I am always on the hunt for alternative sources to art supplies found in big box concrete buildings…read morethat offer up half of their space to kitchey already made dumpster filling junk. So when I am in a new area of a town, I google "art supplies" and pray for some relief from the tyranny of plastic and cake decorating, scrapbook paper and seasonal driftwood. So I found ArtPost in an unexpected place. A small dwelling type storefront with funky painted blue building and two doors... take the left. Inside you will find traditional and some on trend art supplies packed inside the small space like a european counterpart. If you are an artist or craftsperson, I don't believe you will be able to leave without something. p.s. they have some of the coolest japanese brush tip pens.

I did not realize this until I came here, but Art Post is one of the only few local art supply…read morestores (and I believe the only one downtown). I have used them twice now for private classes/team building projects and both time they were phenomenal. For far less money than what other chain art-creation-team-building-events asked, Art Post created a custom activity for our group and created a laid-back atmosphere that encouraged creativity but also socializing. I also observed a class with younger children and the teacher was patient and also encouraging of creativity with the kids. Overall, I was very impressed with their community outreach and artistic philosophy. They also host some really great outdoor markets on the weekend where you can find lots of great local art and music!

I had a great time at AR Workshop. I went with a friend, and we ended up being the only people in…read morethe class that evening. Our instructor Michelle was so nice and helpful. I made a small box and my friend made a larger one. It was great being able to choose everything from the project itself to the wood stain to the paint color(s). My box is now displayed proudly in my home, and there's lots of other projects I'd love to make whenever I get a chance to go back! I feel like these folks really have this down to a science. We walked in and our boards were waiting for us. We sanded them and stained them. Then Michelle helped us putting our pre-made stencils onto the wood, and we primed and painted. Very simple, yet so brilliant because I don't have to deal with paint and sawdust in my home. :)

Awesome experience at the AR Workshop Durham. A friend and I each brought our moms to a Christmas…read moreworkshop, and we had so much fun. Projects were set up and ready to go as soon as we walked in the door and the staff was phenomenal. Really appreciated all the extra care and attention our table assistant, Allie, gave to our group and projects. Highly recommend this place!

This is an interesting artists space that has moved around within Durham a few times. Great place…read moreto see glass blowing, pottery making, weaving, printing, metal sculpting, and more. They offer classes and also have occasional open houses like their annual holiday market. We usually make it out at least once a year and have purchased cards and pottery from the artists. They are all very friendly and love to talk about their work. Check their website for their hours and/or events.

Liberty Arts i.e. a co-working space for artists. If you're an artist, looking for a place to work…read morewith like-minded people to teach, learn and inspire, this is your place. Located in the Golden Belt warehouse district, Liberty Arts has a small gallery inside their warehouse, in addition to the large co-working area. This gallery is open to the public on the last Thursday of every month as well as more recently for Durham's Third Friday. During this time, visitors have the chance to view a vastly varied set of media [incredible woodwork, bronze casting, blown glass and even handcrafted pipes!] but also chat with artists and explore the studio. The co-working space also offers community classes, and although pricey, they have the ability to offer some very unique opportunities. Everything from jack-o-lantern casting and carving, welding education, plasma cutting and metalworking, clay-metal fusion and bronze casting. I highly recommend checking out their website for current events! You can tell that the artists truly look forward to chatting with interested visitors. So, stop by, ask questions or just soak up the creative atmosphere!

I was exploring downtown today and stumbled upon the cutest little artist shop. This place is…read morefilled with candles, clothing, nicknecks, jewelry and so much more. I was in awe checking out everything! Although they have a lot of unique things customer service was lacking. I wasn't greeted or spoken to the entire time I was there.

This is a little open-air arts market on Foster Street in Durham. I don't know what their regular…read morehours are but we know they are definitely open during the Durham Farmers Market nearby on Saturday mornings. They feature several artists and craftspersons, a woodworker, some CBD products, and a haberdasher who sells original bowties. This time of year, they have various Christmas-related items. On our last trip, we did peruse some of the holiday items and purchased a very nice handmade card. I will definitely support local artists and crafstspeople ahead of the mall or places that sell mass-produced items made cheaply overseas.

My family - including a 12 & 14 yr old - LOVED our experience with Christal. The review from the…read morewoman that took a class in Colorado was judgmental of Christal's home. You will park in a cul-de-sac. So? She has projects ongoing in her yard. So? The other reviewer maybe expected Martha Stewart. Anyway, the four of us have taken Christal's class twice. She lets you use Groupon for her classes (not limited to one Groupon). She gives instructions for about 15 minutes. You cannot use the colored glass that the other reviewer was crying about because it is specially purchased by Christal for her stained-glass business. Makes sense. There are buckets upon buckets of glass pieces in various colors. Any color you could want! She supplies other interesting shapes and sizes of adornments for your project. You have the choice of many items to make - a set of 4 small squares, a large rectangular piece, 2 small rectangles, and some others. These can be shaped into bowls, soap dishes, and other curved/waved designs after the glass cures in the kiln. You need to bring your creativity and your big girl panties though. Christal allows you to use the time as YOU want. And she's brutally honest about "don't park on the grass" and "don't touch the glass for my business." If you are easily offended then her dry humor and quick wit might offend you. We thought she was hilarious, helpful, and creative. The fact that she opens her home so strangers can take time away from television, computers, etc and let their creativity flow is wonderful. Getting our two kiddos out of the house and truly focused on something they could create with their hands....it was invaluable. Both could have spent many more hours there. The time went too quickly. So, if you are open-minded about trying something new and fun, my biggest tip is to take a design with you that you want to create. Using class time to think of your creation eats through time you need for designing your glass. And if you run out of time then book another session! We loved it. I hope you will too.

My husband got us a class as a date activity. We had done a day in a glass studio in Durango,…read moreColorado last year and it was really fun. This one was a bit odd. It was really far away (granted we live in Knightdale) and in a residential neighborhood. You park in the cul-de-sac (I am sure the neighbors love that) and there is a barrel blocking the driveway. The outside of the house has all sorts of junk and tarps and stuff all over (again- lucky neighbors). I get being eccentric and I appreciate the artsy type, but it just seemed like there was junk all in the yard, in the studio and even in the bathroom. It did not feel clean or organized. It is clear this is her work space but I think she needs to have an organized, less clutter space for the classes. We got about 10 minutes of basic instruction and then were off on our own. We did not learn anything cool and were not allowed to play with color and different glass types or do anything other than just cut and grind glass. Our experience in Colorado was SO much better and more creative. It was a 2 hour class so some bottled water or something would have been nice to have been offered. My hubby got a Amazon deal and I have to tell you even at that price it was overpriced for what you get and the teaching you got. To avoid going all of the way back out there we opted to pay $12 to have it shipped to the house and she said over and over how she is really bad at remembering to ship things and to text her in a couple of weeks if we have not gotten it to bug her about it. I got this is not like a professional business because of the nature of it, but it really did not seen to run or feel like something worth paying for.

Great classes and overall environment. There's lots of different teachers and in my experience they…read moreall offer different perspectives on the same material (clay! lol). I've learned a ton from every teacher I've taken a class with in the studio. Also a spot to pick up clay, dry materials, and supplies!

I took a 6-week intro to sculpture class here. It was a pretty fun experience. I wish there had…read morebeen a little more structure the first two weeks or so.. we were supposed to come in already knowing what we wanted to work on and I was clueless. But otherwise, I enjoyed the class, and there's some really cool people in the studio!

I receive massages from Heather James who is absolutely fabulous! Her massages are PERFECT - the…read moreamount of pressure applied is enough, and she remembers my little quirks always (no oil in my hair and to massage my arms a certain way). Heather is always so welcoming and I feel I'm in safe, loving hands every time I work with her. I walk away feeling relaxed, rejuvenated, and peaceful thanks to Heather. I cannot recommend her highly enough! You'll want to continue coming back for more! Thank you!

Massages by Heather James - Serenity Massage are the best I've ever experienced. Her caring is what…read moremakes them so remarkably good - she pays attention to my request, whether I ask for a therapeutic, relaxing or nurturing massage. The emotional and physical atmosphere, and the touch of her hands is always calm and serene - and that makes quite a difference in the result.

Great small bites. I recommend you trying the Elote dip it was AMAZING and perfect for sharing with…read moretwo or more friends! They have great drink specials for different days of the week! Very speedy service all of their bartenders are very sweet and will fix whatever drink to your liking The vibes are disco balls on the ceiling very open very Miami Beach vibes they have an indoor and an outdoor seating area not only that they have fireplaces. If you get a little too far from their heated porch area! The vibes just don't stop. They have an aesthetic fireplace in side as well as a fake tree in the middle beautiful for taking pictures Their bathrooms are adorable, but you might have to wait a little bit on a busy day. But this is the same problem with every bar. Very glad that they have more than one bathroom.

Stopped by the Velvet Hippo while out in downtown Durham. When you arrive parking can be a bit…read moretricky in this area as you'll need to find street parking or park in a nearby lot. When you walk in you'll need to either take the elevator or stairs up to the third floor. Once inside the bar you'll feel like you've been transported to an upscale, tropical bar. To order you'll need to walk up to the bar to place your order. I ordered the Hot Girl Summer (Olmeca Altos Reposado, fresh watermelon, Gran Gala orange liqueur, house-made habanero syrup, lime, salt half rim) which was so good. I also ordered a cheetahs do it in the dark (Astral Añejo tequila, Licor 43, Caffè Borghetti liqueur, espresso, orange twist) which was also excellent. I'd recommend walking out to the rooftop if it isn't too hot. There are several tables and the views of the city are nice. Definitely will come back to the velvet hippo next time I'm in Durham.