Such a fun experience taking a class! The instructor Ray was AMAZING in their demonstration and…read morehelping throughout the class. Truly an expert at the craft. Even the front desk is super nice and knowledgeable when checking in. Easy registration online, location is quiet with enough parking spots, and LOVE that there are pieces to purchase form local artist. The class itself is a nice small size. You can try to make as many pieces in the 2 hours, but only pick 1 final piece to fire. I learned so many new skills and was covered in clay at the end of the class. I'm eager to take more classes and recommend this place to friends.

Fired Up Studios is a place to build pottery, take classes and become a member. They have two forms…read moreof membership. Firing membership allows you to fire pottery and rent wheels by day. A full membership allows unlimited use of wheels and firing. They have a huge assortment of glazes and tools. It's open 24/7 and feels very safe. It's a great place to join and explore your pottery adventure!

Glass blowing has always fascinated me, so much so that I decided to check out classes and try it…read moreout for myself. I am so glad I did! I signed up for the holiday ornament class and had a total blast. There were about 7 of us gathered around this large octagon of a table that was set up with torches, glass, and other tools. The instructors were incredibly friendly and helpful. We spent the first 15-20 working with the glass and getting comfortable before moving onto our project. We got a thorough demonstration and then had the opportunity to create our own piece. I am so happy with how mine turned out and I can't wait to go back for another class. Know before you go: propane first, then oxygen; always keep spinning.

The studio is great! Took a pendant making class here today and will definitely be going back. It…read morewas a lot of fun, and we got to witness some of the amazing techniques behind glass art. David was very helpful and we ended up with some really cool pendants.

What brought me here was that it was the setting for a pie contest, hosted by Sweet Potato Comfort…read morePie. I was in the audience. I don't get to many art galleries. Wall to wall paintings. Many would be good for a child's room and would make a great gift. For a shower as well. They have such novelty paintings i.e. the history of jeans, Dad's rootbeer, Rod Serling from the Night Gallery days. I loved meeting Kelly and was in awe of this place. Another reason to come to the West Bank. It's on the block for the Wednesday weekly West End days with all the vendors.

They never followed through on texts or phone calls . A business needs to be reliable .read more

This is a very nice campus, converted from the Golden Valley Lutheran university…read more Lots of light all over and nice open spaces. The arts abound all over the school. They feature a public library, on-campus housing for students from outside of the metro area and very caring staff. There is no transportation to or from school but this is a special school. The admission process is multi-stage with academic and art panel review. The school is for kids who really want to focus on art full time. They have limited extra curricular opportunities and partner with Groves academy for some sports. If you know someone who wants to focus on art at a young age this might be the place for them. This is a free public arts school white a private school feel.

Mary is a nice lady. Her at works are breathtaking especially the landscapes. Really easy to talk…read moreto. I will recommmend her to anyone.

From the owner: Bring Art into Your Life! Choose from beautiful, ready-made…read morepieces or request something custom—just for you! Mediums: Calligraphy, Watercolors, Acrylics, Ink, & Architectural Drawings Unleash Your Creativity: Join our inspiring art classes: Calligraphy Painting: Watercolors & Acrylics Ink Drawing Matting & Mounting Artwork Love what you see? Prints are available for most original artwork—perfect for gifts or home décor!

I met Sue Trosvig, owner of Handcrafted Stained Glass at her house and studio location in Golden…read moreValley. I had purchased a large stained glass panel, but it didn't include any way to hang the panel. Sue explored various options to me and we both decided that a wood frame would need to surround the panel for structural support. She also evaluated the stained glass panel for me, in terms of how it was put together and the quality of the design and assembly. Sue was easy to talk to and very open, in terms of choices and prices. She was very generous with the advice she shared. It's obvious that stained glass is a passion for her and she does a lot of custom and repair work for her customers. I was very very impressed with her and found her to be quite trustworthy and knowledgeable.

From the owner: We specialize in designing and creating custom stained and leaded glass windows and panels for your…read morehome and business. Also offer small group/private lessons, repair, and gifts.

I've been intrigued by the Paint Nite concept for a while now, and I'm glad I finally was able to…read moreexperience it. The first thing to know is DONT PAY FULL PRICE. These are always on sites like Groupon, and you can probably find coupon codes online for their website as well. The event I attended was at the Big Thrill Factory in Minnetonka, and due to the ambient noise from the rest of the building, I wouldn't highly recommend this venue. But the food looked good, and the wine/beer options were reasonable. There were parts of the instruction that I thought went too fast, and other parts that went way too slow. The beginning was a little stressful for me, in part bc I've never painted on canvas before. I am a pretty crafty person in general, but my skills are more from years of summer camp. Our instructor had music playing, and at times it was distracting and very loud. She also kept encouraging us to drink, which I didn't mind but I think some people will find excessive. Our instructor was cheerful, but there are things I think she should have repeated or emphasized more (like using a lot of water mixed with the paint for the first step, and how to do blending better. I have no idea how to do a lot of shading, or work with light) If the idea of painting appeals to you at all, I think you'd have a good time at a Paint Nite event, no matter what your skill level. I can see why some people go again and again! We were there for almost 2 1/2 hours. I wish she hadn't taken such a long break before the final part of the painting, bc I would have liked to stay longer to add more details during the last step, or allow parts of my canvas to dry before adding more things on top.

My cousin took me here for a my birthday gift. She got a Groupon deal, so there was some type of…read morediscount. Initially, we went online together to pick a date with a painting subject that we liked. I think it would be fun to paint with friends, but even better if I actually want to hang up the art piece on my wall! Paint Nite seems to hold all of their classes in restaurant party rooms. There were about 40 people in the class held at Andiamo in Apple Valley. We had our own server in the back private room for drinks or food. Drinking was encouraged, as that likely loosens up some of the anxious people who want to paint perfectly! People were encouraged to use their creative spirit and paint what they feel in the mood to make. Our instructor was named Lisa and she did a wonderful job. She took her time to go through the steps slowly, offered help as needed and had some music playing while the paint dried. Bring a few friends, have a wild time and go home with a handmade creation!

If you need a good Christmas Spirit jolt, this is a good one for you…read more There's always lots of cool things to see at Norway House, but this time of the year they go out of their way to bring out the best. See all the entries to their annual gingerbread house contest (open to the public!) and take part in a very important seasonal fund raiser and membership drive for this non-profit. Historical yet whimsical, come see what all the fuss is about in this beautiful place in uptown Minneapolis!

I'm sure that the events they plan are great, but we paid $10 to see the exhibits, and they were…read moreextremely minimal and difficult to use. You had to wave your hand over part of the exhibit to get it to turn on and to navigate it, which did not really work. Our visit was a big disappointment. The website said $5 admission, but we were charged $10 to see a very small exhibit of Norwegian pottery and a few photo exhibits in the basement that didn't work as they should have. I feel like with as many Norwegians living in the Twin Cities, that the exhibits could be way more comprehensive. If you're going for an event, I'm sure you will enjoy it. If you are simply going for the exhibits, save your time and consider visiting the Swedish Institute which is far more comprehensive and well done.