Enriching Lives Through Art: Adult/Teen Classes

• Spring Splash Acrylic Painting
• Rain Boots in April Showers
• Instructor: Anna Hesford
• Date: Saturday, April 26
• Time: 11:00 am – 1:30 pm
• Ages: 14 and up
• Maximum enrollment: 8
• Fee: $20 (25% off for members: $15.00)*

Puddle-jumping weather is here, and this little pair of rain boots is soaking it all in, flowers and all. Celebrate the season in this beginner-friendly acrylic class as you create a cheerful 11x14 spring scene. You’ll be guided step by step, exploring techniques like blending, texture, and color mixing along the way. A tracing pattern will be provided for those who prefer to focus on painting without the pressure of freehand drawing. All materials provided.

Space is limited, sign up early and pay for your class on our Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site. This discounted class is made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

• Stained Glass Garden Bricks: A 2-Day Workshop
• Instructor: Diane Melnik
• Dates & Times:
• Sunday: April 27, 12:30 - 4:00 pm (3.5 hour class)
• Sunday:  May 4, 1:00 - 2:30 pm (1.5 hour class)
• Age: Adults 
• Maximum enrollment: 8
• Fee: $35.00 (25% off for members $26.25) *

SORRY! CLASS IS FULL. Transform Ordinary Bricks into Art! Diane was recently a featured artist in the “Glass Art” show at the Salmon River Fine Arts Center, where her stained-glass bricks sold out quickly. Now, she’s offering a Stained-Glass Brick Workshop so you can create your own one-of-a-kind pieces to adorn your garden or display as part of a larger design.

In this hands-on workshop, Diane will guide you through the art of creating a mosaic design using stained glass on a brick surface. You'll choose from a variety of vibrant glass colors to craft your own unique composition, all without the need for lead or soldering. Over the course of this two-day workshop, you will complete two beautifully designed bricks, ready to be placed in your garden or showcased as decorative accents. All materials will be supplied.

Join us for a creative and fun-filled experience and take home your own stunning stained glass mosaic bricks! Sign up early as class seats are limited.

This is an in-person class and masks are optional. Register in person or online at Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site.

This discounted class is made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

Diane Melnik is a stained-glass artist known for her inspiring use of color and light. With 20 years of experience, she creates both traditional foiled stained-glass pieces and intricate mosaics, continually exploring new ways to blend color, texture, and light. She is well known for her artistic expression in stained glass and serves on the board of the Salmon River Fine Arts Center. Beyond her studio, she enjoys gardening, where she incorporates glass elements to create dynamic focal points of light and color.

• May Flower Week

We have a full week of art classes lined up from May 1 through May 10 to celebrate spring and May flowers. See all classes below. There will also be artistically created cookies, cupcakes, breads and more for sale during gallery hours and dates.

•  To kick off our May Flower Week of Classes, we bring you this:


• May Blooms: Acrylic Painting Class
• A Wreath of May Flowers
• Instructor: Anna Hesford
• Date: Friday, May 2
• Time: 3:30 - 5:30 pm
• Ages: 14 and up
• Maximum enrollment: 8
• Fee: $20 (25% off for members: $15.00)*

Delicate petals and soft colors come together in this sweet celebration of spring. In this beginner-friendly acrylic class, you will be guided step by step as you paint a charming wreath filled with May flowers on an 11x14 canvas. Learn essential painting techniques like blending and adding texture and color as you bring your floral design to life. Drawing skills are not required, and no tracing is necessary. This is a simple and enjoyable piece to paint. All materials supplied.

Space is limited, sign up early and pay for your class on our Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site. This discounted class is made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation. 

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

• May Flower Week Class
• Art of Floral Design Class 
• Instructor: Jodi Barck
• Date: Saturday, May 3
• Times: 10:00 am - 12:30 pm
• Ages: Adults (14 y/o and up)
• Maximum enrollment: 8
• Fee:  $35.00 (25% off for members $26.25) *

MAY FLOWERS HAVE ARRIVED! Celebrate the beauty of spring by designing your own stunning floral arrangement using locally grown, native flowers and tulips. Just like any art form, floral design relies on balance, scale, and harmony to create eye-catching compositions that bring natural beauty into your home.

In this hands-on class, local floral expert Jodi Barck will guide you through selecting and arranging seasonal blooms to create a soft, organic design. You’ll choose flowers that speak to you, and Jodi will help you arrange them in a provided glass vase.  Along the way, you’ll learn about each flower’s “vase life” and how to care for your arrangement to keep it fresh longer. Jodi will also share tips on cutting and incorporating wildflowers and natural elements from your own yard, so you can create beautiful displays year-round. Join us for this special May Flowers class and experience the art of floral design in a relaxed, creative setting. Space is limited, so register early! All materials supplied.

This is an in-person class and masks are optional. Register in person or online at Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site. This discounted class is made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

Jodi Barck: I am the local business owner of Sage Creek Flowers. I have a long history with flowers since my childhood, and I have been growing and working with flowers for more than 20 years. I am involved in all aspects of gardening and have over an acre of land dedicated to growing flowers for my business and over 4 acres of personal garden areas. I enjoy using all the seasonal flowers that are unique to this area and am proud to share my love of locally grown flowers with everyone.  The smiles and joy I get from people keeps me motivated as I too continue to grow and learn. I look forward to sharing my passion with you!

• May Flower Week Class
• Cranky Cat in May Flowers
• Instructor: Cindy Schmidt
• Date: Saturday, May 3
• Time 4:30 - 6:30 pm
• Ages: Adults 14 y/o and up. Child 7 y/o and up.
• Maximum enrollment: 10
• Fees:
• Adult: $25.00 (25% off for members $18.75) *
• Child:  $12.50 (25% off for members $9.38) *

Celebrate May Flower Week with a touch of feline flair! Our beloved Cranky Cats are back, bringing their signature attitude to this year’s lineup of art classes. In this fun and lighthearted session, you’ll paint colorful, expressive cats that fit right into the vibrant world of May flowers. Guided by local artist Cindy Schmidt, you’ll learn how to capture fur (or "fuzz") and those all-important cranky eyebrows using acrylic paint on 11x14-inch canvas, because no cat painting is complete without a little attitude.

Plus, make it a family night! Bring a child, ages 7 and up, for half price, and they’ll create their own version of a Cranky Cat. Enjoy an evening of painting, laughter, and a selection of flower-inspired baked goods and drinks. No experience is needed, just bring your creativity and a love for cats. Space is limited, so register early. All materials are supplied.

This is an in-person class and masks are optional. Register in person or online at Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site. This discounted class is made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation.

Cindy Schmidt: A self-proclaimed quirky cat lover, Cindy Schmidt has been painting cats for 20+ years, selling her art at various shows in several states.  Her art is currently being licensed by Bradford Exchange and Heaven and Earth Designs and is available for sale at over 30 shops and galleries across the country.  Cindy is a local member of the Riverside Artisans in Oswego, as well as the Salmon River Fine Arts Center.

• May Flower Week Class
• Roses in a Day: Alla Prima Oil Painting
• Instructor: Christine Fischer
• Date: Saturday, May 10
• Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
• Ages: Adults (16 and older)
• Maximum enrollment: 8
• Fee: $25 (25% off for members $18.75)*

Celebrate the beauty of spring blooms during May Flower Week with a fresh approach to oil painting. In this beginner/intermediate class, you'll learn how to paint vibrant roses using the alla prima technique—a method that allows you to complete your painting in a single session. Alla prima, meaning “at first” in Italian, involves applying wet paint directly onto wet paint. Made famous by the French Impressionists and often used in outdoor painting (en plein air), this technique encourages loose, expressive brushwork. Whether you're exploring oils for the first time or building on your experience, this class offers a relaxed and engaging way to paint spring flowers in oil on an 8x10-inch canvas in one sitting. All materials included.

This is an in-person class and masks are optional. Register in person or online at Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site. This discounted class is made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

Christine Fischer: Christine holds an Associate of Fine Arts from Monmouth College and pursued graduate studies at Syracuse University and the University of Maryland. A professional artist for many years, she has exhibited and sold her work in cities including New York, Washington DC, Houston, Montreal, Ottawa, and in Japan. Based in Central New York, Christine maintains a full-time studio practice and works in oils, watercolors, and pastels. She also serves as a licensed minister and enjoys preaching and teaching. She and her husband David have one son and two grandchildren.

• May Flower Week Class
• Spring in Bloom: Acrylic Painting
• Instructor: Brooke Synder
• Date: Saturday, May 10
• Time: 3:00 - 5:30 pm
• Ages: 14 and up
• Maximum enrollment: 8
• Fee: $20 (25% off for members: $15.00)*

Join us for a May Flower Week painting session focused on fresh spring blooms. In this beginner-friendly acrylic class, you will be guided step by step as you paint from the floral image provided by the instructor. Working on an 8x10 canvas, you will explore the basics of color mixing to achieve accuracy and harmony, while applying brush techniques that help bring the soft details and vibrant spirit of spring flowers to life. All materials will be supplied.

This is an in-person class and masks are optional. Register in person or online at Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site. This discounted class is made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

• Beginner Watercolor Class: "SPRING FROG”
•  Instructor: Robert Jones
• Date: Saturday, May 17
• Time: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
• Ages: Adult (14+)
• Maximum enrollment: 8
• Fee:  $25 (25% off for members $18.75)*

As spring awakens the ponds and wetlands, frogs begin to reappear, perched on lily pads or nestled in mossy banks. Their quirky charm and vivid colors make them a perfect subject for watercolor.

Join this beginner watercolor class where you'll focus on painting a spring frog (or another image of your choice) on 8x10-inch Arches watercolor paper. Through demonstration and individual, hands-on guidance, you'll learn basic watercolor techniques, including washes, composition, shadows, and reflections. Pigment suggestions will help you convey the mood of your painting, and commercial color wheels will assist in creating a harmonious color scheme. Several sample paintings will be available for inspiration. All materials included, but feel free to bring your own.

So don’t leap too late. Space is limited! This is an in-person class and masks are optional. Register in person or online at Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site. This discounted class is made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

Robert A. Jones - Watercolor Artist: Robert is a retired technology education teacher from the Hannibal School District. He has over ten years’ experience of painting a variety of subjects including landscape, wildlife, abstract, color theory, and mixed media. He teaches watercolor at several art organizations throughout Oswego County to share his enthusiasm for watercolor painting.

• Beginner Pottery Workshop
• Instructor: Brooke Morse
• Date: Saturday, July 5
• Time: 9 - 11:30 am
• Ages: Adult/Teen (14 AND UP)
• Maximum enrollment: 5
• Fee: $65. Members get 25% off
• Location: 3-D Studio, Salmon River Fine Arts Center

One-Day Pottery Workshop: Wheel Throwing & Hand-Building for Beginners. In this beginner-friendly, one-day pottery workshop, students will explore both wheel throwing and hand-building techniques while learning foundational pottery skills. Whether you're brand new to clay or looking to strengthen your skills, this is the perfect place to start.

Brooke will guide you step by step through the entire process, from wedging and centering clay to creating simple forms like bowls and cups. You’ll also be introduced to basic trimming methods. At the end of the workshop, you will choose your preferred glaze colors from a set of test tiles. The instructor will glaze and fire your finished pieces for you after the workshop, and you will be notified when they’re ready for pickup.

All tools and materials are provided to create at least three small functional vessels. Students are welcome to bring their own tools; however, all personal items must be taken home after the workshop. No outside clay or glazes are permitted in the Pottery Studio.

Come get your hands in clay, learn something new, and start your pottery journey in this fun, relaxed, one-day experience!

Sign up early and pay for your class on our Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site. This discounted class is made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

• Beginner Linocut Printmaking with Lily Sama:
• Nature-Inspired Prints
• Instructor: Lily Sama
• Date: Friday, July 18
• Time: 5 - 7 pm
• Ages: Adult (14+)
• Maximum enrollment: 8
• Fee: $25 (25% off for members $18.75)*
• Materials provided. Feel free to bring your own

Join printmaker Lily Sama for a relaxing and creative 2-hour beginner linocut class focused on the beauty of nature. In this hands-on workshop, you'll learn the basics of linoleum block carving and printing techniques, guided step by step by Lily. Whether you're inspired by leaves, flowers, animals, or landscapes, you'll design and carve your own unique nature-themed print to take home.

All materials are provided, just bring your creativity and a love for the outdoors! Perfect for beginners, no experience needed.

Register in person or online at Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site. This discounted class is made possible through “Enriching Lives through Art,” a grant generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

Lily Sama – Printmaker & Art Educator. Lily Sama is a 27-year-old printmaker and passionate art educator who recently earned her Master’s in Art Education. Originally from Long Island, Lily graduated with a BFA in Printmaking from SUNY New Paltz in 2020. After a brief chapter living in Colorado, she relocated to Watertown, NY, with her fiancé, who serves in the military. Deeply inspired by the natural world and the power of visual storytelling, Lily brings a thoughtful and expressive approach to her printmaking practice. She is currently focused on building her teaching career and hopes to secure a full-time art educator position this fall, where she can share her love for the arts with the next generation of creatives.

• Alcohol Ink Painting: Seahorse
• Instructor: Robin Eaton-Novak
• Date: Saturday, July 26
• Time: 1:30 – 4:00 pm
• Ages: Adults (16 and older)
• Maximum enrollment: 8
• Fee: $25 (25% off for members $18.75)*

In this beginner-friendly class, you’ll dive into the vibrant world of alcohol inks as you create a stunning seahorse-themed painting on ceramic tile. Your instructor will guide you step by step through a variety of alcohol ink techniques, including pouring, blending, carving, and dotting, all tailored to capture the movement and whimsy of the ocean. Choose to work on either a 4"x12" tile or a set of three 3"x6" tiles. Several sample designs featuring seahorses and ocean-inspired elements will be available to spark your creativity. By the end of the session, you’ll leave with your own colorful, underwater masterpiece—ready to display and admire.

Note: Alcohol fumes may irritate sensitive lungs, and isopropyl alcohol can irritate the skin. Masks and gloves will be available upon request. Please wear appropriate clothes for painting, and feel free to bring your own apron if you have one. Art smocks will be available as well.

Space is limited, so sign up early. All materials will be supplied. This is an in-person class and masks are optional. Register in person or online at Salmon River Fine Arts Center Square Site. This discounted class is made possible through the “Enriching Lives through Art,” grant, generously funded by the John Ben Snow Foundation.

* Financial assistance is available for those who would like to attend and are unable to pay the full fee. Please email the art center with your request.

About the Artist: Robin Eaton-Novak. I am originally from the Virgin Islands, where my interest in art first began. Over time, life led me in other directions, and I set my artistic pursuits aside. However, the spark was rekindled when I attended two classes at the Salmon River Fine Arts Center! I currently work as a mental health therapist at Fort Drum, where I incorporate alcohol ink painting as a therapeutic intervention to teach patience, acceptance, and individual perception.

• FREE Weekly Drawing Class
• Thursday 6 - 8 pm
• Instructor: Ann Buchau
• All ages welcome

Enjoy this online step-by-step drawing class in the comfort and safety of your own home via Zoom. Each week your instructor will focus on a different topic, technique or subject with the ultimate goal of improving and developing your own unique style. This class is open to anyone in our local community with a desire to draw — any age, any level. To attend, simply email us at sr.fine.arts.ctr@gmail.com to get your name on the list. After you register for this free class you will be emailed a link with instructions.

This class is made possible by generous donations from Drs. Patricia and Jay Chapman as well as many of our members and participants.