Mainstreet Art Center

Mainstreet Art Center offers classes in drawing and painting that include activities such as Drawing & Oil Painting, Pastels & Watercolor, Portrait Painting, plein air painting, figure drawing, portraits from life, perspective drawing, palette knife techniques, and gouache-focused classes like Gouache Fundamentals for Beginners, Just Drawing, Pastel Demonstration, and Dive Deeper into Gouache. Students work with media such as oils, pastels, watercolor, and gouache. The program also includes Open Studio time and access to frames and art supplies.

• Ages: 6–18 years old

Mainstreet Art Center is a school of fine art where artists can develop their skills and share their passion for art. It is open to students of all ages, from 6 to 96, who come together in weekly classes. The center provides a classical foundation in the principles of art, and students learn portraiture, still life, and landscape painting using a variety of media such as oils, pastels, and watercolor. Special workshops are offered featuring highly regarded visiting artists from around the world, and Mainstreet Gallery hosts exhibits celebrating animals and the bond between art and animals.

Mainstreet Art Center has been open since 1994, with the mission statement “Mainstreet Art Center - Creating Artists Since 1994.” The professional staff of instructors have careers as artists, exhibit in galleries throughout the country, teach workshops, and appear in artists publications. Mainstreet attracts students from all over the Chicago area, northern Illinois, and southern Wisconsin.

Last updated May 26, 2026.