Art Classes

Register for Classes

Arlington County supports the creative process as a vital tool to maintaining a healthy and balanced life.

We encourage people of all ages and abilities to participate in a wide variety of art classes, workshops, and studio programs.

Art develops creative thinking, improves problem solving skills, builds self-confidence, reduces stress, and encourages social interaction.

Our goal is to provide you with opportunities to play, learn, create, and have fun! For more information, please refer to the Enjoy Arlington brochure.

Children and Youth Classes  

There are a variety of classes available this Fall to children of all ages. 

• Art Around the World - Each week the class will explore different artists from different time periods, backgrounds and cultures, exposing students to a wide variety of techniques, styles and points of view. for 7-9 year olds

   

Parent and Child Classes 

Create memories while making art during one of our parent and child art classes.

• Hand-building for Families is a class that encourages caregivers and children to work as a team and learn basic clay hand-building techniques while creating everything from monsters to fairy houses.   

• Storytime and Art -  an adult + child class for 2-5 year olds where caregivers and their children work together to create a variety of projects based on stories read aloud. 

Teen Classes 

Engage your teenager’s creativity by enrolling them in one of our teen art classes.

• Young Potters introduces students to the basics of creating pottery on the wheel.
• Art 101: Intro to Art  Each week, students will explore a variety of traditional and non-traditional art-making techniques.
• Young Metalsmiths Students will learn the fundamental skills and a basic understanding of jewelry making.
• Tabletop Minis Painting Class During this 4-week class, participants will learn the basics of assembling, painting and highlighting miniatures from a popular tabletop game. Register here.

Drawing

• Painting: Beginning and Beyond Instructor, Jim Halloran teaches all skill levels with a focus on technique, composition and color. 
• Intro to Acrylics students will explore the fundamental elements of painting (Color, Form, Value, and Line) and develop your own personal style in this introductory course

• Intro to Watercolor Students will explore painting with the unique and translucent medium of watercolor

Jewelry 

• Intro to Jewelry I is an introduction to the fine craft of jewelry making.
• Jewelry II: Stone Setting for intermediate, or advanced beginners. class will cover a few different stone setting options. 
• Creative Jewelry Lab For students who have unfinished or ongoing projects that could benefit the guidance of an instructor.
• Studio Time is an opportunity for experienced jewelers to use the studio in a communal setting with the aid of an instructor nearby. Students will have access to all of tools in the studio - Monitor present for safety, but no instruction provided.
• Lost Wax Casting In this wax-focused class students will learn how to carve and create sculptural and mor organic jewelry pieces. All pieces are sent out for casting, no casting takes place during this class.
• Cold Connections 3-week workshop on various traditional and on-traditional cold connecting techniques to create a dynamic pendant  
• One-Day workshops Arlington offers several workshops taught by Lisette Bez where no prior jewelry experience is required.  Students can sign up to make: Colorful Enamel Pendants, Stacked Rings, stud earrings
• Intro to Wax Carving In this class students will learn how to carve and manipulate wax to create sculptural jewelry and have it cast in precious metal, like silver or gold.

Woodworking 

Did you know that Thomas Jefferson Community Center has a fully outfitted woodshop and offers many basic wood working classes?

• Intro to Woodshop is a 4-session class that outlines safety guidelines and fundamental shop skills. 
• Intro to Lathe Perfect for students who have little or no woodturning experience but want to learn.
• Crazy Like a Box In this series, students can sign up to learn basic woodworking joints while building a box. 
• Plant Stand students will learn more advanced joinery techniques like mortise and tenon and loose spline panel joinery, all while creating a classic plant stand.

Ceramics 

• Beginning Pottery is perfect for people who have always wanted to try making ceramics using a potter's wheel.
• Continuing Wheel is for those with experience but would like to continue developing their skill set under the guidance of an instructor.
• Fall Interim Wheel This series of classes are shorter and designed to fill the long gap between the fall and winter sessions, and to allow continuing students to keep refining their craft.

Sewing 

• Intro to Sewing is the perfect sewing class for busy young professionals, men and women alike. 
• Sewing Next Steps for sewers looking to expand their skills 
• Totes! Simple - an introduction to sewing class, but with a clear project to work on. While creating a sturdy practical and functional tote bag students will learn how to use a sewing machine, numerous stitches and how to set a zipper. 
• Flowy Pants in this 3-day workshop students will make a loose-fitting pajama style pair of pants. they will learn how to work with patterns and create garments. a pre-requisite for the romper class
• Jumpsuit / Romper students will be guided through constructing a flattering and functional garment from start to finish What you’ll learn: how to take accurate body measurements to choose the correct pattern size; techniques for making and attaching shoulder straps; professional methods for hemming your jumpsuit or romper