Over the holidays, I was searching for a caricature artist and was lucky enough to connect with…read moreAlexandra (Alex) Cheek from Caricature Artists Group LLC on Christmas Eve. She patiently listened to my vision for a retirement gift and immediately put me at ease with her friendly, professional approach. Alex gave me a realistic timeline that allowed time for review and edits, which I really appreciated. She quickly delivered a draft that perfectly captured my colleague's personality, and the final inked and colored caricature exceeded my expectations! Amazing talent, great communication, and a wonderful experience from start to finish. Highly recommend!

I recently commissioned Audrey to create a caricature as a gift for a high-profile individual, and…read morethe entire experience was exceptional. From the very beginning, Audrey was incredibly patient and thoughtful. She took the time to understand the vision, asked insightful questions, and made sure every detail was handled with care and discretion. Her communication was clear, timely, and professional throughout the process, which gave me complete confidence--especially given the importance of the recipient. When it came to delivery, she exceeded all expectations. The final piece was not only beautifully executed but tasteful, polished, and perfectly suited for such a distinguished person. Aubrey has a rare combination of artistic talent, professionalism, and grace. I would absolutely work with her again!!!

Samantha is amazing!! My mom has gifted me products & journals from her before, and for my…read morebirthday, she got me the calligraphy class! She was so fun, personable, professional, and I learned a lot in the class. I am actually practicing right now, which is what reminded me that I wanted to give a positive review! (Don't judge the picture too harshly...I'm still a beginner!) If you're looking for a gift, thinking of getting something personalized, or wondering if you should take a class, Samantha is your girl!! Thanks again for an awesome class, Samantha.

I hired Samantha from Painted Palettes to hand letter mini pumpkins for a fall themed event and it…read morewas THE HIT FROM THE PARTY (even three months later, in the dead of winter my personalized pumpkin is still going strong and it's so beautiful I do not have the heart to throw it away). Samantha was easy to work with from start to finish and was able to stay professional despite the long lines at the party (I mean, how could you not want something so beautiful as a keepsake?). I could picture using her for corporate events, bridal showers, baby showers and any other celebration that could you a personalized twist. She can write on any material and even engraves on glass! I have not had the chance to check out her Intro to Hand Lettering classes yet but for now, I'll leave it to the pros. Painted Palettes is simply the best!

The Torpedo Factory is still wonderful as it has been, right on Alexandria's waterfront. We love…read morethe local artist's ceramic workshop. There are 3 levels, and on the ground floor there are models of old torpedos. The rebirth and repurposing of an old factory is very meaningful, as it is now a haven for local artists. However, there was forever a long line to the ladies' room. They should consider renovating the restrooms or expanding them. I understand with old architecture there may be constraints, but given how popular this place is, it is fair to ask.

A nice artist's market situated near the water front. I strolled through a most of the shops,…read moreultimately deciding on something for my girlfriend in one of the shops. The artists in this little shop have a schedule rotation for interacting with customers. The artist I worked with was very nice, and had no problem helping me pick out art that wasn't even hers. My only complaint is that the organization of the shops is a little haphazard, forcing a stroll through all of the shops.

Great family business. I've seen it driving past my husband's work but didn't realize they offer…read moreclasses until I googled. So glad my friend and I came to take a short project class. We really enjoyed ourselves and will be back. Great instruction, designs offered, and value. They also have small gifts up front if you don't have time for a class, but want something hand made locally.

Fiscus Glassworks is a gem in Alexandria. I have now taken all of their classes from beginner to…read morestructure/dimension and design and build. I even entered my pieces I created in these classes at the Arlington County Fair and won the Reserve Grand Champion for my division! I now frequent their studio during open hours with their studio time passes. Brad and Maré are kind, welcoming and extremely knowledgeable! They can help you create patterns and make your stained glass visions come true. Definitely check Fiscus out!

Recommend Nancy, she has a strong work ethic, the bands are all prompt and reliable, her talent on…read morethe web, social media, and graphics is outstanding! I love the way she has promoted and run my Dogue Cottage charity concerts

These bands under of the leadership of Nancy Lisi are top notch musicians and all have hearts of…read moregold. Three of the musicians, Nancy, Arthur and Robert Swain are also members of the Lions Club, and freely give of their time and talent to help raise funds to help the needy in the local communities. Many times, they have played at Cat Jams and not only donated their time but have dug deep into their own pockets as well, to help with the fundraising. All of this is done in the name of helping others. You won't go wrong by working with this group of individuals. The Lions of Virginia are very fortunate to be associated with these fine musicians. I would recommend them highly to anyone. Woody

Rosemary is an amazing artist. We saw her at her studio in the Torpedo Factory, as she was…read morefinishing up the Amethyst Deceiver. My wife and her had a great conversation about the piece. My wife loved it so much she purchased the 1st one, it has been in a tube since then as we have moved a few times. Now we are in our forever home and finally had it framed. A beautiful piece for sure. Thank you Rosemary you were very kind to us that day, at first we did not even know you were the artist, which makes you part of the memory story we have even better and glad you are a part of it.

From the owner: Earlier work has darker themes. Current work stresses the environment. Often has a scientific…read morebackstory.

Marco is amazing! He is beyond clever with custom (truly custom) framing. He took artistic…read moreliberties with a few our pieces and they came out better than expected AND he even saved us money. Very upfront and honest pricing and works with you to get the best deal for the look you want. We had a large order and this was warmly welcome... also smart because that means we will come back and frame a few more pieces because of the cost savings :) This place is not just a frame shop if you want something special or unique to your vision Marco can do it. It took a little longer to get our pieces back, but it was worth the wait, just be mindful if you have something you want as a quick turnaround.

They were able to complete my diploma framing project in under an hour! Really kind and great…read morestaff. Convenient parking out front. They texted me when my order was done for easy pick up. Highly recommend.

Excellent experience! Melvin and his crew were fantastic and being able to get on the schedule…read morewithin 48 hours was wonderful.

Their customer service is top-notch! They did a fabulous job painting the front of our brick…read moretownhouse -- it looked great and gave totally new life to the home. The painters were friendly and didn't need any oversight, were friendly, worked quickly, and cleaned up after themselves. We had two hiccups along the way, which both dealt with us adding on painting our front door which I offer as cautionary tales for anyone getting their front door painted: First, the powerwashing of the front door also broke our electronic lock. Patrick was quick to respond and removed the cost of the replacement lock from our invoice. (Very kind, thank you!!) Second, I don't think they told us the right kind of paint to buy because it has always looked too matte and stroke-y, and has lately started to bubble. In the future, I would do more research about what type of paint to buy rather than ask the guy who shows up -- I shouldn't have sprung it on them, even though they were more than happy to do it. Who knew that door paint selection could be such a process? Despite these two notes, I would definitely use Patrick's again in the future. It's hard to find a place that offers great customer service these days, and I am very grateful!