I can't believe I hadn't been here in years. Totally taking for granted some of the amazing…read moregalleries we have in Pittsburgh. Attended a student art show last night with a friend who teaches a class at PCA. There were so fantastic pieces created by the adult students. In addition of course there were other exhibits that we were able to tour. When I was in art school this was a place we visited often. Time to get back in the swing of things. The gift shop is still fantastic and filled with lots of unique items.

Beautiful gardens and green house off of Mellon park. We stopped here on a sunny day to check out…read morethe printmaking facilities and buy some house plants. After brunch at Square cafe we needed to take a little walk and absorb some rays. It is a very serene setting and once they get the fountain running I may just come to sit and ponder. The building is so big and they offer many summer art classes so check out the website to see what they have. Events are held here all summer, mostly weddings. I went in to see the printmaking lab, I mostly do screenprinting but they don't have the light tables or screens here. The receptionist was so helpful and said that there would be printmaking classes over the summer and to call one of the directors to see what they might be able to do for me in regards to the type of medium I want to work with. If you need a place to do intaglio or relief printing they have a great space to print!

I searched almost all of Pittsburgh to find availability for a private lesson on wheel throwing…read moreand everywhere was basically booked up until next year. Then I found this studio that had plenty of availability with very seasoned instructors. I took a private class with Leslie and it was amazing. She really took the time to teach and guide me through wheel throwing, and was VERY patient with me. I knew nothing about this art and when I came out, I felt so accomplished. Also, she's an amazing artist and has been doing this for a very long time. I will definitely be back for more classes!! The price of a 1.5hr private lesson was actually pretty affordable compared to all the other studios I researched too.

I adore this place! I re-learned how to throw on the pottery wheel since my last practice was in…read morehighschool, and my teacher was so kind and made an effort to make sure I was satisfied with my work. The overall ambience is magical and dreamlike. Every worker there has been kind, attentive, and relaxing to be around. Not to mention extremely affordable and accessible. Definitely a safe space. I highly recommend coming here for any creative venture, relaxing outlet, or just wanting to meet new people.

Had a ceramics class with Liana. I had a great time and made cute pieces…read more Update: when I was finally able to pick up my items after two months, none of them were done right. I'm not going to take the time to enumerate everything that is wrong, but I was told that the pictured piece fell off in the kiln. If that were true, there wouldn't be glaze on the surfaces that need to be re-joined. This cannot even be fixed. So in addition to doing careless work with the glaze, they were untruthful about what happened. This was a frankly a terrible experience.

Took a planter class in April. Was told it would be a month. Every time we asked, they had excuses…read moreand said it still wasn't ready. Said we wanted to pickup our pieces whether they were finished or not and would finish the pieces elsewhere. The day we were coming, they called to say it was ready. One piece was glazed only halfway and in the wrong color. The other was over glazed enough so the relief is gone and they dripped another glaze on it and you can see the finger mark where they attempted to wipe it off. When we called about a refund, we were quite frustrated and were told that we needed a discussion with the instructor to figure out if they had done anything wrong. Could not be more disappointed. Will never return. Would recommend trying somewhere else if someone is considering going here.

My 9-year-old loved her summer camp at Twig & Berry. Shannon is great and really encourages…read moreeveryone to be creative. We would love to be back!

Wonderful studio for my toddler. Very accommodating & helpful for my slow to warm up toddler…read more Creative and engaging project that was age appropriate. Would definitely recommend!

We got to tour the Pittsburgh Glass Center as part of our Friendship house tour in October. Such…read morea cool place. We got to visit the entire facility. Would love to go back and take a class. Beautiful pieces of glass to purchase by local artists - made in the Glass center.

My daughter and I had a fun time exploring and making paper weights. Created a memory in time!read more

I love small art places. No complaints here. Well done small gallery with high quality retail space…read moreand add in an activity - yes, please. Wish I lived closer, so I could take a class. Or visit late afternoon and walk next door to Hopfarm Brewery. Now there's a winning pair!

I always enjoyed visiting Contemporary Craft when it was in the Strip, but the new space is lovely…read moreand there is the added benefit of easy parking. The exhibit space works well for one artist. The two shows I've seen there so far have been provocative, and well worth the time. The gift shop is nicely curated with unique and artful pieces. Studios/classrooms are visible from the gallery and the street. Currently there is timed entry. Admission is free, but visitors should plan to make a donation as a courtesy.

Forever will I remember Randy Pausch. I never met Randy, but his lecture video on the internet…read morehighly motivated me to embrace life. Rest in Peace Randy. You have given inspiration back to the world. Full CNN Report: 'Last Lecture' professor dies at 47 PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University computer scientist whose "last lecture" about facing terminal cancer became an Internet sensation and a best-selling book, died Friday. He was 47. Pausch died at his home in Virginia, university spokeswoman Anne Watzman said. Pausch and his family moved there last fall to be closer to his wife's relatives. Pausch was diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer in September 2006. His popular last lecture at Carnegie Mellon in September 2007 garnered international attention and was viewed by millions on the Internet. In it, Pausch celebrated living the life he had always dreamed of instead of concentrating on impending death. Watch Pausch talk to his class » "The lecture was for my kids, but if others are finding value in it, that is wonderful," Pausch wrote on his Web site. "But rest assured; I'm hardly unique." The book "The Last Lecture," written with Jeffrey Zaslow, leaped to the top of the nonfiction best-seller lists after its publication in April and remains there this week. Pausch said he dictated the book to Zaslow, a Wall Street Journal writer, by cell phone. The book deal was reported to be worth more than $6 million. At Carnegie Mellon, he was a professor of computer science, human-computer interaction and design, and was recognized as a pioneer of virtual reality research. On campus, he became known for his flamboyance and showmanship as a teacher and mentor. The speech last fall was part of a series Carnegie Mellon called "The Last Lecture," where professors were asked to think about what matters to them most and give a hypothetical final talk. The name of the lecture series was changed to "Journeys" before Pausch spoke, something he joked about in his lecture. "I thought, damn, I finally nailed the venue and they renamed it," he said. He told the packed auditorium he fulfilled almost all his childhood dreams -- being in zero gravity, writing an article in the World Book Encyclopedia and working with the Walt Disney Co. The one that eluded him? Playing in the National Football League. "If I don't seem as depressed or morose as I should be, sorry to disappoint you," Pausch said. He then joked about his quirky hobby of winning stuffed animals at amusement parks -- another of his childhood dreams -- and how his mother introduced him to people to keep him humble: "This is my son, he's a doctor, but not the kind that helps people." Pausch said he was embarrassed and flattered by the popularity of his message. Millions viewed the complete or abridged version of the lecture, titled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," online. Pausch lobbied Congress for more federal funding for pancreatic cancer research and appeared on "Oprah" and other TV shows. In what he called "a truly magical experience," he was even invited to appear as an extra in the new "Star Trek" movie. He had one line of dialogue, got to keep his costume and donated his $217.06 paycheck to charity. Pausch blogged regularly about his medical treatment. On Feb. 15, exactly six months after he was told he had three to six months of healthy living left, Pausch posted a photo of himself to show he was "still alive & healthy." "I rode my bike today; the cumulative effects of the chemotherapy are hurting my stamina some, but I bet I can still run a quarter mile faster than most Americans," he wrote. Pausch gave one more lecture after his Carnegie Mellon appearance -- in November at the University of Virginia, where he had taught from 1988 to 1997. Pausch often emphasized the need to have fun. "I mean I don't know how to not have fun. I'm dying and I'm having fun. And I'm going to keep having fun every day I have left. Because there's no other way to play it," he said in his Carnegie Mellon lecture. "You just have to decide if you're a Tigger or an Eeyore. I think I'm clear where I stand on the great Tigger/Eeyore debate. Never lose the childlike wonder. It's just too important. It's what drives us." Born in 1960, Pausch received his bachelor's degree in computer science from Brown University and his Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon. He co-founded Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center, a master's program for bringing artists and engineers together. The university named a footbridge in his honor. He also created an animation-based teaching program for high school and college students to have fun while learning computer programming. Continued here... http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/books/07/25/obit.pausch.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Randy, You fought a…read moregreat fight. You told a unique story. You lived with inspiration. You made us cry and think. Thank you ...

Excellent workshop. Okello taught the basics of Aperture, ISO, and shutter speed and how together…read moreyou can use these to get the best shots in any situation. Great class!

Great session. I learned more in 3 hours than I did in years of tinkering with my camera. Okello…read moreanswered a lot of questions and knew specifics to my camera! Great for beginners

Great gym which is not crowded. Excellent classes. Super accommodating staff. Easy to park.read more

I just encountered the rudest individual on the phone. I called for information regarding today's…read morepool closure. The woman who answered the phone was brash and short with me, the whole time acting annoyed: "no", "lightning", "THAT'S ALL THEY TOLD ME." Was all that attitude really necessary? So disappointing for a community center.