Programs
Urban Sketching is the practice of drawing or painting on location in cities, towns, and public spaces while capturing life as it happens. Merrill will teach his unique techniques, focusing on sketching with pen, graphite, and watercolors, while sharing how he applies inspiration gathered on location to his illustration work.
Session 1 on October 5: Merrill will demonstrate Urban Sketching techniques to help everyone get comfortable with the concept. Participants will get a taste of sketching tombstones by using shorthand techniques and by creating forms with the use of black and white tonal values.
Session 2 on October 12: Everyone will meet at an off-site location, Fort Meigs Union Cemetery, to begin Urban Sketching on location. This workshop will include light instruction, time to work, and feedback on art created. The group will return to 577 for a brief show-and-tell of each artist’s work.
Open to all skill levels, and no drawing experience necessary - only the desire to learn and create!
Class Note: Participants can either bring their own travel artist supplies to use or borrow supplies from the instructor. During the off-site session at Fort Meigs Union Cemetery, participants are expected to follow all cemetery rules and guidelines and to be respectful of the grounds, monuments, and those laid to rest there. In the event of bad weather, October 12 session will be in the Green Door Studio at 577
CLASS INFO:
Dates & Times:
- Part One: Monday, October 5, 5pm to 7pm, Virginia's House ~ Library
- Part Two: Monday, October 12, 5pm to 7pm, off-site at Fort Meigs Union Cemetery (Green Door Studio at 577 in the event of bad weather)
Fee: $75
Age: 18+
Locations: Class on October 5 will take place in the Library of Virginia's House; Class on October 12 will take place off-site at Fort Meigs Union Cemetery.
Parking: House Parking Lot
Directions: View the campus map for class location and parking -> https://bit.ly/577ClassLocationandParking
Community Instructor: Merrill Rainey
Growing up, award-winning author-illustrator Merrill Rainey spent most of his Saturday afternoons drawing, watching monster movies, and going on imaginary adventures. Today, he is a cowboy-boot-wearing picture-book creator and paper-toy maker. Merrill’s work explores creativity and imaginative play. Whether he is working with traditional or digital mediums, Merrill’s work is full of deep storytelling, rich textures, and color! He is the author-illustrator of over seven children’s books, and his work regularly appears in leading children’s magazines. Merrill’s workshop is in Northwest, Ohio, where he doodles away with his editor (his wife), subject matter experts (his kids), and his very opinionated coworker — his pup! To find out more about Merrill and his work, visit LittleRainey.com

Artwork by Merrill Rainey
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IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION
577 offers a wide variety of classes with intentionally small class sizes to create meaningful learning experiences. Because space is limited, we ask participants to register thoughtfully and review our registration, cancellation, refund, accessibility, accommodation, and illness policies before completing registration.
Life happens, and we understand that plans sometimes change. Our policies are designed to keep classes affordable, respect the time our instructors invest in preparing for each class, and provide opportunities for waitlisted participants whenever possible.
577 is committed to creating welcoming and inclusive experiences for all participants. If you have accessibility needs or require reasonable accommodations to fully participate, we encourage you to contact us before your class so we can work with you to provide appropriate support whenever possible.
Our complete policies are available on our website and are also included in the Notes section below and on your registration receipt.
Please see our website for the full policies.
Note:
We’re excited to welcome you to class. Please note that doors will open no earlier than 20 minutes before the scheduled class time. This allows our instructors time to prepare and ensures the best experience for everyone.
Please remember: This class is for registered participants only, and we’re not able to accommodate additional guests such as children, family members, or friends. Thank you so much for understanding and helping us keep classes running smoothly.
Class Note: Participants can either bring their own travel artist supplies to use or borrow supplies from the instructor. During the off-site session at Fort Meigs Union Cemetery, participants are expected to follow all cemetery rules and guidelines and to be respectful of the grounds, monuments, and those laid to rest there.
CLASS INFO:
Dates & Times:
- Part One: Monday, October 5, 5pm to 7pm, Virginia's House ~ Library
- Part Two: Monday, October 12, 5pm to 7pm, off-site at Fort Meigs Union Cemetery (Green Door Studio at 577 in the event of bad weather)
Locations: Class on October 5 will take place in the Library of Virginia's House; Class on October 12 will take place off-site at Fort Meigs Union Cemetery.
Parking: House Parking Lot
Directions: View the campus map for class location and parking -> https://bit.ly/577ClassLocationandParking
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Accessibility & Accommodations: We strive to create welcoming and inclusive experiences for all participants. If you need reasonable accommodations or have accessibility needs, please let us know as early as possible so we can best support your participation.
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CANCELLATION POLICY:
We ask participants to register only for classes they plan to attend and to reserve cancellations for emergencies or unexpected circumstances. As a small nonprofit, we intentionally keep class sizes small and affordable. Late cancellations often prevent others from participating and impact instructors who have already prepared for class. We recognize that emergencies and unexpected conflicts happen, and exceptions may be considered in extraordinary circumstances.
>>> If your class is 6 or fewer days away, please call us immediately at (419) 874-4174.
>>> If your class is 7 or more days away, cancellations may be emailed to hello@577foundation.org.
PLEASE NOTE:
>>> Please use the main phone number or email address above. Contacting individual staff members or other extensions may delay your request. Online cancellations are not available.
>>> Refund eligibility is based on how close your cancellation request is to the class date. Please see the Refund Policy below.
>>> Once your registration has been accepted, a 5% administrative fee applies to refunds issued to the original payment method (credit card, cash, or check), regardless of the reason for cancellation.
Minimum Enrollment & Inclement Weather: Classes may be canceled by 577 due to low enrollment, inclement weather, or other unforeseen circumstances. If 577 or a Community Instructor cancels a class, you may choose to:
>>> Transfer to another class, if space is available.
>>> Receive a 100% refund via your original payment method.
>>> Receive a 100% Household Credit to your account for a future class.
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REFUND POLICY: If you choose to withdraw from a class, the refund policies are as follows:
Refund via the Original Method of Payment (Credit Card, Cash, or Check)*
>>> 100% refund with seven (7) or more days' notice prior to the start of class, less a 5% administrative fee.
>>> No refunds will be given for cancellations six (6) days prior to the start of class.
>>> Exception: If we are able to fill your spot with another participant, you may elect to receive a 100% refund, less the 5% administrative fee.
Refund via Household Credit for a Future Class*
>>> 100% Household Credit with seven (7) or more days' notice prior to the start of class.
**Once a refund has been issued as Household Credit, it cannot later be converted to a refund via credit card, cash, or check.
IMPORTANT NOTE: No refunds will be given for cancellations six (6) days prior to the start of class.
>>> Exception: If we are able to fill your spot with another participant, you may elect to receive a 100% Household Credit.
>>> Exceptions may be made in extraordinary circumstances. Please contact us to discuss options in the event of an illness or emergency.
Donations: In lieu of a refund, you may choose to donate your registration fee to 577 to support educational programming and our scholarship fund, helping make classes accessible to everyone.
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ILLNESS: Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 or another contagious illness may not visit 577's indoor facilities or attend an in-person class. Anyone who has COVID-19 or has been knowingly exposed to COVID-19 should follow current CDC guidelines before entering any indoor space at 577.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Program Type | Studio Art |
| Program Subcategory | Painting and Drawing |
| Program Code | - |
| Online Registration | Yes |
| Enrollment Begin Date | 9/2/2026 9:00 AM |
| Enrollment End Date | 10/2/2026 12:00 PM |
| Instructor(s) |
Merrill Rainey
|
| Gender | Any Gender |
| Enrollment Minimum | 5 |
| Maximum | 10 |
| Grade Minimum | |
| Maximum | |
| Age Minimum | 18 years |
| Maximum | - |
| Standard Fee | Residency Restriction | Membership Restrictions | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult 18+ | -None- |
-None-
|
$75.00 |
| Date | Day | Start Time | End Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/05/2026 | Monday | 5:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Virginia's House ~ Library |
| 10/12/2026 | Monday | 5:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Green Door Studio |