We came here for our baby shower and we had an amazing time! The owner of the shop is very easy to coordinate and is a very kind person. The pricing of the shop does not break the bank, but depending on what activity you select, for example candle making verse blanket making, the price may vary. There's plenty of space to hold an activity for up to around 25 people. When you do an activity there's about 8 or so people assigned to a table. We were able to have a table for food and were able to decorate the table and around it with freedom. Honestly, we had a lot of fun and would do it again! read more

AR Workshop Alexandria - Art Classes Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I had a really fun time at AR Workshop last weekend in their Chunky Knit Blanket workshop. My mom, sister and I decided to do the workshop as a fun activity for my mom's birthday and this was a great activity for all experience levels. The owner Stephanie was our instructor and was super friendly, helpful and personable. I went into this activity unsure of how my blanket would turn out and left feeling confident with my completed blanket (that now adorns my couch as an accent piece) The shop is easy to find on King St and there was plenty of street parking on a Saturday morning. read more

Attended an event with a group of friends. I don't consider myself to be artistic but decided to step out of my comfort zone and glad I did. The staff were very friendly and patient. Definitely worth visiting if interested in doing a group activity. read more

Talk about a great atmosphere and a great time... my husband and I came here for our anniversary/date night. We scheduled late and the class was cancelled but the owner, Stephanie, helped us out and rearranged some time for us. When I tell you I'm GLAD we went here... our time was amazing... Good Atmosphere - GOOD People - it was a GREAT TIME. We are from out of town and will definitely be visiting again. Thank yall so much for all you did!! read more

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Love this place; come here a lot to engage my 4-7 year old kids for various projects. They love it and always ask to come back

We were drop-ins and had came with plenty of time to do our crafts before a scheduled "class" was due in. I was disappointed in the variety of "templates" they had available. It was a lot of the same ones they had left over from other events it seemed like. Pretty narrow choices. I would have liked to have seen a "book" to flip through and choose from. This was a haphazard "look through this pile and see if you like something". Perhaps if you call ahead you can get something personal that you choose, it wasn't given as an option for us even though we were the only ones there. Thankfully I had previous experience with vinyl stencils or I would have been lost. Once other people came in, the "instruction" and "assistance" disappeared. It would have been nice to have had an overview like: 1) Pick a medium - wood, tote bag or pillow 2) Pick a stencil 3) Decide on paint colors and write them down on the paper on the table with a sharpie so the assistants can get a palate for you 4) Use a worn block to smooth out the stencil and make it stick to the transfer paper. 5) Carefully remove the backing paper from the stencil and transfer paper. Watch for transitions and "sharp" edges. 6) Lightly place the transfer paper/stencil on your medium so you can adjust it to where you want it easily BEFORE pushing down. 7) Once you have it where you want it then rub the back of the transfer paper so the stencil sticks to the medium. 8) VERY carefully remove the transfer paper off the back of the stencil. Making sure all edges are completely stuck to the medium OR PAINT WILL GET UNDER IT! Be very careful and mindful of any "sharp" or "narrow" pieces. Or ones that are "floating". 9) USE MASKING TAPE over the exposed parts of your pillowcase or tote bag to prevent any stray paint from landing on it. 10) IF you chose a tote you need to put a primer paint over the exposed areas so the paint will adhere better, BUT you should make the layer very thin. 11) You can practice techniques and mixing colors on the paper before using on your project. There. I did written instructions for them. I saw many artists that came in after us receive ZERO instruction and it was frustrating to see them frustrated and not enjoying their time because they were waiting for instructions from the assistants that were more interested in others. The foam brushes were not as clean as I would have liked them to be. 90% of them had crusty paint dried on the very edges which meant they didn't pick up the paint how they were supposed to and it made things frustrating to get the paint on the actual canvas. We had to ask for smaller brushes, etc to fix the things that went wrong with the stencils. Just frustrating for a supper Type A personality that wants everything perfect. Did we have a good time? Yes Could it have been a more organized experience? Yes. Would we go back? Maybe read more

I had an awesome time at today's charcuterie workshop. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, with a mix of creativity and flair the class included 2 glasses of a beverage of your choice and we learned how to design a custom charcuterie board to enjoy at home. If you're local to Alexandria and want to unique experience this workshop is a must try. You'll leave with a beautiful board and the skills to recreate a platter. read more

We did a paint-and-pour workshop as a family. The business owner was so incredibly nice, and helped to create such a positive vibe. Cassie did an awesome job leading us through all the steps, allowing space and grace for us to work at our own pace. And we were all pleased with how our projects turned out! I'd definitely recommend this experience. read more

I love this place ! I can't wait to go back for a birthday party . The people that work there are the best and it is so great to be creative. read more

So much fun!! Took my team for an afternoon team building event and had a great time. The group enjoyed it and everyone's project turned out great! Stephanie and her team rock!! read more

AR Workshop Alexandria - My DIY project - Art Classes Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Phenomenal little shop! I attended a networking event here, where we painted a wooden sign and drank wine/ate charcuterie. The staff provided clear guidance on what we should do, and were happy to jump in and help if the occasion arose. There was a large selection of equipment and tools to choose from. They don't only have wood painting shops either - they specialize in various forms of arts and crafts. They also have a small store with gifts, home decor, hostess gifts, etc. The items are fairly expensive but the selection is great. read more

I highly recommend AR Workshop in Alexandria, VA, for a work team outing! I contacted them to host a workshop for our administrative team for Administrative Professional Day! They had a great time and thought Stephanie was the best host and instructor! I had pizza delivered for lunch while they worked on their projects, and it was nice to see the smiles on their faces when they returned to work the next day, sharing pictures of their completed projects, which they assembled from raw materials! Excellent corporate team-building session! read more

Cannot recommend AR Workshop enough! My friend and I signed up to each make a personalized candle. Throughout the whole experience, Stephanie was attentive and personable with our group. It was so fun experimenting with scents while also getting to know the rest of our groupmates. It was a 10/10 wholesome experience filled with great DIYing, conversation, and some much needed self care. Thank you Stephanie for a wonderful experience! read more

AR Workshop Alexandria - Candle held in front of the building "AR" sign - Art Classes Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I attended a candle making workshop here with a guest. The experience in person was great - the only saving grace of this review. When my family member went to pick up the candles, they gave us the wrong candle (and the wrong color lids that we paid for - but whatever). He gave them the name of both of the attendants (which were written on the candles) and the notes/scents they had (also written on the candles). Inconvenient, but no problem - we called and they (assuming this was a manager or the owner) told us they'd mail us the correct candle and to email them with the address, as I am out of the area. I sent them an email with the address and all pertinent information. No follow up. No candle ever sent. Weeks pass, I follow up with another email as to where the candle is, and with my address again. No reply. My mother DMs their Instagram. No reply. She calls them and is told that the candle was sent but USPS never sent a tracking number or note. If that's true, why not reply to the emails or follow up to see if it was received? She (the OWNER of the location) stated that she didn't reply to any of the emails because she didn't know why the candle wasn't received. So, instead of replying and attempting to rectify the issue, as the owner, you ignore it and hope it comes out in the wash? Makes no sense. Funny how over the phone, it's as if the problem will be solved, but numerous hard documents and communications indicate that the owner couldn't care less about rectifying her company's mistake. Additionally, she said she'd send a follow-up email after getting off of the phone. That email never came. To make things even more ironic, on the phone she had the audacity to ask for the WRONG candle BACK from us after not rectifying the original problem. So, we are meant to drive back to return a candle that we were given by mistake, despite our emails and messages being continually ignored and being lied to about shipping? Laughable. A MESS of management. The shop is cute, the people who work the events are kind and helpful. But God forbid you have any issues with your experience, your money will go to waste and you'll be left with a poor taste in your mouth. Spend your money somewhere where your full experience will be valued - including customer service. So many more areas that will exercise honesty, transparency, and integrity. This isn't one of them. read more

I attended a candle making workshop here with a guest. The experience in person was great - the only saving grace of this review. When my family member went to pick up the candles, they gave us the wrong candle (and the wrong color lids that we paid for - but whatever). He gave them the name of both of the attendants (which were written on the candles) and the notes/scents they had (also written on the candles). Inconvenient, but no problem - we called and they (assuming this was a manager or the owner) told us they'd mail us the correct candle and to email them with the address, as I am out of the area. I sent them an email with the address and all pertinent information. No follow up. No candle ever sent. Weeks pass, I follow up with another email as to where the candle is, and with my address again. No reply. My mother DMs their Instagram. No reply. She calls them and is told that the candle was sent but USPS never sent a tracking number or note. If that's true, why not reply to the emails or follow up to see if it was received? She (the OWNER of the location) stated that she didn't reply to any of the emails because she didn't know why the candle wasn't received. So, instead of replying and attempting to rectify the issue, as the owner, you ignore it and hope it comes out in the wash? Makes no sense. Funny how over the phone, it's as if the problem will be solved, but numerous hard documents and communications indicate that the owner couldn't care less about rectifying her company's mistake. Additionally, she said she'd send a follow-up email after getting off of the phone. That email never came. To make things even more ironic, on the phone she had the audacity to ask for the WRONG candle BACK from us after not rectifying the original problem. So, we are meant to drive back to return a candle that we were given by mistake, despite our emails and messages being continually ignored and being lied to about shipping? Laughable. I have proof of all communications, registration, etc. as well. A MESS of management. The shop is cute, the people who work the events are kind and helpful. But God forbid you have any issues with your experience, your money will go to waste and you'll be left with a poor taste in your mouth. Spend your money somewhere where your full experience will be valued - including customer service. So many more areas that will exercise honesty, transparency, and integrity. This isn't one of them. read more

Day Date Central! AR Workshop is the perfect spot to unleash your crafty side all while catching up and sipping wine with friends. I usually don't have the attention span to complete a project from start to finish but the friendly staff at AR kept me motivated! Even though I came late to the class they worked diligently to catch me up to my friends and help suggest ways I could make my final project more eye catching. Everything is straightforward and all the supplies are provided with purchase so all you need is just two hours of me time to finish! read more

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This wasn't a totally five star experience, but it WAS a lot of fun! We had a great time at a group paint workshop. Things I really liked: -Two glasses of wine included - All supplies included - Awesome instructor (Sally) who helped us a lot! The process is more complicated and time consuming than I realized so I definitely appreciated the extra help. She was really hands on and even taught me a painting technique which made my project look really beautiful. - Beautiful end product that is super custom, super special, and something I was proud to create. They even do the framing/handles/other mounting based on the project you select. They're really aware and respectful of the fact that this is your work, your vision, and push you to make it your own even when you're nervous and indecisive (which I am!). Minor issues that stopped this from being a five star experience: - The workshop was pretty packed - three full tables - with only two trained instructors and one who was in training. All were very nice but they definitely had a lot of people and not enough help, which slowed things down a lot. Toward the end of the evening, one of the instructors left early and that left the remaining instructors in kind of a tough spot with lots of people needing assistance and not enough staff to go around. The instructor who left early (not Sally btw!), in her rush to go home, also damaged one of our group's pieces pretty badly by ripping the very delicate stencil off, requiring my friend to do extensive hand painting to fix it. - It takes a lot longer than I expected! We started at 7 and left around 10:45. Late night! Overall, this was a really fun experience and I would definitely recommend to others and come back again. read more

AR Workshop Alexandria - Art Classes Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

LOVE!!! This place is too cute. The staff..amazing....the classes...amazing....social distancing being enforced....amazing....AND they have the cutest gift shop. I bought the mask pictured and the cutest earrings. Seriously in love, will deff be coming back here for other birthdays or special occasions. read more

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AR Workshop Alexandria came highly recommended by friends who have already attended. Fortunately I had the pleasure of attending a workshop this past Saturday with some friends and family. It was a large group so narrowing down dates and times was a challenge. I reached out and spoke to Katie who was able to move some things around and accommodate us (much appreciated). The ladies had so much fun and were already talking about coming again before the night was even over. Our instructors were so patient and pleasant even though we ran way over on time. They helped us to create a memorable experience and beautiful keepsakes for our homes. I made a centerpiece box with my wedding colors. My only complaint was there were so many beautiful designs to choose from and it was hard to pick just one. I can not wait to visit again! read more

AR Workshop Alexandria - Art Classes Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

This a great place to come with a bunch of crafty friends to do a wood project you otherwise wouldn't dream of doing at home. I decided to make the bottle opener. Pros: 1. Materials are provided. 2. You don't have to be an expert in wood making because they have staff there to help. 3. Their stains and paints DON'T smell!!! OMG, if I can buy the stains they use in a store I would. They dried fast and I could immediately take my project into my home. 4. You get two glasses of wine or a beer to consume while crafting. 5. Their designs are very cute! Here is why I'm a bit hesitant about coming back: 1. When I was done with my project, I asked the staff member who was assigned to our table how to hang my project up at home. She had no idea. She did give me the same materials to hang their signs thinking it would be good enough to hang up my bottle opener, which I realized at home is not very sturdy at all. It was a nice gesture, but I would have been pleased if they just told me what exactly to buy at Home Depot to hang this on the wall. 2. I don't know if they gave me the wrong size pieces of wood when I constructed my bottle opener, but when my husband wanted to open his bottle of beer the beer bottle wouldn't fit!!! The bottle opener is at the top of the back piece, but the box part that catches the bottle caps are too tall that you can't stick a bottle under the bottle opener to get leverage to open bottles. I didn't think to try it in the shop, but needless to say I'm horribly disappointed that it is not a functional piece. But you would think they would know what materials to pull since this was a regular design. I can probably sympathize if it were a custom project they have never done before. One of the main reasons why I chose this project versus a sign is because I knew that I would use this in my home! 3. Price!!! It is an expensive craft night. You are subsidizing staff and the designs, which I would be ok with. But given that my project doesn't work and the staff weren't that knowledgeable, it was not worth it. Given my problems, I haven't gone back. The thought was to do this project and see how it goes. If it went well I would go back and make a sign. Leaving I would have given them a 5 star review because I had so much fun, it was really easy to make, and I can't emphasize enough how much I love that their stains and paints don't emit nauseous fumes. It just got bumped down to 2 stars because I'm so disappointed in how my project turned out when I tried to use it. :( read more

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Visiting AR Workshop was a fun enough way to spend a Friday night, but I have no interest in coming back, which is why I am only giving it 3 stars. I came to a special HGTV Magazine sponsored class. The registration page advertised that attendees would receive a gift bag. My gift bag came with a can of cold brew coffee that says it should have been consumed two months ago. Thanks? The class is about 3 hours and it will most likely take you the whole 3 hours to finish your project. The basic steps of completing a project include: 1. Choosing your wash and paint colors. 2. Sanding the wood. 3. Applying wash/paint to the wood. 4. Prepping your stencil with tape. 5. Apply the stencil to the wood and removing the tape. 6. Applying primer. 7. Painting. 8. Drying the paint with a blowdryer. 9. Removing the stencil. 10. Drilling hardware. I became frustrated, or rather, a staff member became frustrated with me, at Step 2. It was clear she thought I was taking way too long to sand the wood. In my defense, I had 6 separate planks to sand, and I wasn't just sanding one big chunk of wood like everyone else. Sanding the sides of 6 different planks of wood takes some time! The employee actually said "this should only have taken you a couple minutes." If that is true, then can't your staff of 3-4 pre-sand all the wood before the class? Is sanding supposed to be a fun process that adds to the value of the class? It wasn't for me. Step 5 also went wrong, though I didn't realize it until after my project was complete. The staff is the one who lines up and applies the stencil to the wood. Before they do the final application, they ask you to approve their placement. I trusted that the staff member had lined up everything correctly, but she hadn't. There is a visible gap between the edge of the design and the edge of the tray. Overall, it also just seems rather easy for paint to bleed under the seems of the stencil, especially when the class is winding down and you feel rushed to finish your project. In the future I will stick to spending my money on other's hand painted work. read more

I was looking for the best/intimate activity to do with all of our girls for our friends 27th birthday (covid friendly of course)... luckily I came upon AR Workshop. They were so accommodating and understanding when we let them know that we were running late. They greeted us with a warm smile & that's when I knew it would be a great experience. We signed up for a "wood shop class" and let us choose our seating assignments before hand so we let them know that we would all be sitting together. Because of covid they can only safely seat a max of 12 people for the workshops. We got SO lucky and ended up being the only group there. We had Morgan all to ourselves and she guided us through the entire project, answered questions and was SO patient. I've been to several other classes for "DYI projects" but this one by far was the best experience I've had. We all told her our vision and she helped us get there! They also have a cute boutique shop which you get 10% off just for being at the class!! Will definitely be back and recommend to anyone looking for a GNO/birthday/date night activity. read more

AR Workshop Alexandria - Disclaimer: We only took off masks for the photo. - Art Classes Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I came here with my girlfriend and we had such an amazing time!! The shop was just so cute and our teacher was amazing. Even though we both aren't very artistic our projects came out amazing!! (So i think) Any questions or recommendations we needed our teacher was on it. We are so excited to come back! Thank you guys for such a great time! read more

AR Workshop Alexandria - Art Classes Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The most ridiculous registration process. The problem was that my child's GS troop planned an event here and on the day of the event we received a call saying that our child wasn't registered. The link registered the time at 3:30 AM instead of 3:30 PM. My point is if a troop # is attached to the event registration, how hard was it for (AR Workshop) to catch this mistake. Now, you probably put this child on the spot by telling her she wasn't registered and at the end of the whole process, the experience probably wasn't even worth it! Waste of time!! The above experience was completely different when they accommodated my child. At the end of the day every business wants a satisfied customer and my daughter was very happy with her project. read more

This was such a fun activity to do with friends! The ladies who run the class are so helpful, patient and kind. And the best part is now I have something beautiful to hang in my home that was made by me! read more

AR Workshop Alexandria - Art Classes Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

This is a really great craft idea. All materials provided and lots of color options. Staff were extremely helpful and nice. Pretty cool ideas presented. Would like more options to make customization easier but I understand the stencil part makes it difficult. Also would like more crafting options. I did the lady Susan but even just a round placard would have been better. It was still pretty new when I went so it seemed to be growing and adding more options especially for the holidays. read more

This was my first time doing a wood project class. The staff were great and very helpful. I LOVED how my piece turned out, and they were very accommodating when I requested a few changes to my design prior to the class. They were good about communicating beforehand to make sure participants knew what to expect and that their design was correct. I really appreciated the complimentary wine or beer as well. Now my biggest con: I don't know if it was this particular night (the place was more packed and some of the staff seemed kind of overwhelmed due to a few late arrivals, but we were so rushed! My group got there on time and our projects were not that complicated, yet our staff member helping us rushed us the entire time. She ended up staining our wood for us, and kept pressuring us to hurry on to each next step. She also put on all the hardware for us (this may be standard practice at this place not sure). We finished at least 30 minutes early, and way before everyone else. And we also had plenty of time standing around doing nothing because we were so ahead. Overall, I feel like the constant rushing really took away from the experience, especially when you're paying a pretty hefty price to be there. read more

My fiancé gave me a night at AR as a birthday gift and we had an amazing time! Your pieces end up looking professional and the time spent together was so much fun. Plus they serve you alcohol, so how can it not be fun?! read more

AR Workshop Alexandria - Our creations from AR Workshop! - Art Classes Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I love AR Workshop! Not only is it adorable inside and out...I love everything you can create in there. The crafts I've done, my daughter's done and everything I've seen come out of there...it all looks amazing! We are so lucky to have an AR Workshop in the area. I can't wait to sign up for more workshops :) read more

AR Workshop Alexandria - Penny's Brownie Troop had so much fun! - Art Classes Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I had such a great experience with AR Workshop. 1. It is in a great location, right in Old Town Alexandria. There is easy parking across the street in the garage and also fairly close to walk to other restaurants or venues. 2. The experience itself is just wonderful. I'm sure most of you have been to a canvas and paint class, this is very similiar but on sterioids. You aren't stuck doing the same project as the person next to you, and there are sooooo many projects to chose from. You can paint a canvas sign, paint/stencil wood planks, lazy susan's, canvas pillows, and the list goes on. It's so much fun to sand, stain, paint, stencil, and just create a masterpiece of your own. And because everyone is doing something different, it gives you the chance to see other products and to really see what else you might want to try next time. 3. My only "complaint" is the temp in the studio. It defintely had air running but maybe because the studio/class was so full it was pretty warm the whole time we were there. So be sure to dress for that, especially if you are someone who always is warm. 4. Be prepared to be there for at least 2 hours, maybe even longer. You can rush through your project if you don't have that much time,but then it really takes away from the experience and really getting your piece to be beautiful and pefect. 5. The BEST thing about the whole experience.. It includes alcohol and water!! Who does love some wine while they are crafting away! I would HIGHLY recommend this place for a girls night out, a mother daugher day, or even a couples project. Two thumbs up! read more

I've been to AR twice now and this last time on a Saturday Crafternoon with my 8 yr old daughter. I was a little worried she may not understand how to do the craft, but the staff was amazing and she was able to get it in a second! We love the crafts and they are already adorning our home. My daughter also loved the bath bomb we purchased and HAD to take a bath the second we arrived at home. Thank you for the memories AR, we'll definitely be back. read more

I bought a couple of pieces for my mom and I as a Mother's Day gift and it was great. She and I had a great time doing crafts together, and the product is very good quality for a DIY piece. Coincidentally, we had the studio to ourselves and really enjoyed spending time together doing an activity. Potential customers should be aware that it took a little longer than anticipated. read more

I have participated in 2 AR parties--the first time I made a wooden sign and the second time I made a centerpiece box. First, it's fun to be crafty with your friends, and second, what you make and end up taking home is really cool! The staff has so much patience for newbies and non-crafty people and it's overall a very fun experience. I will definitely be doing it again--possibly making a custom pillow. read more

I have been to AR workshop with girlfriends once, to make the lazy Susan, and once with my daughter's Girl Scout Troop to make canvas pillows. Both were completely unique experiences and gave friends the opportunity to create, chat, and hang out. Katie and her staff were so friendly and helpful and removed any cause to be intimidated. I also loved that while they had a complete roadmap to follow, they also allowed the more crafty folks in the group to make their piece their own! read more

What a great afternoon celebrating my birthday with best friends and making DIY pillows!!! The staff was fabulous - super fun to work with, patient, professional and very welcoming. We each completed two pillows that we all were delighted with. We were able to bring in our own food and wine and just enjoy a really great afternoon together. Good pricing and great atmosphere. Would definitely go again and highly recommend it! read more

AR Workshop Alexandria - Great afternoon doing DIY pillows at Anders Ruff Workshop with two of my besties! - Art Classes Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Went with my BFF and had a great time. My sign turned out better than i imagined (and I'm not a crafty person). They give you wine or you can apparently bring your own fav drink- win! I already bought my mom and grandma gift cards and I can't wait to go again. read more

Really great experience! Staff is amazing and welcoming. They're very hands on and walk you though the entire process so you cannot go wrong. Came on a date night but will definitely return again or with a group. This is a must do experience for everyone! read more

AR Alexandria is such a cute gem in Old Town. I had a blast with friends in the Framed Wood workshop. The instructors and owner were all so flexible & helpful; I changed the type of project I wanted to do before the class and when I arrived at class everything was waiting for me. It's a great way to create a custom gift for someone or for your house. Plus, what could be better than combining wine, a therapeutic art project, and good conversations with the folks in the class? After the workshop, you can take advantage of the cute little shop area, which offers photo prints, soaps, bath bombs, and other miscellaneous items for sale. I can't wait to go back to AR workshop, & highly recommend this place! read more

My first experience at AR Work Shop in Alexandria was incredible. Katie and her team make the experience both fun and fool proof - you will be guaranteed to leave with a perfect product! It is so convenient to have all of the supplies at your disposal, plus hands-on assistance from the AR team, making the experience worth every penny! I will certainly be back and bringing friends! read more