For being a place for creative oulets, you'd think they'd pick a more creative name than....The Art Place. But honestly I don't blame them. I think this place has been around since forever, right behind the Mountain View Library.
They offer painting, sketching, clay, theatre, and music classes; I tend to find that it's more theatrics than actual drawing classes offered. I've stayed away from acting and music, but they have productions and dinner&shows every season for the public to go to, at $5-$15 per show.
The classes are great- but it really depends on your class, really. I've only taken painting, portraiture, and clay, and clay was the worst of them all. Enjoyable? Yes. Would I do it again? No. I don't even remember the instructor's name.
My only quip is that for each class, the fees never seem to end. Registration (late or early), actual class fees, baking fees, and oh, the -supplies-! The supplies list never ends, I swear. For pencil portraiture, I thought you bring a pencil and eraser, and a pad. False, it's like 20 different types of pencils, graphite, special erasers left and right, specially bound pads, tissue paper, paper stubs, special ink pens and tips, and oh my god, these things cost a fortune! I just want to draw!
Ahem, anyway, the painting guy was ok, but the star of the show is Kip Rogers- after all these years (it's been like 10), I still remember how well he taught his classes and I want to go back, even if this place is about a solid 45 minute drive from where I live now. His class is 95 for first timers and 70 for returners. At that price, it's a freaking steal! (Well, at least for that class....)
The Art Place is a special place to me- back when I still drew all over the place, I had been able to be part of some of the shows there, and I appreciated that. You could always walk in and see art from the locals. After all these years, the many of the artists teaching there are still there. Now on to convincing the boyfriend to take these classes with me.... read more
