Gallery in Portland, OR, Imogen Gallery in Astoria, OR, and the Compound Gallery in Oakland, CA.
Along with his own active studio he has worked as a Shop Manager for Eichinger Sculpture studio in Portland, OR; along with serving as an instructor and technician at numerous institutions including Gonzaga University, Mission College, De Anza University and most recently William & Mary University. His awards have included a Jurors Choice at Cherry Creek Art Festival, exhibitor at the Smithsonian Craft Show, the Glean Artist Grant, and the Emerging Artist Award from Portland Open Studios.
His work focuses on recycled or reconstituted wood as the medium. Utilizing traditional carving skills in the creation of contemporary sculpture. The reclaimed lumber he predominantly sculpts in provides a sense of history that influences what he creates.
Rebecca West
“I have been an artist since birth. Mostly I paint, but sometimes I sculpt. I believe life is art. Creation is art. Most of my adult life has been lived in the sky as a professional pilot. I have drawn inspiration from the ever-changing skyscape and many visits to breathtaking landscapes. I paint to create something new that wasn’t there before. I sculpt to give form to my ideas which could or could not have a basis in reality.
Art is freedom”
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Dynamic Figure Drawing Workshop
Dynamic Figure Drawing Workshop
Instructor: Jess Goehner
Saturday, February 28
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Join us for a dynamic figure drawing class that explores expression, perspective, and the power of gesture. Working from a live model, timed exercises will push you to convey the human form quickly and creatively and to expand the creative language you bring to all forms of art. This class will include personalized feedback from the instructor, suggestions and resource lists, and collaborative critique skills with your peers. All levels welcome.
Supplies will be provided, but bring your favorite drawing materials to work with if you have them (large newsprint drawing paper or large sketch pad, preferred drawing tools). For ages 14+
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Directive is the studio practice of artist and designer Jess Goehner, a one-woman operation working in a garage on the Virginia coast. Her media exploration ranges from fine pen and ink drawings, found sculpture, photography, clothing design, fibers, painting, and leatherwork. Since 2013, her work under the name Directive has been focused on functional pieces which has served as an extension of a broader artistic inquiry—an exploration of material, form, and repetition as a language of making.
Garden Friends - Color Your Canvas Kids Class *CLASS FULL!
Garden Friends🐢
Color Your Canvas Kids Class
*CLASS FULL!
Instructor: Christina Micket
Saturday, February 28
10:00 AM - 11:15 PM
Enjoy a fun morning painting some sweet garden friends at Arts On Main! Each artist will be provided a pre-sketched canvas and acrylic paints. They will be instructed by Christina and encouraged to get creative! If your child is younger and brand new to painting, parents are welcome to stay and help. Please also consider wearing play clothes, as we try to keep tidy, but accidents with paint can happen.
For children ages 4-12 (children under 6 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian)
CLASS FULL!
If you would like to join the waitlist, please call the gallery at (804) 824-9464
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
“I believe art is for everyone. It can bring people together, and has the ability to put the artist in touch with themselves. When we learn to let go of perfection, painting can be both healing and very meditative. I began drawing and creating from a young age, and enjoy sharing the joy of creating with others. I’m excited to resume art instruction, focusing on making creative expression accessible and enjoyable for young artists. Building on my experience leading "Color Your Canvas Kidz" at Arts On Main from 2014-2021, and many various community workshops for adults, I'm prepared to help inspire participants of my classes. My approach prioritizes fun, exploration and self expression. Each class has a concept painting, and I empower students to create from their heart. I look forward to sharing a fun, creative, relaxed space with the young artists in our community!”
Winter Paint Night
Winter paint Night ❄️
Instructor: Juli Schuszler
Friday, February 27
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
This workshop will be completed using acrylic paint on an 11" x 14" stretched canvas. All materials necessary to paint this image will be provided by the instructor. All levels of experience are welcome, from beginner to experienced. You will receive a reference picture and printed step-by-step directions. Special instruction will be available to those needing help mixing colors and applying paint to create the details of this scene. Bring a friend, neighbor, relative, or spouse for this fun and engaging class!
OPEN TO ALL AGES!
Children under 12 must be accompanied
by a parent/guardian
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Juli Schuszler is a Gloucester artist known for her vibrant and dramatic oil masterpieces showcasing the beauty of the natural world. A passion for color is evident in Juli's paintings, inspired by an ongoing love of nature and gardening. Much of Juli’s inspiration comes from her garden. Juli works from real life observations and her own reference photos, focusing on the play of light and shadow, creating drama and visual interest in her art. Often working on large canvases, Juli paints carefully and slowly, creating numerous layers of paint, building as she goes. Juli says, “I like to search for striking and dramatic light in the images that I collect for my references.... I want to transport the viewer to a beautiful world of color and light with my paintings, to take them into a garden of delight!” Anyone can see that the common thread through all her artwork is a love of color and light. Retired from careers in commercial art and then in teaching Art and English in public school, college, and university, Juli now pursues her own art in her home studio. Her artworks are featured in the Bay School for the Arts, The Charles H. Taylor Art Center, and the Crossroads Art Center as well as the RAL Art Center Gallery.
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Taste II: A Casual Creative Culinary Arts Experience
February Fundraiser
🍲 Taste II 🍝
A Casual Creative Culinary Arts Experience
Join us for Taste II: A Casual Creative Culinary Arts Experience
On Saturday, February 21, 2026, from 5 - 8:30pm, Arts on Main will be transformed into a gallery for all the senses during this celebration of the culinary arts. SEE vibrant works from Virginia-based artists, HEAR talented live musicians, TASTE and SMELL food from local culinary artists, and FEEL the joy of supporting Gloucester’s community arts nonprofit!
Sponsorships are available now! Individual tickets go on sale on December 6th!
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Watercolor Workshop: Heron Taking Flight
Watercolor Workshop:
Heron Taking Flight
Instructor: Jan Finn Duffy
Wednesday, February 11
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Relax and learn how to paint a heron taking flight. Mix different shades to make the scene look dimensional.
Step by step guidance will help you enjoy the beauty of the watercolor medium. All skill levels can do this! It’s sure to be an evening of fun with paint! Beginner-friendly!
All supplies will be provided by the instructor. Bring your friends and come have fun painting with watercolors!
FOR AGES 16+
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Jan Finn-Duffy is a self-taught watercolorist with a passion for painting and sharing watercolor skills with aspiring artists. She has a working studio at 40 Church Street in Mathews, VA, where her art is displayed and lessons are taught. Her art has been published in multiple international publications. Please visit her website www.JanFinnDuffy.com for more information.
Artist Talk with Beth Anne Booth
Artist Talk with Beth Anne Booth
Saturday, February 7
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Join us at Arts on Main on Saturday, February 7 from 3-4pm for an Artist Talk with Beth Anne Booth! Beth Anne was one of the Exhibiting Artists featured in Arts on Main’s January 2026 Group Show: “New Year, New Art”.
Beth Anne Booth’s work is grounded in healing, spiritual connection, and personal transformation. Using abstract expressionist techniques, she taps into the subconscious and explores the inner landscape through intuitive, meditative mark-making. Her return to painting followed two profound life events: her journey into sobriety and a double-lung transplant. These experiences became catalysts for healing and inspired two major bodies of work.
The Breathe Series emerged organically as a way to process the physical and emotional depth of undergoing a transplant, honoring the sacredness of breath and life itself. Following that, the Awakening Series reflects the spiritual principles that have guided her recovery—surrender, aligned action, humility, and inner growth—offering a visual narrative of her ongoing journey.
At the heart of Booth’s practice is a desire for connection: with self, with others, with nature, and with the Divine. Her paintings are not only personal expressions but also acts of service—intended to resonate, uplift, and inspire. For Booth, painting is a purpose and a devotion, a commitment to creativity, presence, and transformation.
Find Beth Anne’s work here: https://healingwholerva.com
This talk is FREE and open to the public!
Leatherworking 101: Two Pocket Snap Wallet
Leatherworking 101:
Two Pocket Snap Wallet
Instructor: Jess Goehner
Saturday, February 7
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Discover the art of leathercraft in this beginner-friendly workshop. Students will be introduced to the basics of working with leather—learning about different types of hides, essential tools, and foundational techniques such as cutting, punching, and hand-stitching. Guided step by step, you’ll create a two pocket wallet from start to finish, customizing details like leather color and thread for a piece that’s truly your own.
All supplies will be provided by the instructor.
For ages 16+
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Directive is the studio practice of artist and designer Jess Goehner, a one-woman operation working in a garage on the Virginia coast. Her media exploration ranges from fine pen and ink drawings, found sculpture, photography, clothing design, fibers, painting, and leatherwork. Since 2013, her work under the name Directive has been focused on functional pieces which has served as an extension of a broader artistic inquiry—an exploration of material, form, and repetition as a language of making.
February First Friday: "The Art of Food"
February First Friday
"The Art of Food" 🍲
featuring
Jason Abbott, Judy Bumgardner, Marcie Evans, Mike Haubenstock, Lawrence Hollingsworth, Valerie Johnson, Joann Sybil Lawson, Doris Roland, Heather Salvador, Karen Thuermer
Opening Reception:
Friday, February 6
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
The Art of Food is an exhibition that celebrates the creative dialogue between the visual and the culinary. This exhibition features a selection of works that elevate everyday meals, ingredients, and culinary traditions into works of art. Artists reinterpret the familiar through form, color, and texture—turning plates into palettes and kitchens into studios. Each piece reflects how food connects us to memory, culture, celebration, and creativity. The exhibition invites guests to slow down and savor the artistry found in the ordinary.
The show’s food theme was inspired by our February fundraiser, Taste of the Arts, taking place on February 21, 5-8:30pm. Together, the show and the fundraiser invite guests to enjoy food-inspired art while savoring delicious dishes — creating a shared experience for both the eyes at the appetite!
The opening of this show will take place at Arts on Main on Friday, February 6th from 5:30pm - 7:30pm. This event is free and open to the public. Live music will be performed by Ami Baker. Light bites will be served, and beer + wine will be available for purchase. The show will be on display at Arts on Main until Saturday, February 28th. The gallery is open Wednesday - Saturday from 12-5pm.
Thank you to our February Exhibit Sponsor, Linda M. Wahlman, CW5 (Ret.)
Live music will be performed by Ami Baker during the opening reception!
Thank you to our First Friday Music Sponsor, Lourdes and Don Parker!
“Singer. Songwriter. Musician. Lover & Follower of Jesus. Writing songs to make others feel less alone”
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
JASON ABBOTT
“Art has always played a major role in my life. It wasn’t until recently that I decided to share my art. I am a self-taught artist. I have spent my life experimenting, learning, and building my technique. My desire is to create art that evokes an emotion in the observer.”
Judy Bumgardner
“I began my career creating polychrome sculpture from found materials. During a sabbatical from teaching while living in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico I began painting in watercolor exploring transparency and the paradox of imagery of the face and the mask. The image and symbolism of the metamorphosis of the butterfly came into play. Further travels in Belgium and Spain led to an interest in the tradition of still life. The foods and the painted tiles of Mexico and Spain were an inspiration. The juxtaposition and interplay of color and form are an integral part of still life painting. Throughout history food has conveyed symbolic import in religious ceremonies and secular traditions art and poetry. I hope that my work celebrates the pleasures of the table with the communion and joy of the human spirit.”
Marcie Evans
Based in Poquoson, Virginia, Marcie Evans is a sculptor and potter whose work balances practicality with a playful, irreverent spirit. A native of the Hampton Roads area, her artistic journey is rooted in a diverse background of visual communication and organic design.
Working primarily in stoneware and porcelain, Marcie Evans creates pieces that are inherently utilitarian but distinguished by a sense of whimsy and humor. This distinctive "functional fun" is born of years working as an artist and sculptor, an Associate's degree in Graphic Design, and a prolific career as a floral designer and flower shop manager. Years of arranging botanicals have instilled a deep understanding of form, balance, and the relationship between a vessel and its contents.
Today, Marcie blends these disciplines into ceramic works that invite touch and evoke smiles, ensuring that even the most everyday object carries a spark of personality.
Mike Haubenstock
Mike Haubenstock, based in Glen Allen, Virginia, is known for his luminous oil paintings of landscapes and still lifes. Inspired by architecture, natural scenery, and vibrant everyday moments, Mike began his artistic journey nearly two decades ago.
His work stands at the intersection of timeless tradition and contemporary resonance. Rooted in the legacy of representational art, Mike’s still lifes and landscapes celebrate the quiet poetry of daily life—wildflowers catching morning light, sunsets glowing through the forest, or fruits and vegetables painted with striking realism.
In a world often driven by abstraction or conceptual trends, Mike’s paintings offer a refreshingcounterbalance. With vibrant color, expressive brushwork, and layered textures, he invites viewers to slow down, savor detail, and reconnect with beauty as a form of emotional refuge. His art speaks to a modern desire for works that soothe, ground, and bring a sense of calm and joy into living spaces.
By merging classical subjects with a vivid palette and palpable energy, Mike creates paintings that feel both comfortably familiar and strikingly alive—bridging past and present, tradition and the evolving needs of today’s collectors.
LAWRENCE HOLLINGSWORTH
Lawrence Hollingsworth, a native of Norfolk, Virginia, derived his inspiration to paint from Country and Coastal landscapes and museum visits during his travels as an antiques importer in Europe and the U.K. He studied the styles and painting techniques of a wide range of past and present painters such as Turner, Corot, Courbet and Schmid, et.al. His primary medium is oil on canvas or linen and has patrons both in the Continental U.S. and Europe. He received his Doctorate Degree from the College of William and Mary in Virginia and he currently resides in Gloucester, Virginia.
Valerie Johnson
Settled in Smithfield, Virginia, Val works primarily in felted fiber art, though don’t hold her to it. “I love creating in a variety of different mediums, from paper mache sculptures, costuming, automata, and ceramics. I use whatever medium gets me to my idea. I like the challenge of working in different mediums and incorporating new ideas and concepts into my art. I may begin a felted project that starts as a “painting”, evolves into a sculpture, and in the end is realized as a piece of costuming. I feel that these kinds of zigs and zags require a pretty good sense of humor, which leads to the whimsy often seen in my work
Joann Sybil Lawson
“I like painting flowers, fruits, and vegetables and making a painting that someone might enjoy. I try to do work that I can respect myself for, and, hopefully, be respected for. Through guidance and excellent instruction, I have come to realize that a good painting is not necessarily the result of great talent or technique, but of patience and perseverance.” Joann has exhibited several times in Hampton, VA, at the Charles H. Taylor Art Center, the International Miniature Art Show, Seaside Art Gallery in Nags Head, NC, and participated in the Daffodil Festival Poster Competition in Gloucester.
DORIS ROLAND
“I have considered myself an artist since I was five years old. However, I have only been engaged fully in creative art for the last ten years. I work with oil, acrylic, watercolor and mixed medium. I have studied with award winners James Warwick Jones, the late Bettye Anglin, Holly Etheridge, Jan Ledbetter and numerous others. I have received many art awards. Two paintings were purchased by the City of Hampton and are on permanent display at the Hampton Roads Convention Center. Two more recent awards include First Place in the 2018 Regional Juried Show at the Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center and 2019 Honorable Mention Award at the Charles Taylor Visual Arts Center Small Works Exhibition. I was invited to display and sell my artwork at the Williamsburg Winery and was quite successful. I also met my goal for 2025, I sold more than 10 pieces of art.”
HEATHER SALVADOR
“I make abstract, expressive paintings driven by bold color, movement, and texture. Painting grounds me and puts me in a state of flow, where each piece becomes an experiment in emotion and curiosity. My work isn’t about realism — it’s about energy and the freedom to be different.”
Karen Thuermer
“An international journalist for 45+ years, my art mirrors my search for interesting people and places both locally and globally.
I am an accomplished plein air landscape painter who is equally skilled at still life and figurative compositions. My work is often described as impressionist.
My primary medium is oil. I also work in watercolor, graphite, pastel, and engraving. I also am an award-winning photographer.
Many of my works are accepted into juried shows, including those at the Art League Gallery in Alexandria, VA; Bay School Community Arts Center, Mathews, VA; Torpedo Factory Artists Association’s Art in City Hall in Alexandria, VA; the National Arts Program at the National Press Club in Washington, DC; Oxon Hill Manor in Oxon Hill, MD; Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center in Fairfax City, VA; Upper Marion Cultural Center in King of Prussia, PA; Del Ray Artisans Gallery in Del Ray, VA; Great Falls Art Center in Great Falls, VA; Strathmore Art Center in Bethesda, MD; Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center (WCAC) in Williamsburg, VA, Links Bridge Vineyards in Thurmont, VA, and other venues in Ohio and the Mid Atlantic.”
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Mosaic Night Light Workshop
Stained Glass Mosaic
Night Light Workshop
Instructor: Sue Hill with Shill Creations Studio
Thursday, January 29
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Add a pop of glowing color to your space by creating a beautiful custom night light with stained glass. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn the basics of glass cutting, assembling, and finishing under the guidance of an experienced teaching artist. Choose to design either a tabletop or wall plug-in light to best fit your space. No experience needed—all supplies are included. Choose to design either a tabletop or wall plug-in light to best fit your vision. This eco-conscious studio class uses antique, vintage, and recovered glass, creating a minimal-waste environment. Together, we’ll explore the beauty of textures, light, and color while reflecting on the value of repurposing materials in art making.
For ages 16+
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Sue spent her first 25 years Technical Writer and Proposal Writer utilizing her graphic design background in advertising and documentation for shipboard equipment and IT. She retired from that career to be a full time Stained Glass Artist. As an art lover, Sue Hill has always had an interest in art and vibrant colors. She has worked with a lot of processes and materials, but her love always takes her to the beauty of stained glass. She loves creating beautiful designs that can catch the sunlight or move with the wind while the colors magically project across a room or transfer to the ground. When she’s not busy creating in her studio, you can find her teaching and sharing stained glass art at various locations - including local Museums, Art Centers, Virginia Beach ViBe District, Botanical Gardens, and other local Studio Spaces. She teaches the importance of being eco-friendly and repurposing – turning everyday life into art. Her various workshops teach the basics of stained glass art, mosaics, upcycled ceramic jewelry, and more. Sue has been featured in Canvas Rebel Magazine, Bold Journey Magazine, and Discover Virginia Beach Podcast with Joseph Trahan. Additionally, she donates pieces and hold fundraiser classes for local non-profit organizations to help generate donations to help people, pets, wildlife, and the environment. Sue believes that everything has a story and all broken pieces can turn into beautiful new stories.
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Carving and Crafting a Walking Stick
Carving and Crafting a Walking Stick
Instructor: Christopher Wagner
Saturday, January 17th & Sunday, January 18th
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Join us for a hands-on woodworking experience where creativity meets craftsmanship! Under the instruction of an experienced woodworker, students will learn how to carve a walking stick with traditional carving tools. Incorporating figurative and decorative elements into a practical functional walking stick. By the end of the workshop, every student will walk away (literally!) with a handcrafted walking stick that’s both durable and artistic. All materials and tools are provided, no experience is necessary.
For students 8+ (any students under 14 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian)
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Christopher B. Wagner is a sculptor originally from Kentucky but has lived and worked all over the country. In the summer of 2022 he relocated from the West Coast to Williamsburg, VA to work at William & Mary University. He received a B.A. in art history and sculpture from Georgetown College after which he studied Sculpture at Edinboro University in which he graduated in 2010 with an M.F.A. He has been making and exhibiting his art ever since his work can currently be seen at Linda Matney Gallery in Williamsburg, VA, Guardino Gallery in Portland, OR, Imogen Gallery in Astoria, OR, and the Compound Gallery in Oakland, CA. Along with his own active studio he has worked as a Shop Manager for Eichinger Sculpture studio in Portland, OR; along with serving as an instructor and technician at numerous institutions including Gonzaga University, Mission College, De Anza University and most recently William & Mary University. His awards have included a Jurors Choice at Cherry Creek Art Festival, exhibitor at the Smithsonian Craft Show, the Glean Artist Grant, and the Emerging Artist Award from Portland Open Studios. His work focuses on recycled or reconstituted wood as the medium. Utilizing traditional carving skills in the creation of contemporary sculpture. The reclaimed lumber he predominantly sculpts in provides a sense of history that influences what he creates.
Winter Pastel Workshop *CLASS FULL!
Winter Pastel Workshop 🌨️
*CLASS FULL!
Instructor: Jody Ball
Friday, January 16
1:00PM - 3:30PM
Have fun painting a winter snow scene in this one-day pastel workshop! We are going to create this soft, quiet, snowy day by using the textured side of pink pastel paper to really make it pop! Jody will guide you with instruction, tips, and techniques as you have fun watching your painting come to life on the colorful, textured pastel paper provided in the class. This workshop is suitable for both beginners and advanced individuals, and everything you need is provided in the class. Come and join us this holiday season and have a wonderful time as we play and experiment with pastels!
All supplies will be provided by the instructor.
For adults and teens ages 12+
CLASS FULL!
To be placed on the waitlist, please call the gallery at (804) 824-9464
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
“Drawing and painting have been a part of my life as long as I can remember. As a child, my parents enrolled me in art lessons with a prominent hometown artist after my mother declared that all I did was draw and color! I now live in Deltaville, VA, but passionately taught art to students of all ages for many years in a homeschool co-op environment and my studio when I lived in Ohio. My first love is the pastel medium, and my representational paintings usually tend towards a softened, sometimes impressionistic appearance. Nature is my inspiration, and I am possessed by the colors, forms, and textures that are possible in creating two-dimensional art. My paintings grace the walls of many homes across the country, and I currently show my paintings at Gloucester Arts on Main, the RAL Art Center in Kilmarnock, and the Bay School Community Arts Center in Mathews.”
Open Studio
Bring your art & supplies and paint from 12:00pm-2:00pm. You’ll work alongside other artists in the community, create new friendships, and get great advice on your next masterpiece. There is no cost to attend and no need to make reservations.
Eight Week Watercolor Class Series *class full!
Winter Watercolor class series
(eight weeks) *class full!
Painting the Still Life and the Urban Landscape
Instructor: Doug Mock
Monday Evenings
January 12th - March 2nd
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Join artist/instructor Doug Mock as he leads this 8 week session focused on painting the still life and urban scenes. Artists will choose an image of their own or they can choose from the options offered by the instructor. Dive deep into choosing colors, mixing for success, glazing color that glows and painting in a loose yet controlled manner. These classes are fun, engaging, and full of information that you will use on a regular and frequent basis.
If you are interested in taking 6 weeks of this course rather than 8 weeks, please email programs@gloucesterarts.org for a discounted rate.
The deadline to sign up is Friday, January 9th @ 5pm.
AGES 16+
Open to all levels
ALL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO BRING THEIR OWN SUPPLIES!
Click the button below to view the supply list.
*class full!
If you would like to be put on the waitlist, please call the gallery at (804) 824-9464
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Doug Mock is an award-winning watercolor artist and teacher living in White Stone, Virginia. Born in 1966 in Central Pennsylvania he was raised in a small dairy farming community where strong work ethic, love of family and appreciation of nature were of major importance. Doug is mostly self-taught, with significant influence by figurative watercolorist Mary Whyte. Mock creates art inspired by people and nature. His work is characterized by unique design, bold color and creative subject matter. Capturing life’s simple moments, Doug’s art connects with collectors on an emotional level. Doug has been juried into and regularly appears in shows and exhibitions throughout the United States. His work is appreciated and can be found in private collections throughout the country. He is a member of prominent watercolor organizations and is a signature member of the Virginia Watercolor Society and the Southern Watercolor Society.
rigid heddle loom weaving workshop *CLASS FULL!
rigid heddle loom
weaving workshop *CLASS FULL!
Instructor: Kate Swanson
Saturday, January 10
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Ever wondered about weaving but didn't have access to a loom or know where to start? Ever thought "I'm more a math and science person than an artist"? Ever found it hard to sit still during an art class? If so, then this is the class for you! Weaving is an art form that dates back thousands of years and relies on simple math and mechanics to design, plan, and create beautiful and functional art. Students in this class will use Arts on Main's rigid heddle looms to learn beginning weaving techniques and create a scarf or table runner. Kate has done all the math and will walk students through the steps of warping (setting up), weaving, and finishing the project. She'll also show how to read patterns and design future projects. By the end of the class, students will know the basic vocabulary and steps involved in weaving on a rigid heddle loom. Come learn how to make your own cloth!
For ages 16+
All supplies will be provided by the instructor.
*CLASS FULL!
If you have your own rigid heddle loom and you would like to join this class,
please call the gallery at (804) 824-9464
If you don’t have your own loom, but you would like to be added to the waitlist,
please call the gallery at (804) 824-9464
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Kathryn “Kate” Swanson’s love of art began at an early age with art classes starting when she was about five years old. Since then, she has explored a wide variety of media including painting, drawing, pastel, pottery, glass, and fiber. Today, she primarily works in fiber, embracing a medium and technique that she has loved since elementary school. She sees her weaving as a meditative practice that is both calming and exhilarating, and she loves creating works of art that are aesthetically pleasing and often functional. Taking the cloth off the loom and realizing that she’s transformed yarn into handwoven art is one of her favorite parts of being an artist. When she is not weaving, Kate is the Executive Director of Gloucester Arts on Main.