Lillstreet Art Center is a magical place, it has a little bit of everything!…read more I've taken everything from pottery classes to jewelry workshops to textile classes here. They really have a wide selection and great time options in the evenings for those who work 9-5. 12 years later I still use the garlic grater I made in a sculpting class. Prices are expected, but reasonable for what you get. Teachers are awesome and work with you to help you learn, even if working with clay isn't your thing (I learned quickly it wasn't my thing). But it's still fun to try something new! In the heart of Ravenswood easily accessible by the el, and they do have parking if you drive. Definitely check out this gem if you haven't yet.

Too many students for one teacher Also teacher was new to…read moreteaching Had to pay more money for private lessons Private instructor was amazing

No strings attached, no questions asked. Come in, pay 15 bucks and you get 3 hours with a…read moreprofessional model, good light and very nice atmosphere. You can bring any type of tools you want, have any skill level and do whatever you want; as far as unstructured figure drawing sessions it doesn't get better than this. The place provides benches but no tools so make sure you bring your own. Also be ready to be impressed by the very good artists that practice here. If you want you can also take a lesson but those cost more and are on tuesday and thursday I believe.

This is the best drawing class I've ever attended. The instructor is extremely thorough and…read morehelpful. If you want to improve your artistic abilities you need to take classes here.

I've been eagerly awaiting Bunny Ears' opening since I stumbled upon them at AppleFest in Lincoln…read moreSquare last year. Before they opened, they were doing pop-up events at markets, fairs, and festivals, and they had an activity in the children's area at AppleFest last year. They opened in the last month or so and today I finally was able to visit! On Fridays, they have a session called Fluffle Babies (did you know that a group of bunnies is called a fluffed? I didn't!) for children up to age one and their caregiver(s). My baby is less than a month from turning one so I needed to get in here quickly! It was a fun morning. The owner was our host, and she had selected a topic for us to all share about so that we had a starting place for conversation. We introduced ourselves and our little ones, and shared our perspective on the morning's discussion topic. Then she introduced the art play for the day, which this morning was edible paints where we used rice cereal with food dye to color the cereal. Jinny explained that it's helpful to teach children not to eat paint, even though this is edible, because when they start playing with tempura paints, acrylics, and so on they will not be edible. My little one stirred the "paint" a little, ate some, smashed her hands in it, and crawled around. It was a fun morning for her! There are several different stations and tables for kids to partake in their activities. I'll be this is a fantastic place to have a kids party! When you enter you'll take your shoes off and there's a partial wall with a door to keep children from scampering off once they enter the art space. There's a tinker bar, several sinks, a play area with magnetic tiles, a place for playing with water... there are so many possibilities for children to have fun and be creative. I attended one of the toddler classes and it was good, but perhaps a little advanced for my daughter; it was ages 1-5, and there's a huge difference in one year olds (which is my daughter) to five year olds. Given that, the fact that I live in one of the outer neighborhoods now (instead of five minutes away), and that the class is on a weekday so I can't miss work each week I am not sure I'll be able to continue the class. But we may stop in on an open play day or something. I love the concept of this place and am look forward to visiting again and continuing to learn some fun ways to encourage artistic creativity in my little one! They are good about safety. Once the class starts, they lock the door (ask me how I know--luckily the babe was inside with grandma in the event I was locked out the entire time!). They have some great options for parents with slightly older children, as they have offered drop-in play for Maifest and they have it for Square Roots, too. I love that they offer this for parents to have just a little free time while their kids are having a blast on their own. Parking is street only or the lot across from Old Town School if it's not in use/blocked.

We had a 4 year old birthday, everything went smoothly and was so much fun for the kids! They made…read morebracelets, painted the walls, built a fort, and celebrated! We brought snacks, cupcakes, and some table decorations, bunny ears did everything else. Thank you for a great time! Staff was friendly, helpful, and everything was efficient!

I wanted to try something different so I purchased two "mini-sessions" which are private lessons as…read morea claydate. This was such a cool experience and Meg (the owner) was such a fantastic instructor! She made the process really easy and gave us a bunch of insider tips and tricks on how to handle the clay. Process: -I ordered two certificates and dropped by to pick them up! Meg created them on super cute stationary! -She requests a week notice for the private sessions. -When we arrived we put our stuff down and sat down in front of the wheel! -Meg is down-to-earth, funny, and a superb teacher! -We did the "wheelthrowing" and handmade our own pots! -Meg gives you a choice of glazes as well! -You pick up your artwork in two weeks! All in all it was such a simple, yet different activity! Lincoln Square Pottery Studio also has a host of other pottery activities and you can even use the equipment (based on a fee!) They sell actual pottery and the place itself is non-profit and supports local artists which is another reason to check it out! Tips: -Plenty of parking on Lincoln! -Wear something you don't really care about. They have towels (to prevent clay from getting on your clothes) but when you are working with this type of medium, it's best not to be overly dressed.

DO patronize this place. I've been coming here for a bit over a year and have had a wonderful time…read moredoing so. I've learned how to make figures, mugs, bowls, vases, and how to glaze them in so many different ways. The owner Meg will be sure to show you physical examples and lend you books if you have an idea of a piece you want to do or a color you want to try, and she'll talk you through the steps but still say it's your piece to do what you want with! They also have a wonderful scholarship program that I've been able to utilize from time to time and if you buy a mug from their wall it goes towards that fund. I am so grateful to have found this community and to be able to learn in this kind and open space.

My daughter has been taking classes here for a few weeks and is really loving it! She's learning…read morethe basics of form drawing while also getting to experiment with different materials in a supportive environment. I highly recommend StudioUs!

Studio us is an amazing art studio located south of Andersonville. Rachel is the owner and…read moreinstructor and has an absolute magical way with children. She employs technology to help kids learn to draw one line at a time. She also holds amazing workshops for $10 an hour where kids can do special art projects. Classes are maxed at 6 kids, most have around 4 so your kiddos get lots of attention. Best art studio in the city.

I recently went to a holiday creativity workshop at Dandelion Art Studio. The workshop was pretty…read moreopen; there were lots of options of things we could make, as well as a ton of materials to choose from. I was a little hesitant at first, because I suck at art. However, the start instructor, Caroline, was awesome. She gave a lot of great suggestions, but let me create what I wanted. It was super relaxing; I highly recommend going with a friend, although Caroline was really easy to talk to. If you want to try something new in the city, check it out. I will definitely be going back!!

From the owner: Move beyond traditional talk therapy at Dandelion Therapeutic Art Center, a dedicated art therapy…read morepractice in Chicago, IL. Life can get messy. Here at Dandelion, we practice in a studio-based model where you are surrounded by opportunities to get dirty and create. Our space looks more like an art studio than a traditional therapy atmosphere, and often we are making art with you. We rely on a relational, strength-based and collaborative approach in our work while utilizing clinical techniques and skills. Art therapy is our sole focus - our team is dedicated to developing, learning and advancing the practice of art therapy. * In person and Telehealth options available * LGBTQ+ safe space

We had a great time! Value - good…read moreExperience- great- friendly staff Cute decor I did a girlfriend excursion but I saw mother/daughter duo having fun and a few first time daters. Street parking was available. Restaurants close by to grab a bite before or after. Yolk's test kitchen down a couple blocks and the blueberry hibiscus drink smashed!!

Had a birthday party here with a group of girlfriends and did the Friday night class led by James…read more It was so fun and learned so much! Would highly recommend!

Wow, a lot I didn't know about printing! Attended a free holiday public gathering with reasonable…read moresales of many artists, using various methods to achieve unusual results! Selection was all over the place, but traveling makes it difficult to get in suitcase. Very interesting!

So amazing!!! The people, the art, the mission all add up to a wonderful place to explore and…read moresupport...

wonderful selection of embroidery/sashiko/tapestry wool threads, needles, and hoops (even some…read morehoops suitable for quilting!) glad i stopped in. I will return at some point to color match wool for a mending project. hidden gem: thimbles of all sizes that have packaging that you can test the size with. Kai scissors as well. service was also great -- was helped to try and find a mystery neon embroidery floss that I had been given, even though it wasn't stocked. Also more quilting between needles that weren't on display. I haven't tried pony black needles before but it was really cool that there are nickel-free needles and thimbles both. Prices are all incredibly reasonable. There was also a small selection of tools and supplies for other niche thread-and-needle hobbies like beading, tambour, etc. will be going again and telling all my thimble-bereft friends about where to shop for thimbles

From the owner: Maydel is Chicago's only hand embroidery supply shop, with classes, patterns, and materials for…read moreevery type of needlework, including embroidery, cross-stitch, crewelwork, goldwork, tambour, tatreez, sashiko, and more. From nickel-free needles to silk threads, Maydel is committed to sourcing the most accessible, ethically produced, and highest quality supplies. Open regular hours Thursdays–Saturdays, by appointment Mondays–Wednesdays, and 24/7 online.

An incredibly happy place. The managers runs the studio so there's never a glitch. The instructors…read moreare not just elite-level sewists, but they are also incredibly kind and patient beyond belief. They meet you were you are. I often feel like a klutz around sewing machines, but they empower me to just go for it and, as long as they're by my side, I get great results. I look forward to the days I have an upcoming class scheduled. Recommendation: Take a class.

Over the past few months I took 3 sewing classes at Sew Crafty and LOVED IT!…read more I started with the Machine Sewing Basics class to brush up on my skills. I had sewn as a teen so it was easy to dive back in, but there were also brand new beginners in my class that seemed to do really well too. After Basics, I felt confident enough to sign up for Hemming and Alterations (a set of 2 classes), where we reviewed measuring and different types of hems/clothing modifications. We even got to bring in some of our own clothes to work on while supervised by the teachers :) Since then, I've been able to hem a bunch of items I've always wanted to wear, so I'll call it a success! The staff was soooo knowledgeable and patient (shout out to Anika who led both of mine!), making the total of 6 hours I spent there really efficient. The studio was tidy, well organized and had all the equipment we needed to thrive. Plus, the classmates were all super kind, so I guess it draws in nice people! 10/10 recommend!