This is a FREE event open to the public, please RSVP as space is limited

Peterborough Artist Jim Cusmano will present an interesting and informative introduction to the Fine Art of Contemporary Silk Painting. The presentation will include a brief history of the medium from its wax resist origins in China and India during the second century A.D. through its journey to the Indonesia islands where some of the modern materials and techniques were developed. There will be a demonstration of the design and execution process with a Q&A session and an opportunity to try a “Hands On” experience for yourself.

After the talk there will be an opportunity to tour MAXT and connect with other makers and attendees.

“My inspiration comes from Nature. My paintings are all unique “One of a Kind” compositions created by applying transparent liquid French Dyes to White China Silk by hand, using a brush. The silk is stretched on a frame similar to canvas and various resists and holding techniques are used to manage the “Flow” of dye across the silk fabric. The finished painting is steamed to permanently set the colors and is re-stretched for framing. “

James Cusmano is a native New Jersey artist working in Silk, Pastels, Oils, Printmaking, Textile, Pottery and Ceramic Tile. His current focus is on vibrant nature themed paintings using transparent liquid French Dyes on white China Silk. He has a degree in Fine Art and Design from Pratt Institute, NY with specialty studies at School of Visual Arts, Manhattan and VACNJ, Summit, NJ. He has taught silk painting at VACNJ, and at the Center for Contemporary Art, Bedminster. Exhibitions include the Morris County Arts Workshop-Solo, Bernardsville Public Library-Solo, Washington Square outdoor, Gracie Mansion outdoor, Center for Contemporary Art outdoor, and VACNJ Members Shows. Cusmano owned and operated a successful art and framing gallery for over 10 years. His work is included in corporate and private collections ranging from 6” x 6” to 96” x 192”. He currently lives with his wife Christine and Peterborough, NH.

Create a unique suncatcher from your own photograph in this fun introduction to 3D printing.

Lithophanes are images printed in relief, which when held up to a light source reveal a stunning, translucent grey and white photograph.

This class teach students how to use online software to generate a .stl file from your own photograph. The class will focus on teaching students how to import and setup files in PreForm then prepare and begin a print on our Form3 SLA resin printers.

Students will also prepare frames for their finished pieces, which will be ready to pick up at MAXT during the following week.

Students will need to bring a USB key containing a photograph of their choice or have easy access to their photos online. The finished image will be 3" x 4"

Join Kristen from The Vintage Herb Company for this great way to celebrate Earth Day!

Students will learn to safely blend oils and lye in this cold process method to create their own solid dish soap bars. A great introductory step into soap making and sustainable living. Each student will make over 1lb of soap, enough to last for months in the kitchen.

Soap will need to cure in molds for 2+ days, pickup can be arranged at the MAXT entry desk in the following week.

Come and join local artist Hannah Banana and MAXT staff for a fun filled night of community art!

We'll have a host of art materials to share and we encourage you to bring your own. Create art to keep, give or share something you've created. Its a night of free expression for all ages.

This is a FREE event.

Join the incredible Bruce Rosenbaum of ModVic for this flight of fancy. Students will dive into a world of imagination, fusing antique components and modern devices to create a piece straight of Victorian sci-fi.

Over the course of the workshop students will learn steampunk design principals and building techniques to create their own kinetic steampunk vehicle with rider from either an antique loom shuttle (similar to those used at Noone Falls during it’s textiles heyday) or wooden shoe mold. At the end of the workshop students will leave with their own completed sculpture.

About Bruce and ModVic:

ModVic is a Steampunk art and design company started in 2007 by my wife Melanie and myself. Together, we created the first functional Steampunk house in the world.

ModVic repurposes and infuses modern technology and cool gadgets into historic antiques and salvaged objects. We work with clients in the U.S. and internationally to design one-of-a-kind pieces, creatively combining eras and ideas to transform the ordinary into incredible Steampunk functional art.

The Steampunk design process celebrates history through telling the personal stories of individuals, organizations, hotels, bars, restaurants, corporations, museums, brands, and locations by reimagining period artifacts in new and meaningful ways. By repurposing objects, as well as the space around us, we take steps on a path towards re-imagining a better future.

I see Steampunk, the fusion of history + art + technology and adaptive reuse as a beautiful, functional solution to a variety of design challenges. I also believe strongly in achieving a return on “novelty”.

Over the years, our functional art and design business has been prominently featured in the Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, CNN, Huffington Post, NPR and featured on MTV, A&E, Discovery, HGTV and Netflix among many other local and national media

Interested in working with resin but don't know where to start? Join Kerry from The Tragic Whale to create your own, one of a kind, flower petal tray! You'll learn the basics, including mixing, de-bubbling, and removing sharp edges from the finished piece. At the end of this class, you'll have the skills to continue exploring this medium at home. Dried flower petals will be provided. 

Students will need to pick up their cured work from MAXT in the week following the class.

Get ready for spring and summer biking with experts Tausey and Zach. Bring your bikes to this special event for our Repair Cafe to learn how to get them in peak condition and back on the road. FREE

Learn some basics of hand lettering and decorative design with Lorin from Letterly in this special Craft + Beer session.

Grab one of our prepared wood boards and use wood scorch markers guided by Lorin's expert tuition to create your very own decorated, solid wood serving tray. Plus as always your first beer is on us!

Stretch your sewing skills and get started with our long arm quilter here at MAXT. Students will learn how to prepare and load a fabric 'sandwich' for quilting and learn the basics of operating the long arm before practicing on a simple whole cloth piece.

Join us for a fun night of creative watercolors with Liz Knight.

The studio will be set up with watercolors and paper ready for you to relax and explore the magic of watercolor. Liz will demonstrate the fundamentals of mixing and layers and then send you off on your own explorations. Students are encouraged to bring their own projects and enjoy the community of painters. We will share encouragement and tips along the way.

Light refreshments will be provided.

Do you overthink your painting, feel stuck in your head? Do you ever feel locked up or immobilized?
Join local artist Carole Gourvellec in an Intuitive Acrylic Abstract Painting Class and
learn to turn your brain off and be free in your painting.
You will learn how to use a variety of different tools, create texture and add contrast.
Experience how to loosen up and just play, gain ideas and have fun in your artwork.
And simply Let Go.
Join in and capture that fresh, creative spark that you’ve been wanting!

Join Gracie for our ongoing Zentangle series, great for beginners and experienced tanglers - we'll all work on a single tile and set of patterns in this relaxed session. Come to one or join us monthly!

Materials are provided, students are welcome to bring their own preferred supplies.

If you think you are not an artist, or that you have no creativity, or that you can’t even draw a straight line, then this class may be for you.
If you are looking to relax and unwind from the stresses of life, then this class may be for you.
If you are looking for an artistic type of meditation, then this class may be for you!

Anyone can learn the Zentangle Method. When we “tangle”, we draw simple lines that form into patterns; these patterns are put together to create something beautiful.
Zentangle is meditative by nature. It is a great way to take time out and relax. In Zentangle, we start with gratitude, and we believe that everyone has an inner artist, and everyone is creative. Even though we are drawing structured patterns, no two tiles ever come out the same. The size of a Zentangle tile is small, about 4 by 4 inches, so in no time at all you will have created your little masterpiece!

In the fall of 2024, Paul Tuller had the opportunity to visit the workshops of 2 woodturners in Japan. Paul will share some photographs of the visit and talk about the Japanese approach to turning

Paul Tuller has been using Japanese hand tools for woodworking since 1980. Please visit Paul’s website at: www.paultuller.com to learn more about his background.

A wonderful introduction to woodturning and using green wood, this is a perfect introductory class. Bryan will take students through the first steps of safety and use of the wood lathe including tool sharpening and blank preparation. Then students will be guided through turning a bowl with a single gouge using green wood, to produce a beautiful bowl that will naturally change shape into a softened organic form as it dries.

Come and join local artist Hannah Banana and MAXT staff for a fun filled night of community art!

We'll have a host of art materials to share and we encourage you to bring your own. Create art to keep, give or share something you've created. Its a night of free expression for all ages.

This is a FREE event.

Join us for this charming class with Liz Knight.

We all take photographs when we travel, but they are fleeting moments captured in our phones. A travel sketchbook is a way to record important memories with words and visuals. This documentation slows down your thoughts and describes your trip with more detail and emotion.

You will learn basic quick sketching techniques that will help you find your style. Perfection is not the goal, taking the time to reflect and draw has more power than a perfect sketch.

There will be an introduction to perspective, techniques for capturing a space or object quickly and insights into light and contrast. We will use pen and watercolor and create a small sketchbook for you to use during the class.

Students are invited following the class to join Liz’s ongoing Monadnock Sketchers meet ups to draw together throughout the region.

Create your own 30x40 mixed media Wave Art on Canvas with Hannah Banana!

In this workshop, we will explore Hannah Banana's favorite mixed media techniques & mediums while participants create their very own masterpiece.


From light washes to stencils, paint markers, heavy texture paints, even glitter and glow in the dark materials for the adventurous - you will get to explore and unleash your creativity on a large scale canvas.


This workshop will be 6hrs with a 30minute break for lunch whilst our first layers of paints dry.

Join local artist Hannah Banana for this fun introduction and exploration of gouache.

Students will begin by learning how to control gouache colors, how they differ from watercolors and create a piece on pre drawn outline.

The second part of the class with allow students to experiment with technique and create their own unique pieces with guidance from Hannah.

*NEW lower cost registration*

Bring your creativity for this introduction to glass and resin art. Stacey will guide students though designing and building their own 8x10 art piece using glass pieces, ground glass, beads and more. You will then learn how to prepare and pour epoxy resin to turn your design into a framed, finished piece perfect for a sunny spot.

All materials included, students are encouraged to bring inspiration images from photographs to coloring pages.

Resin will need to cure overnight in the studio, MAXT staff will arrange pickup of cured pieces shortly after the class.

Join Gracie for our ongoing Zentangle series, great for beginners and experienced tanglers - we'll all work on a single tile and set of patterns in this relaxed session. Come to one or join us monthly!

Materials are provided, students are welcome to bring their own preferred supplies.

If you think you are not an artist, or that you have no creativity, or that you can’t even draw a straight line, then this class may be for you.
If you are looking to relax and unwind from the stresses of life, then this class may be for you.
If you are looking for an artistic type of meditation, then this class may be for you!

Anyone can learn the Zentangle Method. When we “tangle”, we draw simple lines that form into patterns; these patterns are put together to create something beautiful.
Zentangle is meditative by nature. It is a great way to take time out and relax. In Zentangle, we start with gratitude, and we believe that everyone has an inner artist, and everyone is creative. Even though we are drawing structured patterns, no two tiles ever come out the same. The size of a Zentangle tile is small, about 4 by 4 inches, so in no time at all you will have created your little masterpiece!

Bring some sparkle and shimmer to your life by learning all about stained glass!

Learn to create in stained glass, making a beautiful 5 pointed star in vibrant colored glass. Students will learn how to safely handle glass, to select the correct pieces for their project, cut, grind, foil, solder, and polish. A full introduction to this beautiful artform.

Single session

Learn the basic of leather work in this make and take class with Donlin and Jaya of Horse Hill Studio. Create your own, unique embossed leather key fob - plus your first beer is on us!

Join Stacy for this summery session of glass and resin art. Students will have the opportunity to create 4 coordinating designs, using their own drawings or from patterns and coloring pages in sparkling glass and beads. Stacy will lead you through how to design your piece, cut glass safely, build and resin pour to complete your piece. Your four pieces will be mounted in a beautiful lantern to enjoy during those warm summer evenings.

Students will need to collect their finished pieces after curing (1-2days). We will assist with arranging pickup

A wonderful introduction to woodturning and using green wood, this is a perfect introductory class. Bryan will take students through the first steps of safety and use of the wood lathe including tool sharpening and blank preparation. Then students will be guided through turning a bowl with a single gouge using green wood, to produce a beautiful bowl that will naturally change shape into a softened organic form as it dries.

Come learn to carve a butter knife from a branch! In this class, we will use just one tool, the straight carving knife (sloyd knife), to carve an elegant butter knife from green wood. Students will learn about wood grain, wood selection, design features, knife grips and maintenance, and how to care for your body while carving.  This class is an opportunity to focus entirely on using one tool to make something useful and beautiful with your hands. Students will leave the class with their own finished butter knife, for mixing nut butters, spreading jams, mixing sauces, sauteeing vegetables… 

This is a great class for beginners, as well as folks with some experience carving who are looking to brush up/ reengage and learn a new form! 

Make a BIG impression this summer at MAXT. A full week of art to really show off your creativity, we’ll work on multiple pieces of public art: designing and installing part of our permanent murals at MAXT, creating a Little Free Art Library and designing a mini art trail for public display later in the year. Plus lots of fun and fast large scale art to get that inspiration going!

Junior Creatives is for youth entering Grades 5-8

Join Gracie for our ongoing Zentangle series, great for beginners and experienced tanglers - we'll all work on a single tile and set of patterns in this relaxed session. Come to one or join us monthly!

Materials are provided, students are welcome to bring their own preferred supplies.

If you think you are not an artist, or that you have no creativity, or that you can’t even draw a straight line, then this class may be for you.
If you are looking to relax and unwind from the stresses of life, then this class may be for you.
If you are looking for an artistic type of meditation, then this class may be for you!

Anyone can learn the Zentangle Method. When we “tangle”, we draw simple lines that form into patterns; these patterns are put together to create something beautiful.
Zentangle is meditative by nature. It is a great way to take time out and relax. In Zentangle, we start with gratitude, and we believe that everyone has an inner artist, and everyone is creative. Even though we are drawing structured patterns, no two tiles ever come out the same. The size of a Zentangle tile is small, about 4 by 4 inches, so in no time at all you will have created your little masterpiece!

Bring some sparkle and shimmer to your life by learning all about stained glass!

Learn to create in stained glass, making a beautiful 5 pointed star in vibrant colored glass. Students will learn how to safely handle glass, to select the correct pieces for their project, cut, grind, foil, solder, and polish. A full introduction to this beautiful artform.

Single session

Join Gracie for our ongoing Zentangle series, great for beginners and experienced tanglers - we'll all work on a single tile and set of patterns in this relaxed session. Come to one or join us monthly!

Materials are provided, students are welcome to bring their own preferred supplies.

If you think you are not an artist, or that you have no creativity, or that you can’t even draw a straight line, then this class may be for you.
If you are looking to relax and unwind from the stresses of life, then this class may be for you.
If you are looking for an artistic type of meditation, then this class may be for you!

Anyone can learn the Zentangle Method. When we “tangle”, we draw simple lines that form into patterns; these patterns are put together to create something beautiful.
Zentangle is meditative by nature. It is a great way to take time out and relax. In Zentangle, we start with gratitude, and we believe that everyone has an inner artist, and everyone is creative. Even though we are drawing structured patterns, no two tiles ever come out the same. The size of a Zentangle tile is small, about 4 by 4 inches, so in no time at all you will have created your little masterpiece!

Learn some basics of chainmail jewelry in this special Craft + Beer session.

Eric will teach you how to create a boxchain weave from chainmail links. Everyone will work at their own pace to create at least once piece using the technique from a keychain to a set of earrings or a bracelet.

As always, your first beer is on us!

Add some swirling color to your wardrobe - or get ready for the gifting season, with this fun dye class.

Splash some prepared acid dye colors on your choice of scarf of tie blank and watch them set into beautiful iridescent finished pieces, ready to wear!

As always, your first beer is on us!