In August 2023 we realized a dream when we opened The Colorful Palette Art School & Studio in Villas, Cape May. Our art classes are fun, rigorous, and accessible! We teach all ages and abilities how to draw and paint the world around them as well as create images from their imagination. Our classes are for beginners as well as more experienced artists. Students work in a variety of media including acrylic, watercolor and gouache paint as well as pencil and charcoal.  

Joel has taught art for over 30 years, first as a young art school graduate in his hometown of Highland Park, NJ, and more recently, in New York City and now Sea Isle City and Cape May.  Helen trained at the Camberwell School of Art in her hometown of London, England. In 2019, they joined forces to teach side-by-side.

General Info:

Located at 1640 Bayshore Road in Villas, Cape May, The Colorful Palette is an art school and studio. The school is kid-friendly and wheelchair accessible, teaching students of all ages and abilities. Students learn how to paint from observation both indoors and outdoors as well as from their imagination. We also have live models who pose for figure drawing and painting classes.

From September to April, children’s classes are held on Saturday mornings and adult classes on Tuesday evenings. Children’s summer camps are held in July and August. Sip & Paint nights take place all year round on select Thursday evenings. Private Sip & Paint nights are available by appointment.  

Recent Google Reviews:

“We booked a private paint and sip for a Bachelorette trip this last weekend and it was the highlight of the trip for so many of us! This was different than other paint and sips I have tried because Helen and Joel are very passionate about the artists and art history as well…” Jillian M.

“Amazing, talented, and so kind. I love how sweet and encouraging the owners are. My daughter has been there for so long and they have become so important in her life. Thank you.” Linda B.

“Helen and Joel are two warm-hearted, talented artists who lead small groups of all ages in artistic adventures. They made me feel comfortable, despite my lack of artistic experience with ink, charcoal, acrylic and watercolor. I have taken four of their adult classes and look forward to participating in many more! Five stars for The Colorful Palette.” David C.

“A fun time, as always! Wouldn’t be a vacation in Cape May without spending time with our favorite potters!!!  See ya next year!” -The Ellermans 

“As always, I love this store, their products and the owners.  They go the extra mile for their customers.”- P. Cole

Note: Cape May City’s library moved to a new location! It is now at 720 Franklin Street

Cape May City’s library is a quiet place to escape the sun or rain for a few hours. The library offers the following services and amenities:

• Computers and free wifi
• Books and magazines
• 24-hour book drop
• Screen reading software
• Print, copy, fax, and scanning
• Bicycle rack
• Public restroom

If you’d like to check out materials or use the computers, free visitor passes are available. Bring proof of the address where you’re staying in Cape May, and ID for your home address. (If you’re from Ocean City or Avalon, you’ll need to purchase a non-resident pass.) If you live in Cape May County, your existing library card will work at this branch.

We also have a larger library available in Cape May Court House.

The working farm, studio, nature sanctuary and sculpture garden of artist Stan Sperlak has become one of the most popular “Art & Nature” destinations in the country. Here, where the forest and fields meet the marsh on the Crow Creek, in Goshen, NJ, you can find yourself that piece of sanity and inspiration you’ve been looking for.

Noted for his dramatic and sublime landscape paintings in pastel of the Mid Atlantic, Stan has them displayed in his authentic Amish barn that sits on 37 acres of very well kept nature trails, he is a retired landscape architect and contractor, and an internationally acclaimed artist and teacher, whose travels influence so much of the work here.

From painting, photography and music workshops, to the occasional private concert, movie nights, lectures and celestial observance events, (and now tours) you have many ways to enjoy this attraction. Only 20 minutes from Cape May and free parking.

Cape May, New Jersey’s Center for Community Arts is a multicultural education organization whose arts,  humanities and history programs foster creativity, community building, and appreciation for the rich diversity of our world.

The Nature Center of Cape May was founded in 1992, with the twin goals of creating a responsible stewardship program for open space surrounding Cape May Harbor and providing environmental education for people of all ages. Adopted by the New Jersey Audubon in 1995, the Nature Center of Cape May is a staffed nature center and open to the public.  

Things to do: 

Explore the environmental education campus, including the Trucksess Welcome Center, where you can enjoy the scenic view of the Cape May harbor from a three-story observation tower & indoor observation lounge. Visit the Nature Nook to meet live animals, including turtles, snakes, and a chinchilla. Take a stroll along the nature trail through native gardens, past our observation beehive, stopping at our bird blind along the way. Don’t forget to swing by our Aqualab to view live critters, including fish, sea stars, sea urchins, and horseshoe crabs! Stop by the small gift shop and peruse nature-inspired art and goodies. The harbor and adjacent area provide natural classrooms that are used in the center’s programs. In addition, the nature center is close to a diversity of habitats, which are easily incorporated into its programs. 

The nature center offers a full schedule of natural history programs for the public throughout the year. A wide variety of group educational programs are available as well, either at the Nature Center of Cape May or at alternate sites such as outdoor habitats, schools, or clubs.