10 West Virginia classes that will turn ANYONE into an artist

Set aside the stick figures and get hands-on with an art class in West Virginia. Whether you want to learn to make pottery, paint or craft jewelry, art classes in the Mountain State will have you creating like a pro in no time. Check out some of the many great art classes you can take right here in the Mountain State:

1.  Taylor Books is one of roughly two dozen local businesses featured on the monthly Downtown Charleston ArtWalk. Here, you’ll find everything from new and used books to art exhibits to independent film showings in the basement micro theater. You can also order up a latte, wine or craft beer while you sit in the café and enjoy some live music. So, it’s only fitting that such a diverse place also offer classes and workshops on a variety of subjects, from wheel-turned pottery to songwriting.

2. Rivers Studio and Gallery in Harpers Ferry offers classes and camps throughout the year on unique projects, like press mold ornaments. Participants design an ornament out of clay, then use it to create a press mold to make a set of matching ornaments — a fun and creative way to craft family mementos.

3. The Huntington Museum of Art offers a wide variety of classes, including watercolor and oil painting, figure drawing and clay wheel throwing and hand building. If you’re feeling creative but don’t know which medium you feel like working in, HMA even schedules open studio days during which artists can use the museum’s facilities, equipment and open studio space while they enjoy the company of fellow artists.

4. At Tamarack: The Best of West Virginia, the West Virginia artist marketplace at the Beckley Travel Plaza, you can learn how to make your own hand-blown glassware under the guidance of resident artist John DesMeules. Additional courses cover a variety of mixed media and the culinary arts.

5. Arts and Thoughts in Teays Valley specializes in “creative art for healthy living,” with four- and six-week courses in painting and pottery for both children and adults. You can also sign up for a single-day class and create a painting or piece of pottery to take home or select a piece of ready-to-paint pottery to customize.

6. The Parkersburg Art Center offers classes for all ages, from 18 months to adult, making for a great family bonding experience. Adult and teen classes include small-scale still life watercolor, art journaling and beginning guitar. Younger children can mimic the work of famous artists or create their own holiday clay masterpiece. And for that creative kid in your life, you can even purchase a gift certificate to be used toward an art class.

7. Oglebay Institute in Wheeling has fall, winter and spring semester classes as well as single-day classes for all ages from toddler to adult. Participants can study, art, dance, nature, theater and history. Course subjects include everything from mosaics for beginners to method acting to jewelry making—and many of the classes take place on the beautiful grounds of Oglebay Resort, home of The Good Zoo and the Winter Festival of Lights. 

8. The Chuck Mathena Center in Princeton is known for its Daylight Art Series of Wednesday afternoon classes, each one addressing a different theme. In upcoming classes, you can make your own string art twine-sewn greeting cards or create a painting in the style of Vincent Van Gogh while you learn about the history of the artist.

9. Randolph Community Arts Center is the creative hub of Elkins, with classes for all ages on a variety of subjects including traditional drawing, painting and pottery. You’ll also find a slew of other classes on such diverse subjects as wool felting, stained glass and even culinary art, so you can impress folks at your next holiday dinner with your own homemade New York-style cheesecake!

10. The Wow! Factory is a craft entertainment studio for all ages. Learn glass-fusing, mosaics, clay building and more. It’s also the perfect spot for groups or events.

Where’s your favorite place to get your creative juices flowing?

This post was last updated on March 2, 2022