Attended a private candle making class as a team building activity for work. Our instructor was…read morefantastic and we had a great time creating our own candles -- the colors, scents, and topper designs. I want to be more creative but have never really cultivated an artistic side, so I love that this studio exists. I live in the area and expect that I'll be back for one of their public art classes in the future.

Cassie was incredible for my birthday experience. Cannot wait to come back for more than just the…read morecoasters

It was a really hard decision for me to pursue the College portfolio program. I thought it would be…read moretoo difficult to combine it with my acting career and I was positive that the people who succeeded at Prima were probably just some "rare/special cases" ...but the curiosity to find out was just too tempting, so I decided to go for it and do the Portfolio, and I dove right in. At first it was a kick in the butt, I wanted to learn things "my way" and as a result of my stubbornness I didn't get the best results, but after finally conceding to the guidance I decided to let go of some preconceived notions and follow their advice. The breakthrough was immediate. Prima Materia accelerated method took hold and within a month I was lucky enough to auction a piece of my work from the sketching and drawing class. I have since built a knockout portfolio, finished the program, and now have a website. Also the true gifts have been the relationships I have made along the way in those classes as well as the internal transformation that took place from having completed the Portfolio program. I now have confidence in my ability to share my voice through art, something I didn't have before I took my leap of faith. Super happy! It's the best thing I've ever done with my time. There is so much joy. It's been a gift.

I joined Prima Materia when I was around 10, and I can say that my 7+ years with Olya and Nikusha…read moretruly changed the way I see the world. I've grown not only as an artist, but also as a person. I took part in the portfolio program, where I was able to take all classes and have weekly meetings with Olya to learn from her 30 years of experience. First, the techniques taught at Prima Materia are unlike what I have seen anywhere else. I learned how to create art with numerous materials, including unconventional ones like toothbrushes and clay made of newspaper. Olya and Nikusha are extremely well versed in which specific brands or types of art materials to buy, which ones are economical, and which ones can/should not be used together. Furthermore, Olya's Russian art education combined with her versatile and contemporary approaches to art help her teach in a way that is almost freeing. She's really helped me strike a perfect balance between academic drawing and taking creative liberties. This is especially important to me because as a scientist and STEM-focused student, I have always been bent on perfection and planning. As a result, my art would often turn out stiff and lifeless. Through the unique techniques she taught and our meetings together, Olya taught me to let go and give into randomness, chaos, and chance surprises in art. I learned to stop caring about the end result, take risks, and make myself uncomfortable. This has helped me achieve freedom from my restrictive mindset, find enjoyment in a process that previously stressed me out, and create art that is uniquely beautiful. After being in the portfolio program for a few years, what I think is special is that Olya truly cares for her students, and is willing to go the distance to help us achieve our artistic and personal goals. She notices what students are struggling with(for me, perfectionism and being unhappy and controlling with my art), and personalizes her help and feedback, spending extra time with us to help us advance as artists. She is also very eloquent and knowledgable. I always enjoy my time talking to her about new artists and techniques I find, and I aspire to have her level of intellect. Finally, Prima Matria has a plethora of classes for anyone, no matter the skill level. From a 10 year old until now, I have always found that the classes and art projects have challenged me a perfect amount; this has allowed me to refine my skills as an artist at an exceedingly fast rate. Even in classes teaching foundational skills, we have the option to take the project to the next level. Other art teachers are often astonished by how quickly and accurately I can draw, along with how fast I can pick up new techniques, because this is something that is trained through the rotating courses at Prima Materia. Plus, i have so much fun! Art classes were always a highlight of my week! I have an extremely busy schedule with a lot of research and extracurriculars, so the figure drawing classes I took made me feel like I could finally relax. Although this is already an extremely long post, I still could say a ton more about why Prima Materia's portfolio program is so great. I think one of the best choices I've made(ever!) was to take that initial workshop at Prima Materia. Because if I had not joined years ago, learned under the expertise of Olya and Nikusha, and met all of the other artists in the warm, supportive community we have, I would have missed out on a lot of joy and definitely would not be the person I am today!

Been looking all over for a figure drawing place to to improve my eye at work. Super stoked i…read morestumbled into Elissa's awesome sanctuary. Wonderful cozy studio i go to every Sunday evening, Elissa provides a very warm welcoming environment with friendly professional figure models. You can only get better by simply just doing the thing you wanna get good at, SDAL is a great place to provide that space for all levels.

We are so happy we found this place! My daughter wanted to draw and paint in an intimate studio,…read morewhere the owner cares. Elissa is the right person, and now, after more than two years, we share the feedback. It's a fantastic place. Elissa has coached her, encouraged, and she provides each student with instructions catered to her skill level, passion, and comfort zone. Our daughter plans to continue honing her skills for next couple of years, until the end of High school. 5 Stars!

I've always been drawn to nature and revisited landscape painting with oil paints about 7 years ago…read moreafter having not painted since grade school. I've been quite fortunate to have painted with several very talented painters who happened to be instructors, as well. The Art Academy has given me the impetus to paint not only more often, but with confidence, especially, at the painting's sometimes difficult initial stages. I dove into the class after having had it recommended by an artist friend of mine. After several years in Stuart's studio class I've learned an entirely new approach to both studio painting and my original goals for plein air techniques. I'd recommend this course for painters at every skill level. Jim M.

Highly recommend Art Academy of San Diego! Stuart is a skilled artist and personable guide to…read morecreating your art. -CynC

Art on 30th has changed my life. It is my home away from home. My skills have greatly improved with…read morethe help of several fabulous classes and workshops. I even won an award at the Del Mar fair fine arts competition this year! Everyone is wonderful, and the creative energy I feel when I walk in the door is incredible. It's a healing environment. It is loving, important and beautiful. I'm so happy when I am there!

With a motto of "Create Joy, Grow For Life", this remarkable 2-story art center is the epitome of…read morewhat an artist is looking for. This welcoming creative hub has private art studios, a variety of art classes/workshops, artist opportunities and much much more. It's easy to find on 30th being in the heart of North Park with a community of its own cultivating up and coming artists as well as intriguing art lovers like me by their profound art shows/exhibits in which I had a pleasure of attending one of them in October. Brilliant collab AJ & Priyanka!! There's definitely lots of positive art-making vibes here to the point it got my creative juices flowing to take a class. Thank you Maureen! I highly recommend this art spot to the Yelp Community :-)

Enthusiastic staff. Teachs kids basic art ( for little ones) and progresses age and skills…read moreappropriate. Clean open environment. They also teach ceramics. I would recommend to any aspiring artist.

My son loves his art school and his teachers. He's improving his techniques every class.read more

We had a sip & paint with Mona last week for my best friend's bachelorette party and we had so much…read morefun! The setup/decor was beautiful and Mona even got my friend a 'bride' headband and some bridal decor. It was an amazing night and Mona is so sweet and funny!

I recently attended a painting class hosted by Vima Gallery, and it was such a wonderful…read moreexperience! The atmosphere was fun and relaxing. I created a piece during the class that has become one of my son's favorite objects in his nursery--he loves it Mona is an incredible instructor who made the process easy to follow, even for someone like me with little painting experience. Highly recommend for a memorable experience!

Olga is an amazing art teacher who brings both structure and real artistic talent into her…read moreteaching. She is disciplined and sets clear expectations, which creates a focused learning environment where students truly grow. Both of my children, Ivan and Natalia, have made so much progress under her guidance. She doesn't just teach techniques--she helps kids build confidence, creativity, and attention to detail in their work. What stands out most is that she is a true artist herself, and that passion shows in every lesson. We are very grateful for her impact and the way she inspires her students to improve and express themselves

Update in response to the owner's reply: To San Diego Music…read moreAnd Art owner/contact Max: Your response actually reinforces the reason I left this review. Your instructor, Olga, publicly criticized my child in front of other parents and children. My child is neurodivergent. At times, he may have difficulty following directions, transitioning, or completing more complex instructions. That does not give any instructor the right to shame, embarrass, or publicly criticize a child. What is especially unacceptable is that your staff was already aware of my child's needs. Instead of speaking with me privately, giving me a warning, or trying to understand what support he might need, Olga chose to criticize him in front of others. When I brought this concern to you, I expected the owner to at least investigate what happened and listen to both sides. Instead, you immediately defended your instructor and treated my child as if he were simply the problem. You did not appear interested in understanding what actually happened or in finding a constructive solution. Instead, you joined in criticizing my child. Then, rather than addressing my concern about how your instructor handled the situation, you suspended my child's classes for an entire month. Children--especially neurodivergent children--deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. If a child is struggling to follow instructions, the appropriate response is to communicate privately with the parent and work toward a solution, not publicly embarrass the child and then blame him when the parent raises concerns. Parents should know how situations like this may be handled here before deciding whether this is the right environment for their child.

My husband and I took a 6-week acrylic painting class, and we had SO MUCH FUN! Meryl is such a good…read moreteacher, and we learned so much. I can't believe how easily she inspired our inner artist. After the class ended, we bought an art kit from Michaels to continue practicing, and we can't wait to take another class. Highly recommend!

I went to The Artist Outpost with a friend and I also had a very negative experience. Nowhere on my…read morepurchased ticket did it say there was no instructor and the included supplies would be old paint and crusted paint brushes... When I talked to the owner, I realized that customer service wasn't her strong quality.

I enjoy the process of creating. Don't necessarily see myself as artistic though so I figured with…read morea mosaic, it would be easier to create something I enjoyed. It was the 2 afternoon glass on glass mosaic class I took. Lauren was the instructor. She's warm, approachable, works well with beginners. Got lots of good tips from her. I have never created something that I love as much as I love this piece. I'll be coming back for more classes and continuing to make more mosaics. I feel a bit like an artist now. It's awesome!!!!!

I finally got a chance to do the indigo dyeing workshop with Lauren and brought my two friends with…read moreme! We had the best time. What an incredible way to spend an afternoon or two learning a really fun approachable new form of art, working with your hands. Lauren was a great teacher, very supportive of our crazy ideas and was a great balance of structure vs. going with the flow and allowing the students interests guide the class. Opening each piece and revealing the pattern was almost better than Christmas morning! Cannot wait to return for more alumni days.