Sooki Studio is by far my favorite studio for ceramics in Los Angeles. Natalia and Gina are…read moreincredibly kind and knowledgeable. This space is very community driven and offers a diverse array of classes taught by various artists. Highly recommend becoming a member or just stopping by to check out the shop and space. Beautifully located next to the LA River, close to restaurants and even a brewery on the bike path. Happy to have found it!

I stumbled upon Sooki Studio while searching for pottery workshops in my area. Depending on…read moretraffic, I live 5-10 minutes away. They also double as a supply & stationery store, so I had to check them out! I parked on Blake Avenue, a 6-minute walk along the LA River bike path. They were easy to locate, given their close proximity to the river and ample signage. The property is spacious, with the supply store and stationery section located at the front entrance. Behind this, the ceramic studios are set up toward the back, making it easy to explore the shop before heading into the studio area. The shop is charming! They offered goods from artisan clay to rustic twine. Exploring the shop was delightful. I bought a compact toolbox and a sleek folding knife. Gift cards are also available. Thank you, Gina, for the hospitality! The Armenian coffee was delicious and I look forward to attending a workshop. Support local and women owned businesses!

Don't hesitate... just sign up! Whether it's for kids, teens or adult this is an amazing studio to…read morelearn from. My kiddo has taken both adult and kids classes and she has excelled in both. You can see the skill, techniques, and artistry in the work that they bring home. She feels very supported and enjoys going every week and always comes out excited to tell me about her project. Doesn't get any better than that. So if you've been wondering... just do it. Sign up.

Started out taking drawing lessons here for practical reasons, then I fell in love with drawing and…read morepainting and I have been a student here for a while now. They are incredible. Very reasonably priced and the teachers are amazing artists who will help you draw or paint whatever you want to do. Good community feeling as well, just good vibes all around. Lovely people.

loved the instructor! super fun and encouraging, can't wait to come back for more classesread more

Joe, our instructor, was thorough and patient. I appreciated how he reinforced the studio's…read morephilosophy and helped guide our expectations as it was our first time taking a pottery class. Would recommend :)

I've taken a membership at the Studio on Sunset for a few months and it is awesome over there…read more Always clean, so much order in a very good meaning and stuff is so helpful! Thank you, Jeff!!!! Gonna be back soon and taken classes.

I have been a member for over a year and I love coming here. I started as a student and eventually…read moretransitioned to getting a membership. Beautiful clean space with a TON of glaze options and clay bodies. Lots of wheels and hand building space and love that it is 24/7, so you can work late at night if that is when you are feeling creative. Also in my opinion the kiln turnaround time is pretty quick. It is always exciting looking through the shelves and finding your pieces. I recommend starting out with a class or two so you can experience everything before committing to membership. Lots of really great teachers too.

Excellent intimate space for art viewing, poetry readings, story telling, etc. Lots of natural…read morelights from windows. Fits about 100 people (pre-covid). I love the photo ops with string lights at night and murals in front of the building too.

Great eclectic store with antiques, quirky collectibles, graphic novels and art books. Scott who…read moreruns the place is a welcoming and friendly guy and knows lots about illustration, comics history, furniture, and interior design. He also curates most of their gallery shows which have featured great artists and animators. The openings are always fun and a great way to meet cool artists and art-lovers. They also have a series of art classes on storyboarding, making comics, life drawing, etc. The teachers have many years of experience in their fields. Definitely worth checking out!

Love the pet stained glass class!!! It was a 3 hour workshop for $165 plus tips. When we arrived,…read morethe design was already created and each piece of glass was already cut and grinded smooth. We watched the demonstrations and proceeded to taping and soldering the glass pieces. Everything we needed was provided including safety supplies such as glasses, heat gloves, and masks. The instructor was very knowledgeable and gave detailed demonstrations. She was balancing doing something in another room. I wished she went around to check on each person, but we could hail her over when we had questions. We learned during the event that the metal used for soldering is made of 40% lead. I definitely hung the finished piece away from pets and children. And we wash our hands every time it's touched. Sign up on their website. They can't be contacted via phone. When I needed to reschedule the class, I did not receive responses to my email or website query. So we went in person to make the schedule change. The event was a ton of fun! The design of our pets captured their essence very well. Great activity to do together with a group of people if you can afford it and like crafting independently in an intro class.

As time passes it feels more and more of Chinatown is slowly starting to die out. The once bustling…read morestreets filled with vendors selling all types of knick-knacks and groceries have gone from every street to now just a few blocks. Restaurants which used to be filled with families every weekend now slowly find themselves closing earlier and earlier. The strong community that once was is slowly starting to age out and be pushed out. Luckily, there are new businesses finding roots in this part of Los Angeles and Element Art Center is a great example of how arts and crafts can bring life back to a community. After making a reservation for one of their classes and being let into the building you can look around and see how much of this space is made for building, crafting, and designing. With classes spanning from ceramics to stained glass it is a safe space to let your creativity run wild or be instructed. The instructors are young and teach in a way that welcomes questions without judgment. They encourage your creativity but also provide gentle direction along the way. With supplies provided if you are a novice learning a craft it is an artistic adventure without the cliff falls of expenses weighing you down. If you take their classes that last a few weeks or a month it also gives you access to come and go to create at your own pace. Element Art Center is a wonderful time whether you're doing a solo trip or being social with others. This is the kind of business that bring traffic to a neighborhood and help sustain it. Hopefully, more spaces for art will pop down the line in Chinatown but for now, it's fantastic we have Element Art Center to hold it down.

We are so happy with our experience at Funart Studio Both of my son and daughter have loved every…read moreclass. The teachers are kind, creative, and so supportive. Thank you for making this such a wonderful year filled with fun, learning, and creativity. We truly appreciate everything you do and highly recommend Funart Studio

Great experience at Funart Studio. My son loves his painting class and is always excited to go…read more Friendly instructor, creative atmosphere, and a wonderful place for kids to learn and express themselves. Highly recommended.

I had a wildly bizarre interaction with Purple Twig owner Samara. We missed the first class in a…read morenew series due to incorrect communication about start dates from the studio; I asked for a make-up class or refund, she refused (citing studio policy), and I said fine, but that that seemed like poor customer service given the error on her part. We had attended the second class (thinking it was the first), and at that class the teacher clearly stated that only three students showed up at class one; I also heard another parent say she didn't know the session had started the previous week, either. Yet then, Samara apparently discussed this with the teacher, then came back to me via email and wrote: "I was disappointed that you knowingly and falsely implied that other families were also misled in the start date so you could get a refund." She continued on to say that my family was not a good fit for her studio, and essentially booted us from classes. Is this not an insane way to do business? I had already told her that I would accept no refund or make-up class, and yet she pushed the issue, all over email. She must hide behind some really nice teachers. I will not be recommending her studio to anyone.

For my daughter's 8th birthday party, we wanted to do something safe, but also wanted to celebrate…read moreafter such a long time at home. We asked purple twig to help come up with an activity to keep 7 kids entertained in the backyard. Samara suggested a build your own fairy garden pack. Which was perfect for 7/8 yr old girls (my 6 yr old boy also loved it). She supplied really helpful instructions which ensured the activity lasted for over an hour and the girls were all super focused - and very proud of their creations. A great birthday party. Thanks!