This review is not for the art classes they offer, but for their seasonal art market, notably for…read moreChristmas. For several long weekends starting at Black Friday weekend, the Kirkland Arts Center revamps its space to be a holiday art market. It's a fantastic opportunity to buy locally made artisan pieces. From a few dollars for a card, to tens, hundreds, and even thousands of dollars for pottery, jewelry, and exquisite one-of-a-kind art, there is something for everyone. I was here on "Shop Small Saturday". Not surprising, I was pleasantly pleased with the variations of art works offered, from wearables, to functionals, and decorative, I eyed pottery bowls, jewelry, wall art, and these beautiful ceramic bouquets. I did walk away with a pretty piece. Yay, me. Check their hours before going. The shopping season is ending soon; they'll turn back into a pumpkin - i.e. an art center.

I love pottery and have always wanted to take lessons - this was the perfect place to be!…read more Evelyn was my instructor, and she not only is the sweetest person, but also very knowledgeable on laying a strong foundation for the students to be able to throw and center. Throughout the entire time, she was very patient and was always willing to spark and encourage ideas. What's great about this is their open studio time where you can come in and work on your pieces during the open session where an instructor will be there to help. Apparently there was another student in class who went to the Bothell pottery class and their charged her an arm and a leg just for extra clay and firing... This is definitely a place worth coming!

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.

An awesome place to learn to make jewelry! The studio has every tool imaginable and the enviroment…read moreis fun and inspiring!

Wonderful studio and classes! I have taken many workshops at Danaca Design over the years. This…read morepast weekend I took the enameling class with Keith Lewis and it was amazing! The studio is very organized and has everything you might need with a convenient store for supplies in case you need something else! Whether you want total immersion in jewelry or a weekend workshop, there are several classes year round to chose from. Already looking forward to my next !! Danaca Design is more than a work space, it is a community of creativity and inspiration.

I have been a member of Rat City Studios for 4 1/2 years and a hobby potter for 10 years. This…read morestudio is amazing. It is in a beautiful garden setting, the studio is clean and organized, studio management is excellent, and the studio glazes are great. Deb Schwartzkopf, the studio owner is not only a wonderful ceramic artist, but a supporter of potters at all levels. I love this community.

Did the Sip N' Spin class and had a great time. I would recommend it for friends looking for a fun…read morenight out or a fun date night. It's a great first time on a pottery wheel. You get a 30 minute lesson and at least an hour to enjoy clay. Best part, it's all the clay you can spin. I took full advantage of that fact to keep trying. You only get to keep 2 pieces which they ship to you after it's fired. Amazing value! Amazing experience! FYI: You really don't have time to drink (sipping is the best you can do) and with your hands are covered in clay don't bother bringing snacks.

Got a Intro to Wheel session as a birthday gift. Sara, our instructor was great. Very helpful…read more Class was scheduled for 7-9 pm- ended at about 8:30 pm.

I like to come here for the free wheel throwing on Friday nights from 6-9 pm. Being able to throw…read morefor free (you don't keep the pieces or guarantee that you finish them) is great if you're just looking for a place to practice. They sell various pieces made for donation, and donate to a different cause each month (or week?). However, during this time on Friday, the wheels are all usually full so I would recommend going right at 6. If you're new and you ask for assistance you'll get a great tour and they will work with you to get a wheel. Otherwise, the rest of the times I have gone have been a fail in securing a wheel:( My favorite part about this place is that the neighborhood cat likes to hang around. He's just the cutest little guy and is always working so hard at the front desk!

I started at the music factory after seeing some of their flyers, and was taking lessons there for…read morearound a year. I really enjoyed my time with the music factory, and I was connected with some awesome people/great musicians and mentors. I was able to explore many new concepts and even a new instrument, and every step of the way was guided by first class musicians. I highly recommend TMF to anyone, but especially adult students who want expert, in-person lessons! I worked specifically on guitar with Blake and drums with Tim, and both of them were really great at gauging where I was at coming in and helping me figure out where I could grow.

This place is wonderful if you haven't been there try it. They're beautiful instruments and it is a…read moregreat place to go. The employees are very helpful. Put music in your life. You'll find joy try this place. You're gonna love it. You'll thank me later.

My wife and I decided to try this out, and we had a great time. We had a lot of fun painting and…read morethe instructor was really helpful, and she is a super nice person. I highly recommend it. We're definitely going to do it again sometime.

A fun time. A great instructor. A cool location. You should bring your friends and hang out, drink…read moresome wine, learn about the different styles of art, and try your hand at them. We had a great time and my coworkers want to organize a team-building exercise around the event soon. Reserve early, there are only limited slots and they book up quickly.

A nice friendly center but no weight room. People were doing an exercise class so there is a nice…read moreoffering of events. Staff is friendly too and big parking lot.

My wife signed us up for a Salsa class over the summer at this community center. I had never been…read moreto the community center so I wasn't expecting much. The parking lot was huge and surrounded by tall trees. The shade is great on hot summer days. There is a big play area in the grove of trees behind the community center. You walk through an art-filled garden to get to the door of the community center. Upon entering, there is a bronze statue of books right in front of you. Pretty cool! Off to the left is a kids area where they have Tot Time and story time for kids (there is a small charge to attend). Off to the right is a desk with a receptionist. The dance class is in a large room with mirrors on one of the walls. Our instructor is a local gentleman in his 50's. Such a wonderful teacher. Only 4 couples signed up for the class, but we have a lot of fun despite small numbers. I am anxious to take more classes at the B.C.C.!