Rhody Arts in Narragansett Offers Coastal-Inspired Art Classes for All Skill Levels

You know that moment when you almost sign up for a paint class, then quietly talk yourself out of it? Rhody Arts is built for that exact feeling, meeting hesitation with a little encouragement and a lot of coastal calm. Just steps from the crash of the Ocean Road seawall, this Boon Street studio in Narragansett is rewriting that script one brushstroke at a time.

Owner Nick McGowan has shaped Rhody Arts around a simple but quietly radical idea that art is not reserved for the naturally gifted. “We firmly stand by erasing the fixed mindset,” he says. “We don’t believe that ‘talent’ is provided by nature.” Instead, the studio leans into guided practice, small group learning, and a calming environment influenced by the nearby ocean. “You can hear the waves crashing on a quiet morning,” McGowan adds. “The serenity and calm that the ocean provides is in conjunction with our relaxing and restoring small group guided art lessons.”

That shift in thinking often becomes the first breakthrough. Many students arrive convinced they’re not creative. McGowan meets them there, then gently reframes the narrative. “You might be surprised what happens when we use the word ‘yet’ at the end of the all-too-common phrase, ‘I can’t draw,’” he says. It’s a small change that opens the door to confidence, curiosity, and, often, a finished piece worth framing.

Classes like “Awash in Watercolor” lean into the rhythm of the coast. Watercolors, known for their unpredictability, become the point. “It’s a great way to let go and embrace the magic of mixing water and vibrant pigments to create works that are expressive and exciting,” McGowan says, encouraging participants to go with the tide rather than control every detail. The result is expressive, imperfect, and entirely the point.

Beyond technique, Rhody Arts centers something deeper. Art-making here is as much about well-being as it is about skill. “Art-making has value no matter the outcome,” McGowan says. In practice, that looks like lowered stress, improved focus, and a rare chance to step away from the constant noise of daily life.

With classes capped at four students, the experience stays personal and flexible, allowing each artist to move at their own pace. McGowan, balancing his roles as both artist and instructor, brings his own learning into the room. “I’m constantly learning new things with regards to my own practice that I’m able to share with my students,” he says. “I also make all the mistakes so they don’t have to.”

As Rhody Arts looks ahead to summer offerings like plein air painting and couples classes, its mission stays refreshingly simple: creativity isn’t something you either have or don’t, it’s something you practice. To explore classes and upcoming offerings, visit them online at rhodyarts.com.