Classes

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.

After decades of teaching drawing and painting to children and adults it is her conviction that thinking you have no ability or so-called “talent” can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Creativity can be learned and this is one of the premises of her classes, to dispel all the misconceptions about art. Her focus is to relax, inspire confidence, encourage and minimize inhibitions while enjoying the journey of creating.

Before moving to Cape Cod she taught painting in her home studio in Millis, Ma. Conducted workshops and classes at Boston Public Library, Copley Society of Boston, art guilds, schools and libraries on Cape Cod, in Rhode Island, the North Shore and New Hampshire.

She was the founder/director of the Stoney Brook Arts Guild at the Stoney Brook Nature Center in Norfolk, Ma. Since moving to the Cape she has taught at Falmouth Arts Guild, Sandwich Arts Alliance, Cape Cod Arts Assoc. Upper Cape Tech. H.S. and Cotuit Center for the Arts where she loves being a part of for the past several years.

Canadian-American artist Jackie Reeves uses mixed media to bring together figurative and abstract elements in her art. She was raised in Montreal by architect parents and studied design art at Concordia University. Her artistic career began as a professional mural painter for corporate, private and public spaces. Concurrently, Reeves co founded the Plymouth Community Art Center. In 2010 she earned her MFA in painting at Massachusetts College of Art and Design at the Fine Art Work Center in Provincetown. She has since exhibited in solo and group shows in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington DC and North Carolina. She has been profiled in numerous publications including WHITEHOT Magazine, the Boston Globe, Art New England and Artscope Magazine.

Reeves is an active member of the Cape Cod community offering mentorship through her art classes, public art and work with youth in creating murals that tackle issues of inclusion, diversity and acceptance.

Jackie works out of the Old Schoolhouse Studios in Barnstable Village and lives with her husband and three daughters in Sandwich, Massachusetts.

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.

Chelsey is a licensed independent clinical social worker in private practice who loves using holistic and expressive techniques like art in her healing work. As a talk therapist, Chelsey has learned the value of nonverbal healing techniques (art, movement, play, and energy work) so SoulCollage® has been the perfect fit for her both in her professional healing work and in her own spiritual growth. After renting office space from a SoulCollage® facilitator and diving into the creation of her own SoulCollage® deck, Chelsey completed her facilitator training in May of 2024. It is her joy to hold space where people can deepen their relationships with their inner selves, their community, and their higher power. Chelsey is trained in trauma and attachment informed techniques and provides individual therapy to adults seeking to heal their inner child. To learn more about her clinical work you can find her at www.primaveralcounseling.com

Ana Johnson-Moore is a professional artist originally from Bucharest, Romania, now living and creating on Cape Cod. With watercolors and gouache as her preferred mediums, Ana’s work merges vibrant imagination with influences from vaporwave music, anime, 80s neon, and horror novels. Her artistic themes range from nautical scenes and surreal compositions to whimsical, anime-inspired cats enjoying coffee.

Creating art since she could hold a pencil, Ana continues to explore and experiment, channeling her passion not only into her own creations but also into teaching. By sharing her skills in the classroom, Ana helps build a stronger, more connected creative community.

Her work has been showcased in galleries across the Northeast and featured in international art publications. She deeply values collaborations with local businesses to foster vibrant artistic networks. Through her art, Ana captures the unique soul of the places she explores, blending her love of travel and creativity.

When not painting, Ana enjoys beachside walks, diving into a good book, or relaxing with vinyl records and gourmet coffee.

Ana Johnson-Moore is a professional artist originally from Bucharest, Romania, now living and creating on Cape Cod. With watercolors and gouache as her preferred mediums, Ana’s work merges vibrant imagination with influences from vaporwave music, anime, 80s neon, and horror novels. Her artistic themes range from nautical scenes and surreal compositions to whimsical, anime-inspired cats enjoying coffee.

Creating art since she could hold a pencil, Ana continues to explore and experiment, channeling her passion not only into her own creations but also into teaching. By sharing her skills in the classroom, Ana helps build a stronger, more connected creative community.

Her work has been showcased in galleries across the Northeast and featured in international art publications. She deeply values collaborations with local businesses to foster vibrant artistic networks. Through her art, Ana captures the unique soul of the places she explores, blending her love of travel and creativity.

When not painting, Ana enjoys beachside walks, diving into a good book, or relaxing with vinyl records and gourmet coffee.

Ana Johnson-Moore is a professional artist originally from Bucharest, Romania, now living and creating on Cape Cod. With watercolors and gouache as her preferred mediums, Ana’s work merges vibrant imagination with influences from vaporwave music, anime, 80s neon, and horror novels. Her artistic themes range from nautical scenes and surreal compositions to whimsical, anime-inspired cats enjoying coffee.

Creating art since she could hold a pencil, Ana continues to explore and experiment, channeling her passion not only into her own creations but also into teaching. By sharing her skills in the classroom, Ana helps build a stronger, more connected creative community.

Her work has been showcased in galleries across the Northeast and featured in international art publications. She deeply values collaborations with local businesses to foster vibrant artistic networks. Through her art, Ana captures the unique soul of the places she explores, blending her love of travel and creativity.

When not painting, Ana enjoys beachside walks, diving into a good book, or relaxing with vinyl records and gourmet coffee.

Canadian-American artist Jackie Reeves uses mixed media to bring together figurative and abstract elements in her art. She was raised in Montreal by architect parents and studied design art at Concordia University. Her artistic career began as a professional mural painter for corporate, private and public spaces. Concurrently, Reeves co founded the Plymouth Community Art Center. In 2010 she earned her MFA in painting at Massachusetts College of Art and Design at the Fine Art Work Center in Provincetown. She has since exhibited in solo and group shows in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington DC and North Carolina. She has been profiled in numerous publications including WHITEHOT Magazine, the Boston Globe, Art New England and Artscope Magazine.

Reeves is an active member of the Cape Cod community offering mentorship through her art classes, public art and work with youth in creating murals that tackle issues of inclusion, diversity and acceptance.

Jackie works out of the Old Schoolhouse Studios in Barnstable Village and lives with her husband and three daughters in Sandwich, Massachusetts.