Saturdays 10:00 - 10:45am September 5 - December 12, 2026 Class fee is collected at registration. Join any time with a prorated class fee! Learn about different wind instruments and how to read music! Explore playing a wide variety of wind instruments, such as saxophone, didgeridoo, harmonica and ocarina! Listen to, and learn about classical composers, practice counting rhythm, and create some awesome art along the way! Please email Yunique Music School Director, Michelle Palmer at Michelle@riverworksart.org with any questions.

Made-in-Studio: Collage & Visual Storytelling Transform forgotten papers, family photos, and personal keepsakes into works of art. Guided by artist Anastasia Sincevich, attendees will use vintage photographs, found ephemera, composition, and mixed media techniques to explore the intersection of memory keeping, self-expression, and visual storytelling. What You Will Learn: Principles of Composition & Design - Master layout techniques, color harmony, focal points, and visual balance to elevate your art. Mixed Media Integration - Combine paper, ink, paint, and found objects seamlessly using simple transfer, layering, and distressing techniques. Storytelling & Self-Expression - Turn personal narratives and nostalgic themes into expressive visual statements. What to Bring: All materials and a selection of curated vintage ephemera will be provided. Students are strongly encouraged, but not required, to bring personal items to incorporate into their pieces, such as: vintage family photos (originals or copies), old letters, postcards, tickets, or handwritten recipes, or pressed flowers, fabric scraps, or small flat mementos No prior art experience is necessary—just bring your imagination and your stories! See Anastasia Sincevich's bio on our Teaching Artists page.

The Fall 2026 Play-In-Studio series takes place monthly, Mondays, 9/21, 10/19, 11/23, and 12/21 from -- 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Please register for each class individually. Classes are $20 each. Audience Age: Elementary school (grade 3+) & Middle School Join Riverworks Teaching Artist and Master Naturalist, Marieke Bier, for a fun series connecting art and the world around us while exploring, experimenting, and playing with outside-the-box art projects throughout the Fall. This class: October 19: Tissue Paper Lanterns Look at light and color as we layer tissue paper over forms, creating scenes or warm glowing colors. Great for evening walks, or bedside tables. We’ll connect with fireflies, moths, and other creatures that come out at night. Check out and register for the rest of the Play-In-Studio Fall 2026 Series: November 23: Lego Printmaking December 21: Painting Snowpeople See Marieke Bier's bio on our Teaching Artists page.

The Fall 2026 Play-In-Studio series takes place monthly, Mondays, 9/21, 10/19, 11/23, and 12/21 from -- 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Please register for each class individually. Classes are $20 each. Audience Age: Elementary school (grade 3+) & Middle School Join Riverworks Teaching Artist and Master Naturalist, Marieke Bier, for a fun series connecting art and the world around us while exploring, experimenting, and playing with outside-the-box art projects throughout the Fall. This class (last class in the series): December 21: Painting Snowpeople Give everyday objects a new and different life for the upcoming winter season. A lot can be done with old toys, a little bit of paint, and some imagination. We’ll connect on seeing things in a new light, bringing traditions home in a different way, and the fun parts of the cold weather. See Marieke Bier's bio on our Teaching Artists page.

The Fall 2026 Play-In-Studio series will take place Monthly, Mondays, 9/21, 10/19, 11/23, and 12/21 from -- 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Please register for each class individually. Classes are $20 each. Audience Age: Elementary school (grade 3+) & Middle School Join Riverworks Teaching Artist and Master Naturalist, Marieke Bier, for a fun series connecting art and the world around us while exploring, experimenting, and playing with outside-the-box art projects throughout the Fall. This class: September 21: Jumping Jacks & Shadow Puppets Create and color jointed paper people and creatures. We’ll make some that “jump” at the pull of a string or move at the end of sticks, like Indonesian Wayang Kulit shadow puppets. We’ll connect with the season, local communities’ scarecrow celebrations, and what we can learn from crows. Check out and register for the rest of the Play-In-Studio Fall 2026 Series: October 19: Tissue Paper Lanterns November 23: Lego Printmaking December 21: Painting Snowpeople See Marieke Bier's bio on our Teaching Artists page.

The Fall 2026 Play-In-Studio series takes place monthly, Mondays, 9/21, 10/19, 11/23, and 12/21 from -- 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Please register for each class individually. Classes are $20 each. Audience Age: Elementary school (grade 3+) & Middle School Join Riverworks Teaching Artist and Master Naturalist, Marieke Bier, for a fun series connecting art and the world around us while exploring, experimenting, and playing with outside-the-box art projects throughout the Fall. This class: November 23: Lego Printmaking Dig into simple printmaking principles while we explore symmetry, simple forms, and typography. We’ll make cards and small artworks setting Lego tiles as our print press. We’ll connect with age-old printmaking practices, ways to express ourselves, and gratitude. Check out and register for the rest of the Play-In-Studio Fall 2026 series: December 21: Painting Snowpeople See Marieke Bier's bio on our Teaching Artists page.

The Studios at Alden Farms are open for your use on from 10 am - 2 pm on Tuesdays and 10 am - 1 pm on Sundays. The studio at Alden Farms is a resource for the community. Come to open studios for access to studio space in the front and back studio rooms, with large tables, art supplies, large utility sink, and library. Funds from open studio fees will go into improving the quantity, quality, and variety of art supplies and materials available for use! The studio is already equipped with all kinds of brushes, pastels, charcoal, acrylic paints, small canvases, inks, and more. These open studio sessions will be hosted by a Riverworks' staff member or associate artist, who will be there as a resource, for their perspective and expertise. You can also check out books from the studio library with this studio attendant. The library contains a variety of art guide books, beautiful color plate art books, and in-depth art history books to explore. Please respect the studio space and work with us to make it a clean, organized, and positive space!

Tuesdays, 7:00-8:30pm September 8 - December 15, 2026 $50 optional materials donation The Riverworks Community Choir is an inclusive choir for adults (and advanced teens) who want to grow their musical skills and sing together! Whether your background is choir, karaoke, or just singing in the shower, you’ll find a welcoming place here. No formal training is required—music reading skills are a plus, but a good ear and willingness to learn are just as valuable. We’ll begin with the fundamentals of choral singing and ensemble work, then grow together toward a cappella singing with rich, close harmonies. Repertoire will span centuries and styles—from Renaissance madrigals to contemporary musicals, pop, and vocal jazz. Throughout the year, singers will have opportunities to perform, including special collaborations with Riverworks’ other music groups, building a vibrant, cross-generational music community. Our Directors: The choir is directed by Christina Carr, a Juilliard-trained opera singer and an active member of the Poolesville community since 2018, and Sarah Paksima, a dedicated Poolesville Town Commissioner and active community leader. Christina and Sarah are both inaugural members of the Riverworks Reserve Wind Ensemble, bringing their deep love for music and their commitment to enriching the local arts scene into every rehearsal. Let’s sing together!

Saturdays 9:00-9:45am September 5 - December 12, 2026 Class fee is collected at registration. Join any time with a prorated class fee! Your child's first musical experiences! This class has it all! Students learn to count rhythm, explore percussion and other cool instruments, and create art while listening and learning about classical composers. Class is limited to six participants. Please email Yunique Music School Director, Michelle Palmer at Michelle@riverworksart.org with any questions.

Join the North Country Writers of Riverworks for an afternoon of “Found Poetry,” in which we’ll sharpen our poetic perceptions, strengthen our receptivity to the mysterious, and boldly allow our inner literary intuitions to blossom. Found Poetry is a practice of writing that allows a “way in” to your voice by finding it through the voices of others. More specifically, it is a literary art in which we compose a poem from the words, phrases, fragments, and passages of an existing text—such as articles, essays, and books—by erasing, or blacking out, lines to create a wholly new work from what remains. In a sense, this form of writing is something of a silent and powerful collaboration that reveals the hidden energy in all language. Supplies needed: Please bring along photocopies of several pages of text—from books, articles, essays, etc.—about subject matter that you are drawn to. We will mark-up this material to compose your Found Poems. If you are comfortable working on the originals of your texts, those are fine to bring along, too. Riverworks Art Center's Literary Arts Program and the North Country Writers of Riverworks are generously supported by Sugar Pea Vintage. See Lisa Couturier's bio on our Teaching Artists page.

Join Riverworks Associate Artist, Betsy Casaleno, and discover the joy of watercolor in this structured six-class series breaking down watercolor from the ground up. In this class, you will learn essential studio fundamentals, brush handling, and water control while experimenting with fun, everyday materials and various watercolor techniques. No prior painting or drawing experience required! By the end of the course, you’ll build a toolkit of core skills and the confidence to keep painting at home. Supplies: Required and Suggested Student Supply List: https://tinyurl.com/WCStepbyStep26 Course Curriculum: Class 1: Foundations & Water Control Focus: Brush techniques, essential supplies, water control, and best practices. Texture Technique: Using plastic wrap for dynamic effects. Project: Geometric or Mondrian-style painting. Class 2: Light, Layering & Transfers Focus: Light and shadow, glazing, transparency, and image transfer techniques. Texture Technique: Alcohol application for unique reactions. Project: Classic still life exploring depth and translucency. Class 3: Resists, Lifting & Texture Focus: Masking fluid, lifting pigments, and scratching techniques. Texture Technique: Cardboard scraping and resist application. Project: Painting realistic rock textures. Class 4: Color Theory & Pigment Behavior Focus: Navigating the color wheel, hue, value, chroma, and staining vs. non-staining properties. Pigment Effect: Understanding granulation and pigment weight. Project: Still life study. Class 5: Fluid Dynamics & Atmospheric Effects Focus: Wet-on-wet painting, controlling blooms, and strategic spattering. Texture Technique: Using natural sponge. Project: Atmospheric sky studies. Class 6: Composition, Depth & Finishing Touches Focus: Creating depth with aerial perspective and introduction to compositional balance. Texture Technique: Salt application for effect. Project: Landscape painting. See Betsy Casaleno's bio on our Associate Artists page.

Join Riverworks Teaching Artist, Jack Burbridge, for Acrylic Painting: Autumn Light. In this course, we’ll make observational still life and interior paintings inspired by the early autumn color and afternoon light. We’ll see dark/light values and warm/cool and chromatic color interactions to convey form and light, applying basic techniques and methodologies for painting in acrylics. We’ll also learn about composing from master paintings and develop our own engaging compositions. Some drawing experience is helpful but not necessary – this course offers compelling challenges for beginners and experienced painters alike! Supplies: Required and Suggested Student Supply List: https://tinyurl.com/AcrylicPainting2026 Course Curriculum: Each session builds on concepts explored in the previous. Session 1 – Still Life with Seasonal Fruit / Objects: Seeing sculpted natural still life form in light. Palette setup and paint mixing. Working with warm and cool primary colors. Basic underpainting and compositional sketches. “Drawing” with paint. Seeing contrast in values. Blocking with value and color, creating volume in overlapping and clustered shapes. Working alla prima. 12 x 16” canvas. Session 2 – Still Life with Seasonal Flowers: Seeing natural still life and plant forms on a table in light. Mixing warm and cool and secondary colors, finding greens and higher keyed colors! Earth-tone underpainting and compositional sketches. Painting positive and negative shapes, seeing value contrast. 12 x 16” canvas or larger. Session 3 – Still Life with Interior: Seeing larger still life on table and shapes in room in perspective. Zooming in vs. zooming out. Underpainting and compositional sketches using value, aware of light source. Developing color interactions to create space and atmosphere. 16 x 20” canvas or larger. Session 4 –Still Life with Interior and Window View: Seeing interior/exterior spaces and the effects of light on interior forms. 16 x 20” canvas or larger. See Jack Burbridge's bio on our Teaching Artists page.