The workshop I attended with guest artist Ruo Li was a rewarding experience. Owner/partner Rich Brimer creates a warm creative atmosphere. I learned from Ruo as well as Rich and all the other students. It was a great way to work with a master without feeling overwhelmed. . The studio itself is bare bones, so you need all your own supplies (easel, brushes, paints, mediums, etc.). The lighting is great and there is room to paint outside on the brick walkways and deck. Come early and indulge yourself with some of the best bake goods on the planet at the Lafayette bakery in the same Barnyard complex. read more

This was an a great experience for my company offsite. I called Rich on Monday and we were able to do a 10 person team painting event on Friday. Rich was informative, laid back, great host. Recommend this again! read more

Visited for the first time while in Carmel and very excited about my upcoming weekend class this summer. I wish I lived in the area so I could take advantage of all the ongoing classes offered there. Very friendly and helpful owner was so kind to answer all my questions. read more

Great place for a workshop! Nice to have an indoor spot that allows oil paint. Each day the room was freshened up, the director was helpful and welcoming, and the artists chosen to teach are off the hook excellent. The Barnyard is a great haven of some of the best Carmel artists and it was fun that a few stopped in to banter a bit. CVA gives you a sense of being in a larger art community. read more

Make no mistake - Carmel Visual Arts is a resource for people who are committed to the highest quality art and personal skill improvement. The laid back Rich Brimer runs this place and is a very supportive, friendly host. He books some of the BEST artists in the entire nation to teach workshops here - it is an impressive business model for a gallery. I just completed a workshop by Peggy Kroll Roberts that was as comprehensive and challenging as any I have ever attended - and as a semi-professional artist for more than 10 years, I have attended MANY. The people he brings in are some of the most well-known and successful art professionals in the business. Google any of their names - you will be impressed! It seems that those who gave this place poor reviews may have been expecting the trendy wine and painting experience that gives you a cheesy souvenir painting to take home afterward, that is just like everybody else's. This is a place for more focused artists who are serious about improving their skills working with the most knowledgable instructors possible. If the extent of your interest in art is drinking with your friends in an "art-themed activity" head to your local mall where they will provide everything you need, line you up and run you through like the sheep you might be ;o) read more

I'm taking a fantastic workshop here with Max Ginsburg. Yes, THE Max Ginsburg. Having a great time - the studio is terrific. The set up is conducive and the models have all been wonderful! I am from NYC and take many classes and workshops there. This is as good as any I have been in. Looking forward to participating in more. read more

Love the creative atmosphere here, Rich Carol and FotoSaga are all great creative forces for my artistic growth.

This venue could be a PERFECT place for artists. The instructor was wonderful. This review is in direct response to the venue itself. The experience with Rich, the director, made it extremely poor. This workshop cost $650 which included a model everyday. Rich puts NO EFFORT in the center. He provided EIGHT easels (there were 13 artists which the class was only supposed to be 12 total). So, people had to come up with their own portable easels last minute. The easels he provided were old, rickety, cockeyed easels that Rich could not figure out how to set up. He provided a small tv tray for each person. NO STOOLS, so plan on standing for 6 hours. The empty grape bag and water and bag of cookies he provided the first evening for the welcoming evening stayed on the counter and floated in a bucket the following day next to a filthy sink that had never been rinsed. The garbage cans overflowed for 3 days because Rich never emptied them. Also, he informed us that we needed to remove ALL of our art supplies MID WORKSHOP so he could have a meeting at the facility one evening. He also keeps 25% of any art that the instructor has for sale. Rich grabbed a chair and sits right down in front of everyone DURING a demo and BLOCKS three of the paying students. He opens the doors at 8:55 for the 9:00 class and leaves for the first two hours to work on his car, leaving the instructor miffed on how to adjust the lighting up above which we all require and how to close things off to remove glares. At 4:00 he ends EACH day with a reminder, to TIP the model a suggested $10, leave promptly because he has a life too, and then shares his politics to the whole class on how Carmel should provide housing for people like him and not just be a place for RICH WHITE MALES. This could have been a delightful workshop. The director took the pleasure out of it. read more

I just finished at photography workshop at Carmel Visual Arts studying the Palladium/Platinum digital photographic process with Kerik Kouklis. This is a GREAT art gallery and workshop space for photographers, painters and associated arts. I would highly recommend both taking a workshop there and checking out the latest shows on exhibition. Rich Brimer and Carol Henry are the perfect hosts and owners of CVA. read more

I am impressed with their selection of master artist's workshops. I have studied with Kirstine Reiner in San Francisco a few years ago. She has since relocated to New York City. What a great surprise that she will be giving a workshop at the Carmel Art Institute. Her work is exceptional as are her teaching methods. I am looking forward to attending her Carmel Art Institute workshop this April. I highly recommend her to art students of all levels. The results of her lessons will be delightfully evident in your own work! read more

Finished my second workshop recently. A wonderful environment for creativity. The art is fabulous and the management very creative .Thanks Cat and Rico. read more

I thought that maybe it was just me or the venue was having an off week but as I read the last review I had to write one too and confirm her experience since I had the SAME EXACT experience, that no one else seemed to have. I came for a workshop in March. There weren't enough tables to work on, same old easels and TV trays, looks like the same thing 3 months later. The garbage cans were full,the place was dirty, the wine and crackers from the Sunday night reception were left out all week too. It was very unorganized, the filming of the artist was a mess, mostly could just see the back of his head and not the watercolor, at one point Rich asked if he could paint on his knees!!!!! I've been to a few more workshops in other venues and they were great, including having somewhere to paint, which I would think is a given for a workshop. The last day was to be plain air, in Carmel with all sorts of beautiful scenery to paint, Rich was trying to figure out where they would paint on the evening before at 330, after much discussion they decided to stay at the shopping center and paint. I didn't participate in that class but if I had ,that is not what I would wanted for the cost of the worshop. I defiantly wouldn't take another class here and I didn't feel that telling the owner would have had any effect...and seeing the same conditions 3 months later ....well that says it all read more

I have attended at least six workshops here and am very satisfied with the artists that Rich has enlisted. They are accessible, the workspace is good, and I have learned a great deal. read more