I purchased a Groupon to try out a 2 day weekend class. Over the course of 3 months, I'd try to…read morecall and set up an appointment time, as per the instructions on the Groupon. When I called, the voicemail says "you've reached the number XXX. Mailbox is full." and then hangs up. Seems like no matter what time of day I call, the mailbox is always full and can't leave any messages. There is no identification as to what their hours of operation are. This is very lame and poor customer service. Luckily, I was able to get a refund from Groupon.

Haley is a kind, patient instructor & is fun to talk to! The Glass Shack Studio is nicely located…read morein a 2nd floor 20's business flat closely above the cloverleaf. It's a cozy setting to get your mosaic started and completed. You will definitely run into some intriguing individuals in your class. Prices are not bad either! Look for a deal for a class/ project on Groupon or Living social.

"A creative adult is a child that has survived." - Unknown…read more Calling all craftaholics!! AR Workshop is a DIY shop where you can sign up to do pre-determined crafts throughout the week and weekends. Examples include cake stands, signs, tote bags, and clocks. The inside is adorably decorated with a modern rustic theme. There are large tables where you and your group can sit at to work on your crafts together inside. You can also book a private event in advance through their website which is pretty easy to navigate. There is ample parking space which is always a plus. I came for their grand opening with a friend. This event was well-planned and so much fun! They had teal decorations and balloons everywhere and were well-stocked with alcoholic drinks, water bottles with their logo, sparkling juice, a charcuterie platter, shrimp with cocktail sauce, and burritos. Guests were able to make a simple craft which were small wooden boards with various stains and cute phrases stenciled on top you could choose to paint with a variety of shades and colored glitter. They even had a cute photobooth 'van' outside, live music, and raffles throughout the evening. Seriously well-planned, my friend and I had a great time. This would be a great place for showers, bachelorette parties, birthdays, and special celebrations. I'm excited to come here for another event in the future!

Meh. If you're into mediocre decor, this is the place for you. But beware, the employees don't…read morealways get your design right. One person in our group actually had an employee tear off her stencil before she was finished so she didn't even get to take her work home since they had to "fix it" for her. And if you step away from your project for more than a second, the employees take the liberty of doing whatever they want with it. I definitely wouldn't recommend this place if you expect your work to be "yours." They take it upon themselves to do whatever they choose to your project. I actually left without them even putting the legs on my stand because they split one of my friends projects by nailing where they shouldn't have. They ruined the whole look. I recommend going elsewhere or ordering your own design from Etsy.

I've been taking handbuilding pottery classes at another space in town but I wanted to try out…read morewheel throwing before committing to a full semester. My hand/eye coordination is not great (which is why I tend to gravitate towards sculpture and more controlled building) but wheel throwing is such an amazing artform I wanted to give it a shot, but I knew if I didn't enjoy it right off the bat that I didn't want to be stuck for weeks doing it. Luckily, Yourist offers a "try it out" wheel throwing session once a month and I was able to sign up for the May session along with my husband, cousin, and aunt. It was so fun to do this experience together with my family and I surprisingly took to the wheel pretty easily. During this session you're given a tutorial on the equipment then a demo with explanation of how to throw your own bowl, including posture, hand positioning, and tips for success. Then you're given three balls of wedged clay and are let loose to practice on your own as they instructors work the room to help you if you're struggling and cheer you on if you're doing well. You're then welcome to keep any three of the bowls you make and they'll fire and glaze them (based on your choice of glaze for each piece) for you for pick up a month later. First piece is $10 with every additional piece $5. I'm proud to say that I made 2 very nice bowls and one bowl that turned into more of a sake cup after I got too ambitious and the top of my bowl collapsed. But they all looked nice in their own way so I decided to keep all three. The glazes they have are really lovely, too, and make any piece, no matter how wonky (like my sad sake cup) look beautiful. I also found I loved the experience so much that for my next class I signed up for a hybrid wheel throwing and handbuilding class so I could get better at both. I also really enjoyed my time at this studio and have bookmarked several classes I'd like to take there in the future, including day workshops focused on specific topics. Once I feel confident enough in my foundational education I hope to also join the community workspace where, for a monthly fee, you have access to their studio to work independently. It's such a welcoming environment, I highly recommend checking it out!

This is a cool little studio. I was actually just stopping in at the convenience store that's in…read morethe same little strip mall and thought I'd stop in to see what Yourist was about. They have a tiny one-room gallery, but it's full of nifty pottery. Some of the items are mostly decorative, but the display also included useful items, like an olive oil/garlic plate, a soap holder, mugs and so on. There were many items for sale under $20 and even several under $10, and this would be a good place to pick up unique gift items for the artsy friend on your Christmas list. The other half of the Yourist building is a studio/art school. They offer classes for beginners and more advanced students, ranging from a beginner's class in throwing pottery on the wheel to a class in learning to glaze and paint the pottery you've already created. In addition to several classes for adults, they offer after-school kids clay classes as well, at pretty reasonable rates.

Spun Ann Arbor is a fiber artist's dream!! I first heard about this establishment through Knitty…read moreNatty's YouTube when Natalie and Kent went on their cross country LYS tour. The video was fun and made this establishment look like a warm & welcoming space. I appreciated learning more of the owners' origin story as Natalie interviewed them. All of that to say, I was more than motivated to check the place out. When I walked in, I was not disappointed. Located in Kerrytown, Spun has a local charm to it. The store itself is a great size where it's large enough for patrons to explore without feeling too crowded yet still able to maintain a cozy hipster vibe making it a great reflection of Ann Arbor. The sheep artwork (designed and drawn by one of the owners) is creative branding and contributes to the memorable experience. The yarn selection is massive and easy to navigate because of how well organized it is based on yarn weight. The amount of yarn may be overwhelming to some because there is a lot to look at - not a bad thing, only something to take into consideration. I thought it was quite extensive which left me speechless! Some may find it helpful to have a shopping list going in or know ahead of time what your timeframe is because you will want to spend time exploring each aisle. I had researched ahead of time on their website though found that when I looked at the yarn in person, some of the color hues I was expecting were different in-store compared to the photo listing online. I didn't mind as I had time to look and adapt, perusing in person so I was able to choose something else. I appreciated that there were quite a few local dyers, artisans, and spinners spotlighted - from the yarn to the notions/yarn bowls offered. Staff was welcoming - Annri introduced herself, provided a basket, and made herself available if I had questions. It was very friendly of her! The selection of yarn ranged in price where many would be able to find something in their budget. I felt some items were on the pricier side but that's considering the college town factor as well as that I only recently began transitioning to independent dyers, natural fibers & hand-spun. I did appreciate that there were several economy priced yarns offered which seemed like more options compared to other LYS' I've visited but still considerably less in proportion to Spun's independent dyer options. I walked away with stitch markers, two sets of double pointed needles, and four skeins of yarn! What a great haul! The staff was also kind enough to wind it for me free of charge which I greatly appreciated. I only had to wait in line and return for my skeins after 30 minutes. I could have easily spent all day at Spun!! It sets the standard for LYS and I'm excited for my next visit!!

Just loved this yarn shop! I stopped in for the 2024 SE Shop Hop. It had been quite a few years…read moresince I had been here - in fact, they were not even in this location last time I visited them. I loved the layout of the yarn - everything was so easy to browse. There were several different areas to sit and knit or browse through magazines. I did find a few yarns to try and a new felt project. I will definitely be coming back here again.

It was a great experience. It feels like a community of people coming together to make or learn art.read more

I saw this place pop up in Berkley a few years ago and was intrigued. I don't consider myself an…read moreartist by any stretch of the imagination. I hadn't attempted anything creative since the last art class I had in grade school. But I was interested when I saw they offered a Zentangle class which promised the only artistic ability you needed was to draw a stick figure. I took the class and ended up really enjoying it. It is essentially structured, meditative doodling. I came back for several more Zentangle classes when I found it was a great way to relieve stress and get out of the rut of logical, left-brain thinking. I never intended to create great art, but rather to get in touch with the creative part of my brain and to enjoy the meditative qualities of creating art. But I enjoyed Zentangle so much that I eventually branched out and tried several other classes that included things like intuitive painting, sculpture, and traditional Japanese Sumi-e black ink painting. Each class was fun and informative, and I was surprised to find sometimes I actually liked some of the art I created, too, and not just the process. The owner, Debby, and the instructors have all been great. They clearly love helping people learn and get in touch with their creativity. Articipate offers a wide variety of events, classes and lessons. It seems like there is something for everyone - regardless of age and whether you consider yourself artistic or not. It seems like a glut of places have popped up in the past few years offering private "paint parties". I have been to a couple of those and while they can be fun, this place takes an approach that is much more fun and engaging than a one size fits all "paint by numbers" approach - regardless of artistic ability. I encouraged anyone interested to check out what they offer and let the friendly owner and instructors help you get in touch with your creative side.

They don't offer the services I needed, but directed me to other vendors who will be able to help…read moreme. I'm very grateful for the references - thank you. I would go to this business if I needed help with stain glass windows.

Dirk Thompson, senior and junior, are the masters of stained glass fine art in Michigan. Their…read morecreative work is stunning, with incredible range of style and impeccable craftsmanship. The are also the kindest, most diligent and caring craftsmen I have ever worked with. Tour their studio, see their work, their process, their hospitality, and there pride emanating from every emerging piece in the shop. They have no peers.

The owners are very friendly and patient. I looked into places closer to me for my 10 year old, but…read morecouldn't find what I was looking for. I saw this studio recommended by a friend and took my son, who.is 10. He is shy and they were able to help him come out of his shell and show his creative side. I highly recommend this studio for your kids!!

After searching high and low in my own area for classes like this for my budding teenage artist I…read morefinally found Art 101. It's a 25 minute drive each way but well worth it. My son enjoys it very much. Staff is friendly. Interior well kept. Reasonably priced. I especially like the pay as you go policy. No $$ wasted if you miss a class. They are flexible about needing to come on a different day if your regular time slot does not work that week. Wrap that all up with individualized instruction and this place is AWESOME!!

We had an amazing time Sol (our artist instructor) was amazing and sooo helpful, light hearted and…read morefun. We laughed and learned to trust ourselves. He assisted with fixing our pictures while showing us different ways to achieve the best look. Thanks I'll be back soon

Amazing experience. Sol was a wonderful teacher. We were a group of 10 celebrating a birthday. This…read morewas such a fun experience. Sol was patient and talented. He made the celebration and our art so memorable. I highly recommend this place for a fun group experience.

The Creature Conservancy is pretty awesome! I pass by it all the time but finally had a chance to…read morevisit during open hours on a Sunday. It was pretty delightful & the staff were super friendly and interacting with the animals. The CC was started 20 years ago with Al the Alligator! He was dropped off at the Vet clinic and they started CC all around him. Pretty awesome. It's not a massive space so it was perfect to get there at 3:30pm - in time for the 4pm show which is followed by an Al the Alligator feeding! We checked out all the habitats on the outside as well. Super cool experience - I'd love to come back for one of their turtle yoga, 18+ paint nights, etc. They always have pretty cool themed programming. Also follow their social media - they post the best content!

10 stars!! My husband found this place and it's amazing!! Sooo many animals and better than the Zoo…read morebecause you don't have to walk a ton and the workers are very friendly and personable. There are a lot of things you can look at without paying such as the Tegu (big looking lizard), an Owl, tortoises, parrots, black swans, muskrat, llama, horses, and one other animal. But if you pay for admission, you can enter their buildings that have lots more animals like sloths on the ceiling, a reindeer, an emu, mongoose, warthog, clouded leopards, a cougar, and a 300 pound alligator! There are many animals inside for sure! General admission is $15 and it's considered a day pass which means you can leave and come back (the lady clarified for us). Kids above 2 are $13 and those 2 and under are free! Loved this place and def coming back!