💜 of MA: Add More Art to Your Life

Focus on All Things New England! [New England Focus Logo]( Add More Art to Your Life Admire masterpieces, encounter public art, or try your hand at creating a special piece. [Logo]( Sponsored by: [The Heart of MA]( [Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism]( [Changing exhibitions at ArtsWorcester] Changing exhibitions at ArtsWorcester often feature works submitted by more than 100 artists. ArtsWorcester You don’t have to travel to far-flung locales to see world-renowned art, nor do you have to shell out big bucks to learn a new creative skill. Stunning museums, thought-provoking public exhibits, and a wide variety of art classes make central Massachusetts a place to feel inspired and encouraged to express yourself. Here are nine fun ways to add more art to your life. Ponder Contemporary Pieces by New England Artists [ArtsWorcester’s]( rotating exhibits feature contemporary works by emerging and established artists. You can stop by to see the newest installations at the organization’s gallery on Portland Street. And if you find yourself wishing you could take a painting off the wall and hang it in your living room, consider attending Art on the Line, an annual fundraiser featuring pieces donated by living artists. Open Your Heart to Public Art The most romantic of all public art displays in New England is free to discover every day of the year. Heart sculptures are scattered all over Framingham. The project, called “[Many Cultures, One Heart](,” highlights the diversity of the city with designs by Black, Indigenous, Latino, Asian, Brazilian, Jewish, white, multiracial, disabled, and LGBTQ+ artists of all ages. There’s an interactive map of all 32 sculptures online (along with videos from the artists), though you’ll easily spot four hearts if you go for a stroll near City Hall. Sit Down at a Pottery Wheel If you’ve always wanted to sculpt a vessel on a spinning pottery wheel, it’s high time you signed up for a ceramics class at the [Worcester Center for Crafts](. Those new to the world of ceramics can register for an introductory course. Despite its beginner label, it’s still a fast-paced class that covers operating the wheel, the basics of clay working, and how to get creative with your pieces. Color Your World Watching sunlight stream through your window on a frigid afternoon is a treat in itself, though hanging up a piece of handmade stained glass could really up the ante. At the drop-in “hodgepodge” workshops at [Periwinkle Art & Glassworks]( in Groton, you can create a colorful piece with scraps of glass, shells, and other sparkling treasures. Kaleidoscopic (and colorful) patterns on the floor are just a bonus. [Escape the chill!]( Discover the vibrant Heart of Massachusetts—just an hour from Boston, Providence, Hartford, or Manchester. Our guide unlocks endless adventures in this colorful season. Stay, play, and embrace cherished traditions! [Read Now]( SPONSORED [Fitchburg Art Museum] Douglas Kornfeld’s colossal red Thurston outside the Fitchburg Art Museum was fabricated by local students. Fitchburg Art Museum Admire the Classics Appreciate fine art from around the world in the heart of Fitchburg, where the ivy-covered [Fitchburg Art Museum]( showcases pieces in a range of media across its 20,000 square feet of gallery space. Rotating exhibitions span cultures and points of view, while the ongoing Evoking Eleanor curation tells the story of the museum’s founder, Eleanor Norcross, through her own paintings and belongings. Get Kids’ Creative Juices Flowing during School Vacation Got a whole week of freedom with nothing planned? Sign the family up for art classes at [ConnectED & Inspired]( in Milford, a studio offering a variety of courses for aspiring artists young and old. Kids’ sessions are meant to foster artistic confidence and ability through guided activities. They’ll work with canvas, clay, fabric, paper, and other materials to create one-of-a-kind pieces. See Art in the Wild Harvard’s [Fruitlands Museum]( puts art and a beautiful landscape—some 210 acres of it—on display. In that pastoral setting, an outdoor exhibit called The Edge of Becoming by Rachel Hayes invites viewers to reflect on their connection to the world. The 100-foot-long installation, on view through April 1, 2024, is made up of brightly colored fabrics, recalling some of the Shaker textiles in the museum’s collection. The piece complements Hayes’ indoor exhibition of large color-block textile hangings called Transcending Space, which evokes an array of artistic movements, challenging the traditional meaning of “women’s work.” [Plain View Farm’s friendly alpacas] Amazing Night by Sasha Kuznetsova represents ātac: downtown arts + music’s mission to foster community and creativity through increased access to the arts. Take a Mural Walk in Worcester Many of [Worcester’s larger-than-life painted murals]( debuted during the city’s former POW! WOW! festival, and they remain visible for visitors to photograph and enjoy. On a short walk, you’ll glimpse the blue-and-red work of Greek artist Insane 51 on one side of the Hanover Theatre, an Indigenous depiction by Marka27 on a wall of the Federal Plaza parking garage, and the faces of Askew One on the YWCA building on Salem Street. Enroll in a Beginner-Friendly Watercolor Class Try your hand at artmaking at the [Danforth Art Museum]( in Framingham, which offers classes ranging from drawing to palette-knife painting. Newbies might opt for the popular Beginning Watercolor class, where students learn about different types of paper and brushes, as well as color mixing and basic techniques. After class, wander the museum’s galleries to admire pieces dating from the eighteenth century to today. [Ad-300x250]( SPONSORED [New England]( [TRAVEL]( [FOOD]( [LIVING]( [WEEKENDS WITH YANKEE TV]( [YANKEE MAGAZINE]( [SHOP]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Pinterest]( You received this email because you signed for updates from [NewEngland.com](. If you do not wish to receive our regular e-mail newsletters in the future, please [click here to manage your preferences or unsubscribe](. *Please do not reply to this e-mail* © 2024 Yankee Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. 1121 Main Street | P.O. 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