Upon viewing Titian's Assumption of the Virgin, Michelangelo famously remarked, "I assume he's the virgin." With today's Groupon, gain your own artistic voice. For $45, new students get any five-week Art for Adults class at Art Exposure, Inc. in Riverside, a $90–$95 value.

Art Exposure was established a decade ago to bring a splash of color to the Baltimore community through exhibits, education, events, and splashes of color. The collective also nurtures the burgeoning art community by helping young artists find a canvas through a series of different courses. Your Groupon is good for any five-week course (as opposed to five random classes) falling under the Art Classes for Adults category. The once-a-week classes are offered for artists of all levels and across various styles and mediums. The current course lineup includes introduction to digital photography, abstract painting, oil painting (beginner/intermediate/advanced), watercolor painting (beginner/intermediate), and connect-the-dot masterpieces. Friendly and skilled instructors lead each course and all are well versed in the art of art (and secretly versed in the art of break-dancing). Many classes begin in early March and April, with different lessons added all the time, so check the schedule for upcoming dates, times, and locations.

Prospective students need to supply their own supplies. You'll recieve a list of necessary supplies, which will invariably include one X-Files Fan Club membership card, so you should start tracking that down ASAP. When your class is complete, you'll have a newfound skill to hang your hat on, a new group of friends to hang with, and an abstract portrait of a clothes hanger to hang on your wall.

Reviews

Though there are no online reviews of the art classes, Bmore Media has chronicled the genesis of Art Exposure Inc. and its rise in status among Baltimore's elite art community:

• Hanging in bars and restaurants has become a valuable way to get exposure for artists, but Ann Wiker went even further. She had been working as an artist agent for friends and was looking for something outside of the traditional white walls space. She approached the Downtown Partnership about some of the vacant windows downtown. The Downtown Partnership liked the idea, suggested she work in the lobbies of buildings as well, and the idea blossomed into Art Exposure Inc. Ann now fills vacant store fronts with a rotating portfolio of artists and take on curatorial services for many downtown offices and lobbies. – Michael Cook