Adult Art Classes
Are you a member of the Nicola Valley Community Arts Council? Click here to become a member and take advantage of everything your membership offers: a tax receipt for your membership purchase, ability to register for our programs and to book co-working or studio space, and supporting our mission to connect community through the arts. You can also sign up for our newsletter and stay up to date on all things NVCAC.
We would love your input and we're always looking for workshop teachers! Which art classes for adults would you like to see? Which art classes for adults would you like to teach? Please get in touch with us at programs@nicolavalleyarts.com and let us know.
If you're an instructor and would like to send us a course proposal, please use this form.
Looking for Adult Art Parties? Find them here.
Healing Connection Community Art Classes
Healing Connections is a program of the Arts Council and a community for Merritt and the Nicola Valley. For all who suffer from chronic pain or illness, are part of the support system for someone who does, or simply want to connect with community and resources. While donations are always welcome, all Healing Connections events and art classes are free to attend. A membership for the NVCAC is required ($20 per year) and we have limited grant funding available if this is a barrier. Please reach out to NVCAC director Kerstin Auer (media@nicolavalleyarts.com) for more information or assistance.
Funding for Healing Connections Art Classes has been provided by the BC Interior Community Foundation as part of their Community Prosperity Program.
Beeswax Luminaries with Diana Grimshire
In this Beginner workshop, we will be using hot liquid beeswax to craft glowing luminaries adorned with dried flowers and/or temporary tattoos affixed to the outside. The instructor will supply flowers and tattoos but if you have your favourites pressed, please be sure to bring them. Participants will create sweet-smelling luminaries that give off the smell of summer.
Cost: FREE!
We would like to thank the Interior Foundation of BC for the grant funding via the Community Prosperity Fund that makes these classes possible and free for the community.
When: Saturday, October 18 2025 @ 1 pm to 3 pm
Where: Studio Room at Nicola Valley Community Arts Centre - 2051 Voght St (beside Kekuli Cafe)
Class is completely full - thank you!
Branch Weaving with Kim Walter
Branch weaving is a form of hand weaving that uses a natural tree branch as the loom. It's a popular and accessible craft, especially for beginners. We will supply all the materials for this class, but if you have a special branch you would like to use, or yarn in your favourite colour, please bring it. The branch should have a "Y" or "V" shape for stability and ease to work with.
We will create the warp first, which is the foundation for the weaving, and then weave the weft, which goes under and over the warp threads and creates the design. It's fun to play with different types of yarn and different textures, and even add some natural elements like grasses, feathers, or dried flowers. This is a great way to use your natural treasures!
Maximum 10 participants
Cost: FREE!
We would like to thank the Interior Foundation of BC for the grant funding via the Community Prosperity Fund that makes these classes possible and free for the community.
When: Saturday, October 25 2025 @ 1 pm to 3 pm
Where: Studio Room at Nicola Valley Community Arts Centre - 2051 Voght St (beside Kekuli Cafe)
Instructor: Kim Walter
Kim has enjoyed fibre arts her whole life. Embroidery and sewing were Kim's interest in her younger years. She took up knitting in her twenties. When Kim moved to Merritt, she took up spinning and weaving. Kim loves working with natural materials.
Class is completely full - thank you!
Grief Movement with Marcia Cooper
There isn’t just one way to approach the grieving process. Everyone experiences grief differently, so everyone copes with grief differently, and that’s okay. It can make it a little harder to figure out how to care for yourself when you’re grieving, but it also means that there are a lot of options out there for how to cope with and ease your grief.
Each journey is unique, and no matter our type of grief we often hold our pain within our own bodies. With grief movement we can learn to explore our bodies releasing some of the pain we are experiencing. Consider Grief Movement to be another tool of support.
The Instructor is a Certified Grief Movement Guide, and will be providing 4 sessions that incorporate mindfulness, meditation, and movement to help individuals cope with their grief. All sessions will be done on chairs.
Maximum 10 participants
Cost: FREE!
We would like to thank the Interior Foundation of BC for the grant funding via the Community Prosperity Fund that makes these classes possible and free for the community.
When: Wednesdays, October 15, 22, 29 & November 5
6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Where: Studio Room at Nicola Valley Community Arts Centre - 2051 Voght St (beside Kekuli Cafe)
Instructor: Marcia Cooper BEd, MEd, CCC
Marcia has called the Nicola Valley home for over 40 years. She came to Merritt, initially working with the School District as a teacher then later as a school and district elementary counselor.
Due to Marcia’s extensive personal and professional experience with grief and loss, regardless of the type of loss, she recognized the need for counselling support. In 2018, she started her private practice – “Life, Loss & To Live Again – Online Counselling”.
Blackout Poetry and Zendoodles with Kelly Reid
A bit of poetry, a bit of art, and a lot of healing connections. . .
In this Workshop you will use old books to create poetry by altering existing text. In blackout poetry, text is erased (or blackened) leaving short sections and words that reveal a poem or message. Zendoodling methods will be illustrated to decorate the pages. Zendoodles are a form of meditative doodling that promote relaxation, focus, and creativity.
Maximum 10 participants
Cost: FREE!
We would like to thank the Interior Foundation of BC for the grant funding via the Community Prosperity Fund that makes these classes possible and free for the community.
When: Saturday, November 1, 2025 - 1 pm to 3 pm
Where: Studio Room at Nicola Valley Community Arts Centre - 2051 Voght St (beside Kekuli Cafe)
Instructor: Kelly Reid
Kelly has led sessions for the NV Art Gallery in the past including embroidery, artist trading cards, and Zendoodles. A long-time supporter of the Arts Council, she has also been a presence for many years in the Artisan Gift Shop, stocking socks to fundraise for Literacy Merritt, and selling art together with her son, Joel Reid.
Scratchfoam Printmaking with Vanessa Trenholm
In this Beginner course students will learn through short demonstrations. They will transfer a drawn (or traced) image onto a Scratchfoam board, and then ink and print the image onto paper. The goal will be for each student to develop at least two images from idea phase to final print phase to create a small edition of 3-4 prints on paper.
Students should wear a paint shirt or apron, and have a way to pull their hair back if it is longer. Printmaking can be pretty physical and we will be mostly standing, so students might want to bring a bottle of water and a small snack . We will take 5-10 min break halfway
Maximum 10 participants
Cost: FREE!
We would like to thank the Interior Foundation of BC for the grant funding via the Community Prosperity Fund that makes these classes possible and free for the community.
When: Saturday, November 8, 2025 - 1 pm to 3 pm
Where: Studio Room at Nicola Valley Community Arts Centre - 2051 Voght St (beside Kekuli Cafe)
Instructor: Vanessa Trenholm
Vanessa discovered Scratchfoam printmaking while teaching Spring Break art classes at the Kelowna Art Gallery. She found it to be an easy-to-use material for introducing printmaking techniques. Usually people's first introduction to relief printmaking is lino-cut, which requires carving tools, and a fair investment of time, but with Scratchfoam, students can take a drawing and create a print almost right away. Vanessa teaches an after school youth group at the Merritt Library. Vanessa traditionally hosts an all-ages drop-in holiday card printmaking workshop in December at the Merritt Library.
Pinch Pots (Clay) with Sarah Molnar
Students will craft up to three unique pieces of hand-built pottery, using pinch pot technique. No pottery experience necessary, just a willingness to explore and learn.
The pots will be fired off-site so participants will have to return to pick up their pots from the Art Centre once the pots are fired.
Maximum 10 participants
Cost: FREE!
We would like to thank the Interior Foundation of BC for the grant funding via the Community Prosperity Fund that makes these classes possible and free for the community.
When: Saturday, November 15, 2025 - 1 pm to 3 pm
Where: Studio Room at Nicola Valley Community Arts Centre - 2051 Voght St (beside Kekuli Cafe)
Instructor: Sarah Molnar
Having bought herself pottery lessons for her 40th birthday, Sarah ignited a creative passion working with clay! She enjoys making things with her hands and is also a passionate knitter and new spinner. When not crafting, Sarah is completing her Master's in Counselling Psychology, raising 3 boys and generally enjoying life in Merritt.
Class is completely full - thank you!
Felt Sewing Keeper Project with Barbara Sayles
Make a little traditional "Keeper" for the sewing supplies you can use to make "yo-yos" in the upcoming classes, or as a gift for a budding fabric artisan. Made of felt and decorated as you choose, this hand sewing aid keeps your pins, needles, thimble and thread close at hand. All materials will be supplied including felt, buttons, pins, needles, thimble, scissors, and thread.
Maximum 10 participants
Cost: FREE!
We would like to thank the Interior Foundation of BC for the grant funding via the Community Prosperity Fund that makes these classes possible and free for the community.
When: Saturday, November 22, 2025 - 1 pm to 3 pm
Where: Studio Room at Nicola Valley Community Arts Centre - 2051 Voght St (beside Kekuli Cafe)
Instructor: Barbara Sayles
Barbara has dabbled in spinning, weaving, natural dyes, pottery, lace making, needlework, doll making and always had an interest in home decor. Nowadays, she makes quilts that are hand piece and hand quilted, makes slip covers and small upholstery projects, knits, and draws with watercolour pencils.
Embroidered Yoyo Cushion with Barbara Sayles
NOTE: This is a 2-Part Class.
You are registering for both dates (Nov 29 & Dec 6 2025)
This cushion could be a holiday-themed piece, or use whichever colour speaks to you.
Part 1 (Nov 22): We will be creating fabric yoyos, cover buttons, and embroider/embellish both.
Part 2 (Dec 6) The cushion design can also include embroidery and embellishments like rick-rack or beading, etc.
You will have a completed cushion cover at the end of the class, help will be provided by the instructor to sew the cushion cover if needed.
Maximum 10 participants
Cost: FREE!
We would like to thank the Interior Foundation of BC for the grant funding via the Community Prosperity Fund that makes these classes possible and free for the community.
When: Saturday, November 29, 2025 - 1 pm to 3 pm
Saturday, December 6, 2025 - 1 pm to 3 pm
Where: Studio Room at Nicola Valley Community Arts Centre - 2051 Voght St (beside Kekuli Cafe)
Instructor: Barbara Sayles
Barbara has dabbled in spinning, weaving, natural dyes, pottery, lace making, needlework, doll making and always had an interest in home decor. Nowadays, she makes quilts that are hand piece and hand quilted, makes slip covers and small upholstery projects, knits, and draws with watercolour pencils.
Creative Play - Free Drop-In Art Sessions
Join us twice a month for Creative Play, a free drop-in art session, no registration required! This is a great opportunity to get to know what the Arts Council has to offer, try something new (with our supplies!) or bring a project you are working on.
Meet us at the Artist Studio in the Nicola Valley Arts Centre, every second Tuesday of the month and fourth Thursday of the month, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. No registration required!
Adults only, please.
Find all the dates in our Event Calendar or on our Facebook page.
See you at the Arts Centre!
