What an amazing place to visit! It's like an art museum where can buy pieces. It's three connected…read morebuildings filled with all types of art from local artists. I spent over an hour looking at the exhibits in all mediums. There was so much to see! The staff was super friendly and were offering free beer and wine today, bonus! I saw so many things that I really liked and have included some pictures. There's no charge for admission and it's a place I will definitely come back to visit.

Huge and wonderful gallery full of art of all kinds from local and regional artists. Whatever you…read moreare looking for you will find it at Crossroads: paintings, photography, sculpture, jewelry, tapestry, pottery, and more. We recently built a house in Richmond and decided to decorate with local art so we are regulars at Crossroads. The staff is friendly and helpful, and visitors are welcome to come a browse without anyone following them around urging them to purchase. Crossroads is a also a great place to take friends and family who are visiting Richmond.

My mom and I came here to try glass blowing for the first time, and it was a fun experience. The…read moreworker was kind and explained everything clearly. We were able to help create our own pieces and choose the colors we wanted. I made a cup and my mom made an oil bottle. Overall, it was a great experience, but it's also easy to make mistakes, so it's important not to rush. The imperfections are small, but there are air bubbles in both of our pieces. While we were making the oil bottle, the instructor accidentally tapped it against the door of the furnace area, which left small white marks on the bottle. It's not a huge issue, but it could have been avoided.

I had a fun time at this glassblowing studio! I'd never tried anything like it before... think…read morepottery class, but way more fire involved. When we arrived, we were greeted and asked to complete our waiver forms. You get to choose what you'd like to make from a handful of options: a heart-shaped paperweight, an oil bottle, a tall drinking glass, and a few others. I can't wait to use my oil bottle! Before you dive in, the instructor walks you through everything: how to dip your poker into the molten glass, how to layer in colors (you pick your own palette, and how to help mold and shape your piece before it gets capped off. The studio is on the smaller side and is perfect for a date night, a girls' trip activity, or a unique outing with a small group of friends. We parked on the street since the back lot was full so just plan for that if you're heading over. Shoutout to the women behind this business... you can tell they genuinely love what they do and want every guest to leave with something they're proud of. I can't wait to pick up my bottle in a few days.

WOW!!! We had so much fun. Excellent attention to detail and lots of support! This is so fun. Grab…read morea buddy and take a class. You will enjoy and it's easy!!!

What a great new activity in Richmond! My sister and I went for our weekly sister day. We were…read moregiven amazing instruction and really felt supported throughout the whole rug making process. We went for the mini rug class which was a great introduction to tufting. Once you get used to the amount of pressure you're supposed to put on the tufting gum, it's easy! Next time I will for sure opt for a bigger project. It was a great time!

The VMFA Studio School offers a variety of great art classes. Members of the VMFA get priority on…read moreclass sign-up. ***LOCATION*** Right across from the VMFA on Grove Ave, not too far from the sculpture garden. It's located in an old Victorian building which can be a little cold during winter months. It took me a second to find, but they have a sign for the studio school. Follow that for the parking lot right in front of the school. ***EXPERIENCE*** I took a stained glass class here and adored it. It was a sold out class that had a very long waiting list. I was grateful to be a member and to be able to sign up early. It was a two day class that lasted from 10am-4:30pm. The only reason this spot loses a star for me is because the class was advertised for one weekend and they changed it without notifying me until the last second. Had my friend taking the class with me not notified me of the email she got (which I didn't), I would've missed this. I had purchased this class about three months in advance and made plans for the weekend they rescheduled it for and had to do a lot of scrambling/canceling to change my weekend plans I had also made months in advance. Our class was led by Jude Schlotzhauer who was very knowledgeable about stained glass and the techniques of making it. I love the way she taught the class. She explained everything to us, had us test out glass cutting techniques, pick out an outline we liked, cut out glass for that, wrap the edges in foil, and flux and solder the pieces together. It was so much fun. She even gave us a sheet with places to get the supplies if we wanted to continue making stained glass. ***PRICE*** As a member, this class was $160. ***BATHROOM*** There are single all gender bathrooms scattered around the building. ***CONCLUSION*** After this class, I want to make stained glass pieces all the time. I had an absolute blast. My friend and I can't stop daydreaming about making more together.

Bought lessons for my nieces and nephews and they really enjoyed the classes. I might try some…read moremyself.

First time visiting was for a Yelp Elite event (shout out to Lena), and I've been back twice thus…read morefar and wish I had the time and ability to visit more! This is one of the less demanding activities I can tolerate nowadays with a chronic illness, and it's always quite therapeutic every time. The music is awesome, but I'm at the "this grocery store is playing all my jams" age so take that as you will... But whether you make this a solo activity or go with company, the music allows you to zone out but it's not so loud that you can't hear whomever you're conversing with. I have a tendency to not follow instructions, or rather, tap into my creative uniqueness, lol. However, the instructors are very encouraging either way and support your mistakes and intentional deviations alike. The food and drinks are mediocre at best, but I appreciate that they offer snacks and 21+ sips at all. So, maybe don't arrive hungry but it's not the end of the world if you do.

What an amazing time at Muse Paintbar! Had a wonderful experience on Valentines Day Weekend…read morepainting with guided instructions. We were surprisingly able to create a masterpiece that my partner and I are super excited to display in our home. Muse has a variety of classes with different art designs to appease all style preferences! They also have a full bar with a mixture of alcoholic and non-alcoholic offerings! I ordered a yuzu pineapple limeade mocktail to sip on with my painting which was delicious! We didn't indulge in food this time but they had multiple food options from pretzel bites to boneless wings. Super excited to return and would definitely reccomend checking out some of their partner painting classes. It was so cool to work together and see our photo come together. I could see it being a fun friends night out or a cute date night.

Can't say enough positive things about the Visual Arts Center (VAC) of Richmond!…read more One, they have free parking in the back for patrons! I could end the review there but I will continue. My partner and I checked out the VAC for one of their Second Friday Art Classes. They offer $15 dollar art classes on the second friday of each month making strides in making art accessible. We ended up doing an air dry clay workshop which was extremely fun (you can see our amazing creations in the photos). Our instructor was kind and taught us some really amazing tips. While we waited for our class to start we roamed around and checked out their exhibits. This is a stunning place to view some art work, so many talented artists pieces are on display, you won't get bored here. We even got to learn about our next date night by examining the community board. The VAC of Richmond is an amazing example of community, learning and wonder. Can't wait to return for my next art class adventure!

Lauri Jenkins teaches sewing and I cannot recommend her enough. She has taken something…read moreintimidating and made it fun. The lessons are scaffolded so you build on your skills with each project, adding a new skill while incorporating what you have learned so far. She is encouraging and will tell you "nice job!" making you feel like a pro when you're not....but you'll be a whole lot closer under her tutelage. She is awesome. Everyone I talked to at the center is super nice and they offer a wealth of classes, many with various levels so you can build on your skills or just a one day class to do something fun and bring a project home. I like to learn and I like to meet new people and I so much enjoy being here. I just hate the parking since I am not a city dweller (lol!) and there is always someone waiting to lay in on their horn if you don't move fast enough. Oh well. There is some parking available in a lot if you get there early enough. I am sooooo wanting to take every class here!! You should too.

Super neat store with a variety of items made by local artists. The staff is friendly, and they…read moreeven allow dogs! I'd definitely recommend stopping by if you have the chance.

From the owner: Everything is RVA-made! Original paintings and prints…read morePottery and ceramics Apparel and clothing Books, comics, eBooks and illustrations Jewelry Photography and digital art Sculpture and glass art Kids art and items Local beverages Mixed Media and textiles Film and video Home items and decor Gifts Holiday Items Band merch Music (musicians, bands and beat makers) Classes

What a delightful place! I'm sad I didn't know about it before, but glad to know about it now in…read morethe peak of summer heat. A cute cafe / art workshop / indoor playground mash-up which is perfect for getting the kids out the door but still getting to have a cup of coffee and a bite to eat. The boys had so much fun in the little play space. My son is also now begging me to do an art workshop. The honey cake I ate was delicious and not to be missed! Everything in their pastry case looked incredible. Can't wait to come back and try more. Such a hidden gem.

Friendly family run business with a kids area! They do charge for the play space $8 but it's pretty…read moregreat.

This is an interesting concept and a great franchise...and lots of fun!…read more We visited AR Workshop for a team fun event. Basically you select a project, pay for it and then you stain, paint, etc. the project, which takes 2-3 hours depending on how complicated it is. They also offer classes that you can sign up for. For my project, I chose to make a wooden tray. I had to assemble the tray, stain it and then add the stencil to complete it. The final step is attaching handles. You end up with a custom shabby chic or whatever style you prefer, so it's really customizable. The cost of the tray is $85. I will definitely be back and I want to bring my daughter. Unlike painting pottery, you leave with your project and the satisfaction of having created something beautiful and unique to you.

This is a fun place for an afternoon of creativity. The sign up process is easy, the instructor was…read morehelpful and friendly, and the finished product is nice & functional. It's a tad bit pricey but when you consider the cost of materials and the time you're spending there it works out. We made chunky knit blankets and were all in love with them at the end. It's fun to learn a new skill and hang out with friends while doing it. They serve drinks and you're allowed to bring food. We plan to host a private party here in the future. Kids (tweens/teens) would really enjoy this, too.

I am obsessed with Hand / Thrown! Anytime someone is looking for pottery classes I recommend this…read morelocal gem. It's women-owned, inclusive to all, and has some of the best teachers. I've taken a variety of classes with them throughout the years and always ask for a gift card to the studio during Christmastime. They offer single day courses and longer courses. Some of the single day or two-class courses I've taken have been Let's Build a Mug (hand building), Vase building (hand building one course with clay the other with flowers), Slab Boxes (hand building), Candle vessel making (hand building), and a hand building wall pocket class. I've done two Beginning Clay - Wheel Throwing classes at Hand / Thrown. I wanted to try a beginner class with a different teacher because I felt like I didn't understand it the first time. The best part about their several class courses is that they give you studio time to practice throughout the week. So not only do you learn in class, but you can use what you learned outside of class without having to buy a wheel and the materials for home (ignoring clay, you need to buy your own clay after you finish the one that comes with the class). In my time there, they offer you a choice between a plain white clay and a speckled earth tone one. They have a variety of glazes and teach you how to use them. Writing this review makes me feel day dreamy about all the time I've spent there. It's an incredible space with great natural lighting. Their classes can sell out fast, but if you sign up for their email list and sign up within the time the classes are released, you should be good to go. I highly recommend taking pottery classes at Hand / Thrown Ceramics Studio!

So I took one class here and very much enjoyed it, however when it was time for my second class, I…read morereceived an email asking to let them know my ethnographic origin, because it was for BIPOC only. I was then removed from the class because I'm white. Classes go fast, so when I saw it pop up I signed up for it ASAP, not knowing what that meant. Neither did about 8 of my friends that are black. Exclusion and segregation is not for me, so I'll gladly pay more elsewhere to avoid any further miscommunication.