I really can't say enough good things about the Seattle Artist League. I have an art degree, and…read moreI'm not exaggerating when I say I've gotten more out of my time at the League than I did during my undergraduate art education. I've taken painting classes with Jordan Horton, Erin Milez, Lendy, and a critique workshop with Ruthie V., and every class has changed the way I make and think about art. The instructors are thoughtful, generous, incredibly knowledgeable, and (maybe most importantly) really know how to help you grow without making you feel like there's one "right" way to be an artist. The critique workshop has been life-changing, I recommend it for everyone. I used to DREAD art critiques in college. They often felt negative and intimidating, and I came away from them feeling worse about my work rather than more curious about it. Ruthie completely changed that. I finally feel like I have the tools to actually look at art and talk about what I'm seeing, respond thoughtfully, and then understand why something is working, or why it isn't. And that hasn't just changed my own artwork. I now enjoy going to galleries, museums and looking at art more than I ever did before. I notice more. I'm more curious. I now have a vocabulary for things I could feel but didn't know how to articulate. I've learned A LOT during my time here, I've taken more risks in my art and I've fallen in love with making and looking at art again and it's the best feeling. If you're thinking about taking a class (or two!) at the Seattle Artist League, do it. Doesn't matter if you're a beginner or have been making art for years, there is SO MUCH to get out of this place.

TL;DR: SAL's pottery classes are quite good and the studio community/open studio hours are…read moreterrific. That said, the owners are such a negative force, you may want to think twice about supporting them with your money. The rave reviews here about the quality of Seattle Artist League pottery classes, instructors, community, and generous open studio polices are all to be believed. I took my first class at SAL in Fall 2022 and continued with classes and practice until this month. In my 2nd year there, I was hired to be a PT pottery studio tech. After 10 months, the studio owner directed the pottery studio manager to fire me and I returned to being just a student. I won't repeat the defamatory lies the owner invented to justify her decision. My allegiance was to the pottery studio manager, staff, teachers and community. I had positive feedback from them and didn't care about losing the owner's good opinion or the 8 hours a week at min wage. At the heart of all the goodness in SAL is a rot most repeat students and staff tiptoe around. It is the untethered, erratic, impulsive, and, often, abusive behavior of owner Ruthie V., enabled by co-owner, Lendy. It's responsible for high staff turnover, particularly among staff that must work when Ruthie is on site, as well as women who present as experienced, valued leaders who cared about student experience. Ruthie's administration of day-to-day operations is impulsive, with no view to process or consequences. Class spaces are double booked. Classes with low enrollment are canceled with no communication to teachers or students. Classes are announced and filled with no instructor scheduled. Open studio hours are suddenly pre-empted with no communication to staff or update of the calendar. Studio staff are left to manage the chaos Ruthie leaves in her wake. She has no tolerance for problem-solving and will deflect blame on the person who identifies the problem, using whatever lies she needs to shore up her story or justify their ouster. Staff walk on eggshells and the energy in the space when she's there is tight and anxious. We're living through a time when bullying, dictatorial behavior is being normalized. We each must decide whether we speak up, sometimes at great risk to ourselves, or stay silent and become complicit. SAL is a microcosm of that dilemma. Last week, while I was in my second volunteer shift during the annual studio deep clean, Ruthie found something entirely innocuous she could twist into a lie that served as justification to ban me from the studios forever. Lendy delivered the message, lying about staff in the process. Students are paying customers; I had prepaid for nearly $800 of upcoming classes. SAL refunded the money but it speaks to how impulsive Ruthie is that she would risk that loss and the reputational one based on some perceived slight to her fragile ego. I was not allowed any defense. Finally, SAL operates as a 501(c)3 nonprofit with fiscal sponsorship through Shunpike. Washington RCW 24.03A.490 requires nonprofits to maintain a Board of Directors. As a Board member of an arts organization for ~5 years, I know one of the oversight responsibilities is to set HR policies and be a resource for staff to address issues with management. SAL's website lists no BOD and I can find no evidence that Shunpike fills this role for them. SAL appears to be out of compliance as a nonprofit. There are many pottery studios in Seattle, with various offerings. Your choice of them is an investment of your money and a reflection of your values. I want SAL's pottery studios to prosper and, at the same time, I cannot be silent about the environment there even if my voice turns people away from the studio. Actions matter. Truth matters. Make your investment accordingly.

This place is AMAZING. I've always wanted to paint and Dabble made it so easy to get started. I…read morebrought my own gessobords, but other than that, I didn't need to buy any other tools or supplies. I'm now obsessed and have painted every day since I joined, with three finished paintings that I'm really happy with. Dave, the owner, is so warm, welcoming, knowledgable, and supportive--he'll leave you alone if you want to just do your own thing, or he'll chat with you about your art if you want feedback. The space is set up incredibly well, ready for any kind of visual art you might want to do. The classes are fantastic too. I'm so happy that Dabble exists!

This is a super well laid out, super well lit super cool art studio available to the public!!…read more I was shipping art prints at the renowned Greenwood post office and happened upon this on my way back - the owner was available and was gracious enough to give me a tour of the space! They have TONS of professional tools!! Including silk press, vinyl cut, a station to assemble prints/zines etc, a station with a hood to do spray paints!! Looked like they had all kinds of paint brushes one might try, LOTs of professional sinks in their clean up area, even a fridge, small lockers, cubbies and a microwave if you need to put in an extra long session. All set up in the most organized and functional fashion, it's SO COOL!! They also offer classes to learn new techniques! The studio rate looks to be $10 an hour for individuals and $20 for a family unit, ( it's gotta be Guardians and kids who live under the same roof, it's not necessarily a group rate) I was shocked to see so much cool stuff at once so this list isn't complete and I've yet to get everyone together for a visit, but upon first glance this looks like an incredible community asset!!

They are amazing people - I feel welcome and the teachers are outstanding!!!!…read more Thank you

I have taken several courses here including 2 8-week jewelry classes as well as an 8-week…read moremetalsmith class. What I love most about Pratt is the instructors are not only unbelievably strong technical instructors but also amazing artists. I didn't just want to learn how to MIG weld, I also wanted to learn about creating a composed sculpture. That's exactly what I learned in Bill Baber's class. Pratt's facilities are top notch! Highly recommended!

Amazing! Love! Very informative. My friend and I booked a fancy vase beginning glass lesson for…read moreboth of us weeks in advance over email. For context, we have no glass blowing or ceramics experience. What to know beforehand: -You need to wear long pants, long sleeves, and closed-toed shoes and masks! -Picking colors and designs in person may take a while (if you're very decisive you may not have this problem). There are tons of options for what you can make and with what colors so it took at least an hour for us to pick and choose. The final price of your piece can also vary depending how big you want it to be and what color(s) are involved. -It'll take a day for the piece to cool when you're done, so you'll have to pick it up another day. -Small parking lot on-site in the back along with street parking. The beginning glass lesson experience: -David was very good at teaching and support. I felt more like the designer of the piece than the glassblower/creator, but David really gives you every safe opportunity he can to give you hands on experience in the process and talks through every step. You're not just paying for a glass piece here - you're paying for David's 40+ years of experience blowing glass! Felt more like I was shadowing a glassblowing process. I learned a lot and had a great time. -Cynthia was also helpful in confirming the design during the process. I didn't know how to explain that I wanted more of a flare at the top of my design at one point but she caught that for correction. Some fun learnings: -If you want to seriously get into glassblowing, paperweights are the best shape to learn and practice. -The punt of the glass is super sensitive. We also learned a bit about identifying manufactured vs. handmade glass through it. -The Netflix show Blown Away is a fun show to watch if you want to see more glassblowing -Some glass colors are easier to work with than others, and if you're mixing colors in one piece, depending on the colors you're mixing, can make it harder or easier to shape because they affect how stiff the glass can be (lighter colors tend to be more stiff, darker colors tend to be more soft). My friend picked dark blue and green and hers came out great! Mine came out a little warped because I picked a longer piece with two very contrasting colors (dark blue and light pink), but David helped reshape it a little. Current pricing on their website: -Ornament $50 -Paperweight $65 -Sea float $70 -Heart $75 -Starfish $75 -Pumpkin $90 -Bird $90 -Drinking glass $95 -Transparent vase $140 -Fancy vase $175 -Beginning Glass Lesson (1-2 people only) $260/$325 depending on number of people plus tax.

Picked up two beautiful glass ornaments at Blowing Sands Glass Studio. Gorgeous craftsmanship,…read morefriendly staff, and a great spot for unique gifts! Next up: schedule a glass blowing class! The stands are from Etsy reseller.

We held my daughter's sixth birthday celebration in the Pottery Studio at Fayezart this afternoon…read moreand it was a home run with the birthday girl and all her friends. Faye has been working in clay for a quarter of a century and has a great faculty for getting even junior amateurs excited about pottery projects. Over the course of their two hour party the kids did three different projects -including one on the potter's wheel- and still had time to break for cake. The Pottery Studio at Fayezart is a great big well-lit space located in a funky house three doors up from Salmon Bay Park in Ballard. There's a little space with a table inside a sun porch for parties on rainy or chilly days, plus a patio with a profusion of furniture for beautiful sunny days like today. The park was the perfect location for my daughter and her friends to meet before class and decompress (and burn off some cake calories) afterwards. FYI, for those parents looking to get their kids (or themselves) into something out of the ordinary the studio offers after-school classes for kids as well as sessions for adults. For parents looking for an original kids birthday party idea, I highly recommend Fayezart.

A homey playground for all ages, this Ballard neighborhood sanctuary is just a stone's throw from…read moreSalmon Bay Park. A lively, oh-so-liveable enclave conveniently located 2 blocks from easy bus route on 15th Ave NW. Myself and some other eco-conscious ladies came to Faye's studio to enjoy an afternoon of pottery making bliss. Consensus all around was that we'd found one of Seattle's best kept secrets! A feeling of accomplishment and conviviality prevailed. The vibe is cool, the atmosphere creative, the hostess the mostess!

took a pottery class ("sip n spin") here under the instruction of Bryan / Brian . really great…read more2-hour class from 1800 to 2000, or 6 to 8PM. the instructor showed us the basics and fundamentals of clay-making as illustrated on a whiteboard and then demonstrated before us. you could easily see the expertise and calmness that just took over. really cool to see. instructor never made us feel bad about messing up and was there to help us out as needed. he would encourage that u do the hands-on portion before he would intervene to ensure that you really learn and get down that muscle memory. we were able to spin 3 times total, but we could only pick one to glaze and then take home after about a week of that process. so, it is not carried out all within one day. they email you when it is ready for pick-up because I do not think that they ship it to u. they hold each piece made in this studio for over a year, so no rush to get it. just remember to come back there! the colors that they have u chose from to glaze has only 5ish options. not much, but they have the nature-like colors and shades of blue, green, black, beige, and brown. when the class was going on during the Wednesday evening, other guests in the facility maintained a respectful silence so that we could hear the instruction class. the class was like $70ish, I think? Pretty worth it if it is your first time to do pottery, like me! sometimes, the door will say that it is closed, but that is not true. Staff just forgets to change it lol

Had such a blast at the Sip & Spin class the other night! Rebecca was an amazing instructor--so…read moreknowledgeable, energetic, and fun. She made what could have been an intimidating experience feel easy and enjoyable. Highly recommend this place!

With many years of experience, skillful technique, and an eye for color, Janet's teaching abilities…read morecompare to none other. As one of her former grade school students, I've had the privilege of experiencing art with her in both childhood, and as a young adult. One of her many strengths as a teacher is to instruct technique without doing any of the work. Her patient guidance allows her students to explore their own creativity and expression through their projects. Whether you're looking for help with a special piece, or for an outlet for creative exploration, Janet will help your vision come to life. You can join her for lessons in person, or work from the comfort of your own home with one of her online classes. AWE truly is for anyone and everyone.​

My lessons are my favorite part of my week! I started…read moretaking lessons a year and half ago as a beginner. I thought I had no talent or ability. I've found that I do have a lot of talent and ability. Janet has worked with me to help pull it out. She knows how to work with me to expand my ability and grow my confidence. She's always encouraging. I've learned so much about my creative abilities and I have so much fun in my lessons with her. We try something new all the time and it keeps me engaged and always learning and having fun. She's able to see when I need a challenging project and when I need something easier to just warm me up. I go every week and don't see myself stopping anytime soon. It truly is my favorite part of my week!

Michael Lane is the very best of teachers; he's extremely knowledgeable, his approach is…read moreclassically based, and he gives students the tools to progress with confidence. This is an exiting teacher to have, and he is deeply committed to his students and to his teaching. I am so grateful for all that I learned in his classes, and am now working full time as a painter.