The Plein-Air Art Academy
Boston Magazine's Best of Boston® 2016
A boutique creative studio for adults and children who crave depth, calm, and genuine self-expression.
We believe creativity is a way back to ourselves — a way to slow down, reconnect, and navigate change with more ease. Our programs blend art history, storytelling, and Diana’s SPARK Method to foster personal growth in a deeply nurturing space.
Our programs are anchored by three promises:
No Cookie-Cutter Creativity
Each class, workshop, and retreat is a unique, process-driven experience. We focus on creative flow rather than perfection, encouraging experimentation, emotional expression, and meaningful breakthroughs. Whether you’re joining a retreat, a corporate workshop, or a kid’s semester class, you’ll always be creating something authentic.
A Space That Welcomes & Nourishes
Our studio is a haven. Adults come here to breathe again, to disconnect from overwhelm, and to reconnect with themselves. Kids and teens come to feel seen, encouraged, and understood. Every session — from a SPARK retreat to a fourth-grade sculpture class — is grounded in kindness, curiosity, and connection.
Art That Sparks Emotion
We create and teach art that moves people. Through Diana’s personal practice, custom commissions that capture meaningful moments, and deeply immersive workshops, our community experiences art as something alive — a tool for healing, reflection, and joy.
From engaging programs for ages 4+ to transformative adult retreats and corporate workshops, we offer a space where creativity flourishes, calm returns, and art truly transforms.
Our Signature Curriculum for Kids
This is our Best of Boston program that explores varied themes in the art world and introduces an array of materials to artists of all levels.
Our youngest students are exposed to art history stories in the beginning of each class with knowledge tested weekly. Then each week they get introduced to a new material, be it clay, watercolor, tempera paints or collage. They perfect these materials over time, both getting more comfortable with those and learning to develop their imaginations. The last 10-15 minutes of each class is devoted to FREE draw (as soon as we see that our little artists are getting tired, we change up the tasks). Each semester ends with a field trip to an art museum to see artworks en situe.
As kids get older, they pay more attention to details and though we vary materials in our curriculum, we're very mindful of every student's unique pace and want them to take their projects to completion.
Some projects take one week, others - can take up to three. We use clay, watercolor, tempera paint among other materials. Every semester we study an overarching art history theme that gets subdivided monthly, and each semester ends with a trip to an art museum, to see the artworks in real life.
Our Signature Curriculum for Adults
This is a class for a novice or an expert painter. Each semester we study a different artist/movement and experiment with varied techniques within watercolor and oil painting, as well as charcoal, pastels and clay. We begin each semester with sketches in pencil/charcoal/pastel, graduate to watercolor and finish up with at least one oil painting.
Additional Offerings
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