Wednesday Dooley ArtZ Class

Click here to see what we do in the class

Art Classes for Adults with Special Needs and Their Support Person.

How to start: Art Class for Individuals and their support person.

Fill out the form below or contact our office to set up a tour of the studio.
Take a tour of the studio on a Wednesday, 1-3 pm (Must set up appointment).
Set up payment by invoice or through our office. Payment covers all costs, supplies, and any support person who comes with the student can choose to participate in the class at no additional charge.

Cost: $100 for 4 classes (billed monthly following the classes attended).

Office: 315-440-2278

The Dooley Artz Class: Empowering Adults with Special Needs Through Creative Expression

The Dooley Artz Class fosters a supportive environment where participants can explore their creativity with the guidance and support of qualified teaching artists. Through various artistic media, individuals express their ideas through step-by-step projects or they create projects based on ideas they come up with at home….This classroom approach encourages personal growth and self-discovery while boosting self-confidence and enhancing communication skills. In this environment, creativity becomes a powerful tool for connection and self-development. Participants develop a sense of accomplishment and purpose. The Dooley Artz Class champions inclusivity, celebrating each artist's unique contributions to their progress in the studio and personal development.

Each week, students and their support person will:

Have an opportunity to start a new project.
Learn new painting and drawing techniques.
Ask instructors to assist in bringing ideas to the canvas
Try new art mediums: clay, pencil, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, oil, jewelry, mosaic and more…

Fill out this form if you would like to schedule a tour, join the Dooley Artz Class or donate to the Dooley Scholarship Fund

Please note: A tour of the studio is required before registering or attending a class.

Schedule a tour of the studio before registering to attend.

Download the PRINTABLE DOOLEY ARTZ CLASS Application Form

Two people, a woman and a man, smiling and standing indoors in front of colorful paintings. The man is holding a vibrant abstract painting of a haunted village scene with purple, blue, and black colors.

Edie couldn’t leave without this piece! She fell in love. Michael was so proud to share his art with a new friend.

Close-up of a small butterfly resting on a green dew-covered grass blade in a natural outdoor setting.

About Your Instructor

Older woman sitting outdoors on grass, smiling, with watercolor paints and palette in front of her, surrounded by greenery and flowers.

Pam Mead

We are incredibly honored to have Pam Mead as a lead instructor at the Liverpool Art Center (LAC). Pam is a phenomenal individual whose life is an inspiring blend of deep compassion, lifelong education, and artistic excellence.

Leading the Dooley ArtZ Program

Pam is the devoted lead instructor for our special Dooley ArtZ program, a weekly class dedicated to providing a safe space for creative expression for adults with special needs. In alignment with the LAC mission, this class extends its welcoming environment not only to the students but also to their support persons. This commitment to inclusive art-making is part of our larger goal to combat caregiver burnout and provide a much-needed outlet for self-care and artistic exploration for all.

A Wealth of Experience

Pam’s background perfectly equips her for this role. She is not only an incredibly skilled artist and craftswoman but also brings valuable teaching experience from her previous careers:

Special Education Teacher: Her experience in special education ensures a patient, adaptive, and supportive environment for every student.
Retired Science Teacher: Her science background infuses her work with a detail-oriented approach and a passion for the natural world.

Art, Nature, and Perpetual Growth

Pam's personal art reflects her life's passions. Her work, spanning stamping, collaging, scrapbooking, jewelry, and fiber arts, often speaks to her profound love of nature and animals. Whether she is tending to wildlife through her non-profit Critters Crossing or leading a student through a new painting technique, Pam embodies a perpetual desire to keep learning, growing, and serving in every way.

We are truly blessed that this tireless individual and talented craftswoman has chosen LAC as a place to share her light and expertise.

About Michael Dooley

A young man with red hair and a beard, smiling, seated at a table with a painted sunflower artwork, paintbrushes, and art supplies in front of him, in an art studio or classroom setting.

Brandon and Michael had a very special way of goofing around in the studio. oh the shenanigans!!

A group of children and adults wearing masks participating in an art activity at a table in an art gallery decorated with framed paintings on the wall.

Anytime the youth studio had a youth art event Michael would volunteer his time! He loved kids and they loved him. This was our Valentines day free family event. What a blast.

"To stimulate creativity, one must develop a childlike inclination for play and the childlike desire for recognition."
- Albert Einstein

“ Michael would smirk at the idea of using an Albert Einstein quote

in reference to him, but I smiled every time he worked in the studio…

I smiled because he had the gift of reminding

others how to enjoy the simplicity and joy in what we could create.

We forget. Until we are reminded.

We are just children seeking friends, fun and laughter.

Thank you, my friend, for always reminding us to smile. “

~ Sandra Sabene/Michael’s teacher and friend

⭐️ MICHAEL MADE HIS MARK AT LIVERPOOL ART CENTER ⭐️

MICHAEL’S FRIDAY LEGACY: Friday morning weekly classes have been Michael’s program since 2021. Michael brought a sense of play and openness to the studio. He had a special gift for helping people feel welcome and accepted. He had a contagious smile and loved to cook up shenanigans anywhere he could!
His years in retail and social work brought a unique asset to the classes he taught with children and special needs adults. He had a way of getting students to gain confidence with color and imagination. He loved to explore anything creative and meet new friends along the way.
MICHAEL’S ART:‍ ‍ Michael Dooley’s art combines color, texture and design with a whimsical dreamscape and a child-like sense of wonder and play. Michael broke rules and made his own way in the arts by focusing on having fun with any medium he explored. His love of paint pours and creating fine details came together to create his most loved whimsical house paintings (his signature style). His brand, Dooley DesignZ included paintings, miniatures, pour paint vases and his own line of candles. The specialty t-shirts he created only for close friends and loved ones. What Michael loved most about creating art was the people he spent time with and those who shared his passion for spreading kindness and joy. He loved how his art made people smile.

A woman holding a colorful abstract painting, standing next to a man in glasses in an art studio or gallery, with various paintings and artwork displayed on the walls behind them.

A reluctant photo with his first sale! To his teacher!

Proof of his love of art! He gets messy and doesn’t care

A group of women and a man gathered around a table in an art studio, with one woman seated and painting, while others stand and observe.

Teaching splattering painting!…this is where it all began!

A man with glasses, smiling, holds hands up covered in colorful paint or ink. The background shows a kitchen with shelves, plants, and various items.

Michael Dooley (creator of whimsical paintings and gifts/ Dooley Designz)

DOOLEY’S DesignZ

Enjoy viewing Michael’s artwork. These offer a glimpse into the fun and playful imagination of a sweet and kind man. He struggled to call himself an artist as he did not deem himself worthy of the title. But his art family at LAC pushed him beyond the doubt so he could share these with the world…the furthest he got was friends and family (and that was fine by him). You may not be able to purchase these beautiful designs, but you may find his reproductions, shirts and such in the LAC gift shop as part of the scholarship we have set up in his name.