Welcome to Cotuit Center for the Arts

Award-winning Cape Cod artist Joe Gallant has been a full-time painter and instructor on Cape Cod for 25 years. He has conducted his popular Big Brush painting workshops for beginners and more advanced students at Cotuit Center for the Arts for a number of years. In 2019 and 2021, Joe also conducted all-day painting workshops sponsored by Cape Cod Collaborative for Cape and Islands public and private school arts teachers. He employs a casual and fun approach to painting instruction that his students enjoy.

Joe has an in-home gallery in Sandwich that is open by appointment. His original art, prints, boxed note cards and boxed Christmas cards are also sold in retail stores and on his website at www.capecodwatercolors.com.

Artist Amy Kelly grew up in Texas and earned a BFA in painting from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. After a lifetime of city living, she fell in love with Cape Cod, a place that now serves as a profound inspiration for her art. The protected woodlands and seashores of Cape Cod have become the muse for her work, reflecting the beauty and fragility of her adopted home. Her art serves as a poignant reminder to appreciate the precious natural wonders that surround us, inviting the audience to connect with the beauty of Cape Cod.

Amy Kelly's art is a celebration of the fragility and natural beauty that surrounds us. In addition to her love for painting, she has cultivated a deep passion for ceramics. Her journey into this art form began as a means to explore three-dimensional expression, leading her to discover her talent for working with precious metal clay. The delicate nature of this medium resonates with her artistic vision, allowing her to create intricate pieces that reflect the beauty of her surroundings. Through her PMC work, she continues to celebrate the fragility of nature, merging her love for the Cape Cod landscape with her hand crafting skills.

More information about Amy and her work can be found at

Moon Compass Studio.

Melanie Gillis is an artist and art teacher. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Boston University and a Master of Arts in Teaching Visual Art from Bridgewater State University. She enjoys teaching a variety of mediums that include drawing, painting, printmaking, mixed media, and clay. She has taught at The Danforth Art Museum at Framingham State University and currently teaches in public school and at the Cape Cod Museum of Art. Melanie loves to teach students of all ages and to encourage them to explore, take chances and develop their creative voice. When Melanie is not teaching art she is engaged in making artworks in a variety of mediums; photography, printmaking, clay, and fiber art.

I’m a retired educator and business owner and have been painting Fantastic Furniture for 20 years. It all started with a class given by my mentor, Ginny Boylan, at the Marblehead Arts Association. Prior to moving to the Cape, I was the co-owner of Yellow Dog Designs. We created custom work for clients on the Northshore of Boston including painted furniture and floorcloths. Currently I paint for pleasure and for a wonderful non-profit called Painting for a Purpose. They hold an annual auction to benefit the Portland Public Schools. One of my chairs was featured on poster promoting the event. Each year I paint dozens of pieces for the auction.

I’m a retired educator and business owner and have been painting Fantastic Furniture for 20 years. It all started with a class given by my mentor, Ginny Boylan, at the Marblehead Arts Association. Prior to moving to the Cape, I was the co-owner of Yellow Dog Designs. We created custom work for clients on the Northshore of Boston including painted furniture and floorcloths. Currently I paint for pleasure and for a wonderful non-profit called Painting for a Purpose. They hold an annual auction to benefit the Portland Public Schools. One of my chairs was featured on poster promoting the event. Each year I paint dozens of pieces for the auction.

Melanie Gillis is an artist and art teacher. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Boston University and a Master of Arts in Teaching Visual Art from Bridgewater State University. She enjoys teaching a variety of mediums that include drawing, painting, printmaking, mixed media, and clay. She has taught at The Danforth Art Museum at Framingham State University and currently teaches in public school and at the Cape Cod Museum of Art. Melanie loves to teach students of all ages and to encourage them to explore, take chances and develop their creative voice. When Melanie is not teaching art she is engaged in making artworks in a variety of mediums; photography, printmaking, clay, and fiber art.

Melanie Gillis is an artist and art teacher. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Boston University and a Master of Arts in Teaching Visual Art from Bridgewater State University. She enjoys teaching a variety of mediums that include drawing, painting, printmaking, mixed media, and clay. She has taught at The Danforth Art Museum at Framingham State University and currently teaches in public school and at the Cape Cod Museum of Art. Melanie loves to teach students of all ages and to encourage them to explore, take chances and develop their creative voice. When Melanie is not teaching art she is engaged in making artworks in a variety of mediums; photography, printmaking, clay, and fiber art.