The Japan America Society of Iowa (JASI) is engaging communities and schools across Iowa in a project to create 1,000 origami cranes as a symbol of friendship and peace. This project aims to unite people and celebrate the long-standing partnership between Kofu (Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan) and Des Moines, Iowa. Participants across the state are making... Read More →

Spend a Saturday afternoon with artist Kay Flanders and explore your creative side. Participants will be tasked with choosing a theme for their individual painting that fits their interests, such as a landscape or still life, and Flanders will give examples and share techniques to inspire participants. All supplies are included, and no prior painting... Read More →

Join the Muscatine Art Center to celebrate the beauty of Iowa with Tyler Sullivan, a poet, author, and runner. Sullivan will share his many adventures running across the state of Iowa, visiting 96 of the 99 counties. During his trek, he has visited 1,272 cities and 150 museums and attractions. Sullivan is on a mission... Read More →

Join Muscatine County Conservation and the Muscatine Art Center for Father's Day this year! Visit the Muscatine Art Center studio to learn about fatherhood in the animal kingdom. Kids will get to see live animals and hear about their habitats and habits. Then, make a nature-inspired gift to take home to dad for Father's Day!... Read More →

Artist Jim Elias will guide painters in mark-making prompts, explorative ideas, and tips on painting outdoor environments. Supplies will be provided for participants to create their own landscape painting. This “impromptu” workshop will involve as-needed instructions, to allow participants to explore the themes presented on their own. No prior painting experience necessary. Fee is $15,... Read More →

Students will be lead by arts educator Julie Lear to learn about the life and work of an extraordinary artist, Allan Houser. Allan Houser was born to the Apache tribe and became a renowned painter and sculptor, representing themes of the natural world and Native American life. The Muscatine Art Center is proud to host... Read More →

Learn to paint beautiful watercolors using various techniques and learned skills. Follow along as artist Vada Baker guides participants through each step of the painting process, adding your own flair as you go. All supplies are included, and no experience is necessary. These classes do fill up, so advanced registration is required by calling the... Read More →

Classes with arts educator, Julie Lear, offer youth Ages 7-14 a glimpse into the artistic process by featuring a different artist every month. In July the workshop explores the work of Jean Philippe Arthur Dubuffet, a French painter best known for coining the term "Art Brut" to describe artists who were not formally trained and... Read More →

Join us for a free performance of "The School for Spies," a brand-new production with a script from Katie Colletta and original music by Jason Sifford of the Footliters Traveling Playhouse, part of the Coralville Center for Performing Arts. From July 14 through July 18, area kids ages 7 to 18 will audition, rehearse, and... Read More →

Introduce your child to the world of art with FREE art classes at the Muscatine Art Center. Mini Masters classes feature a story and art projects based on a monthly theme. Each art activity is designed to develop fine motor skills and provide fun sensory experiences. English-language classes meet Wednesdays from 9:30 - 10:15 a.m.... Read More →

Join artist Carol J. Anthony for this salon-inspired gathering. Through guided discussion, explore original works of art and strengthen your abilities to analyze and decipher art and the intent of the maker. This workshop will offer peer support to learn to look and discuss components of the artistic process. Beginning and established artists interested in... Read More →

Artist Vada Baker leads this class where participants use watercolors in a unique loose brush technique to create their own painting that has great spontaneity and life. In this fun, intuitive class you can learn how to accept the imperfection of the watercolor medium. Loose watercolor painting embraces unintentional effects that can arise from the... Read More →

Join flower expert and floral artist Bonnie Buelt of Island Floral to learn how to cut, dry, arrange, and preserve flowers from your garden. Participants will see a variety of techniques and design options for wreathmaking, wedding bouquets, and floral décor, and will make their own small dried arrangement to take home with them. All... Read More →

Enjoy the last bit of summer by celebrating the Mini Masters in your life! Meet our teachers, make some crafts, get some "cool" snacks, and more. There is no registration for this free event. All ages are encouraged to come join the fun!

Adult studio offerings at the Muscatine Art Center allow participants to experience a wide variety of artistic media and techniques. In August, you're invited to join artist and arts educator Annette Hovland to explore the art of collage! You'll love the beautiful handmade papers, cutting and pasting colors and textures to create your own collage... Read More →

Thomas Bewick was an English wood-engraver and natural history author of the late 18th/early 19th century. A foremost authority on British birds, he engaged the imagination of many admirers including Charlotte Bronte, who references his work in "Jane Eyre." Students will try their own nature illustration based on the Bewick style in this free workshop. No... Read More →

Our friends from Muscatine County Conservation will visit the Muscatine Art Center with some of your favorite reptiles, including turtles! Stick around for a fun turtle craft celebrating our new “friends!” No registration is required for this free family event.

Join artist Vada Baker for her monthly watercolor technique class, this month exploring the "bokeh" effect. Bokeh refers to the soft, blurry background often seen in photography, creating soft, dreamy effects. Vada will show how this technique can be achieved through various methods, including lifting paint with a brush or sponge or using stencils. Supplies are included, and... Read More →

The new Bilingual Mini Masters is a free art class in partnership with the Diversity Service Center of Iowa to provide Spanish language translations. The classes are offered the fourth Tuesday of the month at 10:30 a.m. for children ages two to seven. These sessions mirror the original Mini Masters classes with a storybook reading... Read More →

Join artist and arts educator Heather Seibel to learn how to use a Gelli plate! Gelli printmaking is a form of monoprint using a gelatin printing plate and acrylic paint. Kids will test their creativity imprinting textures like bubble wrap, fabric, stamps, stencils, plants, and more to create colorful, unique prints. Its easy, fun, and ADDICTIVE! Make... Read More →

Join artist and arts advocate Carol J. Anthony for this salon-inspired gathering using original art from the permanent collection to analyze art and the intent of the maker. Artists are encouraged to bring in a completed piece or a work-in-progress to apply the discussion to their own art. Artists of all levels and general art... Read More →

Join artist Kay Flanders to learn basic acrylic technique and materials. Participants will choose from abstract, florals, or landscape themes to create their own one-of-a-kind painting with tips and techniques shared by artist Kay Flanders to help guide them along the way. All supplies are included, and no experience is necessary. Register by September 4... Read More →

Youth ages 13 and older are encouraged to attend this collage workshop. Participants will use handmade papers and ephemera to create their own landscapes and images using classic collage techniques. This workshop is free but registration is required by September 9 by calling (563) 263-8282.

Join artist and arts educator Heather Seibel to learn about Drum Leaf Bookbinding. The workshop covers techniques for creating a beautifully bound book without sewing or stitching, combining traditional craftsmanship with your own creative expression. Please register by September 12 by calling (563) 263- 8282.

Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton, and John Steuart Curry were central figures in the American Regionalist movement, which celebrated rural Midwestern life and values during the early 20th century. Their work was supported and complemented by secondary artists such as Marvin Cone, Doris Lee, and Charles Burchfield, who also portrayed everyday American experiences with vivid... Read More →

Kids ages 7-14 are encouraged to join Miss Julie at the Muscatine Art Center for her monthly workshops celebrating internationally known artists during their birth month. The September class features Ben Shahn, a Lithuanian born American artist who was inspired by social issues, American consumer culture, and the lives of everyday people, including shopping carts,... Read More →

The new Bilingual Mini Masters is a free class for ages 2-7 held at the Muscatine Art Center in partnership with the Diversity Service Center of Iowa to provide Spanish language translations. The September book selection is Los tres lobitos y el cochino feroz (Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig.) These sessions mirror... Read More →

In celebration of the new "Midwest Icons" exhibit in the Stanley Gallery, art scholar Carol Ehlers will discuss two Iowa artists, Grant Wood and Marvin Cone. The presentation will explore the friendship of these master artists and offer insights into their life stories through their extraordinary bodies of work. Enjoy the exhibition and then join... Read More →

Join artist Carol J. Anthony for this salon-inspired gathering. Through guided discussion, explore original works of art and strengthen your abilities to analyze and decipher art and the intent of the maker. This workshop will offer peer support to learn to look and discuss components of the artistic process. Beginning and established artists interested in... Read More →

Join artist Vada Baker for her monthly Red Barn Studio session exploring the wonders of watercolor. Her September class will show how to achieve vibrant colors in watercolor paintings by using single-pigment paints. You’ll learn how to leverage white space to allow highlights and create stronger contrast, enhancing the vibrant colors of your painting. Please... Read More →

Participants will explore imprinting leaves into clay slabs, either to layer together into a larger bowl or keep separate to create a bowl perfect for keys, jewelry or random odds and ends. Bring your own leaves to experiment with or use leaves provided. The first class is to create and the second is to glaze. Please... Read More →

Experience the Japanese Garden at the Muscatine Art Center in a brand new way! Families will enjoy a storybook, do some yoga and meditative practice together, and finish by creating their own nature journal. There is no cost and no registration required for this fun, family workshop.

Commemorate Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, the Mexican holiday where families come together to honor their loved ones who have passed. Join us for crafts and calaveras/skull face painting with the Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Enjoy bilingual puppet shows presented by Eulenspiegel Puppet Theater and help build an ancestral... Read More →

Students will work with a variety of supplies and templated images to create their own crazy cat painting on canvas. All supplies will be provided and no experience is necessary. Come join the fun! Please register by November 4 by calling the Muscatine Art Center at (563) 263-8282.

Join artist Carol J. Anthony for a guided discussion exploring Grant Wood, John Steuart Curry, and Thomas Hart Benton in the new “Midwest Icons” exhibit. Visitors will “learn to look,” strengthening the ability to analyze and decipher art and the intent of the maker. There is no cost for the session, but registration is required... Read More →

Participants will work with a variety of supplies and preprinted images to create their own holiday cards and decorations. All supplies will be provided and no experience is necessary. Come join the fun! Please register by November 7 by calling the Muscatine Art Center at (563) 263-8282. Fees are $15 or $13.50 for Friends Members.

Celebrate Laura Musser’s upcoming birthday with a special craft creating a bejeweled mirror, just like one of her prized possessions held in the collection. No experience is necessary and all supplies will be provided. Please register by November 13 by calling the Muscatine Art Center at (563) 263-8282.

Enjoy our bilingual Mini Masters program in partnership with the Diversity Service Center of Iowa to provide Spanish language translation. Classes include a favorite storybook reading and arts and crafts for your child aged 2-7. Join us this month on Tuesday, November 18 at 3:30 p.m. No registration required for this free class.

Join the Muscatine Art Center in Davenport to learn about the iconic Karl Zerbe, a painter deemed a “degenerate” by the Nazis, who emigrated to the US to escape persecution. Celebrate his connection to Muscatine and create your own cityscape in the Zerbe style. The workshop is led by Muscatine Art Center and hosted by... Read More →

Pleasant Valley School District art educator Heather Seibel will lead this workshop where kids will have fun designing and creating their own clay holiday ornaments using the clay slab technique. The ornaments can then have layers and textures added for more fun details. Please note that their are two sessions for the class - the... Read More →

Get festive for a good cause! Support Friends of the Muscatine Art Center by attending the Family Festival & Market and be among the very first to purchase ornaments from the Heartfelt & Handmade Ornament Competition. Ornaments purchased during the event will be available to take home that day. The Family Festival & Market includes... Read More →

Join artist Brianna Rivers to craft some felted holiday ornaments. Choose from a variety of templates of adorable felt creations. All supplies are included, and no experience is necessary. Please register by December 9 by calling the Muscatine Art Center at (563) 263-8282.

Join art educator Miss Julie to build your own gingerbread house in this fun family workshop that has become a holiday tradition! All ages are welcome with a fee for each house of $12. Icing is provided to begin basic construction, but participants are asked to bring their own candy for customizing and decorating. Each... Read More →

Enjoy our bilingual Mini Masters program in partnership with the Diversity Service Center of Iowa to provide Spanish language translation. Classes include a favorite storybook reading and arts and crafts for your child aged 2-7. Join us this month on Tuesday, December 16 at 3:30 p.m. No registration required for this free class.

Join the party, even if you have a 9 p.m. bedtime! Gather your family to celebrate the new year—a little early. The fun begins at 10:30 a.m. when families can enjoy making party hats and noise makers, sharing resolutions, and dancing together as we count down to 12:00 noon. At the stroke of noon, get... Read More →

Step into Summer with the Annual Ice Cream Social! Enjoy live music with the Muscatine Civic Chorale kicking off the event with Patriotic Songs. At 1:45 p.m., the Burlington Street Bluegrass Band will make their debut at the Art Center. Join Chris Foss and the Third Floor Jammers at 3:15 PM. Meet artists James Walker... Read More →