A welcoming, drop-in teen art studio—where you can explore new materials, make friends, and grow as an artist.
Creative exploration and community go hand in hand at Teen Art Studio (TAS) for ages 13 to 18. Guided by a teaching artist, you can try new materials, develop your own ideas, and connect with others in a relaxed environment. It’s a space to grow as an artist and have fun doing it.
Come as you are. No pressure, just possibilities.
Every Second Saturday of the month, the studio becomes a creative zone where you can try something new, meet people who get you, and see your ideas come to life—with guidance from a teaching artist and no pressure to be perfect.
Come once or as often as you like.
Teen Art Studio is a drop-in program, so you can come once or as often as you like. Many teens return month after month to build skills, portfolios, and friendships. Teaching artist Shana Bazelmans brings experience, guidance, and creative prompts to help your ideas take shape. It’s not just about making art—it’s about feeling seen and inspired.
Reserve your spot—it helps us prep materials, and you can still drop in if you decide last-minute.
What to Know
When: Every Second Saturday, 10:30am–1:30pm
Where: American Mural Project, 90 Whiting Street, Winsted, CT
Cost: $5 materials fee per session, or free with an AMP Student Membership ($25/year)
What’s included: All materials, mural exhibit admission, and access to Family Day activities
How to join: Reserve your spot—it helps us prep materials. Walk-ins are also welcome.
The Teen Art Studio 2025–26 Season
Every Second Saturday, 10:30am–1:30pm
September 13
October 11
November 8
December 13
January 10
February 14
March 14
April 11
May 9
June 13
AMP’s Teen Art Studio is one of the few drop-in teen art programs in Northwest Connecticut where young artists can explore painting, sculpture, and mixed media in a welcoming studio environment. Whether you’re looking for teen art classes in CT or creative things to do for teens in Winsted, TAS offers a hands-on, community-based experience every Second Saturday—no prior experience needed.
Reserve your spot: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/teen-art-studio-amp-tickets-1513856307969?aff=oddtdtcreator
Spend an afternoon writing poetry that draws on your own work experiences, surrounded by AMPs monumental artistic tribute to workers.
About the Workshop:
Write about the work that shaped your life—surrounded by an indoor mural that honors it. This half-day workshop invites older adults to explore their own stories of work, purpose, and identity through poetry.
Guided by poets Steve Straight and Elizabeth Thomas, you will reflect on personal experiences, draw inspiration from AMP’s mural, and craft original poems in a relaxed, artistic setting. No prior writing experience is needed.
Who It’s For:
Adults ages 55+ who are interested in exploring creative writing, whether you’re a longtime journaler or trying poetry for the first time, you’ll find resonance with others in a group where every story matters.
What to Expect:
A guided creative poetry writing workshop designed for older adults
Inspiration drawn from AMP’s 120-foot indoor mural of American workers
Supportive instruction from two respected poet-educators
Opportunities to explore, create, share, and connect
Time to explore AMP’s inspiring mural gallery
Meet the Instructors:
Steve Straight is a poet and retired professor of English and director of the poetry program at Manchester Community College. His book Affirmation received the 2023 William Meredith Award for Poetry.
Elizabeth Thomas is a poet, educator, and founder of UpWords Poetry. A Master Teaching Artist for the Connecticut Office of the Arts and The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, she leads poetry workshops nationwide.
About the Mural Gallery at AMP:
AMP’s spacious mural gallery, set in a renovated historic mill building, combines industrial charm with a distinctive artistic atmosphere. Its centerpiece is the incredible indoor mural—120 feet long and five stories high—that celebrates American workers on a grand scale.
With the mural as the backdrop to the workshop—and three levels for viewing and reflecting—you’ll have a rare opportunity to write in a space that honors creativity, work, and the stories that shape us.
You will leave with new poems, fresh inspiration, and a deeper appreciation for your own work stories—and how those stories connect to others and to the mural.
Register today!
Imagine, Write, Create!
Led by author and artist Dana Rau
September 13 I 1:30pm
It’s not every day your child gets to play word games with a published children’s book author. Dana Rau brings a fun, hands-on approach to writing and art games, sparking creativity and curiosity in kids of all ages. Through a series of imaginative activities, kids will explore storytelling and art—and enjoy the thrill of creating together while making something truly their own.
Whether your child loves words, pictures, or just wants to try something new, they’ll leave feeling inspired about what they’ve created and excited to keep exploring. Mark your calendar and join the fun!
About Author-Artist Dana Rau
Dana Meachen Rau is the author of over 350 books for children, spanning early readers, nonfiction, and picture books. As a teacher with a background in both writing and visual art, Dana brings a lively, interactive approach to her workshops, encouraging kids to express themselves through words, images, and play.
Part of AMP’s Family Day series in Winsted, CT, this hands-on workshop invites kids and parents to explore writing and art with a published children’s author—perfect for sparking creativity at the start of the school year.
Schedule of Activities
Doors Open 10am
Teen Art Studio 10:30am
Story Time & Craft 11am
Art & Explore 12pm
All-ages art activity, scavenger hunt, kid-friendly tour.
Interactive Program 1:30pm
Sponsors
AMP’s Family Days are supported by the generosity of the Comis Foundation and Torrington Savings Bank. The Teen Art Studio is made possible in part by the Torrington Savings Bank Foundation.
This workshop will focus on pinch, slab and coil handbuilding techniques enriched by demonstrations on sculpting small and large forms designed for indoor and outdoor installation.
Saturday, October 4 | 7 to 9 pm
Member: $300; VIP: $650; General Admission: $350
The Aldrich is thrilled to share that our signature biennial benefit, Aldrich Undercover, will take place on Saturday, October 4 from 7 to 9 pm. This lively “secret” art sale—featuring work by artists who have exhibited at the Museum whose identity is only revealed after a work of art has been purchased—raises critical funds that directly support The Aldrich’s mission to serve as a leading incubator for artists at critical creative junctures, providing a collaborative platform that engages and inspires.
More than 85 artists will contribute 9 x 12-inch original artworks priced at $550 each and sold anonymously. All guests will enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. VIP ticketholders receive special priority access to the sale for a limited time.
All proceeds benefit The Aldrich’s dynamic exhibitions and education programs. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, the Museum depends on the generous support of friends like you.
Saturday, August 23 | 10:30 to 11:30 am
$30 per family (up to 5 people); Pre-registration required
Sensory Saturday is a program designed for children (ages 4-12) with developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, those on the autism spectrum and their family members.
The program includes exploration in the galleries in a relaxed environment and the discovery of contemporary art through touch, sound, and movement. In The Studio, participants will engage in a hands-on art-making project inspired by the current exhibitions.
Saturday, August 9 | 10:30 to 11:30 am
$22 per person, plus one care partner free of charge; Pre-registration required
Join us for Care and Connection, an access program designed to provide a welcoming and engaging museum experience for visitors living with memory loss, and their care partners.
Access Specialist Holly Lapine will facilitate a meaningful conversation with all participants inspired by the artwork on view in the Museum’s galleries, with memories and personal connections taking center stage.
Saturday, July 19 | 3 to 5 pm
Free
Join us for an outdoor conversation between artists Martin Beck and Elle Pérez, moderated by The Aldrich’s Associate Curator, Eduardo Andres Alfonso. Taking place in the Museum’s newly renovated Sculpture Garden—weather permitting—this talk will explore the intersection of each artist’s practice and dives into the current exhibition, Martin Beck: … for hours, days, or weeks at a time, on view until October 5, 2025.
Martin Beck is known for his research-driven installations and projects that examine the social, political, and material conditions of exhibition-making and display. Elle Pérez’s intimate photographs center on queer identity, vulnerability, and the quiet power of everyday moments, often blurring the line between portraiture and personal narrative.
Enjoy drinks and coffee by Ursa Roastery in the Sculpture Garden from 3 to 5 pm, with a cash bar and conversation that begins at 3:30 pm. The talk will include an audience Q&A—an invitation to listen, reflect, and connect.
Free admission!
Visit the Museum for FREE the third Saturday of every month as part of our Third Saturdays program.
Participate in a Story Time at 10:30 am, a Discovery Tour of Nickola Pottinger: fos born, Zak Prekop: Durations, Martin Beck: … for hours, days, or weeks at a time, and Aldrich Projects | Julia Bland: Woven in the Reeds at 1 pm, and drop-in to The Studio for art-making activities.
1 to 2 pm
$5 for Senior Members; $8 Seniors (includes Museum admission)
Join us for this in-person gallery tour of highlighted works from our current exhibitions, guided by Education and Access Specialist Holly Lapine, reserved specifically for senior adults ages 60 and above!