The Katherine Martin Widmer School of Painting

"Lovely place to learn painting! Ms. Widmer and the students were very nice. It is so sad that she passed away. They have nice art shows with good food. The class would always take an ice cream break as well. I miss coming here."

"What a marvelous gift to have this painting school as part of our Somerville community! I’ve been a student here for a few years and only have wonderful things to say. Whether you’re an experienced painter or it’s your first time picking up a paint brush, the community here is a warm, thriving, and welcoming environment that makes it easy to learn new skills while making friends and fun memories along the way. Since I started taking classes here, the excellent instructor has helped me build my confidence both as a painter and as (with some help from my classmates that I now consider close friends!) a member of my local community. I highly recommend taking a class!"

"I can't say enough good things about the KMW School of Painting. I've been a student for almost four years now. Everyone who walks through the door, even first time painters, creates something beautiful. All of the supplies and paint come with the class so you just need to bring yourself. You can paint whatever your heart desires and you will get just as much help as you need. The teacher, Katherine, is one of my favorite people in the whole wide world. She's funny, talented, and genuinely cares about her students. The best part is, Katherine and her painting school seem to be a magnet for other fun, nice, and interesting people from all walks of life. So, while you are painting you get to hang out with all kinds of cool people. Your classmates will all know your name (one of a few mandatory parts of being a student) and tell you how great your painting is. There is never a dull moment at the School of Painting and that's how we like it."

"I've so far attended one session at the School of Painting and am just a few weeks into my second. I had never painted before my first class with Katherine, but after 6 weeks with Katherine, I'd created a painting that I truly loved and was entirely me. Katherine herself brings out the best in her students, as painters and as people. She will find out the loveliest, most random facts about each of her students and make sure the whole class knows how much she adores them. She has stories about every person who has walked through her school in the past thirty years, and her love of the school and of every painting it produces is wholly evident. Update: I've been regularly taking classes with Katherine for almost five years now. Through Katherine's school, I've showed paintings in three Somerville Open Studios and am preparing for my fourth. If you've always wanted to paint but never tried it, if you're looking for a creative outlet, if you're not sure if you'll be any good, COME TO THE PAINTING SCHOOL. Katherine will help you make something beautiful that is uniquely yours, and you will get to meet the most compassionate, creative, and fascinating woman in Somerville."

"I've been taking painting classes with Katherine for 2 years. I found the school on Google maps when I first moved to Somerville and haven't missed a term since. I knew I found a special place when during my first painting class I sheepishly told Katherine that I wanted to paint a purple zebra that I had stuck in my head for some reason. She said, "Great, let's do it!" The open-minded and laid back atmosphere of the School of Painting makes it a great place to unwind and hone some serious painting skills. Katherine pays a lot of attention to you when you're starting out to give you the basics. It's perfectly fine, and common, that newbies have never painted before. Once you get a few terms under your belt you work more independently and use Katherine and other classmates as a resource. You'll also love Katherine's stories, political commentary, and ice cream in the summer. It's a great, creative environment."