Had a great date night here making a ramen bowl in a class with a group of people. Class was about…read moretwelve individuals but the lone instructor did a great job of explaining and demonstrating how to make the bowl from clay. Instructor was also available for one-on-one attention if you had questions or needed extra assistance. Fun experience in a loft workspace above the downstairs art gallery. Very busy with other classes and individuals all working on their projects. Parking is on your own. If you know downtown Seattle, then be prepared to give yourself extra time to find on street parking or a lot that's not full. Use transit if you can!

They butcher your Date Night pieces after charging extra to fire them. Six of the bowls we made…read morewere "trimmed" so savagely they wouldn't even stand on a flat surface. The wheel instructions given were vague and we were largely left to fend for ourselves. We made the best of the night itself, but as artists they should know how this kind of careless post processing will disappoint people who attended in good faith.

I have been a student of Ruthie's for 3 years and she taught me to paint. I have been a student at…read moreSeattle Artist League since it opened and it is teaching me to be an artist. Ruthie meets the student where they are at whether a beginner or an experienced artist. She will provide tools, resources, information, and historical context to help the artist find a solution among options. Nothing is spoon fed, nothing is formulaic. (Unless of course you want that, and ask her directly, but this is not where the value in her teaching lies). Ruthie's goal is to help her students paint like themselves. If you want a class to learn how to paint just like the teacher, her classes are not for you. If you want a class that helps you navigate the struggle of seeing, rendering, and communicating so that each time you approach the canvas your intentions can be realized, her classes are for you. Seattle Artist League fosters a supportive, collaborative environment where students are encouraged to experiment in a group setting. Even when the lesson is hard, it is approached with a creatively playful attitude that does not detract from the learning but prevents anyone from taking themselves too seriously. Ruthie and Seattle Artist League deserve, and have earned, every positive review. They have created an inclusive and welcoming community of artists who have a shared goal of improving their work, making creative discoveries, and enjoying the process. The only rules are respect your fellow students, respect the model, respect the facilities.

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.

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.

Great folks and a stellar experience. Super easy to call and book with Cynthia, who was able to…read morekindly fit us into a weekday lesson on short notice. Street parking was easy. Dave was very friendly and shared his wealth of knowledge with us. He explained instructions clearly and guided us through all the steps with ease. During and after he took the time to answer all our Qs. Glass bird and paperweight came out beautifully. Highly recommend if you want to get a taste of glass blowing.

Spacecraft is a wonderful crafting shop on Capitol Hill. The shop is brand new and dedicated to…read moreproviding space and supplies required for a HUGE variety of DIY projects. Spacecraft fills a big void in a day and age where people have less space at home to invest in their creative endeavors. You can see that the ownership has a great sense of pride in this shop, every little detail makes the space cozy and inviting. In addition to providing a launch pad for a variety of independent projects, Spacecraft is also hosting workshops led by experienced artists and crafters. It is so amazing to see a store like this pop-up in the "New Seattle era," one that encourages the exploration our individual creativity while also fostering community. Well done Spacecraft and welcome to the neighborhood. I can't wait to watch you grow!

Super awesome crafty space! I am totally going back. You can go in and make all of the things and…read morethen someone else cleans up after I mean how good is that? The place is set up with supplies for loads of projects, yarn, hooks and needles, beads, wood beads to paint, card making, stamps, Washi tape, colored pencils, acrylics, watercolors, big and little canvasses, hot glue, glitter, pipe cleaners, puff balls, ribbon, Embroidery supplies, there is more I'm sure I'm forgetting but that gives you the idea. Nice big wood tables to create on. They also have classes in Addition to open studio time, I highly recommend it!

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!!

True rating: 4.5/5 I had a lovely time with my sisters for a…read moremuch needed outing! This is a great brunch spot with the girlies, a super fun work event, the perfect birthday activity for any age - and you get to take home something memorable. Something you created alongside people you shared this memory with! Did I mention that there's FOOD? I just got a coffee this day, but my sisters had some tea and a pastrami sandwich. I stole a bite of the sandwich, it was indeed delicious. Next time, I'm going for a brunch outing and I WILL be indulging in some mimosas. The most beautiful pain and sip place I can think of. So you come in, order food and drinks if you'd like and then find a place to sit. Go pick out the pottery piece you would like - I will warn you, this is the hardest part of the process. After that, there's a station with all the supplies you may need (paint and paint palettes, paint swatches after firing, brushes, sponges, stencils, paper towels, food paper to sit things on, water bowls, I'm sure there's more I'm missing). Return to your table, paint, order more food, play with the super fun games they have?? (We played with a miniature pool table. Sure, it was missing some balls, but how often do I get to play with a mini pool table?), and when you're ALL done, take your piece to the counter. They'll have you take a picture of your item before paying for it. You will use this picture to pick up the item(s)! You pay for it and it's ready to pickup in 8 days! Plan ahead :) I do wish that there was a little more guidance when you arrive, but with that being said, everything *is* on their website. Some information is a little confusing or not current, however. I also wish that this place was a bit better staffed, but I know that's an issue many face and this business appears to be fixing! When it was a little rushed, I could sense the frustration of the person behind the food counter. Completely understandable, but it leaves room for improvement! Overall, I can't wait to come back to this place. I painted the plate, and I kinda want to try this again and see if I can improve! Can't wait to bring my mom here, maybe for Mother's Day?! You know what, let's all bring our moms here and create something special - memories and pottery!

Came in with 10 people for a booked painting session on Saturday at 7pm!…read more This place is super cute and pottery painting is always fun! I like that they serve more food than other places I've been, so you can eat dinner while you paint. We ordered the charcuterie board for 6, 2 pizzas, and a few bottles of wine. The charcuterie board was yummy with classic foods and we really enjoyed both the spring fever and spinach and Gorgonzola pizza! The wine list was pretty small with about 4 white options and 4 reds ( I think ?) but we were all satisfied with the ones we got. I like that they had instructions on every table of how to prep and paint everything from beginning to end so we could be very independent through the process! From what I saw, most pieces were between 25-60. They had a decent amount of options to pick from, including a plates, bowls, mugs, and trays, as well as animals and trinket holders. I would've loved a few more paint colors but what they had got the job done! There was a little chaos with the payment because of our reservation, but everything got sorted out and we had a great time! I can't wait to see my finished product! *there is not a dedicated parking lot, only street parking

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!

If you're looking for a unique team-building activity, Lawless Forge is it. Our group made gorgeous…read moresilver rings, and the entire process was seamless from start to finish. Sean and Alex were fantastic instructor! super patient, and encouraging. They made sure everyone felt comfortable and had fun. We'll absolutely be doing this again!

Such a cool event. I came here for a friend's birthday event and left with a really cool knife and…read morecarrying sheath for it. The instructor was super kind and ensured we were all following along safely and timely. Would totally come back!