Family Art Workshops

Family Art Workshops are free, two-hour classes designed for all ages to enjoy creating art together. Each workshop features hands-on art making, from learning new techniques to creating seasonal crafts or exploring themes inspired by museum exhibitions and collections.

Explore your creative side in a fun, welcoming environment—perfect for families who love to make art! All materials are provided. Check out the upcoming workshops listed below.

Become a Puppet Master!

Make Your Own Simple Toy Puppet

Saturday, June 6th 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Make your own simple toy puppet in this hands-on workshop led by a puppeteer from Northwest Puppet Center. R.B. Inverarity drew inspiration from many cultures and traditions, including the arts of Japan. In this workshop, you’ll make your own version of Benkei, the warrior monk.  Historically, street vendors in Japan would make these toy puppets to sell at the big outdoor festivals. For a few generations, the technique nearly disappeared but now it is becoming popular as a fun little DIY project. Recommended for ages 8 and up. Please note: traditional toys do not meet current safety standards and should not be given to young children. 

About the Teaching Artist

Dmitri Carter has been performing professionally as a puppeteer since childhood and currently serves a Development Director and Associate Artist for Seattle’s internationally acclaimed Northwest Puppet Center, established in 1986 by his parents, Chris and Stephen Carter.. During second and third grade, Dmitri lived in Romania and traveled throughout Europe picking up foreign languages and learning cultural traditions. Upon returning to Seattle, he attended Summit Alternative School where he and a few fellow students established the still successful potter program. At 16 Dmitri went on to attend college through the recently established Running Start program resulting in combined high school and college graduation, both with honors. In college, he served a term on student government and served on the tenure committee for professor of cultural anthropology and ethnic studies.

In 2003, Union Internationale de la Marionette awarded Dmitri one of only two International Scholarship Awards to conduct research in China on the ancient tradition of marionettes. In addition to fundraising, Dmitri also conducts research, curates exhibitions, teaches educational programs, writes articles, documents a variety of puppetry techniques with video and photography, designs publicity materials and still performs regularly. In 2002, Dmitri participated in the pilot session of “Technology Strategies for Nonprofit Leaders” after which NPower, one of the nation’s leading technology focused nonprofits, invited him to serve on the Advisory Committee.