kids Art CLASSES
The West Hartford Art League holds year round instruction for students ages 5 - 16 in the form of weekly daytime and evening art classes Monday - Saturday in the fall, winter, and spring, and a daytime art camp during the summer.
Winter 2025 Session:
Our Winter 2025 session will begin the week of Monday, January 6..
Registration for Members will open on Friday November 1 at 10 am. Non-member registration opens 2 weeks later - Friday, November 15 at 10 am
Membership is $35 for one-year Junior membership, ($75 for a family) and entitles you to a discount on classes, as well as early registration privileges.
Join HERE
Winter CLASSES for children
Kids Monday Wheel Throwing
Mondays, January 6 - March 10
4-5:45 pm, Ages 10+
Beth Reynolds
This course offers an introduction to basic wheel techniques. Through demonstration and practice, students will learn how to center clay and throw simple shapes on the wheel. Students may also choose to use hand building techniques to create their own pieces. Different methods will be used to decorate the pieces and all will be finished by glazing.
Stained Glass - 10 weeks
Thursdays, January 9 - March 13
4:15-5:30pm, Ages 10-15
Kelly Kelly
Join instructor Kelly Kelly in this fun stained glass class for kids. Create pieces of stained glass art using techniques that Louis Tiffany himself used. Students will have a choice of patterns with varied difficulties and will be guided through the entire process, from start to finish. This class is perfect for both beginners and those who may have taken a class before.
Art Club - 8 weeks
Saturdays, January 11 - March 1
9:00-10:15am, Ages 7-9
Elena Gibson
In this weekly class, young artists will enjoy creating through painting, drawing, printmaking, collage and more. Activities are designed to encourage individual expression and inspire creativity while providing the child with an opportunity to explore a wide range of art media. Returning students are welcome, as each session of Art Club offers new projects for them to create.
Saturday Wheel Throwing for Kids
Saturdays, January 11 - March 15
11:00am-1:00pm, Ages 10+
Beth Reynolds
This course offers an introduction to basic wheel techniques. Through demonstration and practice, students will learn how to center clay and throw simple shapes on the wheel. Students may also choose to use hand building techniques to create their own pieces. Different methods will be used to decorate the pieces and all will be finished by glazing.
Art For Young Children - 8 weeks
Tuesdays, January 7 - February 25
4:15-5:15pm, Ages 5-7
Elena Gibson
This class is for the young child who loves art. This class will introduce children to a variety of art materials and techniques while encouraging them to use their imagination as they explore the basic concepts of line, shape, color and design through colorful collage, tempera and watercolor paints, crayons, pastels, and air-dry clay.
Explore Different Cultures: Draw, Print, Sculpt & Paint!
Fridays, January 10 - March 14
4:00-5:30pm, Grades 3-5
Beth Reynolds
As artists, we can virtually travel anywhere for inspiration. Come join in the fun of exploring different cultures, experimenting with a variety of media and learning new techniques. Travel to Mexico to model a Oaxcan animal in clay and paint it with patterns using bright colors, as well as design a Bark painting with flowers and animals. Explore the Rainforest to create a multi-media piece with pop-up animals and plants and make an animal print. Discover the work of British artist David Hockney and draw and paint pieces on canvas, inspired by his vivid landscape paintings. Work on your drawing and painting skills and try sculpting and printing. Bring your imagination and an old T-shirt as a smock. If you have taken the class before, there will be adaptations for you to do different projects.
Art for Young Children Saturdays - 8 weeks
Saturdays, January 11 - March 1
10:30 - 11:30 am, Ages 5-7
Elena Gibson
For the young child who loves art. This class will introduce children to a variety of art materials and techniques while encouraging them to use their imagination as they explore the basic concepts of line, shape, color and design through colorful collage, tempera, watercolor paints, crayons, pastels, and air-dry clay.
Wednesday Wheel Throwing for Kids
Wednesdays, January 8 - March 12
2:30-4:30pm, Ages 10+
Beth Reynolds
This course offers an introduction to basic wheel techniques. Through demonstration and practice, students will learn how to center clay and throw simple shapes on the wheel. Students may also choose to use hand building techniques to create their own pieces. Different methods will be used to decorate the pieces and all will be finished by glazing.
Sunday Comics for Younger Cartoonists
Sundays, January 19 - March 23
9:00-10:15am, Ages 7-10
Sam Ferri
Comics offer a means of storytelling accessible to all ages and skill levels. In this class for our younger cartoonists, students will learn how to draw a variety of characters, have them interact, express emotions, place them in a scene, and most importantly, shape a narrative. Taught by a working cartoonist (MAD Magazine, Time Out NY, The NY Observer, Funny Times and others…), students will engage in fun exercises meant to help them hone their skills, participate in group drawing activities and create their very own finished comics.
Kids Hand Building
Saturdays, January 11 - March 15
9:00-10:30am, Ages 6-9
Beth Reynolds
A good introduction to clay is the hand building technique. Explore the versatility of clay as you experiment using the hand building techniques of pinching, coiling and slab. Each week, individual creativity is encouraged, as students bring their own ideas to life. Different methods will be used to decorate the pieces, and all pieces will be finished by glazing.