This review is just for the Chili Bowl fundraiser at the Pottery Lab. This is the 10 th anniversary…read moreevent and it has evolved into a very enjoyable event. As a neighbor, the starting years were very problematic with trash, noise, and disorganization. The chili contestants ave improved their quality and serving ability. There are different contestants from the earlier years. There are many styles, red and green chili, meat, vegetarian and vegan.They really have Boulder covered. There are adequate tables and chairs and especially convenient trash bins. The number and size of the bowls has improved. Now that Groundwork's is in charge, there is more than just pottery to buy in the craft sales as they teach other arts at other locations. The staffing is plentiful and staff easily identified by quality shirts. I tried chili from several options though I could not use all five tickets that come with the bowl as I need to have yet another meal today. I chose from restaurants where I have eaten , a catering service I have used and The Academy Senior Living which happens to be in the same neighborhood with a really good chef who used to cook at a now closed by retirement, restaurant where we ate regularly. I didn't want to do more than that number and decided familiar places gave me a judge of general capability on a dish I rarely order out. My ranking first in overall flavor, appearance and ingredients goes to the Post which surprised me as I rarely chicken chili anywhere and I do not like beer at all. But the ingredients here really came together, chicken, beans, corn, topped with cotija, cilantro, lime . My second goes to The West End Tavern which was excellent with brisket and a bbq sauce style, cheese on top. Good, but more expected and brisket good quality and tender. Third ranked is the Academy for sheer inventiveness that really came together. Pineapple was a treat to find to sweeten and spark and the crunch of the toasted corn nuts added a lot. At a $25 price for a bowl to keep and support programs here, it's well worth another year to participate again.

I took a beginner clay class and it was disappointing. The instructor did not want to be teaching…read moreand basically started out the class with a brief instruction and told the class that she would not tolerate questions during class time if it required her to repeat something she already said. She basically worked on her own pieces, did not circulate to help the students or foster a sense of community, and was rude. Her instruction regarding glaze appearance after firing was incorrect so the pieces did not turn out like she described they would and she did not provide glaze samples. She did not seem to care in the least. I filled out the feedback survey accordingly. More recently, I decided to give it another try and take a class but the registration link is inactive (registration is open) and the website is not maintained well and looks unprofessional (works overlapping words). They can do so much better!

What a blast! Went…read morewith my boyfriend and mother for an introductory class. BYOB glass making fun! Yes, that's right... I enjoyed my Cabernet and made glass art! The co-owners were both actively involved in the class, and on our first visit they guided and assisted me to make a beautiful and artistic tea light candle dish that I get to take home! It will be a keep sake forever in my guest bathroom. I was actively involved in blowing and creating the glass & got to choose a variety of colors of my choosing for my art piece. The artwork in the holding areas from other students is intriguing and inspiring. Beautiful glass art pieces made in-house! I'm definitely going to sign up for future classes. The class was fun and upbeat! These cool, tatted-up, artistic loving, local small business owners resemble the entire reason I live in Austin! They truly recognize the love for art & fun. How cool is that?!

Shara and Leigh are ahhhhmazing!!!! Very knowledgeable about their craft and are super friendly…read moreand funny! I booked a private class for 7 of us for my boyfriend's surprise party this past weekend in Austin. The ladies were very helpful and made our party a huge success! Everyone loved the brief intro to glass blowing... we were introduced to the equipment and tools that we would get hands-on experience with! It was really cool! Blown glass is beautiful and mysterious! This is a must come try for yourself!!! The studio is located in a pretty hipster part of town . . . there is a great brewery next door! You are going to have a great time. ** It gets reallllly hot in the studio, wear layers you can take off!

I've taken 2 Bob Ross classes with Hope now. She really knows her stuff. She does the lessons in…read moreher home in a dedicated studio in her basement. She plays a fun playlist of classic rock and shares lots of technique as you work. She is casual and light but also really teaches. I truly enjoy painting with her and have another class lined up this month. I recommend for anyone who is a Bob Ross fan!

Hope makes art fun, you will surprise your self in what you can achieve. she's a patient teacher…read moreand helps you find your true potentia. I recommend her class, it's always fun! she has a lovely studio with lots of room to have new experience.

Hello all!!! We…read morehave been to Colorado glass works twice now and both times we have had a great experience! The owner is welcoming and knowledgeable! The whole team overall is a joy! Definitely recommend for a nice date night before or after dinner! Dan & Lexi

The holiday ornament class was AMAZING. I would definitely return with friends or for a date night…read more The activity was prepped for us, and included many options. The instructors were obviously very experienced with teaching the class. All of the instructions were simple, and we were able to do the activity while also chatting away. It's also very close to many Pearl St. restaurants, so we were able to head to early dinner after the class! There are also so many gorgeous pieces for purchase if you're looking for a unique and special gift. Happy crafting! Thanks for a great evening!

We came in for "Drop in and Paint" and it was so relaxing and fun! They have so many ceramics to…read morechoose form and diff price ranges.. super fun! My six year old enjoyed it so much! Can't wait to come back

Always welcoming, been going to this shop for years. One of the first places I go for the holidaysread more

Just finished Metalsmithing II and love this school. This is the most professionally run business…read morein the world of art classes I have ever experienced. Everything about the school is organized, ordered and first-class, especially the instruction. (Re: the negative review: It's not called attitude when it's true accomplishment. This is so rare that amateurs can't recognize it.) For the investment in the class fee + tools/supplies, I appreciated having such a structured environment in which to learn. Darlene Armstrong, owner/artist/teacher emeritus, has a definite point of view about craftsmanship. And, yes, it is her way or the highway. But who wants to take a class from a teacher who always says, "Sure,you can do it that way if you want; it's your art," when you don't know what the hell you're doing?? So if you are not a serious student of metal work or are just looking for something fun to waste a few hours, don't waste your time/$$ or the school's. But if you want to get better with your art (and learn how to make pieces that are commercially viable), this is the place to learn it the way all apprentices used to--doing it over and over till you get it right. I have been on an ongoing quest for good metalsmithing instruction for the past 10 years and use my vacation time to travel around the country taking classes. On a scale of 1 - 10, I've taken classes that were advertised as 10s that were barely 3s (one last year by a "name" artist who hated to, thus couldn't, teach.). I've also taken classes that I'd rate as 7-8 because they were super fun, but not all that special in my goal to "further my art." DSMA is an 11 because it hit the mark on excellent instruction, excellent venue, excellent design selection (ie., we worked on pieces you'd actually want to wear in real life). This is the only course I have taken in 10 years that had a teaching assistant because there were 11 of us in class (a large number for learning anything with a torch.) That told me that Darlene really cared that every student maximized her knowledge. In fact, Mary Ann was a great bonus to have, because besides the teacher, you always learn from other students who are better than you. Frankly, I over-estimated my own ability, based on my past experience with mediocre teachers. If it hadn't been for Mary Ann, I would have been left behind (something that Darlene did try to emphasize to me before I registered). Part of how I judge the success of my class experience is whether I am inspired to continue to the next level. With Metalsmithing II I was inspired to lower my self-assessment and go back to Metalsmithing I...with DSMA. Sort of a "not knowing what I didn't know." I love that. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because I felt I was not well enough prepared for the teacher's expectations ahead of time. It was a big personal value of Darlene's that everyone show up on time and come prepared. I suppose it was up to me to ask more questions about what to expect (and Jennifer who handles all the admin did a super job of sending me tool lists and answering the questions I did have). But when you are from out of town with no prior experience with the teacher or school policies that are so specific, I would have benefited from more of a walk-thru in advance. A simple page on the website of "What To Expect if This Is Your First Class" would have helped. Or a checklist for out of towners, too, like where to stay, how to order lunches, starting/ending studio times, etc. For ex., at other multi-day workshops, lunch is usually provided or easy to procure. Because the school is in a business park in an industrial area, there are no good options for lunch to be ordered over the weekend, and everyone is on their own. I had to spend a lot of time figuring out how to find my own food for lunch (without a car), until Darlene recommended Whole Foods. The lovely people at the Hilton/Doubletree Westminster happily accommodated a quick stop for me with their free shuttle service. But had I known that ahead of time, I could have made those arrangements at the same time I set up the shuttle service, and had one less thing to worry about in an unfamiliar city. Not sure if DSMA wants more out of town students, but, if so, more hospitality would mean a lot. I know I'm not the only traveling class taker. That's an easy fix, tho, and so I highly recommend this school.

Took one class and I will NEVER go back. Attitude galore and they seem to think you are a Pain and…read morethat they are doing you a favor by being in your presence. The lady teaching my class said she was not going to share any of her secrets with us. What???!!! So much for teaching. Don't go here unless you are a tortured artist type and you already know what you are doing. The skills they teach are no better than you can find on YouTube videos.

A group of six college friends took Leslie's Textured Silver Ring Making Class at the Boulder…read moreMetalsmithing Association, and we had such a great time! Leslie was a wonderful instructor, and the class was both fun and incredibly hands-on. We learned several different techniques for creating texture on silver and then went through the entire ring-making process--from shaping and sizing the silver to soldering the ring together and finishing and polishing it. We learned a lot, but Leslie made everything approachable even for beginners. Best of all, we each came home with an amazing, genuinely high-quality silver ring that we made ourselves. It didn't feel like just a fun craft project--the finished rings are beautiful pieces of jewelry that we'll actually wear. An unexpected bonus was having their social media person stop by and do a personal photo shoot for our group while we were making our rings! It made the experience even more fun and memorable, and we can't wait to see the photos! Such a unique experience to do with a group of friends. We had a wonderful time and would absolutely recommend Leslie's class!

We had an amazing small group class with Leslie. She guided us through making a textured silver…read morering that reflected our own individuality. Leslie was so generous with her expertise, time, and assistance as we tried our hands at jewelry making. Highly recommend!!

We are in our 7th year at BCD - my daughter is in 6th grade, and my son is in 7th. We are thrilled…read morewith our kids' academic performance, and how BCD drives excellence and global awareness, as well as community involvement, inclusion, and kindness. My kids enjoy the variety of music, art, science, innovation, and explore classes, as well as special projects like Model UN and outdoor education trips. BCD does an incredible job facilitating communication with parents, and I am so thankful that my kids have the opportunity to attend this school.

My son started in January and the difference in his demeanor is remarkable. No more tears and drop…read moreoff. He's connected with both the lead and assistant teachers. He enjoys all the Friday assemblies. and I've enjoyed a closer sense community.