Arts Collaborative Medford invites you to a Zine Making Workshop hosted by the Graphic Novel Club at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University. Learn the art of self-publishing in this hands-on session where you’ll design, create and produce your own zine. Discover techniques in collage, storytelling, and layout design, while exploring diverse themes and personal expression. Perfect for artists, writers, and anyone eager to share their voice uniquely. Participants leave with a zine of their…

Arts Collaborative Medford, the new community arts center on Mystic Avenue, is offering a Stitch Resist Shibori workshop led by Medford artist Christine Willis. In the workshop, you'll explore stitch-resist shibori dyeing techniques and make a one-of-a-kind tote bag. With stitch-resist the patterns are created by using a needle and thread to “draw” on your fabric. The stitches resist the dye, creating patterns and color variations. Once your stitching is complete, you'll dye your piece in a dye bath, then remove…

Arts Collaborative Medford presents a Spiral Rope Bracelet Workshop led by Medford artist Sarah Beardslee of Beads by Beardslee. Learn how to create with the spiral rope stitch, and make your own bracelet using glass seed beads and a button. Walk away with a uniquely made bracelet for you or someone you love. No prior experience necessary. All materials included. Cost is $45. Register through the ACM website.  

Arts Collaborative Medford is hosting Life Drawing Boston's monthly long-pose session. Participants will be drawing two one-hour-long poses. This is a social night; come prepared to chat and get to know one another on a deeper level, and feel free to stay and socialize after poses are over. LDB  provides the model, drinks, drawing supplies, snacks, and bumping tunes. Feel free to bring your own sketchbook and tools if desired. There are breaks for socializing, stretching, eating, and getting and…

Arts Collaborative Medford is hosting a workshop for children age 6 and up on making friendship bracelets, a welcomed activity for parents and kids to create together. Have something to say? Say it loud and bright with a DIY giant friendship bracelet. Hang it in your classroom, office, front door, or on your cat. Led by artist Dominique Butori and ACM’s Regina Parkinson. All materials provided; no experience needed. Cost is $35 for adults, $25 for those age 18 and under.…

Arts Collaborative Medford presents a free Haiku Workshop led by Medford poet and ACM board member Gary Roberts. Learn about this traditional Japanese poetry style in all its variety. Use the Will Tenney photos currently on exhibit to write your own haiku, and collaborate with others using casual haiku games. The workshop will include ample wiring and sharing time. No prior poetry experience is needed.  

Arts Collaborative Medford presents a Henna For Beginners Workshop led by artist Karyn Alzayer. Participants will learn about the history, traditions, and application techniques of henna body art. Materials will be provided for each participant to learn and dabble with henna, including a handout and a henna cone for each attendee. Each participant will be able to try henna on their own skin and/or on a provided note card and will also receive a demonstration design from the instructor. No…

Arts Collaborative Medford is offering an Intro to Block Printing workshop led by Medford resident and ACM studio artist Christine Willis. Block printing is a traditional technique that involves carving a design onto a block, which is then used to stamp patterns onto fabric. For this workshop you will choose from an assortment of hand carved wooden blocks from Willis's collection and a vibrant array of inks. You will then explore pattern making using a single or multiple blocks. All…

Arts Collaborative Medford is offering a Stretch Bracelet Workshop led by Medford artist Sarah Beardslee. Create a stretch bracelet that is uniquely your own, using beads of many different materials, including glass, metal, and more. This all-ages workshop is a great way to learn a technique to make jewelry as gifts for the upcoming holidays. You will leave the class with at least one bracelet completed, with the potential to make multiple bracelets during the workshop time. All  materials will…

Arts Collaborative Medford is hosting A Mosaic Project to Combat Forever Chemicals, a four-week program led by Medford artist Susan Altman. Come design and make your own beautiful mosaic water drops, which will join many others as part of a mural outside ACM’s front door. This new public art piece will build awareness and activism to reduce the use of PFAS, or “forever chemicals.” PFAS chemicals make products water-repellant, grease-resistant, and/or heat tolerant, and they are found in thousands of…

Arts Collaborative Medford is hosting a Small Weaving Workshop led by Medford resident and ACM studio artist Christine Willis. In this beginner-friendly workshop you will learn how to set up the warp on your loom; how to do weaving stitches including plain weave, soumak, and rya knots; how to add fringe and tassel; and how to plan and execute your own design. For ages 16 and over. Cost is $80. Register through the ACM website.

Arts Collaborative Medford presents a two-day bookmaking workshop led by Liz Vance. Come explore the craft of bookmaking and dive into two very different book forms. One is a traditional hardcover book with a stitched binding, the other a nontraditional pocket accordion with art "pages" filling its pockets. Designed for all levels. All materials are included. You are welcome to bring in personal collage materials, special pens, and other art supplies you may want to use for embellishment. Sessions will be held…

Arts Collaborative Medford is hosting Life Drawing Boston's monthly long-pose session. Participants will be drawing two one-hour-long poses. This is a social night; come prepared to chat and get to know one another on a deeper level, and feel free to stay and socialize after poses are over. LDB  provides the model, drinks, drawing supplies, snacks, a DJ and bumping tunes. Feel free to bring your own sketchbook and tools if desired. There are breaks for socializing, stretching, eating and…

Arts Collaborative Medford is hosting a three-week Block Printing Immersion Course led by Medford resident and ACM studio artist Christine Willis. Participants will learn how to use a linocut tool to create a  one-of-a-kind linocut/block print. You will then use this block to print on paper and fabric. Included in the price of the class is 1 linoleum block, ink, tools, a set of six greeting cards and a tea towel. You have the opportunity to purchase more blocks, fabric,…

Arts Collaborative Medford is offering a two-day Mural Camp led by Ramiro Davaro-Comas, an Argentine American artist with a background in public art and artist residency management. Learn Mural 101 and practice your spray painting skills. The workshop will cover the basics of spray painting, wall spotting, and illustration scaling, as well as the history street art and graffiti. Sessions will take place from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, October 5 and 6. Cost is $150. Register…

Arts Collaborative Medford presents "Collage as a Door to the Poetic Surreal," a generative workshop led by Leticia Priebe Rocha that pairs the visual art form of collage with collage poetry. Participants will walk away with their own hand-crafted collage and the seeds of poems, deeper knowledge and experience with a visual art form, and a found poetry technique to exercise in their practice. Cost is $20. Get more details and register through the ACM website.  

Arts Collaborative Medford is offering a Stitch Resist Shibori workshop led by Medford resident and ACM studio artist Christine Willis. In the workshop, you'll explore stitch-resist shibori dyeing techniques and make a one-of-a-kind bandana. With stitch-resist the patterns are created by using a needle and thread to “draw” on your fabric. The stitches resist the dye, creating patterns and color variations. Once your stitching is complete, you'll dye your piece in a dye bath, then remove the stitches to reveal your…

Have a jacket that needs a patch? Pants that can get back in the rotation with a quick fix? Come to Arts Collaborative Medford's Mending Workshop  and learn basic mending techniques from knowledgeable sewers. All sewing materials will be provided for both hand sewing and machine sewing. Bring any items you have that need mending, or practice on scrap material. The workshop will cover how to repair ripped seams and tears, patching worn areas, hemming, and replacing buttons. Cost is…

Arts Collaborative Medford presents Poetry 101: Introduction to Rhetoric, a beginner-friendly workshop led by Valeria Cobos, director of Letra Ele in Honduras. Learn how to use storytelling exercises to help you in your everyday life and work. This is a wonderful class to take if you have ever had a story to tell and were looking for a meaningful outlet. The written word is a powerful tool in sharing perspectives . . . join to share yours. Cost is $30.…

Arts Collaborative Medford is hosting a two-day Welt Felting Workshop led by Chelsea Brown of Kēkii Crafts. Over two 2.5-hour classes tonight and Thursday night, students will learn how to wet felt their very own wearable mittens. Techniques include wet felting over a resist, as well as a working knowledge of common wool fiber types, and wet felting with effects fibers such as silk, viscose and bamboo. Each class, students will work on one mitten. Wet felting is time consuming,…

Arts Collaborative Medford is hosting a Paint Night for Palestine event led by Nina Abbas, in collaboration with Medford For Palestine. In this two-hour guided paint session you will create your own Palestinian landscape on canvas. Leave with a beautiful decorative artwork and a deeper sense of the beauty of Palestine. Nina Abbas is an artist and architectural designer originally from Baghdad, Iraq. She has a background in architectural design, and currently practices at an interior design firm in Newton. Her…

Arts Collaborative Medford is offering a Shibori Indigo Dyeing Workshop led by Medford resident and ACM studio artist Christine Willis. Indigo is a natural plant that creates a stunning deep blue color. In this class you will learn about this magical dye and utilize shibori, a Japanese dyeing technique that involves folding, twisting or bunching cloth to create resist patterns. The fabric is bound and dyed in indigo vat. You will unfold your item and it will reveal your one-of-a-kind design.…

Arts Collaborative Medford is hosting a Small Weaving Workshop led by Medford resident and ACM studio artist Christine Willis. In this beginner-friendly workshop you will learn how to set up the warp on your loom; how to do weaving stitches including plain weave, soumak, and rya knots; how to add fringe and tassels; and how to plan and execute your own design. The workshop is designed for ages 10+ with an adult. Cost is $75. Register through the ACM website.

Arts Collaborative Medford is hosting a two-day Welt Felting Workshop led by Chelsea Brown of Kēkii Crafts. Over two 2.5-hour classes tonight and Thursday night, January 30, students will learn how to wet felt their very own wearable mittens. Techniques include wet felting over a resist, as well as a working knowledge of common wool fiber types, and wet felting with effects fibers such as silk, viscose and bamboo. Each class, students will work on one mitten. Wet felting is…

Arts Collaborative Medford is offering a Community Indigo Dye Vat Session led by ACM artist and Medford resident Christine Willis. Indigo is a millennia old plant dye that can create a wide range of blue hues. During his lab-style workshop, participants are invited to bring their own clothing items and fabric to dye in the indigo vat. Note: This an open indigo dye vat session, not a teaching workshop. Willis will demonstrate some simple shibori folding techniques and provide twine…

Arts Collaborative Medford presents a Vision Collage Workshop, "Manifest Your Dreams," led by Regina Parkinson and Na Lee. This engaging and interactive session is designed to help you clarify your goals, spark creativity, and manifest the life you desire. Using a variety of materials, you'll craft a personalized vision board that visually represents your aspirations — whether they involve career success, personal growth, relationships, or self-care. With guidance, you’ll explore your intentions and learn how to align your vision with…

For school vacation week, Arts Collaborative Medford is offering a kids edition of its Shibori Indigo Dyeing workshop led by ACM studio artist and Medford resident Christine Willis. Indigo is a natural plant that creates a stunning deep blue color. In this class you will learn about this magical dye and utilize shibori, a Japanese dyeing technique that involves folding, twisting or bunching cloth to create resist patterns. The fabric is bound and dyed in indigo vat. You will unfold…

Arts Collaborative Medford invites you to a free sewing circle led by Rania Abdalla Kadafour, one of the artists whose work is featured in ACM's current exhibition, "The Threads That Tie Us." Rania is hosting a series of sewing circle where participants will collaboratively quilt the poetry of Marcellus Khalifa Williams. Missouri executed Williams last September despite doubts about the integrity of his murder conviction based on DNA evidence indicating his innocence. While on death row for 24 years, poetry…

Arts Collaborative Medford is offering another Intro to Block Printing workshop led by Medford resident and ACM studio artist Christine Willis. Block printing is a traditional technique that involves carving a design onto a block, which is then used to stamp patterns onto fabric. For this workshop you will choose from an assortment of hand carved wooden blocks from Willis's collection and a vibrant array of inks. You will then explore pattern making using a single or multiple blocks. All…

Arts Collaborative Medford is offering a Bead Embroidery Workshop led by Sarah Beardslee of Beads by Beardslee. Learn the basics of bead embroidery, stitching around a cabochon (a stone that is flat on the back) with small beads, to create a pendant or brooch. Once the technique is learned, you can create many different designs. Your design won’t be complete by the end of the class, as it will take hours to complete your project, but you will have all…

Arts Collaborative Medford introduces a new series of Live Figure Drawing Sessions, which will be held every other Tuesday evening at the community arts center. These are in-person, non-instructor led sessions with a nude or lightly clothed model striking a mixture of short and long poses — starting at one minute and working up to a 15- or 20-minute pose. A studio monitor will be present to assist the model and participants. Attendees should bring their own materials. ACM will…

Calling all artists or anyone who wants to make their own sketchbook or journal. Arts Collaborative Medford is offering an Intro to Bookbinding workshop led by Medford resident and ACM studio arts Christine Willis. In this workshop you will make one 5 1/2 x 8 inch hand-stitched book bound together with a French Link stitch. This binding is perfect for a sketchbook or journal because the exposed binding allows the book to lay flat when open. For over 20 years Willis…

Arts Collaborative Medford is hosting a two-session workshop by mosaic artist Susan Altman on how to create a mosaic to decorate a 6-inch terra-cotta flower pot. Session One on March 17 will cover the basics of adhesives for outdoor mosaics and an easy way to apply mosaic tiles to a curved surface, and you'll start designing your pot. The instructor will mix some thinset (adhesive) and show you how to apply it. In Session Two on Monday, March 24, you…

Arts Collaborative Medford presents the workshop Queer Reflections: Exploring the Queer Body Through Collage, a hands-on workshop led by Cambridge-based writer and multidisciplinary artist Na Lee. Through the transformative practice of collage, participants will explore personal and collective queer identities, using layering, fragmentation, and reassembly as creative tools for self-expression. This session offers a supportive space to reflect on the queer body, reimagine representation, and engage in meaningful artistic exploration. No prior experience necessary all materials provided. Cost is on…

Arts Collaborative Medford is offering a new series of Live Figure Drawing Sessions, held every other Tuesday evening at the community arts center. These are in-person, non-instructor led sessions with a nude or lightly clothed model striking a mixture of short and long poses — starting at one minute and working up to a 15- or 20-minute pose. A studio monitor will be present to assist the model and participants. Attendees should bring their own materials. ACM will have some…

Mystic Makerspace presents a Mending Workshop at Arts Collaborative Medford, the community arts center on Mystic Avenue. Have a jacket that needs a patch? Pants that can get back in the rotation with a quick fix? Come learn basic mending techniques from knowledgeable sewists. All sewing materials will be provided, for hand sewing and using sewing machines. Bring in any items you have that need mending or practice on scrap material. The instructor will cover how to repair ripped seams…