Helena Bosse, a Bangor painter and art teacher for more than 25 years, will be offering painting instruction at the Wyeth (Hilltop Road, University of Maine, Orono) two Friday mornings every month.

Helena’s teaching experience is varied: high school in Howland, adult education in Old Town, and elementary school education in Milford, Bradley, and Alton. You may see Helena’s work currently at the Wisteria Floral Shop in Old Town and the Eastport Gallery.

The sessions run from 9-10 a.m.,  although people can continue working until noon. Free parking passes are available. The classes will cover watercolor painting, water-soluble oil painting, acrylic painting, and other media and are open to everyone, without regards to age. Helena will set up painting projects and provide instruction about the medium the student is working with; she will also provide individual guidance. On the Fridays without instruction, students will be able to practice what they are learning or paint in any way they like. There is no charge for the instruction but donations are appreciated.

The painting studio at the Wyeth includes two huge studios in a recently renovated gray building with orange loading dock that is downhill from the Recreation Center, on Hilltop Road. The studios are well equipped with good lighting and running water, lockers for keeping paint and supplies safe, racks for wet paintings or paintings in progress, tables that tilt and adjustable easels as well as chairs, stools, and mobile tables called taborets to hold palettes, brushes, paint, and mixing media. University student paintings sit on the easels and hang on the walls, giving Gateway students ideas about, and insight into, different styles of painting.

If you are interested in the classes or in simply painting, call 889-3031 or email gatewayseniorswithoutwalls@roadrunner.com.