Remember the feeling of opening a new box of crayons and beholding all the untouched colors just brimming with artistic possibility? It’s never too late to recapture that joy, and the North Shore is a fantastic place to do just that.
We’ve gathered 25 ways you can rediscover your inner artist, whether you want to try a low-stakes paint night or make a deep dive into something totally new.
1. Clay at Art Haven, Gloucester: Learn to throw bowls and mugs on the wheel or build your own ceramic designs by hand under the instruction of veteran potter and teacher Ruth Worrall. arthaven.org
2. Glass blowing at the Bubble Factory, Essex: Step into the hot-shop and make a glass, bowl, paperweight, or other glass creation (with plenty of help from experienced glass blowers). bubblefactoryma.com
3. Ballet at MAGMA, Gloucester: Instructor Sarah Swift leads classes that let dancers of all levels—even complete novices—channel the joy of ballet. magma.center
4. Stained glass at North Shore Glass School, Salem: Sign up for a three-week class to learn all the steps to creating your own colorful glass window hanging. northshoreglassschool.com
5. Bookbinding at Montserrat College of Art: Explore a variety of techniques and inspirations for making your own bound work of art (which will be displayed in the Montserrat library after the course). Other classes in fiber arts, drawing, and more are also available. montserrat.edu
6. Photography at SEE Shore Photography, Newburyport: Turn your everyday photos into works of art. Professional photographer Kelly Mintz teaches beginner and intermediate group classes as well as private lessons. seeshorephoto.com
7. Chocolate at M. Cacao, Amesbury: Make art that tastes even more beautiful than it looks under the guidance of chocolatier Delphin Gomes. mcacao.com
8. Writing groups at the Salem Athenaeum, Salem: Workshop your prose with a supportive group or attend an open studio for writerly companionship while you work. salemathenaeum.net
9. Paint and sip at Painting with a Twist, North Andover: Enjoy a night of casual creativity with step-by-step painting instruction, wine, and snacks. paintingwithatwist.com
10. Pottery painting at Clay Dreaming, Beverly: Jump right to the colorful part of ceramics by choosing a piece of pottery and custom-glazing it with creative coaching from the staff. claydreaming.com
11. Ballroom and Latin dancing at Kadanse, Woburn: Get your feet moving and celebrate the art of dance with Kadanse’s monthly social dance parties, including a group class and plenty of time to try out your new moves. kadanse.com
12. Art adventures with Slow River Studio, Topsfield (and beyond): Grab a sketchbook and hit the road to explore and draw local destinations. Trips include sketching instruction and a chance to share work with the group. slowriverstudio.com
13. Cyanotypes with Rockport Art Association, Rockport: Use photosensitive paper to channel the power of the sun and shadow to easily create beautiful art in this April workshop. rockportartassn.org
14. Oil painting at the Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester: Get a thorough introduction to oils with this six-week course that starts with the basics of paint mixing and ends with a full-color painting. capeannmuseum.org
15. Cookie decorating with Sprinkles by Stacey, Jimmy’s Famous Pizza, North Andover: In these workshops you’ll get cookies, icing, and professional instruction, from flooding your cookies with color to adding delicious details. sprinklesbystacey.com
16. Sea glass art at Create and Escape, Peabody: Lay out a design in sea glass, sand, and shells, and then capture the beauty in a coat of clear resin. createandescapediy.com
17. Furniture decoration at Studio on the Common, Winchester: Learn how to transform that dilapidated wooden chair in your attic into something colorful, creative, and personal in this one-day workshop on April 20. studioonthecommon.com
18. Knitting at Yarns in the Farms, Beverly: Grab a pair of needles and learn to knit and purl while surrounded by the glorious color and texture of the shop’s wide selection of yarns. yarnsinthefarms.com
19. Beaded jewelry at EOS Designs Studio, Marblehead: Take a class to make a specific piece or book a seat at the beading table and string together whatever you can imagine. eosdesignsstudio.com
20. Woodcarving with David Calvo, Gloucester: Small classes and expert instruction help students turn wood into intricate art, with options from one-day spoon-carving workshops to seven-day intensives. davidcalvo.com
21. Landscape art at Essex Art Center, Lawrence: Take a deep dive into the idea of landscape and experiment with ways of representing landscapes in a variety of media. essexartcenter.org
22. Creative explorations at Jollykay Designs, Beverly: In her Beverly studio, artist Joanne Jolly-Kay teaches small classes in the Japanese weaving form kumihimo, as well as giving instruction in mosaics, stained glass, and metal clay jewelry. jollykaydesigns.net
23. Floral design at Les Fleurs, Andover: Arrange your own lush, organic art with the guidance of floral artist Sandra Sigman. Watch the website for public workshops or book a private event. lesfleurs.com
24. Improv at the North Shore Music Theatre, Beverly: Think fast and develop your acting skills in a supportive environment designed to be welcoming, not intimidating. nsmt.org
25. Friday drop-in art at the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem: Grab a young friend and visit the museum’s Create Space for rotating hands-on art activities. Form an animal-shaped clay planter in April or hand-paint glass bottles in May. pem.org