
Community Events Calendar

Explore the art of block printing with linoleum.
The instructor will demonstrate the process for carving and printing a 4” x 6” linoleum block, as well as a variety of inking and printing processes. Students will focus on developing original designs and concepts to prepare a linoleum block to ink, create a series, and print the results.
All printing will be done with water-soluble inks.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW. Linoleum Blocks and paper will be provided for the first two classes; students will need to purchase their own paper and blocks after the second session.
Exploring Linoleum Block Printing
Explore the art of block printing with linoleum.
The instructor will demonstrate the process for carving and printing a 4” x 6” linoleum block, as well as a variety of inking and printing processes. Students will focus on developing original designs and concepts to prepare a linoleum block to ink, create a series, and print the results.
All printing will be done with water-soluble inks.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW. Linoleum Blocks and paper will be provided for the first two classes; students will need to purchase their own paper and blocks after the second session.
Exploring Linoleum Block Printing
During November 24, 2025– February 4, 2026, the NewAlliance Foundation Art Gallery at CT State Community College, Gateway Campus is pleased to present the work of Hafsa Nouman and Sarah Phyllis Smith in their two-person exhibition “You Will Be the Mirror”.
This exhibition includes luminous abstract paintings by Hafsa Nouman, and delicate narrative photographs from Sarah Phyllis Smith. Nouman’s abstract fields are mirrored in Smith’s conceptual photographs and both artists deconstruct space, context, and interpretation with their unique, thought provoking art practices.
Hafsa’s practice focuses on the deconstruction of colonial hierarchies embedded in patriarchal spaces- both monumental and domestic. Her critical focus is rooted in the relationship between ‘object’ and ‘desire’ which often results in visual excavations of architectural thresholds, such as doors, walls, and wrought iron patterns. Through those thresholds, Nouman creates a spatial logic that brings attention to the painted object’s histories, and material realities in a way that they can be re-embodied in the gallery space.
Sarah’s photography follows another deconstruction through abstraction and manipulation of the images. Though her work is deeply personal, themes of loss, longing, and desire permeate throughout her images, and act as both voyeuristic insight and decontextualization. In this examination of her personal experiences the viewer is invited into her both stark and tender space, where deep and slow processing occurs. When we see figures in her work, they are sometimes performative, and sometimes autobiographical. These two directions bring Sarah’s images into their own world. They come from a realistic documentation, but through her perception we arrive at an open-ended meditative place of self-discovery.
Please join us for a reception on Thursday, December 4, 5:00-7:00pm with light refreshments and food. The NewAlliance Foundation Art Gallery at CT State Community College, Gateway is open Monday -Friday 9:00am-9:00pm.
Artist Talk:11:00am-12:00pm in the Gallery.
You Will Be the Mirror: Hafsa Nouman & Sarah Phyllis Smith
Develop your pottery skills as you focus on wheel-throwing techniques in stoneware and porcelain.
Lessons will cover both functional and decorative pottery with emphasis on classical forms as we know them. Students will be shown how to apply glazes and/or oxide washes to achieve desired results, such as combining glaze colors and the application of wood ash to create unexpected effects on their work. Wear clothes that can get dirty.
Pottery tool kits are available for sale in the studio for $27 and firing fees are $3.50/pound. Payable by credit card, cash or check.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours on a first-come, first-served basis.
Intermediate and Advanced Pottery
Learn basic metalsmithing for making jewelry, developing new skills, or strengthen existing ones. Weekly demonstrations introduce tools and techniques required for working with nonferrous sheet metal and wire. Demonstrations may include sawing, filing, cold-connecting, soldering, surface embellishment, forging, shaping, fold forming, finishing, and patina coloring.
The tuition for this class includes a fee of $40 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Metalsmithing/Jewelry
Deepen your understanding of traditional photographic processes while refining darkroom techniques. Explore toning, medium and large format photography, and alternative processes such as cyanotype and palladium printing. Emphasis is placed on developing a cohesive body of work through regular critiques and group discussions, fostering both technical growth and conceptual clarity. Most classes will be divided between demonstration, discussion and critique and lab time. The class also includes an optional Friday evening open darkroom practice session where students can work on and refine the techniques discussed in class. Tuition for this class includes a fee of $40 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Intermediate and Advanced Black and White Analog Film Photography
Learn to make accordion books in a variety of styles while exploring the basics of bookbinding.
Each week, students will learn a new variation on the accordion fold. Demonstrations and instruction will cover multiple ways the accordion structure can function in book form—such as a continuous panel, individual pages, a board book format, or even a book spine. Techniques for attaching pages with sewing, glue, or tape will be introduced. Collage materials, postcards, and vintage library pockets and cards will be available for incorporation into projects.
By the end of the program, students will have created a collection of accordion books. Those with more experience may choose to spend the session developing a more complex accordion book on a personally selected theme, with guidance available throughout.
This class will take place in a studio accessed by a flight of stairs. For any accommodations please send a confidential email to registrar@creativeartsworkshop.org
Beginning Bookbinding: The Accordion Book
Open Mic Surgery is a freeform poetry open mic held at Never Ending Books (Volume Two) on State Street. The weekly event offers a welcoming space where writers of all backgrounds can connect, read their own work, share poems by others, or simply listen and enjoy. Expect an eclectic mix of poetry and spoken word in a supportive, low-pressure setting filled with a wide range of creative voices.
Open Mic Surgery: A poetry open mic
During November 24, 2025– February 4, 2026, the NewAlliance Foundation Art Gallery at CT State Community College, Gateway Campus is pleased to present the work of Hafsa Nouman and Sarah Phyllis Smith in their two-person exhibition “You Will Be the Mirror”.
This exhibition includes luminous abstract paintings by Hafsa Nouman, and delicate narrative photographs from Sarah Phyllis Smith. Nouman’s abstract fields are mirrored in Smith’s conceptual photographs and both artists deconstruct space, context, and interpretation with their unique, thought provoking art practices.
Hafsa’s practice focuses on the deconstruction of colonial hierarchies embedded in patriarchal spaces- both monumental and domestic. Her critical focus is rooted in the relationship between ‘object’ and ‘desire’ which often results in visual excavations of architectural thresholds, such as doors, walls, and wrought iron patterns. Through those thresholds, Nouman creates a spatial logic that brings attention to the painted object’s histories, and material realities in a way that they can be re-embodied in the gallery space.
Sarah’s photography follows another deconstruction through abstraction and manipulation of the images. Though her work is deeply personal, themes of loss, longing, and desire permeate throughout her images, and act as both voyeuristic insight and decontextualization. In this examination of her personal experiences the viewer is invited into her both stark and tender space, where deep and slow processing occurs. When we see figures in her work, they are sometimes performative, and sometimes autobiographical. These two directions bring Sarah’s images into their own world. They come from a realistic documentation, but through her perception we arrive at an open-ended meditative place of self-discovery.
Please join us for a reception on Thursday, December 4, 5:00-7:00pm with light refreshments and food. The NewAlliance Foundation Art Gallery at CT State Community College, Gateway is open Monday -Friday 9:00am-9:00pm.
Artist Talk:11:00am-12:00pm in the Gallery.
You Will Be the Mirror: Hafsa Nouman & Sarah Phyllis Smith
Make functional ceramic pieces using the potter’s wheel as our primary tool. We will cover clay preparation, forming pots on the wheel, and glazing. Every class includes both demonstrations and individually-focused instruction. Wear clothes that can get dirty.
Pottery tool kits are available for sale in the studio for $27. Firing fees are $3.50/pound. Payable by credit card, cash or check.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours on a first-come, first-served basis.
All levels Pottery A
Exhibition open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm with free parking and admission EXCEPT Saturday, June 7; Friday, July 4 (Independence Day); Thursday, November 27 (Thanksgiving Day); Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve); and Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Day).
In remembrance of Pope Francis, who passed on April 21, 2025, the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center is honored to present this exhibit illustrating the pope’s outreach to the peripheries during his 47 international trips.
Learn more: https://www.michaelmcgivneycenter.org/exhibits/francis-pope-of-the-peripheries/
Exhibit | Francis: Pope of the Peripheries
Exhibition open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm with free parking and admission EXCEPT Thursday, November 27 (Thanksgiving); Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve); and Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Day).
Many crèches, the three-dimensional representation of the Nativity scene, feature a diversity of settings and stable designs — the most common of which is an open-front wood structure. However, many artisans model their crèches after buildings and landscapes that are native to their homelands.
This exhibit includes a variety of crèches that showcase different examples of stables and mangers. In addition, it also highlights a handful of works whose settings have been customized for the figures they contain. One of these is the Neapolitan, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, by Cantone and Costabile of Naples, Italy. In addition, a brand-new crèche will be featured in this exhibit: The Nativity at New Haven's St. Mary’s Church, designed by US-based Navidad Nativities, Inc., with figures made in Italy by Original Heide.
Exhibit | Away in a Manger: The Creation of Nativity Scenes
Christmas Tree Festival open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm with free parking and admission EXCEPT Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) and Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Day).
The Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center’s Christmas Tree Festival is a seasonal highlight. This popular display showcases the imagination and creativity of Connecticut Catholic elementary schoolchildren. These students create handmade ornaments and trimmings in the theme of The Spirit of Christmas exhibition prior to traveling to the McGivney Center to decorate a school tree.
All 20 trees will be completed and on display to the public beginning December 6, 2025. Explore all the trees and be sure to vote for your favorite Christmas Tree in the People’s Choice Award!
Christmas Tree Festival
You decide – explore multiple printmaking techniques and processes or deepen your practice in one area. Use etching, drypoint, woodcut, linocut, monotype, transfer prints, paper lithography, polymer plate lithography, collagraph, silk aquatint, transfer prints, or Chine-collé. Learn new techniques or connect printmaking to other artistic media.
Includes one 3-hour practice session per week during monitored practice hours.
The tuition for this class includes a materials fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Intermediate and Advanced Printmaking
Exhibition open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm with free parking and admission EXCEPT Thursday, November 27 (Thanksgiving); Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve); and Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Day).
Many crèches, the three-dimensional representation of the Nativity scene, feature a diversity of settings and stable designs — the most common of which is an open-front wood structure. However, many artisans model their crèches after buildings and landscapes that are native to their homelands.
This exhibit includes a variety of crèches that showcase different examples of stables and mangers. In addition, it also highlights a handful of works whose settings have been customized for the figures they contain. One of these is the Neapolitan, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, by Cantone and Costabile of Naples, Italy. In addition, a brand-new crèche will be featured in this exhibit: The Nativity at New Haven's St. Mary’s Church, designed by US-based Navidad Nativities, Inc., with figures made in Italy by Original Heide.
Exhibit | Away in a Manger: The Creation of Nativity Scenes
Learn the various approaches to creating metal sculptures, including welding (oxyacetylene and MIG), brazing, cutting (torch and plasma cutter), hammering, and more.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours.
Students should wear 100% cotton long sleeves, jeans or work pants, and closed-toe boots. No synthetic mesh, plastic, or cloth.
The tuition for this class includes a materials fee of $40.
All Levels Metal Sculpture
Christmas Tree Festival open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm with free parking and admission EXCEPT Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) and Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Day).
The Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center’s Christmas Tree Festival is a seasonal highlight. This popular display showcases the imagination and creativity of Connecticut Catholic elementary schoolchildren. These students create handmade ornaments and trimmings in the theme of The Spirit of Christmas exhibition prior to traveling to the McGivney Center to decorate a school tree.
All 20 trees will be completed and on display to the public beginning December 6, 2025. Explore all the trees and be sure to vote for your favorite Christmas Tree in the People’s Choice Award!
Christmas Tree Festival
Learn basic metalsmithing for making jewelry, developing new skills, or strengthen existing ones. Weekly demonstrations introduce tools and techniques required for working with nonferrous sheet metal and wire. Demonstrations may include sawing, filing, cold-connecting, soldering, surface embellishment, forging, shaping, fold forming, finishing, and patina coloring.
The tuition for this class includes a fee of $40 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Metalsmithing/Jewelry
Use circular needles to knit a hat in the round.
We will be covering fundamental skills including casting on, knitting in the round, fixing mistakes like dropped stitches, casting off, and blocking your work. If you can knit a hat, you can knit almost anything! This is the perfect class for beginners and those looking to refresh their knitting skills.
Learn to Knit a Hat in the Round
During November 24, 2025– February 4, 2026, the NewAlliance Foundation Art Gallery at CT State Community College, Gateway Campus is pleased to present the work of Hafsa Nouman and Sarah Phyllis Smith in their two-person exhibition “You Will Be the Mirror”.
This exhibition includes luminous abstract paintings by Hafsa Nouman, and delicate narrative photographs from Sarah Phyllis Smith. Nouman’s abstract fields are mirrored in Smith’s conceptual photographs and both artists deconstruct space, context, and interpretation with their unique, thought provoking art practices.
Hafsa’s practice focuses on the deconstruction of colonial hierarchies embedded in patriarchal spaces- both monumental and domestic. Her critical focus is rooted in the relationship between ‘object’ and ‘desire’ which often results in visual excavations of architectural thresholds, such as doors, walls, and wrought iron patterns. Through those thresholds, Nouman creates a spatial logic that brings attention to the painted object’s histories, and material realities in a way that they can be re-embodied in the gallery space.
Sarah’s photography follows another deconstruction through abstraction and manipulation of the images. Though her work is deeply personal, themes of loss, longing, and desire permeate throughout her images, and act as both voyeuristic insight and decontextualization. In this examination of her personal experiences the viewer is invited into her both stark and tender space, where deep and slow processing occurs. When we see figures in her work, they are sometimes performative, and sometimes autobiographical. These two directions bring Sarah’s images into their own world. They come from a realistic documentation, but through her perception we arrive at an open-ended meditative place of self-discovery.
Please join us for a reception on Thursday, December 4, 5:00-7:00pm with light refreshments and food. The NewAlliance Foundation Art Gallery at CT State Community College, Gateway is open Monday -Friday 9:00am-9:00pm.
Artist Talk:11:00am-12:00pm in the Gallery.
You Will Be the Mirror: Hafsa Nouman & Sarah Phyllis Smith
Exhibition open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm with free parking and admission EXCEPT Thursday, November 27 (Thanksgiving); Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve); and Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Day).
Many crèches, the three-dimensional representation of the Nativity scene, feature a diversity of settings and stable designs — the most common of which is an open-front wood structure. However, many artisans model their crèches after buildings and landscapes that are native to their homelands.
This exhibit includes a variety of crèches that showcase different examples of stables and mangers. In addition, it also highlights a handful of works whose settings have been customized for the figures they contain. One of these is the Neapolitan, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, by Cantone and Costabile of Naples, Italy. In addition, a brand-new crèche will be featured in this exhibit: The Nativity at New Haven's St. Mary’s Church, designed by US-based Navidad Nativities, Inc., with figures made in Italy by Original Heide.
Exhibit | Away in a Manger: The Creation of Nativity Scenes
Exhibition open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm with free parking and admission EXCEPT Thursday, November 27 (Thanksgiving); Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve); and Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Day).
For centuries people around the world have celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ and numerous traditions have been incorporated into the Christmas season. Advent calendars, Christmas trees, and the display of the crèche, the three-dimensional representation of the Nativity scene, are just a few of these traditions. These traditions also incorporate other important Christian figures and events in Christ’s life, such as St. Nicholas Day and the Feast of the Epiphany.
This Christmas, the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center presents the exhibit, The Spirit of Christmas, which features crèches and other artwork from around the globe celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and traditions and feast days during the season.
Enjoy the Christmas season at the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center through this exhibit, the supplemental exhibit Away in a Manger and a variety of programs, including our annual Christmastime Family Day. Discover more of our offerings at https://www.michaelmcgivneycenter.org/
Make the following offerings a part of your family’s holiday tradition!
Exhibit | The Spirit of Christmas
A relaxed, all-levels class for anyone interested in working with clay. Beginners will learn the basics of wheel throwing and hand building, while returning students can continue building skills or explore larger, more advanced projects. Enjoy supportive instruction and plenty of time to practice. Come make what inspires you and grow at your own pace.
Wear clothes that can get messy.
Pottery tool kits are available for sale in the studio for $27 and firing fees are $3.50/pound. Payable by credit card, cash, or check.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours on a first-come, first-served basis and you are encouraged to take advantage of this.
All Levels Saturday Morning Pottery
Get started with oil painting! Discover what oil paint is, how it works, and how to use it to make art. Learn the steps to start a painting, how to mix colors with a limited palette, and different effects to make with oil colors. All materials are provided. Instruction will be given in short lectures, demonstrations, and individual coaching. Students will be working from still lives and create more than one painting over the course. This course is open to those who are brand new to painting, while also offering challenges for more experienced students. Teens are welcome to join, especially returning students. The tuition for this class includes a fee of $40 for materials provided by CAW.
Introduction to Oil Painting
Exhibition open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm with free parking and admission EXCEPT Thursday, November 27 (Thanksgiving); Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve); and Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Day).
Many crèches, the three-dimensional representation of the Nativity scene, feature a diversity of settings and stable designs — the most common of which is an open-front wood structure. However, many artisans model their crèches after buildings and landscapes that are native to their homelands.
This exhibit includes a variety of crèches that showcase different examples of stables and mangers. In addition, it also highlights a handful of works whose settings have been customized for the figures they contain. One of these is the Neapolitan, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, by Cantone and Costabile of Naples, Italy. In addition, a brand-new crèche will be featured in this exhibit: The Nativity at New Haven's St. Mary’s Church, designed by US-based Navidad Nativities, Inc., with figures made in Italy by Original Heide.
Exhibit | Away in a Manger: The Creation of Nativity Scenes
Exhibition open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm with free parking and admission EXCEPT Thursday, November 27 (Thanksgiving); Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve); and Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Day).
For centuries people around the world have celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ and numerous traditions have been incorporated into the Christmas season. Advent calendars, Christmas trees, and the display of the crèche, the three-dimensional representation of the Nativity scene, are just a few of these traditions. These traditions also incorporate other important Christian figures and events in Christ’s life, such as St. Nicholas Day and the Feast of the Epiphany.
This Christmas, the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center presents the exhibit, The Spirit of Christmas, which features crèches and other artwork from around the globe celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and traditions and feast days during the season.
Enjoy the Christmas season at the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center through this exhibit, the supplemental exhibit Away in a Manger and a variety of programs, including our annual Christmastime Family Day. Discover more of our offerings at https://www.michaelmcgivneycenter.org/
Make the following offerings a part of your family’s holiday tradition!
Exhibit | The Spirit of Christmas
Explore and develop designs for relief, intaglio, and monotype printmaking in this hands-on course.
Class time will focus on creating original designs and concepts as students experiment with print plate substrates, including Corian®, Tetra-Pak®, vinyl records, and various recycled and found materials. Examples of different print styles will be shared to illustrate these techniques.
This course is suitable for beginners and advanced students alike.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Experimental Printmaking
Christmas Tree Festival open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm with free parking and admission EXCEPT Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) and Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Day).
The Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center’s Christmas Tree Festival is a seasonal highlight. This popular display showcases the imagination and creativity of Connecticut Catholic elementary schoolchildren. These students create handmade ornaments and trimmings in the theme of The Spirit of Christmas exhibition prior to traveling to the McGivney Center to decorate a school tree.
All 20 trees will be completed and on display to the public beginning December 6, 2025. Explore all the trees and be sure to vote for your favorite Christmas Tree in the People’s Choice Award!
Christmas Tree Festival
Show up for your creative self in 2026 with the Saturday Drawing Club.
This session’s them is animals!
Explore a variety of prompts, materials and techniques in a weekly drawing session mixed with conversation, creative time, and feedback. Adults of all skill levels welcome. Bring your favorite drawing materials.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $10 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Saturday Drawing Club: A Creature a Day
In this 4-week class, students will bring original characters to life, from first concept to finished design. Learn the principles of character design while creating characters for animation, games, comics, or illustration projects. Each week focuses on a different part of the process, combining design fundamentals with drawing techniques. Work digitally or on paper and develop multiple fully realized characters with turnarounds, expression sheets, and color variations.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $10 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Bring Your Characters to Life!
Creativity meets skill-building for young artists!
Young artists discover the basics of drawing and painting through playful, hands-on projects that make learning exciting. Using pencils, pastels, watercolor, and paint, they’ll explore composition, color, line, and value while developing strong observational skills and artistic confidence. Each activity builds coordination and creativity. Together, students will learn to see the world like an artist.
Drawing & Painting: Foundations for Young Artists
Celebrate the beauty of winter through painting!
Students will learn easy ways to use color and texture to create glowing, snowy worlds on canvas. This friendly class inspires creativity and helps each child tell their own winter story.
This class welcomes all experience levels, from first-time painters to budding young artists who already love to create.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for materials provided by CAW.
Winter Wonderland Acrylic Painting
Explore, learn, and practice drawing exercises and techniques in a supportive environment. Increase visual perception, skills and confidence, and develop your unique style. Work with drawing pencils, charcoal, pastels, watercolor and ink/pens. Weekly demos and exercises include mark-making, line, value, form, texture and shading. Subjects include animals, everyday objects, portraits, nature, as well as students’ interests. We draw from observation, references and imagination. All materials provided. Join us!
For returning students, the class will include both new projects and some review.
The tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Saturday Sketching
Overcome the mysteries of the sewing machine and discover how fun and easy it can be! Learn the basics of machine sewing including threading, operating, and troubleshooting.
Practice using the machine and then move on to simple projects for yourself or for gift-giving. Participants will learn a variety of machine sewing methods including piecing, applique, quilting, and freehand. Potential projects include art pieces, wall hangings, patchwork, quilt patterns, bags, a zippered pouch, table runner, or pillow cover. Tips for altering clothes can also be covered. Previous students are welcome to attend and work on more advanced projects.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $15 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Let’s Get Sewing
Following up on 2024's successful show (and thanks to all that came out to support this special venue!), Steve will be bringing back his Americana Soul to perform some old favorites as well as many new originals. Come out for some good music in this intimate performance space.
Steven Harz
They're back! Nutmeg Burlesque returns to Spruce Coffee (952 State Street, New Haven) on Saturday January 31 and this time around, Connecticut's spiciest burlesque troupe is making it up on the spot... it's IMPROV BURLESQUE! You choose the songs (and a few other surprises) and seasoned CT-based performers will do the rest. Nothing is predictable, except having a good time over a delicious drink!
Doors at 7pm, show at 7:30.
$20 presale, $25 at the door
Please note that this event is 21+
https://nutmegburlesque.ticketspice.com/improv-burlesque
Nutmeg Burlesque Presents Improv Burlesque!
In this seven-week studio course, students will explore the art of printmaking through a focused challenge: creating works strictly within a 12” x 12” format. Participants may work in relief, intaglio, monotype, or monoprint, using primarily water-based inks (other solutions are permitted).
Through guided instruction and experimentation, students will develop original designs and concepts that reflect current trends and innovations in contemporary printmaking—all within the creative boundaries of the one-square-foot format. The square format, historically uncommon until the rise of abstraction, presents unique compositional and expressive challenges that foster precision, visual order, and formal structure.
This course is designed to support the creation of final works suitable for submission to The Center for Contemporary Printmaking’s Footprint International Competition 2026. All skill levels are welcome.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $10 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Bound by the Square: Modern Printmaking in 12″x12″
Christmas Tree Festival open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm with free parking and admission EXCEPT Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) and Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Day).
The Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center’s Christmas Tree Festival is a seasonal highlight. This popular display showcases the imagination and creativity of Connecticut Catholic elementary schoolchildren. These students create handmade ornaments and trimmings in the theme of The Spirit of Christmas exhibition prior to traveling to the McGivney Center to decorate a school tree.
All 20 trees will be completed and on display to the public beginning December 6, 2025. Explore all the trees and be sure to vote for your favorite Christmas Tree in the People’s Choice Award!
Christmas Tree Festival
Dive into a lively exploration of watercolor, where color, movement, and spontaneity take center stage.
Discover inventive ways to build striking abstract patterns and rich textures through guided experimentation and a playful, process-driven approach. Whether you’re just beginning or already deep into your artistic journey, this upbeat session offers fresh techniques and creative sparks to energize your practice.
Watercolor Meditation
Yes, kids can safely sew on a machine! Learn all about how the machine works and then get sewing with simple projects like a pin cushion and small bags. Students will also learn hand stitching utilizing embroidery threat and felt to create cute animals like a teddy bear, dogs and cats. Embellish your project with fun buttons, sequins, bling, and fancy stitches.
Choice of projects will include small pillows, bags, stuffed animals and more. You’ll be speeding along in no time!
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Sew Easy for Young People
Ever wanted to create animations like The Amazing World of Gumball (2011), Steven Universe (2013), or The Owl House (2020)? This class teaches the skills you need to start bringing your own animations to life. Begin with exercises that introduce you to the program and key animation concepts, then use the second half of the class to create your own original animated short. Build on the skills you’ve learned in previous classes and bring your ideas to the screen! By the end, you’ll have a great foundation to keep animating.
This class is great for those that have some prior experience but it is also accessible to those that may be just beginning their animating journey. iPads will be provided or you may bring your own!
The Amazing World of Animation
Overcome the mysteries of the sewing machine and discover how fun and easy it can be! Learn the basics of machine sewing including threading, operating, and troubleshooting.
Practice using the machine and then move on to simple projects for yourself or for gift-giving. Participants will learn a variety of machine sewing methods including piecing, applique, quilting, and freehand. Potential projects include art pieces, wall hangings, patchwork, quilt patterns, bags, a zippered pouch, table runner, or pillow cover. Tips for altering clothes can also be covered. Previous students are welcome to attend and work on more advanced projects.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $15 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Let’s Get Sewing
Creativity grows with confidence!
Students will build on their drawing and painting skills through fun, hands-on projects that spark imagination and self-expression. Using pencils, pastels, watercolor, and paint, they’ll explore color, composition, texture, and perspective in exciting new ways. Along the way, students strengthen technical skills, try out fresh techniques, and discover even more confidence in their artistic voice.
Perfect for anyone who has already taken a drawing class at CAW or elsewhere and wants to keep growing as an artist!
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Drawing & Painting: Beyond the Basics
You are invited to the RECEPTIONS for CURRENT! A CALL to ARTISTS was circulated with a deadline of midnight on December 9, with the following enticement:
Prospectus:
cur·rent /ˈkərənt/: belonging to the present time; happening or being used or done now, actively moving in a recognizable stream or direction, either figurately or literally.
Today’s art scene is dynamic, multifaceted, and heavily influenced by technology, social issues, and global interconnectedness leading to a wide variety of definitions and approaches
As a creator, how do you define current? We welcome your interpretations.
The Details:
Current will be a juried art exhibition of nearly fifty artworks shown at Kehler Liddell Gallery in New Haven, Connecticut in January of 2026. Kehler Liddell is a retail art gallery in the vibrant Westville neighborhood of New Haven, founded in 2003 by local artists, it has established itself as one of the preeminent galleries in the region. Kehler Liddell Gallery is a collectively operated gallery and has a membership of over twenty-five established artists.
Exhibition Dates: January 8 – February 1, 2026
Opening Reception: January 11, 2026 (2-5pm)
Closing Reception: February 1, 2026 (3-5pm)
OPENING (and CLOSING) RECEPTIONS- 10th Annual Juried Show-CURRENT
All are welcome to join us for a concert of organ music by Nathan Laube performed on Yale’s Newberry Organ. The concert is part of the Great Organ Music at Yale series. Nathan Laube is associate professor of organ at the Eastman School of Music. Free and open to the public.
Contact: Clifton Massey
Photo credit: Joseph Routon
Artist bio:
Nathan Laube is a leading performer and pedagogue who is beloved around the world. His extensive recital career includes major venues spanning four continents, with appearances at the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, the Berlin Philharmonie, the Maison Radio France in Paris, Auditorium Maurice Ravel in Lyon, Béla Bartók National Concert Hall in Budapest, the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, and the Sejong Center in Seoul. Highlight performances in the USA include Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles; Verizon Hall, Philadelphia; Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco; The Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas TX; Benaroya Hall, Seattle; the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, TN; the Kauffman Center in Kansas City, MO; and Spivey Hall in Morrow, GA. He has performed in the most famous churches and cathedrals of Europe, including Notre-Dame Cathedral and Saint-Sulpice in Paris, St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, the Frauenkirche in Dresden, and the Berlin Dom. In 2017 he was chosen as the first Organist in Residence at the celebrated 1738 Christian Müller Organ of the St.-Bavokerk in Haarlem (NL). In August 2022 he performed a solo organ recital for the prestigious BBC Proms at Royal Albert Hall in London.
He is regularly called upon to inaugurate important organs across the world, including Canterbury Cathedral (UK) and King’s College Chapel, Cambridge (UK), York Minster (UK) Moscow’s new Zaryadye Concert Hall (RU), the Concert Hall in Göteborg (SE), and the Musiikkitalo in Helsinki (FI). In 2020 he had the honor of performing the first solo recital on Austria’s largest pipe organ built by the Rieger at St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom) in Vienna, and in 2023 in the Cathedral in Graz. In the USA, dedications have included the new C.B. Fisk organ at The Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh, NC, the new Noack at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Birmingham, AL, and the restored Aeolian-Skinner at Northrop Auditorium at University of Minnesota. Passionate about organ design and aesthetics, he also serves as a consultant for new instruments in venues including the Concert Hall in Göteborg, Sweden, Field Hall at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, the American Cathedral in Paris, among many others.
Mr. Laube is a regular guest at notable music festivals around the world as a performer and pedagogue: the Berlin Orgelsommer (DE), the Stuttgart Internationaler Orgelsommer (DE), the Naumburg Orgelsommer (DE), the Silberman-Tage Festival in Freiberg (DE), the Dresden Music Festival (DE), the Hamburg International Music Festival (DE), the International Organ Festival Haarlem (NL), the Bachfestival Dordrecht (NL), the Toulouse Les Orgues Festival (FR), the Orléans Organ Festival (FR), Bordeaux Festival d’Été (FR), the Odense International Organ Festival (DK), the Lapua Festival (FI), the Lahti Organ Festival (FI), the Smarano Organ Academy (IT), the Göteborg International Organ Festival and Academy (SE), the Stockholm OrganSpace Festival (SE), the Bergen Summer Organ Festival (NO), the Max Reger Foundation of America’s 2015 Max Reger Festival (USA), and the WFMT Bach Project in Chicago (USA).
Mr. Laube has two CD recordings available: the Stephen Paulus Grand Concerto on the Naxos label recorded with the Nashville Symphony, Giancarlo Guerrero, conducting, for which the Nashville Symphony received a GRAMMY Award for Best Classical Compendium; and a solo recital recording on the Ambiente label recorded at the Stadtkirche in Nagold, Germany. He has collaborated with solo artists including Andreas Ottensamer, principal clarinet with the Berliner Philharmoniker; Christopher Martin, principal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic; and violinist Rachel Barton Pine. Many of Mr. Laube’s live performances have been featured on American Public Media’s “Pipedreams.”
In April 2019, Mr. Laube launched the documentary-style radio program, “All the Stops,” on the WFMT Radio Network Chicago, consisting of four two-hour programs which feature many of the world’s most famous organs in Europe and the United States and explore their unique histories and repertoire.
Mr. Laube is currently associate professor of organ at the Eastman School of Music. Laube previously taught at Eastman from 2013 to 2020, and then from 2020-2022 taught on the organ faculty at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Stuttgart, Germany, where he succeeded his mentor, Ludger Lohmann. Since 2018 Laube additionally holds the post of the International Consultant in Organ Studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, UK. He is frequently asked to sit on the juries for important international organ competitions, including the 2021 Gottfried Silbermann International Competition in Freiberg (DE), the Martini International Organ Competition in Groningen (NL) in 2022, and the Concours International Olivier Messiaen in Lyon (FR) in 2022.
Mr. Laube is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he studied with Alan Morrison. The recipient of a William Fulbright fellowship, he continued his studies at the Conservatoire Rayonnement Régional in Toulouse with Michel Bouvard and Jan Willem Jansen. He received his Masters at the Musikhochschule in Stuttgart, Germany, where he studied with Ludger Lohmann, under the auspices of a DAAD Grant.
Great Organ Music at Yale with Nathan Laube
During November 24, 2025– February 4, 2026, the NewAlliance Foundation Art Gallery at CT State Community College, Gateway Campus is pleased to present the work of Hafsa Nouman and Sarah Phyllis Smith in their two-person exhibition “You Will Be the Mirror”.
This exhibition includes luminous abstract paintings by Hafsa Nouman, and delicate narrative photographs from Sarah Phyllis Smith. Nouman’s abstract fields are mirrored in Smith’s conceptual photographs and both artists deconstruct space, context, and interpretation with their unique, thought provoking art practices.
Hafsa’s practice focuses on the deconstruction of colonial hierarchies embedded in patriarchal spaces- both monumental and domestic. Her critical focus is rooted in the relationship between ‘object’ and ‘desire’ which often results in visual excavations of architectural thresholds, such as doors, walls, and wrought iron patterns. Through those thresholds, Nouman creates a spatial logic that brings attention to the painted object’s histories, and material realities in a way that they can be re-embodied in the gallery space.
Sarah’s photography follows another deconstruction through abstraction and manipulation of the images. Though her work is deeply personal, themes of loss, longing, and desire permeate throughout her images, and act as both voyeuristic insight and decontextualization. In this examination of her personal experiences the viewer is invited into her both stark and tender space, where deep and slow processing occurs. When we see figures in her work, they are sometimes performative, and sometimes autobiographical. These two directions bring Sarah’s images into their own world. They come from a realistic documentation, but through her perception we arrive at an open-ended meditative place of self-discovery.
Please join us for a reception on Thursday, December 4, 5:00-7:00pm with light refreshments and food. The NewAlliance Foundation Art Gallery at CT State Community College, Gateway is open Monday -Friday 9:00am-9:00pm.
Artist Talk:11:00am-12:00pm in the Gallery.
You Will Be the Mirror: Hafsa Nouman & Sarah Phyllis Smith
This fast paced class is all about making a hard cover accordion book on the theme of library or your love of books. You might make a book that holds lists of favorite books you have read, books you wish to read, your favorite libraries, or whatever else you can think of!
There will be demonstrations and instruction on a variety of ways of using the accordion fold in a book format: as a panel, as individual pages, as a board book and as a book spine. After creating samples, students will be guided in choosing a format for displaying old school library pockets and their removable cards and adding text or images if desired. You might even use reclaimed book covers to finish your book. Students will leave with samples of accordion books and a completed artist book of your own!
This class will take place in a studio accessed by a flight of stairs. For any accommodations please send a confidential email to registrar@creativeartsworkshop.org
Accordion Book: Love Your Library
Get ready to sketch the world around you! In this fun and inspiring class, students will learn how to turn everyday moments into colorful works of art using markers. Whether it's a favorite toy, a family pet, or a scene from the park, young artists will be encouraged to observe their environment and express what they see through drawing. Students will learn: • How to sketch quickly and confidently • Marker techniques for shading, texture, and blending • How to create scenes that tell a story • Developing their own creative style Great for both beginners and experienced young sketchers! All levels welcome. Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for materials provided by CAW.
Drawing with Markers
Explore the joy of painting in this beginner-friendly class. Students will learn fundamental painting techniques, including brushwork, color mixing, and layering. You’ll be guided through observational exercises designed to build both confidence and skill. Students may choose to work in either oil or acrylic paint.
CAW does not supply paint, brushes, or canvas. Please see the list below for what students need to bring.
Introduction to Painting
Explore the art of block printing with linoleum.
The instructor will demonstrate the process for carving and printing a 4” x 6” linoleum block, as well as a variety of inking and printing processes. Students will focus on developing original designs and concepts to prepare a linoleum block to ink, create a series, and print the results.
All printing will be done with water-soluble inks.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW. Linoleum Blocks and paper will be provided for the first two classes; students will need to purchase their own paper and blocks after the second session.
Exploring Linoleum Block Printing
Develop your pottery skills as you focus on wheel-throwing techniques in stoneware and porcelain.
Lessons will cover both functional and decorative pottery with emphasis on classical forms as we know them. Students will be shown how to apply glazes and/or oxide washes to achieve desired results, such as combining glaze colors and the application of wood ash to create unexpected effects on their work. Wear clothes that can get dirty.
Pottery tool kits are available for sale in the studio for $27 and firing fees are $3.50/pound. Payable by credit card, cash or check.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours on a first-come, first-served basis.
Intermediate and Advanced Pottery
Learn basic metalsmithing for making jewelry, developing new skills, or strengthen existing ones. Weekly demonstrations introduce tools and techniques required for working with nonferrous sheet metal and wire. Demonstrations may include sawing, filing, cold-connecting, soldering, surface embellishment, forging, shaping, fold forming, finishing, and patina coloring.
The tuition for this class includes a fee of $40 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Metalsmithing/Jewelry
Join Yale Consort for a Sung Mass service.
Free and open to the public.
Yale Consort, a professional vocal ensemble conducted by Professor James O’Donnell and sponsored by the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, provides high quality choral music for a series of evening services in local parishes and chapels.
Contact: Clifton Massey
Sung Mass with Yale Consort
Deepen your understanding of traditional photographic processes while refining darkroom techniques. Explore toning, medium and large format photography, and alternative processes such as cyanotype and palladium printing. Emphasis is placed on developing a cohesive body of work through regular critiques and group discussions, fostering both technical growth and conceptual clarity. Most classes will be divided between demonstration, discussion and critique and lab time. The class also includes an optional Friday evening open darkroom practice session where students can work on and refine the techniques discussed in class. Tuition for this class includes a fee of $40 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Intermediate and Advanced Black and White Analog Film Photography
Join us to draw or paint from a nude model. The 3-hour session includes mixed-length poses. These are monitored “open drawing” sessions; there is no instruction.
Students must register at least 48 hours in advance.
School Policies
Students who withdraw 48 hours prior to the first class are eligible for a refund or credit toward another class, less a $25 registration fee.
Working from a Live Model
Open Mic Surgery is a freeform poetry open mic held at Never Ending Books (Volume Two) on State Street. The weekly event offers a welcoming space where writers of all backgrounds can connect, read their own work, share poems by others, or simply listen and enjoy. Expect an eclectic mix of poetry and spoken word in a supportive, low-pressure setting filled with a wide range of creative voices.
Open Mic Surgery: A poetry open mic
Make functional ceramic pieces using the potter’s wheel as our primary tool. We will cover clay preparation, forming pots on the wheel, and glazing. Every class includes both demonstrations and individually-focused instruction. Wear clothes that can get dirty.
Pottery tool kits are available for sale in the studio for $27. Firing fees are $3.50/pound. Payable by credit card, cash or check.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours on a first-come, first-served basis.
All levels Pottery A
You decide – explore multiple printmaking techniques and processes or deepen your practice in one area. Use etching, drypoint, woodcut, linocut, monotype, transfer prints, paper lithography, polymer plate lithography, collagraph, silk aquatint, transfer prints, or Chine-collé. Learn new techniques or connect printmaking to other artistic media.
Includes one 3-hour practice session per week during monitored practice hours.
The tuition for this class includes a materials fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Intermediate and Advanced Printmaking
Explore the exciting process of Mokulito, a contemporary printmaking technique that combines elements of woodcut and lithography. Developed in Japan, Mokulito (meaning “wood lithography”) allows artists to draw directly onto a wood surface using greasy materials, then print the image using traditional lithographic principles.
In this hands-on workshop, students will learn how to prepare wood plates, draw and process images, and print using water-based or oil-based inks. The natural grain of the wood adds a unique texture, merging drawing, painting, and printmaking into a single expressive process.
Participants will experiment with line, tone, and layered color while discovering how the medium bridges the immediacy of drawing with the tactile beauty of wood.
No prior printmaking experience is needed—just curiosity and creativity.
Includes one 3-hour practice session per week during monitored practice hours.
The tuition for this class includes a materials fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Mokulito Workshop
Join us for an opening reception at Miller Hall for the ISM's new exhibit, uYAKu: Sonido Líquido, featuring a discussion panel with exhibit artist and curator Felipe Ledesma (Yale ISM), Thomas B.F. Cummins (Dumbarton Oaks Director), Soledad Chango (Columbia University) and Samuel Tejeda (Itchli Maori). Reception begins at 5 p.m. and artist talk at 5:30 p.m.
Free and open to the public.
Co-sponsored by the ISM and the Yale Council on Latin American and Iberian Studies.
uYAKu: Sonido Líquido will be on view at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music’s Miller Hall at 406 Prospect Street, New Haven from February 5 - March 5. Exhibit is free and open to the public.
Contact: Anesu Nyamupingidza
Exhibition Opening Reception for uYaKu: Sonido Líquido
Learn the basics of preparing and operating a loom. Participants will weave a sampler piece combining a wide range of useful weaves. Beginning students will complete one or two simple projects of their choice by the end of this term. Intermediate and advanced students will weave projects with more complex structures using multi-harness looms.
Beginning students have a materials fee of $18 payable to the instructor.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours.
Floor Loom Weaving
Explore essential drawing skills in an approachable, supportive setting.
With guided practice and traditional techniques, students will learn how to observe more closely and turn those observations into expressive, confident sketches.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for materials provided by CAW.
Introduction to Drawing: Working from a Still Life
Veteran book arts expert Gisela Noack brings her many years of skill and experience in restoration and conservation to students working on their own advanced bookbinding or restoration projects.
Enrollment in this class includes one 3-hour monitored open bench session per week.
This class will take place in a studio accessed by a flight of stairs. For any accommodations please send a confidential email to registrar@creativeartsworkshop.org
The tuition for this class includes a fee of $5 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Advanced Hand Bookbinding
uYAKu: Sonido Líquido, an exhibition curated by ISM fellow Felipe Ledesma Núñez, will be on view at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music’s Miller Hall at 406 Prospect Street, New Haven from February 5 - March 5 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 12 - 4 p.m.
uYAKu: Sonido Líquido presents an exploration of the acoustics and metaphysics of water and clay through a set of whistling bottles, created after the discovery of the only known archival record of their use.
Double-chamber whistling bottles are among the most mysterious of archaeological artifacts. Inside, they contain intricate acoustic mechanisms capable of producing sound on their own, revealing a technical and spiritual knowledge that remains only partially understood. Although thousands of these vessels have been found, their purpose remains a mystery.
This exhibition presents the only known historical record of their use: a seventeenth-century manuscript describing a whistling bottle in the form of a woman, venerated by a community in the Andean highlands. This vessel was not merely a ritual object; it embodied an ancestral progenitor, an Andean mother whose voice was audibly present.
Inspired by this ancestral figure, the exhibition brings together sound sculptures created by contemporary Latin American artists that reactivate the acoustic vitality of these ancient technologies. The works engage with the resonant past, exploring how clay, air, and water remain carriers of memory.
Featuring works by Felipe Ledesma, Genaro López, Daniel Mesones, and Samuel Tejeda.
Free and open to the public.
Co-sponsored by the ISM and the Yale Council on Latin American and Iberian Studies.
Installation: Ellis Berwick
All are welcome to join us for an opening reception for this exhibit on Wednesday, February 4 at 5 p.m.
Contact: Anesu Nyamupingidza
uYaKu: Sonido Líquido
The Teacher Leadership Program is a free, one-hour workshop on Zoom for educators of all levels and disciplines that meets at 4:00 pm on the first Thursday of the month throughout the academic year. The sessions are led by Jessica Sack, the Jan and Frederick Mayer Curator of Public Education; Clara Poteet, the John Walsh Fellow in Museum Education; Wurtele Gallery Teachers; and Education Department staff. In this program, educators explore innovative ways to connect their curricula and interest in art with the Yale University Art Gallery’s collection. The sessions also address online and in-person teaching techniques.
Closed captions will be available in English.
Teacher Leadership Program
Come read your poem or a favorite, sing a song, play a tune …the mic is yours!
OPEN MIC
Learn basic metalsmithing for making jewelry, developing new skills, or strengthen existing ones. Weekly demonstrations introduce tools and techniques required for working with nonferrous sheet metal and wire. Demonstrations may include sawing, filing, cold-connecting, soldering, surface embellishment, forging, shaping, fold forming, finishing, and patina coloring.
The tuition for this class includes a fee of $40 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Metalsmithing/Jewelry
Use circular needles to knit a hat in the round.
We will be covering fundamental skills including casting on, knitting in the round, fixing mistakes like dropped stitches, casting off, and blocking your work. If you can knit a hat, you can knit almost anything! This is the perfect class for beginners and those looking to refresh their knitting skills.
Learn to Knit a Hat in the Round
Join us on the first Friday of the month for a one-hour, in-person tour of the Leslie P. and George H. Hume American Furniture Study Center at the Collection Studies Center, Yale West Campus. See more than 1,300 examples of American furniture and clocks from the 17th century to the present in this facility, which opened in 2019, as well as an outstanding collection of contemporary wood art.
Registration required; space is limited.
Registered visitors will receive a confirmation email including directions to the site, where there is ample free parking. Unregistered visitors cannot be accommodated.
Furniture Study Highlights Tour
Explore the creative possibilities of clay by shaping and molding it into one-of-a-kind works of art.
Each week, young artists will create a specific project including bowls, animal figurines, and masks. Our team will fire each clay masterpiece and they will all be ready to take home by the end of the class. Some pieces will also be glazed by the students and fired a second time, resulting in beautifully colored pieces.
Clay can spark imagination, encourage children to think creatively and express themselves in new ways. It can also help young people develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and emotional expression through hands-on activities.
Perfect for budding artists and future ceramicists, this is more than just a creative experience—it’s the beginning of a handmade collection to be proud of!
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for materials provided by CAW.
Adventures in Clay
A relaxed, all-levels class for anyone interested in working with clay. Beginners will learn the basics of wheel throwing and hand building, while returning students can continue building skills or explore larger, more advanced projects. Enjoy supportive instruction and plenty of time to practice. Come make what inspires you and grow at your own pace.
Wear clothes that can get messy.
Pottery tool kits are available for sale in the studio for $27 and firing fees are $3.50/pound. Payable by credit card, cash, or check.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours on a first-come, first-served basis and you are encouraged to take advantage of this.
All Levels Saturday Morning Pottery
Show up for your creative self in 2026 with the Saturday Drawing Club.
This session’s them is animals!
Explore a variety of prompts, materials and techniques in a weekly drawing session mixed with conversation, creative time, and feedback. Adults of all skill levels welcome. Bring your favorite drawing materials.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $10 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Saturday Drawing Club: A Creature a Day
Explore and develop designs for relief, intaglio, and monotype printmaking in this hands-on course.
Class time will focus on creating original designs and concepts as students experiment with print plate substrates, including Corian®, Tetra-Pak®, vinyl records, and various recycled and found materials. Examples of different print styles will be shared to illustrate these techniques.
This course is suitable for beginners and advanced students alike.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Experimental Printmaking
Unleash your imagination with Procreate!
Students will explore a variety of brushes, colors, layers, special effects, and symmetry tools while drawing with digital pencils, ink pens, and paint brushes. From simple shapes and cool designs to fun characters and creative scenes, they’ll develop their digital illustration skills and finish the course with their very own unique creations.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for materials provided by CAW.
Digital Illustration for Young People
This beginner drawing class is designed for anyone who enjoys drawing.
Students will explore various drawing materials and perspectives, experimenting with line, positive and negative shapes, depth, and volume. They’ll also learn techniques to create light and shadow effects on objects in different settings.
The tuition for this class includes a fee of $10 for basic materials provided by CAW. Please see recommended student material list below.
Introduction to Drawing
Overcome the mysteries of the sewing machine and discover how fun and easy it can be! Learn the basics of machine sewing including threading, operating, and troubleshooting.
Practice using the machine and then move on to simple projects for yourself or for gift-giving. Participants will learn a variety of machine sewing methods including piecing, applique, quilting, and freehand. Potential projects include art pieces, wall hangings, patchwork, quilt patterns, bags, a zippered pouch, table runner, or pillow cover. Tips for altering clothes can also be covered. Previous students are welcome to attend and work on more advanced projects.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $15 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Let’s Get Sewing
North America's largest interactive comedy murder mystery dinner theatre show is now playing in New Haven, CT! Solve a hilarious true crime murder mystery while you feast on a fantastic dinner. Just beware! The culprit is hiding in plain sight somewhere in the room, and you may find yourself as a Prime Suspect before you know it!
Join us for an event that is very different from a traditional mystery dinner show. Our actors are not dressed in costume and are hidden in the audience! This results in a fun, social and interactive evening suitable for all adults.
Each ticket includes our signature award-winning mystery dinner theatre show, along with a full plated dinner, waitstaff gratuity, and plenty of surprises during the show.
Happens on the following Dates:
- Feb 7, 2026, 6:00pm to 9:00pm Timezone: Eastern Time (US & Canada)
- Feb 13, 2026, 7:00pm to 10:00pm Timezone: Eastern Time (US & Canada)
- Feb 14, 2026, 6:00pm to 9:00pm Timezone: Eastern Time (US & Canada)
- Feb 21, 2026, 6:00pm to 9:00pm Timezone: Eastern Time (US & Canada)
The Dinner Detective True Crime Murder Mystery Dinner Show - New Haven, CT
No typical sand or slides at this playground!
CAW’s playground has colored sand, wood, clay, tempera and watercolor paints, markers, tissue paper and more items than we have space to list here. Students will use all these supplies to create projects including masks, paper dolls, animals, birds, insects, portraits, and imaginary creatures.
How will they do all this? By cutting, folding, stomping, splashing, blending, texturing, painting, and coloring (after they mix their own unique colors).
Bet you wish you could stay too!
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for materials provided by CAW.
Art Playground
Students are invited to move beyond observation and explore an object’s inner life, structure, and essence.
Instead of simply rendering what is seen on the surface, participants will imagine what lies beneath — the internal rhythms, hidden forms, and unseen energy that give an object its character. Through a process of analysis and invention, students will deconstruct and reconstruct familiar forms, transforming them into expressive, abstracted drawings that blur the line between representation and imagination.
Students are encouraged to move beyond their “normal” drawing mediums and explore mixing mediums and collage.
Drawing from the Inside Out
In this seven-week studio course, students will explore the art of printmaking through a focused challenge: creating works strictly within a 12” x 12” format. Participants may work in relief, intaglio, monotype, or monoprint, using primarily water-based inks (other solutions are permitted).
Through guided instruction and experimentation, students will develop original designs and concepts that reflect current trends and innovations in contemporary printmaking—all within the creative boundaries of the one-square-foot format. The square format, historically uncommon until the rise of abstraction, presents unique compositional and expressive challenges that foster precision, visual order, and formal structure.
This course is designed to support the creation of final works suitable for submission to The Center for Contemporary Printmaking’s Footprint International Competition 2026. All skill levels are welcome.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $10 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Bound by the Square: Modern Printmaking in 12″x12″
Yes, kids can safely sew on a machine! Learn all about how the machine works and then get sewing with simple projects like a pin cushion and small bags. Students will also learn hand stitching utilizing embroidery threat and felt to create cute animals like a teddy bear, dogs and cats. Embellish your project with fun buttons, sequins, bling, and fancy stitches.
Choice of projects will include small pillows, bags, stuffed animals and more. You’ll be speeding along in no time!
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Sew Easy for Young People
Creativity meets skill-building for young artists!
Young artists discover the basics of drawing and painting through playful, hands-on projects that make learning exciting. Using pencils, pastels, watercolor, and paint, they’ll explore composition, color, line, and value while developing strong observational skills and artistic confidence. Each activity builds coordination and creativity. Together, students will learn to see the world like an artist.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Drawing & Painting: Foundations for Young Artists
Ever wanted to create animations like The Amazing World of Gumball (2011), Steven Universe (2013), or The Owl House (2020)? This class teaches the skills you need to start bringing your own animations to life. Begin with exercises that introduce you to the program and key animation concepts, then use the second half of the class to create your own original animated short. Build on the skills you’ve learned in previous classes and bring your ideas to the screen! By the end, you’ll have a great foundation to keep animating.
This class is great for those that have some prior experience but it is also accessible to those that may be just beginning their animating journey. iPads will be provided or you may bring your own!
The Amazing World of Animation
Overcome the mysteries of the sewing machine and discover how fun and easy it can be! Learn the basics of machine sewing including threading, operating, and troubleshooting.
Practice using the machine and then move on to simple projects for yourself or for gift-giving. Participants will learn a variety of machine sewing methods including piecing, applique, quilting, and freehand. Potential projects include art pieces, wall hangings, patchwork, quilt patterns, bags, a zippered pouch, table runner, or pillow cover. Tips for altering clothes can also be covered. Previous students are welcome to attend and work on more advanced projects.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $15 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Let’s Get Sewing
Get ready to sketch the world around you! In this fun and inspiring class, students will learn how to turn everyday moments into colorful works of art using markers. Whether it's a favorite toy, a family pet, or a scene from the park, young artists will be encouraged to observe their environment and express what they see through drawing. Students will learn: • How to sketch quickly and confidently • Marker techniques for shading, texture, and blending • How to create scenes that tell a story • Developing their own creative style Great for both beginners and experienced young sketchers! All levels welcome. Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for materials provided by CAW.
Drawing with Markers
Learn how to create digital artwork using Procreate on the iPad.
We’ll cover the essentials—drawing, color, layering, and brush techniques—while exploring how digital tools can enhance your creative process. Procreate’s intuitive features make it easy to blend traditional art skills with modern flexibility.
Designed for beginners or anyone curious about digital art, this class offers a step-by-step approach to building skills and confidence with Procreate.
The Basics of Digital Drawing
Explore the art of block printing with linoleum.
The instructor will demonstrate the process for carving and printing a 4” x 6” linoleum block, as well as a variety of inking and printing processes. Students will focus on developing original designs and concepts to prepare a linoleum block to ink, create a series, and print the results.
All printing will be done with water-soluble inks.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW. Linoleum Blocks and paper will be provided for the first two classes; students will need to purchase their own paper and blocks after the second session.
Exploring Linoleum Block Printing
Explore the art of block printing with linoleum.
The instructor will demonstrate the process for carving and printing a 4” x 6” linoleum block, as well as a variety of inking and printing processes. Students will focus on developing original designs and concepts to prepare a linoleum block to ink, create a series, and print the results.
All printing will be done with water-soluble inks.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW. Linoleum Blocks and paper will be provided for the first two classes; students will need to purchase their own paper and blocks after the second session.
Exploring Linoleum Block Printing
Learn basic metalsmithing for making jewelry, developing new skills, or strengthen existing ones. Weekly demonstrations introduce tools and techniques required for working with nonferrous sheet metal and wire. Demonstrations may include sawing, filing, cold-connecting, soldering, surface embellishment, forging, shaping, fold forming, finishing, and patina coloring.
The tuition for this class includes a fee of $40 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Metalsmithing/Jewelry
Join Yale Consort for a service of Choral Evensong, focused on music, readings, and quiet contemplation. Through hymns, psalms, canticles, and reflections, the centuries-old tradition of Choral Evensong invites us to come together in stillness and prayer.
Free and open to the public.
Contact: Clifton Massey
Yale Consort, a professional vocal ensemble conducted by Professor James O’Donnell and sponsored by the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, provides high quality choral music for a series of evening services in local parishes and chapels.
Choral Evensong with Yale Consort
Learn to make accordion books in a variety of styles while exploring the basics of bookbinding.
Each week, students will learn a new variation on the accordion fold. Demonstrations and instruction will cover multiple ways the accordion structure can function in book form—such as a continuous panel, individual pages, a board book format, or even a book spine. Techniques for attaching pages with sewing, glue, or tape will be introduced. Collage materials, postcards, and vintage library pockets and cards will be available for incorporation into projects.
By the end of the program, students will have created a collection of accordion books. Those with more experience may choose to spend the session developing a more complex accordion book on a personally selected theme, with guidance available throughout.
This class will take place in a studio accessed by a flight of stairs. For any accommodations please send a confidential email to registrar@creativeartsworkshop.org
Beginning Bookbinding: The Accordion Book
Open Mic Surgery is a freeform poetry open mic held at Never Ending Books (Volume Two) on State Street. The weekly event offers a welcoming space where writers of all backgrounds can connect, read their own work, share poems by others, or simply listen and enjoy. Expect an eclectic mix of poetry and spoken word in a supportive, low-pressure setting filled with a wide range of creative voices.
Open Mic Surgery: A poetry open mic
Make functional ceramic pieces using the potter’s wheel as our primary tool. We will cover clay preparation, forming pots on the wheel, and glazing. Every class includes both demonstrations and individually-focused instruction. Wear clothes that can get dirty.
Pottery tool kits are available for sale in the studio for $27. Firing fees are $3.50/pound. Payable by credit card, cash or check.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours on a first-come, first-served basis.
All levels Pottery A
You decide – explore multiple printmaking techniques and processes or deepen your practice in one area. Use etching, drypoint, woodcut, linocut, monotype, transfer prints, paper lithography, polymer plate lithography, collagraph, silk aquatint, transfer prints, or Chine-collé. Learn new techniques or connect printmaking to other artistic media.
Includes one 3-hour practice session per week during monitored practice hours.
The tuition for this class includes a materials fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Intermediate and Advanced Printmaking
uYAKu: Sonido Líquido, an exhibition curated by ISM fellow Felipe Ledesma Núñez, will be on view at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music’s Miller Hall at 406 Prospect Street, New Haven from February 5 - March 5 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 12 - 4 p.m.
uYAKu: Sonido Líquido presents an exploration of the acoustics and metaphysics of water and clay through a set of whistling bottles, created after the discovery of the only known archival record of their use.
Double-chamber whistling bottles are among the most mysterious of archaeological artifacts. Inside, they contain intricate acoustic mechanisms capable of producing sound on their own, revealing a technical and spiritual knowledge that remains only partially understood. Although thousands of these vessels have been found, their purpose remains a mystery.
This exhibition presents the only known historical record of their use: a seventeenth-century manuscript describing a whistling bottle in the form of a woman, venerated by a community in the Andean highlands. This vessel was not merely a ritual object; it embodied an ancestral progenitor, an Andean mother whose voice was audibly present.
Inspired by this ancestral figure, the exhibition brings together sound sculptures created by contemporary Latin American artists that reactivate the acoustic vitality of these ancient technologies. The works engage with the resonant past, exploring how clay, air, and water remain carriers of memory.
Featuring works by Felipe Ledesma, Genaro López, Daniel Mesones, and Samuel Tejeda.
Free and open to the public.
Co-sponsored by the ISM and the Yale Council on Latin American and Iberian Studies.
Installation: Ellis Berwick
All are welcome to join us for an opening reception for this exhibit on Wednesday, February 4 at 5 p.m.
Contact: Anesu Nyamupingidza
uYaKu: Sonido Líquido
Explore essential drawing skills in an approachable, supportive setting.
With guided practice and traditional techniques, students will learn how to observe more closely and turn those observations into expressive, confident sketches.
Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for materials provided by CAW.
Introduction to Drawing: Working from a Still Life
Veteran book arts expert Gisela Noack brings her many years of skill and experience in restoration and conservation to students working on their own advanced bookbinding or restoration projects.
Enrollment in this class includes one 3-hour monitored open bench session per week.
This class will take place in a studio accessed by a flight of stairs. For any accommodations please send a confidential email to registrar@creativeartsworkshop.org
The tuition for this class includes a fee of $5 for basic materials provided by CAW.
Advanced Hand Bookbinding
Learn the various approaches to creating metal sculptures, including welding (oxyacetylene and MIG), brazing, cutting (torch and plasma cutter), hammering, and more.
Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours.
Students should wear 100% cotton long sleeves, jeans or work pants, and closed-toe boots. No synthetic mesh, plastic, or cloth.
The tuition for this class includes a materials fee of $40.
All Levels Metal Sculpture
uYAKu: Sonido Líquido, an exhibition curated by ISM fellow Felipe Ledesma Núñez, will be on view at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music’s Miller Hall at 406 Prospect Street, New Haven from February 5 - March 5 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 12 - 4 p.m.
uYAKu: Sonido Líquido presents an exploration of the acoustics and metaphysics of water and clay through a set of whistling bottles, created after the discovery of the only known archival record of their use.
Double-chamber whistling bottles are among the most mysterious of archaeological artifacts. Inside, they contain intricate acoustic mechanisms capable of producing sound on their own, revealing a technical and spiritual knowledge that remains only partially understood. Although thousands of these vessels have been found, their purpose remains a mystery.
This exhibition presents the only known historical record of their use: a seventeenth-century manuscript describing a whistling bottle in the form of a woman, venerated by a community in the Andean highlands. This vessel was not merely a ritual object; it embodied an ancestral progenitor, an Andean mother whose voice was audibly present.
Inspired by this ancestral figure, the exhibition brings together sound sculptures created by contemporary Latin American artists that reactivate the acoustic vitality of these ancient technologies. The works engage with the resonant past, exploring how clay, air, and water remain carriers of memory.
Featuring works by Felipe Ledesma, Genaro López, Daniel Mesones, and Samuel Tejeda.
Free and open to the public.
Co-sponsored by the ISM and the Yale Council on Latin American and Iberian Studies.
Installation: Ellis Berwick
All are welcome to join us for an opening reception for this exhibit on Wednesday, February 4 at 5 p.m.
Contact: Anesu Nyamupingidza
uYaKu: Sonido Líquido
Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet presents: The Old Hollywood Gala!
A black tie Old Hollywood inspired fundraising dinner and dance.
Event Schedule:
Cocktail Hour 6:00 pm
Hors d'oeuvres & Dinner Stations 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Live Music, 40's Swing Dancing & Silent Auction 8:00 - 10:00 pm
The Gala is Ekklesia Ballet’s most important fundraising event of the year. Featuring a dance performanec by Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet and LIVE music by renowned CT band Eight to the Bar! This event not only launches brilliant artistic works, but also supports valuable education and community engagement initiatives in our city. This event is open to the public and is for ages 18 years and older. Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet is a non-profit 501c3 organization. All donations are tax deductible and will go into furthering our Mission!