Wow -Timree has a new studio/gallery. The space is amazing, inviting but it's Timree and her…read moreamazing energy and talent that make it great. I took the first of a new type of class and way of painting. The studio lighting was low with candles on the stations next to our easels. The class was a contemporary painting that included new to me techniques and was inspired with a guided meditation. First we traced "Sacred Geometry" or a flower of life on the blank canvas for healing and transformation. Then a base color for grounding and next a guided meditation (my mom came through) then we to painted blind folded. It was a great experience. Timree is a genius and intentional without being stuffy or strict. I'm a long term paint club member it's great value and this class was priceless for me.

ALEXIS is a great teacher and loves sharing her art. Bring a group of friends.read more

The curator here has a sharp eye for both established and emerging talent, and the mix of work on…read moredisplay is consistently fresh, thought-provoking, and beautifully presented. What really sets this place apart are the gallery events. You'll find collectors, artists, and curious locals all mingling, which makes for some great conversations and unexpected discoveries. The curator is incredibly knowledgeable and approachable--whether you're a seasoned collector or just starting to explore the art world, they'll guide you without any pretension. I've discovered a few rising artists here whose careers I'm now following closely.

Love this Gallery. We have the tendency to come up to Orange County from San Diego to browse new…read morecontemporary offerings. Victoria always offers extremely personal recommendations on what would best fit our needs and extensive education for the new artists she brings into the gallery. She is currently following COVID-19 guidelines and ensures that her area is clean and ready for visitors. We highly recommend this gallery for your contemporary art needs.

Great head shop with an amazing selection of glassware handmade by the best glass makers in the…read morebusiness. The artistic ability is unmatched. People are super friendly and knowledgeable. Along with glassware they have bags, Tshirts, and accessories.

My go to spot to get gear. The nickel bag kept my glass protected and it stores everything needed…read morefor a peaceful road trip. The shell piece is amazing and I really like the spitrife skateboard wheels downstem. Honestly it's just rad

There are 3 parking options: Tower Plaza Parking Structure (602 Anton Boulevard), Irvine Parking…read more(3201 Avenue of the Arts), and The MET Parking (535 Anton Boulevard). I chose the Tower Plaza Parking Structure (near the Westin Hotel), which was just a short walk to the museum, while the other options are a bit farther. Parking is paid, about $6 per hour. Once you arrive, check-in is quick and no reservation is needed. Admission is free, and they provide a sticker that you'll need to wear throughout your visit. The museum is two floors, featuring a variety of sections and artists. The architecture itself is beautiful and perfect for photos, and the artwork is unique and enjoyable to explore. Overall, it's a great experience, especially since it's free. Tip(s): - Park at Tower Plaza Parking Structure (near Westin Hotel) and just walk to the museum - Free entry - Restrooms available - No appointments needed

To be honest, it was mildly surprising to learn that Orange County has its own museum of art, if…read moreonly because not many of the counties in the Bay Area do, other than SF. Yet, at the same time, given the size and population of OC, it also makes perfect sense. Either way, I can't say I ever would've guessed it would be this nice, though! Just a shame that their exhibits didn't really blow us away... Located in the burgeoning arts and theater district of Costa Mesa, just down the road from South Coast Plaza, OCMA is such a gorgeous looking building. Sure, it helps that it's only a few years old, but the look of this place is no less impressive. Right out in front, there's a 65-foot art piece in the middle of the plaza that helps connect all of the neighboring buildings. Inside, there's a fairly large gallery space on the ground level with rotating exhibits, an upper level that appears to hold their more permanent collection of pieces, a coffee shop right next to the gift shop, and a rooftop restaurant with a large open area/garden. Sadly, though, as nice as the museum's design and amenities may be, though, much of the artwork was just okay. While the artwork upstairs was fine, the featured exhibits didn't really speak to us. Obviously, art is subjective, but one included pieces that appear to have just been drawn with a spirograph. The other consisted of several photographic series, whose commentary on social media I can appreciate, but felt exceedingly voyeuristic in nature - one following/semi-stalking a fellow after a chance encounter, another of strangers invited to sleep in the artist's bed so they could be photographed/documented, and a third showing the belongings of guests at the hotel she worked at. Artwork aside, the thing that I like most about OCMA is how admission is entirely free. So, in that sense, it's impossible to be too disappointed with the experience and/or what we saw. However, one thing to note is that you do have to pay if you park at any of the nearby garages, which are all unaffiliated with OCMA. For example, at the one on the other side of the Segerstrom Center, it cost us about $10 for two hours or so. Alternatively, South Coast Plaza is just a few blocks over and parking there is free, but I don't know how aggressive they are with towing and it feels like a big gamble just to save a few bucks. All in all, even though none of the exhibits were really our flavor, we still had a good time checking out OCMA. Oddly, there weren't many other visitors here when we arrived, but it did seem to get busier as the day wore on (there was a big group walking in as we were walking out) and we certainly didn't mind not having to deal with a bunch of crowds around. Plus, as nice as the museum looks, it's actually fairly small compared to others I've been to elsewhere. Since the featured exhibits have so much influence on the experience, I absolutely wouldn't mind coming back to see whatever they happen to have featured down the line. The ones they had when we were here may not have interested us, but the next ones might! Plus, it doesn't hurt that admission is free! All in all, THREE AND A HALF STARS rounded down.

This museum is a very neat experience! It is intended for adults, but our little ones had a great…read moretime here too! The whole place is decorated with art and it is very immersive! It's a bit difficult to find parking, but after that's settled, knock 3 times on the door and upon entry, you are greeted and signed in. We were greeted by Sabrina and Alyssa. They were friendly and welcoming and made sure that all of our questions were answered. The whole experience is neat because in such a small area, there are so many things to see, smell, and read! They have their own section of a gift shop as well. I can't wait until they expand their location and I'm so glad they our family had the opportunity to experience the Museum of Make Believe.

A hidden gem (quite literally) in Laguna Beach, the Museum of Make Believe truly lives up to the…read morewhimsy and magic it seeks to bestow upon its travelers. Highly recommend to anyone seeking a trip of puzzle-mystery with a nostalgic edge. Huge shoutout to Sabrina & Sylvan for guiding us along the way and their warm hospitality.

What a cute little place for gift shopping. This place has a great selection of just odd stuff. it…read moreis cute and clean and the service is very nice. Most of the items are from Japan and they have stuff I had not seen before. They had a little Toto lighter which I loved as I have a Toto at home (it is a toilet, made in Japan and has a washlet.) They also have stickers and tee shirts and hats, they have lots of hats. I bought one for my son in law. The prices are fair for the area. We really did love the service. It is not a place I would go to often, but it is adorable and worth a visit. We had a great time there, just looking at all the stuff. It was not at all busy when we were there and check out was super easy. So, if you are nearby stop there. It is not a must see, but it is cute.

Love the store but service 0/5…read more My friend and I had stopped by this shop after taking pictures at Booth by Bryant to take a look around. This shop is very nicely organized and aesthetic, however, the lady at the cash register who might be the owner did not greet us or anything, and seemed very bothered by us just walking in. There are some colorful crates in the back part of the store that my friend wanted to take pictures with, so I asked the cashier first if it would be okay to do so, since I had noticed that she already looked upset, and she said "yes and thank you for asking first since some people don't even ask" and I had also purchased a $40 hat prior to asking. I take a few pictures of my friend and as we're looking at them some customers walk in and are taking a look around and we scooted to the corner so they can shop. As soon as they left the cashier comes up to us with so much attitude saying "you guys need to get out when customers come in, if you guys are doing this they can't shop." when we literally were no where in the way of the customers. The last thing my friend and I wanted was to make her upset, which is why we asked permission first and purchased an item so we could stay longer in the store. But, the lack of customer service and passive aggressive tone was what makes us not want to shop here anymore. A simple "if customers come in I would appreciate if you guys step aside for them to shop" (which we did either way) in the beginning when I first asked for permission would've been nice instead of telling us to "get out" after I had already purchased something.

Balboa Island is inside of a time machine - dialed back into the 70's. It's peaceful and friendly…read morethere, just a short jump from Newport Beach. The Hues Skelley Art Gallery is located right in the center of that tiny town, and has many artists paintings for sale; they are breathtakingly beautiful. If you own a home anywhere in California, this is a must see sort of place because you need to purchase an artpiece - or two! I took a couple of art oil painting classes from Ms Deb Hues herself; it was a week long each time and I can say that I'm painting in thicker, juicier strokes using my brushes in a more efficient manner. Deb Hues does landscapes and beach scapes, and she has a beautiful and distinctive flair to her paintings. Lisa Skelley is a pastel artist, and she creates the most beautiful ocean scenes with dramatic crashing of the waves on the seashore. If you are lucky enough to be in Balboa Island, it's a must see kind of place! So please get in there to browse the paintings. You will see Hues and Skelley paintings, but also I saw Terry Miura's paintings, Ryan Jensens and Mark Fehlman, to name a few. These art pieces will rock your visual senses and they will beautify the world around you - and make your home a more beautiful place to be. Hues & Skelley Art Gallery is in their 26th year in business, so they're doing something really important for this world we live in. Thank you.

This art gallery is a gem on Balboa Island - the most beautiful plein air art I've ever come…read moreacross. it's a must see if you visit the area.

Talk About a Very Special Location!…read more I tranquil courtyard...even a venue for intimate events. Fresh Ocean Breezes. But I want to focus on The Crown Jewel of these shops...Salty Paws. What makes so special, is ERICA, the owner of just one of the sections of the front store. She knows how to make browsers extremely welcome. She even offered us water! Check out her section for Doggies and Kitties!

I stopped in this store after picking my boys up from preschool today and the woman working didn't…read moreeven acknowledge our presence despite being the only ones in the store. I told her I was looking for a bday gift for a friend and the sales lady just said "ok" without providing any thoughts or assistance. She was clearly bothered by us being there. We left and went to open house gifts on westcliff and spent hundreds there instead.