I don't feel really qualified to review this yet, not having taken a class or been to an opening there or anything -- but since I see there are no reviews, I will write one! It's a nice building with parking that I found inaccessible and didn't use -- instead, I parked next door and risked towing, ha ha, in order to not have to walk so far! Totally worth it because I didn't get caught, I guess .... I can't imagine why the tooth (you know, dental) people need so much parking and I feel some arrangement should be made with them if possible because some people just can't walk that far ... especially what with going up and down and all, meaning that the parking lot for this is not only a little far away in the back but also that it's on a slope so one way would be going down and then the other would be walking uphill -- and there is an entrance closer to the parking in the back, but I wasn't aware of it 'til inside and saw no markings for or indications of it while outside, looking around for parking. Of course, while driving and moving a lot faster than walking, there is a need for signage to be bigger and more quickly visible, and therefore obvious to see while moving!
Once inside, it's a nice, brightly-lit, clean and comforting, inviting space with interesting hand-made wooden seating at the entrance and upstairs. It's nice to walk around and see the artist's studios (what of them is visible, that is!), and the artwork hung on the walls upstairs and downstairs, as well as on the floor level. It's also my first time seeing this most modern way of making purchase of art -- by using a QR code to see what is available and then paying in some kinda new-fashioned way (I didn't actually try it, so I'm not sure how that works and can't report on the whole process!). The art itself really varies in terms of subject, style, size -- and probably price, too .... As an artist, I got some interesting ideas by seeing what was up, such as painting various local scenes, including landmark buildings and plants (cherry blossoms!). I felt inspired by my visit, most certainly! There's a lot of cool new stuff in Kensington in terms of shops and restaurants, so there's no way coming here could be a wasted trip!
I did observe a nicely-sized group of people eating lunch together in a rather large room at the front of the first floor by the entrance, sitting at tables by big windows, seeming to enjoy themselves eating and talking, convening and conversing, relating and bonding -- and I gathered these people were part of a regular art program there ... so it does seem to be a community-building place at least for those who are committed to it long-term .... read more