I took a class here in the spring and bought all the supplies on the list to complete the class…read more Except for the soldering iron which I already owned, I bought all the supplies from the VA Stained Glass Company and it came to under $600, including glass. The class was $100 and spread out across 8 weeks, with one assignment per week. I ended up completing my first project within that time span, and I was well-supported to have my questions answered in class or received help with the tricky parts -- of course I took on the hardest beginner template (which every shopkeeper warned me against) because I'm a creative masochist. I am glad I went for the extra challenge because I really like the piece I made. Finally, I'll sign up for the class again when I am ready to make my next piece. I like how the pace kept me accountable, but didn't rush me, and for $100 having a mentor like Diane and her staff to go speak to each week is an incredible resource. I feel incredibly grateful that amazon hasn't wiped out this community resource, and I marvel at her dedication to stained and fused glass and her prowess and patience at sharing it with the community. Note regarding buying supplies: Yeah sure, I am a young generation internet wizard but being a fan of open source and the ways of Stallman (who was right) I DID NOT purchase resources online -- I kept the profits local and focused at this gem of a resource to our community, which means I bought EVERYTHING from VA Stained Glass. If you are looking at taking a class with Diane, and need to buy supplies, you should DO the same. Buy directly from her for all of the reasons I've listed here and allow me to re-iterate just what a priceless resource VA Stained Glass is for our community.

My wife and I took the "Introduction to Stained Glass" class, so we could have a chance to learn…read morethe basics and finish a project without having to make a big investment in tools, etc. (definitely worth it). It was so much fun we decided to take the plunge and took the "Beginning Stained Glass" class too! We're very pleased with how our projects turned out, and now, with the detailed, hands-on (and patient!) instruction we've gotten, we have the confidence to take on some projects on our own. To anyone who's thought about trying their hand at stained glass, but feels a little intimidated by it, let me tell you that it's not nearly as difficult as you might think. In fact, it's actually pretty easy. And I can confidently recommend coming to the Virginia Stained Glass Company to get some instruction. Our experience was wonderful, with all of the staff, the other people in our classes, and the other customers who had bought studio time and were coming in just to work on their projects (I think the fact that people are buying time to work here on stuff they could just as easily do at home says a lot). The atmosphere was always relaxed and friendly, and I really enjoyed it.

I've taken ceramics and mosaics through the Art League at the Madison Annex, which is essentially a…read morebuilding with different studio classrooms. Although the Art League is technically located the in Torpedo Factory, most of their classes are held here. I actually like that it's not located in the heart of Old Town, because street parking in the area is usually available and students can also use the lot behind Sport & Health. If you're enrolled in a ceramics class, you're also able to pay for open studio time which is pretty cool. I've gone and met some really amazing artists who can be a great resource for additional input for your art projects. Overall, the environment is diverse, welcoming, and lots of fun. I absolutely love taking classes here and would highly recommend the Art League.

I figured it was about time I did another review for this place. (an update) I really recommend…read morethis place for those who are interested in the arts (aside from music and acting and such). Depending on the class you're taking, it can be really fun, or just really relaxing. I take manga/comic classes, which I take basically every semester, it's just a class I really love. They now have an adult class for that class, so hopefully, the adults won't waste their money anymore, for a lot signed up for the ages 10 to adult class and were for some reason disappointed to see a class full of kids. So it was really good that they finally added an adult class. I also took an expressive figure drawing class a couple of times, which can be a difficult class if you don't fully understand the action line and such yet. (but I recommend taking the class! Ms. Susan is a super enthusiastic/encouraging teacher! one of my favorites there!). And they now have digital art classes! I have yet to take it, but I'm happy they added a class for those of us who draw digitally! The classes are around $200 for 7-9 classes, one class a week, and most are 2 1/2 hours long. There are all sorts of classes that you can take, a lot of different types of teachers, and students that take it as well! MY ONLY CON ARE THE BATHROOMS RIGHT BY THE ENTRANCE! I really recommend buying wet ones or other types of cleaning wipes, for little boys (and possibly some grown men honestly) tend to go on the seat. I prefer going to the bathroom before waiting for my bus, but it seems 9 out of 10 times I go in the bathroom, there's always a little and (very rarely) a lot of drops all over the seat. Id still use these bathrooms over portapotties though. (for Alexandria birthday firework thing, I actually did walk to this building to go to the bathroom instead of using the portapotties)

If you want quality ceramics and pottery from local artisans, head to Material Things near the D.C…read more border in Brentwood, Maryland. Inside several spaces in an industrial building, they sell to some of the area's top restaurants. I picked up four large bowls for my wife and she loves them. Material Things also runs regular classes to teach people their craft.

I am so happy to report back and say that I loved my experience at Material Things. I participated…read morein an 8 week course with about 12 students where I started out having a hard time making anything. By the end of my course I've made some beautiful bowls and mugs along the way that I'm super proud of. During my time in classes with Kiel (wonderful guy but he has recently moved to AZ) he created a chill space each week. The class had some beginners and also some intermediate throwers and Kiel did a seamless job helping everyone and sharing his expertise. During the class each week we were able to throw on the wheel to create new pieces and take our creations from start to finish. For the $360 price tag I think that it was a great investment into a new hobby. I made about 10 different pieces that I took home with me at the end of that I'm very proud of. Also I want to give a huge shoutout to the owners for opening up the space during the very stressful Election week so that anyone in courses could come and have an outlet every single day. Typically their open studio hours are 4x a week but they made the decision to offer them everyday and for extended hours. Their kindness deserves so much praise and I wish nothing but the best for this business. I'm looking forward to taking future classes with the owner Katie and also inviting friends to join me :) Thank you to the Material Things Team

I can't say enough good things about this place, one of my creative homes here in DC! Dan has…read morecreated such a beautiful, light-filled space that's equipped with pretty much any tool or equipment you might need to bring any idea to life. The classes themselves are fantastic - you'll learn by doing, but also by watching an expert demonstrate for you, and getting as much help as you may need throughout. It's a good balance: you'll build your skill set and learn the practicalities of metalsmithing, but also learn to understand your own creative vision, which you can work on during open studio hours. The vibe is really chill (Dan plays great music!), all the teachers are kind and helpful and supportive, your fellow students are all interesting and fun, and overall this is the kind of space where you feel like you're able to make mistakes and still learn and grow from them. If you've ever wanted to learn the true craft of metalsmithing to make fine jewelry, this is the place to do it.

Dan did an amazing job on my pieces and the shop itself is such a cool place!! 10/10 recommend.read more

My partner and I took pottery classes here. Our instructor Lore was extremely skilled and did a…read moregreat job of showing the ropes. Glazing and firing your pieces outside of being a student is pretty pricy compared to other studios though so after our classes were over my partner and I found a new clay studio to class and fire our homemade pieces.

I took the 3 hour try-it class today and it was so fun! The instructors were kind, knowledgeable,…read moreand ready to help. I appreciated the small class size as well! Will definitely be trying for a spot in future classes.

The non credit options have been on hiatus for a while. Their site mentions vaccine status, so most…read morelikely covid related which is a few years old now. Hopefully they have some sort of update on their one off or non-credit classes.

Great classes, and great teachers. I think it's the only high quality art school in DC…read more Everybody is so helpful there.

I am an art collector and was lucky enough to discover this glass studio. It is operated by a…read morewonderful and talented glass artist by the name of Alison Sigethy. Her main focus is making Sea Cores, which our beautiful extruded glass cylinders from Germany filled with magical and mythical pieces of glass. Some are shaped like corals and some are glass creatures. To bring the sculpture alive she uses lighting from the bottom and mineral oil along with an air pump creating a memorizing effect. Her pieces are my favorite, I love your glass sculptures better than my Chihuly and other famous glass artists in my collection. Her prices are very reasonable and come in different sizes and price ranges. She also does other glass artists. She is located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center with other artists. She has pieces all ready to go or will work with you to design a unique piece. Please check her out you will be glad you did!

We loved our Sip and Paint experience! Our instructor Stanley was the BEST! We hired Sip and Paint…read morefor a private team-building experience for work, and folks said this was the best experience they have had. I highly recommend attending one of their classes or hiring them for a private event!

Foremost, Stanley was fantastic. He's kind, gentle, funny and ridiculously talented. We did the VIP…read morebutton art experience and we are still reeling. It was meditative. It was deeply satisfactory. It was fun. It was fresh. It was everything. We made stellar artworks and simply had a great time doing it. This is worth every penny and more.