Millcreek Arts Council kicks off Open Art Series with watercolor class
May 04, 2026 12:59PM ● By Cassie Goff
Millcreek Arts Council Artist Relations Coordinator Rachel Becker (left) with watercolor artist and instructor Amy Twede. (Alexandra Straumann/City Journals)
The Millcreek Arts Council is a volunteer-based organization that works with the Millcreek City Council to provide residents with greater access to all kinds of art at no cost (or minimal cost) and to deepen community appreciation for the arts. This has included broadening their scope to include musical and theatrical arts.
This year, the council brought back the Open Art Series, which offers free art classes to people of all ages and skill levels. The series offers three art classes throughout the year, and each class will teach a different style of art. The purpose is to provide residents with opportunities to try new mediums they otherwise may not have access to.
Participants try their hand at watercolor during the first event of Millcreek Arts Council Open Art Series. (Alexandra Straumann/City Journals)
The first class was a watercolor painting class on March 21, where students could select between a waterfront scene or a frog. The council provided the paint, supplies and transformed the first floor of Millcreek Common into an art studio. The class was in high demand, so much so, that the arts council ended up creating two timeslots to accommodate as many participants as possible.
The class was taught by instructor Amy Twede, a Millcreek local who began making art at 4 years old, painting a watercolor clown she still has today. Her interest in watercolors carried into her education, where she earned a Bachelor's of Studio Arts from BYU Idaho, focusing on watercolors during her studies.
Twede has taught art classes for two years art at the Millcreek Senior Center, and it was here where she met Rachel Becker, who serves as the Millcreek Arts Council Artist Relations Coordinator. Becker is responsible for finding and booking artists from across the country to participate in Millcreek’s art events, and it was her idea to bring the Open Art Series back to Millcreek.
In July, the second class will offer botanical printing, where students will press leaves and flowers onto silk to create unique designs. The final class in November will be an introduction into embroidery.
Because the arts council is volunteer-run, there is always a need for new help and there are always opportunities to get involved. Becker emphasized that beyond volunteering with logistics, artists are always welcome to share their mediums with the arts council and suggest opportunities to engage in art. Some instructors for the series approached Becker as interested artists wanting to offer their skills, and the resulting classes show the magic that can happen when artists are given the space to flourish.
Other upcoming arts council events include Summer Jam, free a concert series where every Monday night live music will be performed. It starts June 8 and runs until Aug. 31. The Millcreek Arts Fest is a one-day event where residents can shop work from artists across the state. It will be held at the Millcreek Common on Aug. 15 from 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Becker said her hope is that the arts council continues to grow and provide community members with more opportunities, saying the more people that want to join in, the better. “Accessibility is very important to me…and I’m always thinking about what we can do next. I want to make an event where everybody wants to come back.”
For more information on events, visit www.millcreekartscouncil.org/.
