Boston's Best

Boston's Best Art Classes For Adults

April 18, 2016 / 6:00 AM EDT / CBS Boston

It is never too late to take up a new hobby or to get better at something you love. Art serves many different purposes; it can be a profession for some, but for many, it is a pleasant and productive pastime. Painting, drawing or photography are great ways to unwind, get creative and express yourself. Learn these skills at some of these great area art studios and galleries that provide studio art classes for adults of all skill levels.

Museum of Fine Arts
465 Huntington Ave.
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 267-9300
www.mfa.org

The world famous Museum of Fine Arts is a simply stunning place to take art classes, particularly for those interested in classic fine arts. The museum hosts regular figure drawing sessions which are open for all skill levels. The museum also has classes for acrylic painting, oil painting, watercolor, printmaking, stone carving, sculpture and mixed media. The MFA offers both one-off classes and 8 or 12 week sessions. The program also includes more in-depth workshops. Best of all, if the museum doesn't have the type of class you are looking for, it also has a bunch of partner art studios that it works with to expand its offerings!

Boston Center for Adult Education
122 Arlington St.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 267-4430
www.bcae.org

The Boston Center for Adult Education in the city's Back Bay neighborhood offers a variety of classic art classes and crafts. Some of its current course listings include drawing, painting, knitting, sewing, photography, calligraphy, stained glass and terrarium building. Courses are affordable and have convenient class times for busy professionals. Plus, the course catalog changes each season so students can pick up new artistic hobbies as often as they would like!

SOWA
375 Harrison Ave.
Boston, MA 02118
www.sowaboston.com

SOWA is the place to go if you want to learn a niche art skill. SOWA is Boston's art district and is home to hundreds of different types of studios, galleries and workshops. Browse the SOWA website for a list of studios to find the type of art you're interested in, and then check if that studio offers classes. Many do. One particularly fun art class for adults is jewelry making at Bead and Fiber.

Art School 99
86 Joy St.
Somerville, MA 02143
(651) 245-9710
www.artschool99somerville.com

Art School 99 in Somerville is another great option for budding artists of all ages. The school offers a variety of one-day art classes for very reasonable prices that include supplies. The selection of courses focuses on painting, including fauvism, landscapes and open art labs. Art School 99 also has drawing classes for beginners and storytelling through art classes that are quite intriguing. The founder, Alexandra Rozenman, is a talented and accomplished artist who teaches most of the classes herself.

Cambridge Center for Adult Education
42 Brattle St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 547-6789
ccae.org

Similar to the Boston Center for Adult Education, the Cambridge Center for Adult Education is a mecca of knowledge for curious residents of the greater Boston area. The center's art classes include painting, photo, film, drawing, printmaking, woodworking, jewelry making, fiber arts, crafts and even art history. The classes range in levels from beginner to advanced and professional. The center also offers open studio for figure drawing twice per week, which is a great opportunity for people looking to expand upon their figure drawing skills started at the MFA or other studio. The center is conveniently located in the heart of Harvard Square, which makes it an easy option for people throughout the metropolitan area.

Cameron Bruns is the founder of BostonGreenBlog.com and co-author of Just Us Gals Boston. She lives in Boston's North End, where her goal is to promote ethical, stylish, and sustainable lifestyle choices to all Boston residents. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.

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