I took a beginner's drawing & oil painting class here which took place on Monday nights - not a…read moredegree course, just an "after-school" type of instruction, from 6:30 to 9:30 pm over the course of 12 weeks. I really looked forward to my evenings at the NY Academy of Art. Adam Cross, the instructor, was phenomenal. He was an absolute expert on the matter, and provided constructive criticism, always in a kind manner, basically just giving you tips on how to improve and sharing ideas for things you can do to make your drawing or painting better. He made the class fun and interactive and was genuinely interested and passionate about teaching us art. I did not have prior experience coming into this class, and I didn't feel lost at all. It is slow-paced (in a good & most necessary way) and really teaches you the foundations. Homework is given for those who want it, and I was pretty impressed with the drawings I could make by Week 4! I highly highly recommend this class for beginners. You will be stunned at the work you've produced by the end of it. PS: we also took a tour of the actual degree students' studios -- their work is stunning!! Makes me want to go to art school :)

Stopped in to view a show of new graduates and also one of the teachers. Amazing to say the least…read more So glad my daughter picked this school for her Masters. Can wait to see what in store the next two years

PYD does a pretty good job in offering what they do for an NPO…read more They did a super job in taking care of me while i was in NY for a couple of months. I'm an art major in college, so 'business' was a totally new concept, and PYD successfully taught me the fundamental principles very quickly. The PROS: They do teach you and give you amazing business opportunities that probably a normal company wouldn't. But what you gain also depends on how hard you work, or what you can make out of the experience. I have to mention that Mr.Leo is a super motivational speaker, and if you are also at loss in direction in NY, his speech will change you! I also find this program very useful if you come from a foreign country, or other states beside NY, simply if you are new to the whole "NY business mind". NY definitely has a unique dynamic like no other, and even just in the way you socialize with people seem different. In that sense, PYD has taught me very valuable and interesting ways to look at things in terms of business. You can also meet other ambitious people here, and the friendships I made here personally were very valuable. I think this comes from the fact that they are a very small school, and everyone quickly starts feeling as if they were all part of a family. I found out later that some people that attend PYD regularly, are in very high positions of big cooperates that I would never even find the chance to talk to in normal life. Yes, for some reason PYD does attract these people to come even while they have amazing careers. Never under-estimate who might be sitting in with you at a meeting while your interning for them! The CONS: Because the school is so small, the dynamics of this school really depends on the people that attend PYD at the time. It does tend to get frustrating when people don't speak up, or meetings don't seem productive. This all depends on if the students/interns there are just there to fulfill their resume as "internship", or if they really want to learn. You also have to understand that this is a learning process for everyone, so at times it's struggling to cope with different levels of 'professionalism' s until they all get to the high standards. You can slack but they DO make you work HARD! So sometimes you will feel pressured and worn out, doubting if this is what you really want. No pain, no gain, right? Overall, I think PYD definitely teaches you a lot and makes you feel rewarded for what you do.

I regret about taking education here. I wasted my money for…read moreeducation fee. There is no gain.

My 12 year old daughter has been attending Downtown Art School for several months now. She looks…read moreforward to it every week! Bella works closely with each student and provides a well-structured environment. She focuses on the importance of art history and knows how to communicate well, especially with young children. The studio is in a great location in the downtown area of Jersey City (across the street from Van Vorst Park). I'm thinking of taking private lessons with her as well. Bella has been a part of the Jersey City arts scene since the early 90's!

My daughter has been attending Downtown Art School for a little over a year now and loves it. It…read moreis a small class which gives Bella the opportunity to work closely with her students. The children get to work on interesting art projects and my daughter is always enthusiastic about attending the class each week. The classes are held in the home/1st floor studio of Bella's apartment which is conveniently located within about a 7 min walk from the Grove Path station and a block from Van Vorst Park.

Soooooo me venturing to SI is a huge deal to begin with. However, you go when your friend organizes…read morea birthday outing. About 11 women and myself descended upon this place to make stuff with wood, while snacking on cheese and sangria. Now I know what you're thinking...you're making something...out of wood? I was thinking the same thing. Buuuuuttt I was pleasantly surprised. 1. The women that worked here and guided us were amazeballs. To wrangle our group of chatty cathies is hard to do but they did. Whenever we needed guidance on a paint color, technique, which way to sand etc...they were right there with a smile. 2. The amount of projects to chose from is extensive. You had porch signs, picture holders, lazy Susan's, and a wood circle thing (mine...lol). It could be super simple with 1 or 2 words or a bold pattern like mine 3. The shop itself is beautiful!!! I loved everything... unwanted to move into the bathroom. The apron holders were hammers... just super creative. Whoever designed the store...please come to my house and work your magic. I loved the entire experience...I plan on going back to make the chunky blanket. I may even come back to this location because the women were awesome.

This AR Workshop had just opened only a few blocks away from my house and I was excited to go try…read moreit out with my mom and a few of her friends. I've always loved painting and have never done wood-work before. Salina was so nice in helping us set up our Friday night event and made sure we knew what to expect going into it. We were even able to bring our own drinks and snacks! Although not to worry, they do have some for purchase as well. We each picked our projects ahead of time ranging in price from $55-$85. I was a bit taken back by the price but I promise you it was worth it. For 3 hours we were assisted with our projects from start to finish. Mackenzie was wonderful in explaining all of our design options in terms of staining, painting, choosing colors, sanding our wood, stenciling.... pretty much the whole nine yards. The other girls helping out needed a bit more training/experience in my opinion. While my project was definitely more difficult than I had expected, I had a blast and was in love with the final product. You are able to customize your design to make it your own and I really could not wait to hang up my piece in my apartment. Since the class I have already looked up projects that I want to make in the future and can't wait to do so!

David Benlolo is an extremely talented Jeweler. He gives…read moreclasses with personalized instruction. It's a very special experience which will inspire you and expand your skills in ways you didn't expect.

The Benlolo Studio has great and welcoming learning atmosphere. Before I met David I had some…read morejewelry production experience but I hadn't had a chance to make pieces with my own design. David led me to the next level and helped me to build confidence in myself. Every time when I went to class I learned not only jewelry techniques but also about gemstones. I had so much fun learning about stones and actually seeing them! Since each student works on his/her own piece you can also learn something new from them. David understands some Japanese which is my first language I could learn even more comfortably. I highly recommend!

A wonderful, magical gallery/store/artist's cooperative in the Lower East Side. A tiny storefront…read morefull of beautiful things made by its members, from crocheted bikinis to embroidered dresses to jewelry and collages and drawings. The prices are expensive, but everything is homemade, and it's worth stopping in for inspiration if not for a shopping spree. A great place for special one-of-a-kind gifts, as well as a break from the bustle of Ludlow street. note: I hear rumors that they're having trouble, so go support them! It's a one-of-a-kind store, and deserves to be around!

Above all things, I would like most of all to tell you that Art Fiend is different. It is a…read moreminiature cathedral devoted to the natural, the homely, the warm and wooly. It's a shop of consensus; each artist is vetted by the current stakeholders in an organic free-for-all. Everything in the store is sold on consignment and it is run as an artist's cooperative, with volunteers keeping the store open six days a week. The person tending the shop is most likely a maker, the clothing on display is all one-of-a-kind, and the money from the sale goes primarily to the artist. It's a place where the well-made handmade object is paramount, an earnest attempt to bring to life the precepts of old-time Arts and Craftsman William Morris. Guiding all is the philosophy that each person makes an impact with their purchases, and that clothes should be made in a humanitarian environment. It is the hope of Tooya Deas, one of the acting directors of Art Fiend that this attitude will radiate outward with each visitor to the store, the inevitable conclusion to a bounteous community philosophy. The board of directors is a loose confederacy of artists, all of them friends by virtue of what they do to hold the store together. *I wrote this up for KnitKnit, which can be read at www.knitknit.net.

Color Me Craftys is a Queens New York woman owned business. I met Tina the owner at a Children's…read moreParty I attended today. The children decorated their own pair of sunglasses for Summer. With Tina and her assistant and the parents all involved the children were well supervised. I was invited by my friends who have children. As a former Head Start Teacher I really love these entertaining activities for young children. If you want to have a craft party I recommend you call Tina and see what she recommends. Prices vary based on the activity and number of participants.

Ashcan is definitely one of the best art studios of NYC. Very nice and talented teachers there…read morehelping me to prepare my portfolio and finally I got accepted by Parsons. A lot of thanks to them and great time spending there.

Going to Ashcan was the best decision I could have made. I learned so much and was guided every…read morestep of the way to make the best art portafolio for the university. If it was not for them I would have not been able to create such great work and get accepted to my dream school.