Whether it’s taking an outdoor watercolor class, learning to use a pottery wheel, making a comic, or creating a print, Marion County offers a wide variety of courses for all ages. Ceramics are particularly well-represented, with both the Willamette Art Center and Clay and Kiln Collective focusing entirely on pottery skills. Sites like the Art Department and the Ash Creek Arts Center offer an array of classes, from Japanese calligraphy and book arts to life figure drawing and printmaking. Whatever your interest or age, you can likely find something to interest you in the Marion County arts world.
The Art Department
254 Commercial Street NE, Salem
The Art Department in downtown Salem is an excellent fine art supply store that also hosts weekend classes. Current offerings include everything from life figure drawing (for adults), a comic club for artists 14+, watercolor and acrylic workshops, an exploration of Japanese calligraphy and haiku, and a Christmas card-making class. Most of the class fees do not include supplies, but do include a list of items artists will need that they can purchase for 20% off at the Art Department.
The Willamette Art Center
3995 Fairview Industrial Drive SE, Suite 100, Salem
The Willamette Art Center is a community ceramics studio that offers classes for all ages. Previously located in the Oregon State Fairgrounds, the Willamette Art Center has moved to a new, larger site in Southeast Salem set to open in November of 2025. For many years, visitors to the Willamette Art Center have been able to learn about an array of clay techniques, from handbuilding and wheel to raku and paper clay.
They also offer open studio time, allowing members to work with the materials in the studio. Family Clay Days are a particularly popular event, taking place on Sundays in the Winter and Spring. For less than $10, families come to learn how to make a small clay item, which is then fired. Two weeks later, they return to glaze their creation. Another popular event is the Empty Bowls. Potters donate bowls they make at the studio, and the bowls are sold as a fundraiser for the Marion Polk Food Share.
Clay and Kiln Collective
248 Commercial Street NE, Salem
Clay and Kiln Collective is a ceramic arts studio, located upstairs on the same block as the Art Department. They have a fantastic array of classes for all ages and offer various courses on the pottery wheel, from a beginner-friendly kids workshop (ages 7-12) to a pottery wheel date night for you and your partner.
Clay and Kiln Collective also has specific one-time workshops to make everything from mugs to pumpkins to twinkle trees. For those interested in spending more time in the studio, you can join as a member to have access to the wheels and other pottery equipment. Clay and Kiln Collective is also available to host parties or team-building events.
Ash Creek Arts Center
311 Monmouth Street, Independence
The Ash Creek Arts Center offers a great variety of art classes for children and adults. In addition to the typical watercolor classes and classes for kids exploring different media, Ash Creek has recently offered youth printmaking, altered books in mixed media workshops, and painting with ink. Located in downtown Independence, Ash Creek is only open during classes, not for open studio time.
Keizer Art Association
980 Chemawa Road NE, Keizer
Located in the 1916 schoolhouse that also houses the library and museum, the Keizer Art Association is a volunteer-run art resource for the community. They have a small gallery that consistently highlights local artists, and award People’s Choice Awards for popular artworks.
The Keizer Art Association offers a variety of classes for adults, many of them specific one-time workshops to paint a particular scene, typically flowers or still lifes. Weekly classes include a colored pencil techniques course, portrait painting, and watercolor fundamentals. Members enjoy reduced fees for courses and exclusive access to open studio days at the art association.
We Make Art
We Make Art has a novel concept as a traveling art company. They are willing to go anywhere (and do) within 40 miles of Salem. They host a mix of public and private events at venues ranging from private homes and breweries to the public library. Some previous public art classes have included the ever-popular pet painting, a layered wood workshop, and painting classes that change with the season. Many of them are “paint and sip” classes at bars, wineries, and brewpubs, making the event even more festive.
Some of these classes and workshops are inexpensive and last one session, while others require more money and are multi-week explorations of a particular art style or method. Whatever your interest level and budget, you’ll find a class or workshop that speaks to you among the many art classes offered in Marion County.
