My partner and I took pottery classes here. Our instructor Lore was extremely skilled and did a…read moregreat job of showing the ropes. Glazing and firing your pieces outside of being a student is pretty pricy compared to other studios though so after our classes were over my partner and I found a new clay studio to class and fire our homemade pieces.

I took the 3 hour try-it class today and it was so fun! The instructors were kind, knowledgeable,…read moreand ready to help. I appreciated the small class size as well! Will definitely be trying for a spot in future classes.

The non credit options have been on hiatus for a while. Their site mentions vaccine status, so most…read morelikely covid related which is a few years old now. Hopefully they have some sort of update on their one off or non-credit classes.

Great classes, and great teachers. I think it's the only high quality art school in DC…read more Everybody is so helpful there.

I've taken ceramics and mosaics through the Art League at the Madison Annex, which is essentially a…read morebuilding with different studio classrooms. Although the Art League is technically located the in Torpedo Factory, most of their classes are held here. I actually like that it's not located in the heart of Old Town, because street parking in the area is usually available and students can also use the lot behind Sport & Health. If you're enrolled in a ceramics class, you're also able to pay for open studio time which is pretty cool. I've gone and met some really amazing artists who can be a great resource for additional input for your art projects. Overall, the environment is diverse, welcoming, and lots of fun. I absolutely love taking classes here and would highly recommend the Art League.

I figured it was about time I did another review for this place. (an update) I really recommend…read morethis place for those who are interested in the arts (aside from music and acting and such). Depending on the class you're taking, it can be really fun, or just really relaxing. I take manga/comic classes, which I take basically every semester, it's just a class I really love. They now have an adult class for that class, so hopefully, the adults won't waste their money anymore, for a lot signed up for the ages 10 to adult class and were for some reason disappointed to see a class full of kids. So it was really good that they finally added an adult class. I also took an expressive figure drawing class a couple of times, which can be a difficult class if you don't fully understand the action line and such yet. (but I recommend taking the class! Ms. Susan is a super enthusiastic/encouraging teacher! one of my favorites there!). And they now have digital art classes! I have yet to take it, but I'm happy they added a class for those of us who draw digitally! The classes are around $200 for 7-9 classes, one class a week, and most are 2 1/2 hours long. There are all sorts of classes that you can take, a lot of different types of teachers, and students that take it as well! MY ONLY CON ARE THE BATHROOMS RIGHT BY THE ENTRANCE! I really recommend buying wet ones or other types of cleaning wipes, for little boys (and possibly some grown men honestly) tend to go on the seat. I prefer going to the bathroom before waiting for my bus, but it seems 9 out of 10 times I go in the bathroom, there's always a little and (very rarely) a lot of drops all over the seat. Id still use these bathrooms over portapotties though. (for Alexandria birthday firework thing, I actually did walk to this building to go to the bathroom instead of using the portapotties)

A friend of mine having done classes here recommended we do an iPhone photography class together…read more As a first timer I found it great! I had no clue what majority of the settings on my phone were and having been walked through how to change the settings and what they do I so far have been able to take better quality photos from my phone. If more classes come up related to iPhone photography definitely recommend.

Do not consider the courses unless you know the hidden costs of materials before hand, as well as…read moretheir extremely rigid cancellation policy. They are not transparent in the total estimated cost of each course, i.e., the cost of materials. Or even a range of costs. And, if you do not cancel on or before an exact date, before the classes even start, and before you even know the material costs, no refund; They simply credit your account for future courses, less a $20 admin fee. Unfortunately, I was 2 days past this arbitrary cancellation date,5 days before my course start date when I went to their store to purchase materials. I was aghast at the price-nearly the cost of the course. When I called and the wrote to the head of the school, she showed no interest in my side of the story, my financial concerns. In fact, she was rude and unprofessional. There is so much room for improvement in the way the business is managed and run. They do not appear to care about their customers' feedback. And, I haven't even mentioned to store itself... Can't vouch for the teachers, as I didn't even get that far. And I won't . I will try to sell or gift my credit. There seems to be many other venues for art classes that are far less expensive. And more transparent in their costs.

I took a class here in the spring and bought all the supplies on the list to complete the class…read more Except for the soldering iron which I already owned, I bought all the supplies from the VA Stained Glass Company and it came to under $600, including glass. The class was $100 and spread out across 8 weeks, with one assignment per week. I ended up completing my first project within that time span, and I was well-supported to have my questions answered in class or received help with the tricky parts -- of course I took on the hardest beginner template (which every shopkeeper warned me against) because I'm a creative masochist. I am glad I went for the extra challenge because I really like the piece I made. Finally, I'll sign up for the class again when I am ready to make my next piece. I like how the pace kept me accountable, but didn't rush me, and for $100 having a mentor like Diane and her staff to go speak to each week is an incredible resource. I feel incredibly grateful that amazon hasn't wiped out this community resource, and I marvel at her dedication to stained and fused glass and her prowess and patience at sharing it with the community. Note regarding buying supplies: Yeah sure, I am a young generation internet wizard but being a fan of open source and the ways of Stallman (who was right) I DID NOT purchase resources online -- I kept the profits local and focused at this gem of a resource to our community, which means I bought EVERYTHING from VA Stained Glass. If you are looking at taking a class with Diane, and need to buy supplies, you should DO the same. Buy directly from her for all of the reasons I've listed here and allow me to re-iterate just what a priceless resource VA Stained Glass is for our community.

My wife and I took the "Introduction to Stained Glass" class, so we could have a chance to learn…read morethe basics and finish a project without having to make a big investment in tools, etc. (definitely worth it). It was so much fun we decided to take the plunge and took the "Beginning Stained Glass" class too! We're very pleased with how our projects turned out, and now, with the detailed, hands-on (and patient!) instruction we've gotten, we have the confidence to take on some projects on our own. To anyone who's thought about trying their hand at stained glass, but feels a little intimidated by it, let me tell you that it's not nearly as difficult as you might think. In fact, it's actually pretty easy. And I can confidently recommend coming to the Virginia Stained Glass Company to get some instruction. Our experience was wonderful, with all of the staff, the other people in our classes, and the other customers who had bought studio time and were coming in just to work on their projects (I think the fact that people are buying time to work here on stuff they could just as easily do at home says a lot). The atmosphere was always relaxed and friendly, and I really enjoyed it.

If you want quality ceramics and pottery from local artisans, head to Material Things near the D.C…read more border in Brentwood, Maryland. Inside several spaces in an industrial building, they sell to some of the area's top restaurants. I picked up four large bowls for my wife and she loves them. Material Things also runs regular classes to teach people their craft.

I am so happy to report back and say that I loved my experience at Material Things. I participated…read morein an 8 week course with about 12 students where I started out having a hard time making anything. By the end of my course I've made some beautiful bowls and mugs along the way that I'm super proud of. During my time in classes with Kiel (wonderful guy but he has recently moved to AZ) he created a chill space each week. The class had some beginners and also some intermediate throwers and Kiel did a seamless job helping everyone and sharing his expertise. During the class each week we were able to throw on the wheel to create new pieces and take our creations from start to finish. For the $360 price tag I think that it was a great investment into a new hobby. I made about 10 different pieces that I took home with me at the end of that I'm very proud of. Also I want to give a huge shoutout to the owners for opening up the space during the very stressful Election week so that anyone in courses could come and have an outlet every single day. Typically their open studio hours are 4x a week but they made the decision to offer them everyday and for extended hours. Their kindness deserves so much praise and I wish nothing but the best for this business. I'm looking forward to taking future classes with the owner Katie and also inviting friends to join me :) Thank you to the Material Things Team

My visit to Alliance Française de Washington brought back memories of Alliance Française Singapore…read morewhere I started my interest in French language, films and cooking. Needless to say, you can call me a francophile. The only time when "-phile" sounds positive. The charming home was the place for learning French language and the host of all kinds of francophile events. It was nice to learn about the organization and the events. I met the friendly management team Didier, Thomas and Marie at the event hosted by the Belgium Tourist Office in New York. They were promoting the 2012 Year of Gastronomy in Brussels. We were treated to St Feuillien beer, cheeses made from Chimay beer and a speech by the executive chef of the Belgium embassy about Belgium cuisine. He is a fan of seasonal food especially the game season in Belgium. How lovely. Then last Friday we were invited back to Alliance Française de Washington for a chocolate tasting event hosted by Neuhaus Chocolatier. They gave us a history of chocolate making that started in Belgium. Neuhaus is the inventor of praline and ballotine. We tried their handmade chocolates ranging from Tentation (traditional nougatine: toffee filled with coffee ganache) to Jean (ganache of intense dark Peruvian chocolate (64% cocoa mass)) to Truffe au Marc de Champagne to Marzipans. I was in chocolate heaven mmmmm......!!! It was yet another awesome event at Alliance Française de Washington. I am definitely heading to the Neuhaus store at the Union Station : P

Cet endroit est un centre cultural (this place is a cultural center). At the Alliance you can take…read morea class, hear a lecture, see a film (most likely a French one), see an art exhibit or-- my favorite activity-- go to a wine and cheese event. The Alliance offers a library that has videos and more than eight thousand books. There are chapters of this organization around the world and also about 150 of them within the US. There's also a conversation club here if you want to practice your French. Oui!

I enjoyed my first time at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center to see their current exhibition, Offline:…read moreTracing the Source by Hadiya Williams and curated by Anika Hobbs. The exhibition displayed hand-pulled prints, ceramics, and textiles. The exhibition is on view til March 3, 2026.

I visited the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center for a political fundraiser recently, and I'm so glad I…read morehad a reason to go inside and learn about it. It's amazing. The Pyramid Atlantic Art Center is a nonprofit center specializing in papermaking, printmaking, and book arts. It was founded in 1981, but more recently it moved into the historic Arcade building in the Hyattsville Gateway Arts District. They offer artist residencies, studios for artists, workshops, instruction, artist talks, and other events, including classes for the public. They sell pieces - large and small - and they have a small shop where they sell prints, cards, and other items. If I lived nearby and had the slightest artistic talent, I'd want to spend time at Pyramid. What a great resource for people who make art and love art in the Hyattsville area! I'm sure I'll be back, but if you live in the area, learn more about it and check it out!