I really enjoyed the painting event at the Meridian yesterday with Nikki teaching. She was such a…read moregreat instructor and guided us gently through the steps to create a water / lilypad piece. Nikki was very kind and encouraging (and very helpful when I needed a little bit more support). I look forward to attending and even maybe hosting future events!

Paint the Town completely dropped the ball. I spent weeks confirming headcount, party details,…read morepayments, and logistics with them. Then, on the morning of my daughter's party (scheduled for 11:30 AM), the instructor sent a vague text at 6:45 AM saying they wouldn't be able to make it and then never responded to any of my follow-ups. To make matters worse, I couldn't reach anyone at the company. I called, texted, and emailed multiple times trying to see if they could send a backup instructor or at least switch to a virtual format. Nothing. No support, no communication...just silence. Finally, I heard back from someone on Monday, asking if I wanted to reschedule. Because apparently, that's how birthday parties work? This company clearly doesn't understand the basics of customer service or event planning. I regret ever trusting them with something so important. I would not recommend Paint the Town -- look for a more reliable company that actually puts their customers first.

How cute is this establishment! Came in for an event and was just in awe at all the beautiful…read morethings this place has to offer! So it's an artist playground! Great way to support your local DC creatives! Come by to support!

I really enjoyed the uniqueness of this experience. I have never made soap before, but having the…read moreIntimate instruction, awesome Customer Service, in a clean and professional facility, made it something that I would definitely do again. I really enjoyed my time and encourage everyone to check out this woman owned and minority operated business.

I signed up for a class in March but requested to cancel or reschedule before the course date. I…read morecalled with no response and followed up with an email. Eventually, I received a text from someone at the shop. Unfortunately, it became clear that customer service is not a priority here. The person who texted me told me to just reschedule, but there was no follow-up or flexibility offered. Later, I was automatically enrolled in a class without being consulted, and the date didn't work for me as I was out of town. I'm now moving back to my home state and can't attend any future sessions, but they refused to offer any refund--even a partial one. While I understand this is a small business, the lack of communication and unwillingness to work with customers is disappointing. I'm now out $195 with nothing to show for it.

This place is a JOKE!!! I had 1 session and needed to reschedule for the second because I had hand…read moresurgery and DONNA claimed she never received any of my calls or emails notifying her of my surgery. I had my daughter go up to her place of business in Mt Rainier just to tell her I called and sent email. she claimed her mother had cancer and she was not having any more classes at that tim. She claimed she will reach out to me but she never did and she took my money!! Don't trust her or anything she says because she is a liar! THIS BUSINESS IS A JOKE.

This was such a great time. Watching the photos develop and experiencing the darkroom was…read moredefinitely a vibe!

Such a cool and different experience! Took myself on a solo date here and had a blast! Things I…read moreenjoyed about the experience: - they walk you through every step of the process - there's adult beverages for purchase if you'd like - the music and the instructors are so phenomenal! - you can pick up your camera a few days in advance (if you'd opt for the package where you take your own pictures) - the instructors guide you to make sure you have a product you'd enjoy at the end of the experience I would definitely do it again as another solo date OR

Awesome local fabric shop, lots of bolts to choose from!…read more Clean and well organized on the inside, welcoming atmosphere, friendly customer service. Will definitely return for future projects!

If you're into sewing, croqueting, and more, there's no better place. Along a main road in…read moreHyattsville with many other shops, this spacious store sells all sorts of yarn, string, and more. They even sell kits to help teach you how to croquet. Staff are friendly and passionate at connecting you to their art.

I'd like to give kudos to Art Works Now for their summer day camps. My girls loved their…read moreexperiences at the camp. Each session has a theme and the artwork and the field trips reflect the themes perfectly. The self-portraits they painted for the "I am somebody" theme are so special that we plan to hang them on their new bedroom walls. My girls went to two sessions and they learned so much. They came home excited every day. At the end of the week, they had an art show for parents. Unfortunately, I could not attend but the staff posted a short video of the children's artwork on Facebook. I definitely appreciated that gesture.

My three yr old loves it here. They have a parents night out once a month, where we drop the babe…read moreoff and have date night. Four hours later our daughter is fed, has watched a movie and has lots of art work to display on the fridge! Toddler time is also great too.

Everyone knows that I don't give out five starts very often. A business must go way over and beyond…read moremy expectations to get all five! I have been to several paint nights and have even left in tears from one of those... that was not the case with Creative Mankind. This company travels around to different venues and offers a variety of painting options. I met up with a group of friends and we painted a Mardi Gras themed picture. Right off the bat I knew it was going to be an awesome experience. We were greeted with upbeat music and beads to celebrate the occasion. Our instructor really put a lot of thought and passion into the class ahead of time. Laying on the canvas was a template of the mask we needed to transfer to our painting. She let us know that we could "go rogue" and change up the colors and skip the sketching parts but I am way not that talented! She had one completed painting on an easel and another blank canvas for demonstration up on an elevated easel. It was visible to everyone in the room without having to stand up. She was extremely accommodating as far as time given for each step, which I really appreciated! It was fun how she would tell us how many songs she would play for us to finish each step... "okay you have two songs to do this step!" There was an assistant who walked around and offered advice and guidance which was helpful. Creative Mankind had partnered with a restaurant that offered drink specials and happy hour pricing for apps! The restaurant provided a dedicated server to us which was a nice touch. And huzzah... my painting actually looked a lot like the sample! Which for me is a huge deal because I am really not artistic or creative with paint. We were all encouraged along the way and our confidence was bolstered by telling us that everyone is an artist but we express our artistry in different ways. I was with a party of six and all of our paintings turned out different and reflected our personalities. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Creative Mankind for any event they host. They also do private parties!

I'm a remote employee in CA and work with a virtual team. We meet up on a quarterly basis in…read moreArlington, VA, (DMV area) so when we do come together, we try to make the most of our time and make it a point to sneak in some fun! For our last trip in July, I was tasked with coordinating the fun team activity and stumbled upon Creative Mankind. I was considering a couple other options, but when I started communicating with Staci (the owner and host), there was really no question that this was the activity (painting class) I wanted to plan for my team. She was so nice, so patient, and super accommodating in every way possible. She even found the most perfect venue to hold our team event (Lyon Hall). She provided all supplies, ensured the ambiance was great and lively, and her instruction was so thorough! She guided us -ever so patiently- every step of the way. We had so much fun! I would, 100% recommend Creative Mankind for your next work team event!!

These are an amazing group of women who quilt and sew. They are super friendly and knowledgeable…read more It's a community, a culture of individuals of all stages from beginners to people who've had 60+ years of experience who come together to learn and create. The energy is amazing and allows you to flourish as a creative!

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. Completely UNPROFESSIONAL and WOULD NOT recommend this place to anyone. I…read moresigned up for the beginners sewing class. The class is not structured for beginners. The pace is too fast, they don't go over the basics, they speak to you as if you should know what you're already doing or should know terminology that a beginner wouldn't know. More than half of the class each week walks out with unfinished projects and during the class you can see on our faces and in our body language that most of us felt stressed, overwhelmed and frustrated by the lack of instruction. On the first class we were told to "go to YouTube to see how to finish" our pillows. The schedule was supposed to be from January 10 - April 18 with 3 dates on which we wouldn't have class (January 17, February 14 and April 4). They refused to cancel the class on January 31st even though driving conditions were terrible because of the ice storm - so those of us who chose to prioritize our safety already missed a class and it was impossible to catch up the next week given the pace. Then on February 13th I receive an email saying we have class tomorrow on the 14th. I emailed back and said no, that is not what the schedule says and I cannot make a class since I had other plans. They then said they have to CHANGE THE SCHEDULE (FOUR WEEKS INTO THE CLASS) due to "instructor availability." I explained that as a busy wife and mom who has a very busy job I cannot continue with the new schedule and try to do make up classes. I explained that after FOUR WEEKS of class I still did not know sewing basics because they were NEVER explained. After FOUR WEEKS I still could not thread my needle or refill my bobbin unassisted because of the lack of instruction and pace of the course. I asked that they refund my money for the rest of the course (I said I was happy to pay the $200 for the 3 classes I attended and the 1 missed due to the inclement weather) but I couldn't continue due to the schedule change. They have refused to refund the $400 for the remaining classes. They tried to point to their no refunds policy - but that is VOID because THEY breached the agreement by unilaterally changing the schedule. So I am now in a battle with them for my money - because THEY changed the schedule because it appears that THEY did not properly plan to ensure they would have coverage for the classes. It's so unprofessional and completely ridiculous. Also their "instructors" may be able to sew...but there is a lacking in the teaching part. Only ONE instructor explained things and that was the only week I came home with a finished project (but I had to stay an extra 30 minutes to be able to complete it). And their "customer care" person Julie is TERRIBLE at her job. Despite the name - they do not seem to actually CARE about their customers. THIS IS NOT HOW YOU RUN A BUSINESS. I really wanted to support this local small business - but they have made that impossible. I was so excited about this class, but they have taken what was supposed an enjoyable experience and ruined it. I DO NOT RECOMMEND that you patronize their business.

I enjoyed my first time at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center to see their current exhibition, Offline:…read moreTracing the Source by Hadiya Williams and curated by Anika Hobbs. The exhibition displayed hand-pulled prints, ceramics, and textiles. The exhibition is on view til March 3, 2026.

I visited the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center for a political fundraiser recently, and I'm so glad I…read morehad a reason to go inside and learn about it. It's amazing. The Pyramid Atlantic Art Center is a nonprofit center specializing in papermaking, printmaking, and book arts. It was founded in 1981, but more recently it moved into the historic Arcade building in the Hyattsville Gateway Arts District. They offer artist residencies, studios for artists, workshops, instruction, artist talks, and other events, including classes for the public. They sell pieces - large and small - and they have a small shop where they sell prints, cards, and other items. If I lived nearby and had the slightest artistic talent, I'd want to spend time at Pyramid. What a great resource for people who make art and love art in the Hyattsville area! I'm sure I'll be back, but if you live in the area, learn more about it and check it out!