Such a fun and unique paint experience! My partner and I selected the Couples package and had a…read moreblast with the balloon darts and extra colors/brushes! The studio owner let us blast our own music the whole time and did not provide any restrictions on how to paint our canvas board or conduct the session. This made for such a special shared birthday gift and memory that will last with our art piece! Friendly and professional owners with no judgements about our art piece. Highly recommend!

Absolutely incredible!!!!!!! We had my son's 5th birthday there and it was amazing! The kiddos…read moreloved it and all the adults were jealous and wanted to get in there too! Oakley and Jules were wonderful with the kids! I cannot recommend enough!!!

I really can't say enough good things about the Seattle Artist League. I have an art degree, and…read moreI'm not exaggerating when I say I've gotten more out of my time at the League than I did during my undergraduate art education. I've taken painting classes with Jordan Horton, Erin Milez, Lendy, and a critique workshop with Ruthie V., and every class has changed the way I make and think about art. The instructors are thoughtful, generous, incredibly knowledgeable, and (maybe most importantly) really know how to help you grow without making you feel like there's one "right" way to be an artist. The critique workshop has been life-changing, I recommend it for everyone. I used to DREAD art critiques in college. They often felt negative and intimidating, and I came away from them feeling worse about my work rather than more curious about it. Ruthie completely changed that. I finally feel like I have the tools to actually look at art and talk about what I'm seeing, respond thoughtfully, and then understand why something is working, or why it isn't. And that hasn't just changed my own artwork. I now enjoy going to galleries, museums and looking at art more than I ever did before. I notice more. I'm more curious. I now have a vocabulary for things I could feel but didn't know how to articulate. I've learned A LOT during my time here, I've taken more risks in my art and I've fallen in love with making and looking at art again and it's the best feeling. If you're thinking about taking a class (or two!) at the Seattle Artist League, do it. Doesn't matter if you're a beginner or have been making art for years, there is SO MUCH to get out of this place.

TL;DR: SAL's pottery classes are quite good and the studio community/open studio hours are…read moreterrific. That said, the owners are such a negative force, you may want to think twice about supporting them with your money. The rave reviews here about the quality of Seattle Artist League pottery classes, instructors, community, and generous open studio polices are all to be believed. I took my first class at SAL in Fall 2022 and continued with classes and practice until this month. In my 2nd year there, I was hired to be a PT pottery studio tech. After 10 months, the studio owner directed the pottery studio manager to fire me and I returned to being just a student. I won't repeat the defamatory lies the owner invented to justify her decision. My allegiance was to the pottery studio manager, staff, teachers and community. I had positive feedback from them and didn't care about losing the owner's good opinion or the 8 hours a week at min wage. At the heart of all the goodness in SAL is a rot most repeat students and staff tiptoe around. It is the untethered, erratic, impulsive, and, often, abusive behavior of owner Ruthie V., enabled by co-owner, Lendy. It's responsible for high staff turnover, particularly among staff that must work when Ruthie is on site, as well as women who present as experienced, valued leaders who cared about student experience. Ruthie's administration of day-to-day operations is impulsive, with no view to process or consequences. Class spaces are double booked. Classes with low enrollment are canceled with no communication to teachers or students. Classes are announced and filled with no instructor scheduled. Open studio hours are suddenly pre-empted with no communication to staff or update of the calendar. Studio staff are left to manage the chaos Ruthie leaves in her wake. She has no tolerance for problem-solving and will deflect blame on the person who identifies the problem, using whatever lies she needs to shore up her story or justify their ouster. Staff walk on eggshells and the energy in the space when she's there is tight and anxious. We're living through a time when bullying, dictatorial behavior is being normalized. We each must decide whether we speak up, sometimes at great risk to ourselves, or stay silent and become complicit. SAL is a microcosm of that dilemma. Last week, while I was in my second volunteer shift during the annual studio deep clean, Ruthie found something entirely innocuous she could twist into a lie that served as justification to ban me from the studios forever. Lendy delivered the message, lying about staff in the process. Students are paying customers; I had prepaid for nearly $800 of upcoming classes. SAL refunded the money but it speaks to how impulsive Ruthie is that she would risk that loss and the reputational one based on some perceived slight to her fragile ego. I was not allowed any defense. Finally, SAL operates as a 501(c)3 nonprofit with fiscal sponsorship through Shunpike. Washington RCW 24.03A.490 requires nonprofits to maintain a Board of Directors. As a Board member of an arts organization for ~5 years, I know one of the oversight responsibilities is to set HR policies and be a resource for staff to address issues with management. SAL's website lists no BOD and I can find no evidence that Shunpike fills this role for them. SAL appears to be out of compliance as a nonprofit. There are many pottery studios in Seattle, with various offerings. Your choice of them is an investment of your money and a reflection of your values. I want SAL's pottery studios to prosper and, at the same time, I cannot be silent about the environment there even if my voice turns people away from the studio. Actions matter. Truth matters. Make your investment accordingly.

I can't believe I had never explored this store before!…read more Seattle recreative (the sodo location) has just about everything you could ever need for crafting. They had fabric, all aspects of sewing and scrapbooking, jewelry making, bulk paint and glue, glitter, and a wide selection of different containers. I don't think I could even write everything they had. The prices are dirt cheap: I bought 9 or 10 things for $5. If you (like me) are really into sustainability, I can't think of a better place to pick up your crafting supplies.

I was looking for craft supplies for a project and didn't want to buy all new stuff, but kept…read morestriking out at Goodwill. Somehow, I had never heard of Seattle ReCreative, but I'm glad I stumbled upon it! The store doesn't look like much from the outside, but it's much bigger than it looks. The front rooms have sewing supplies, knitting/crochet needles, fabric and notions, plus modeling clay, jewelry and beading stuff. As you go further back, there's a room with office supplies, a section of cards and stationery and paper ephemera. The biggest area is in the back, though, where the main warehouse is. That's where you'll find gift bags and tissue, floral supplies, wicker baskets and tins, paint, and tons more random stuff. The other side of the warehouse is a crafting area that looks like it can be rented out - they said they had had a bunch of kids in earlier for a field trip. You definitely have to sift through the piles of stuff to find what you're looking for, but the prices are very reasonable. I love that it's reducing waste and encouraging creative reuse - anyone with hobbies knows how expensive it can be to get started with supplies, and this is a good way to try things out inexpensively. (Or get rid of the evidence of an abandoned hobby.) Their hours are a bit limited, but similar to other small crafting/hobby supply shops. Overall, if you're willing to roll up your sleeves and hunt, there's lots of treasure to be found!

I needed a gift for a toddler so I decided to go to my neighborhood toy store. Curious Kidstuff is…read morea great store. It is filled with toys, puzzles, dolls and games to fit all ages. The only thing missing is a good supply of books. The staff was nice. And gift wrapping is free.

We finally checked out Curious Kidstuff and I wish we would have come in sooner…read more The main reason we came in was for the art class they offer. For littles 18 months and up on Mondays and Fridays they offer an art class at 10am. The first class is free which is awesome because you can check it out without making a commitment. Then, classes are $12 or if you purchase a 4 pack, you get 10% off. It's drop in style which is great because our schedule can change suddenly with my 2 year old. The toy shop itself is also very cool with a wonderfully large assortment of toys. Art toys. Educational toys. Trucks. Animals. All the things. The prices are a tad higher than amazon, but I'd rather pay the additional $2 than have to add $20 worth of stuff I do t need to get same day shipping on amazon. The staff is very kind and friendly. This is a great shop in west Seattle. There is 2hr street parking and also a few close by public lots for the junction.

Did the Sip N' Spin class and had a great time. I would recommend it for friends looking for a fun…read morenight out or a fun date night. It's a great first time on a pottery wheel. You get a 30 minute lesson and at least an hour to enjoy clay. Best part, it's all the clay you can spin. I took full advantage of that fact to keep trying. You only get to keep 2 pieces which they ship to you after it's fired. Amazing value! Amazing experience! FYI: You really don't have time to drink (sipping is the best you can do) and with your hands are covered in clay don't bother bringing snacks.

I have been a member of Rat City Studios for 4 1/2 years and a hobby potter for 10 years. This…read morestudio is amazing. It is in a beautiful garden setting, the studio is clean and organized, studio management is excellent, and the studio glazes are great. Deb Schwartzkopf, the studio owner is not only a wonderful ceramic artist, but a supporter of potters at all levels. I love this community.

Took the "Sip and Spin" introductory pottery class. I really looked forward to it but was pretty…read moredisappointed. As the class progressed, it was pretty obvious that I needed some help but either the kind of hands-on help I needed wasn't part of the program or the instructor didn't "get it." After trying 4 different balls of clay over the course of an hour or so, I was very frustrated at not being able to get very far in the process with any of them. I tried to get help from the instructor but he seemed more interested in other people and seemed to think that saying how to work with the clay was all that was necessary. On top of the frustration on the creative side, the class was instructed on how dismantle and wash/clean the wheel and other equipment we had been using (and that had, I think, been used for an earlier class). Not a good experience for which the cost was $100.

I recently attended a workshop with Brooke on Slip Transfers. She is a great instructor & opened my…read moreceramics world options with her creativity & instruction. The only recommendation is to make the class 2 hours vs 1 hour, as there is so much to learn.

I took the begin to sew series class and loved it! This was my first experience using a sewing…read moremachine. The class really helped me learn the basics of sewing. Since this class spans a few weeks you pick a project in your first session that you hopefully finish by the end. I was able to make a cute tank top with the instructor's help! Since the class I've completed a couple other sewing projects as well. I will say though that signing up for classes can be very challenging. The learn to sew class only had 4 participants (and with all the questions in class, I don't think they could even manage more than 4 at a time). You need to register for the class the absolute second registration opens or else you won't get in. It seems like some of the other classes aren't quite as competitive.

Looooved this shop! I found them on social media and knew I had to stop in during my visit to…read moreSeattle. Lots of modern fabric, notions, thread, and patterns. I wish I lived closer so I could check out their in person classes, but I believe they also have online based activities too. And I hugely appreciate they are so inclusive and transparent about their beliefs as an organization.

Enjoyed painting pottery here! Atmosphere was super cute and peaceful vibes! Doing this was a wee…read morebit pricey but it was worth it because we were here for a long time painting! Didn't not get to try the coffee and food but it looked and smelled great so I will need to come back to try that out!

What a cool place to do some art, eat, and drink with your friends! It's all self service. Find a…read moretable, browse your piece and then start painting! You don't pay until after you're done painting. Then you pick up your piece after 8 days. There is a station by the register where you get your paints, materials, ect. Everyone was very friendly, helpful, and informative. Def recommend!

This place is absolutely gorgeous. A good friend of mine recently was accepted here and I stopped…read moreby to check it out one day. I was thrilled for her because the space is clean and airy. I was also green with a little jealousy because I missed my loft space back in Texas! The artists are encouraged to decorate the walls outside their doors, showcasing their own art. I thought that was absolutely brilliant because the hallways are enlivened by diverse works and you're never bored walking the halls! Stop by during their open house so you can meet the artists and see their work. I highly recommend it!

Super clean building they take great care of the tenants they have superb amenities. This property…read moreis worth every dollar