The Whitemarsh Art Center enriches the community by fostering inspiration, appreciation and engagement in the arts for people of all ages and abilities.
Our History
In 1964, the Whitemarsh Art Center began humbly at Dena Sher's home, with the help of Dorothy Nofer and Julia Cottrell. Its mission was to provide after-school arts programming for children. The following four years saw continued growth and increased support by Whitemarsh Township. In 1970, the Township gifted the Art Center its long-established home: a historic 1730 farmhouse in Cedar Grove Park. Led by Denise Maggetti Nowak, in 1991 the original 400-square-foot space more than doubled in size, including a new art studio with an accessible entrance.
What began as children's programming quickly evolved to offer classes for all ages and experience levels. Early offerings included dance and meditation, often held in the Barn next door, where we continue to host our larger workshops and events. A membership-based Board of Directors meets regularly to provide vision, policy guidance, financial oversight, and promotion for the Art Center. Countless volunteers have been and continue to be vital in making the Art Center an ongoing asset to our community. The Art Center is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation.
Who We Are
The Whitemarsh Art Center is built on a foundation of community spirit, driven by the invaluable contributions of our volunteers. Together with our wonderful staff and inspiring teachers, we create a nurturing environment where our talented artists can explore, learn, and grow, making each class experience truly enriching.
The Whitemarsh Art Center provides both day and evening programming for children and adults. Our children's mixed-media classes offer a safe and engaging environment to explore clay, paint, drawing, and sculpture. These classes utilize diverse mediums like collage and printmaking while demonstrating art as the practical application of S.T.E.M. concepts. The Art Center also offers a children's summer art camp for students aged 6–10.
Our adult classes concentrate on clay, encompassing functional and sculptural pieces created through wheel throwing and hand-building techniques. Painting classes are available for all levels, from beginners to experienced artists. Additionally, we offer workshops in a variety of other mediums, including bookmaking, drawing, jewelry, sculpture, and printmaking.
Cultivating Humanity Through S.T.E.A.M.
At the Whitemarsh Art Center, we believe in the power of art to foster essential human qualities: creativity, empathy, innovation, and personal expression. Through artistic exploration, our students learn to observe with greater nuance, to experiment without fear of failure, and to translate their inner world into tangible forms, developing a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world
By integrating the rigor of S.T.E.A.M. with the boundless potential of human creativity, we empower our artists to not only master skills but also to cultivate their humanity, fostering a deeper connection to themselves and the world around them.
Art is a powerful and tangible outcome of S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) principles. We believe that S.T.E.A.M. provides the essential tools – the scientific understanding of materials, the technological means of creation, the engineering principles of structure, and the mathematical foundations of form and pattern. Art, in this light, becomes the practical and expressive application of these vital disciplines.
Our classes actively engage with this concept, demonstrating how the properties of clay are rooted in chemistry, how the mechanics of a printing press involve engineering, how digital art utilizes technology, and how the principles of perspective draw upon mathematics. By exploring these connections, our students gain a deeper understanding of the world around them and develop crucial problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
