My daughter took a full day class here and she had a great time. I was worried it would be a long…read moreday but it sounds like it was broken up with art and park time which worked great. She was very proud of her work and is looking forward to coming back!

My family is so lucky that the Blue Mouse Gallery exists. Eva, the owner, knows how to let children…read moreexpress themselves through their own inner artist. She understands that creativity fosters calmness and has a positive impact on children. Far from having a top-down approach, she collaborates with her students. She is also a fantastic German teacher for kids and adults alike. Whatever your age, you can find your art at Blue Mouse Gallery.

I've been a member at Artisan's Asylum since 2017, and it's been one of the most meaningful…read morecreative communities I've been part of. I started out pretty tentatively, just learning and exploring. Over time, I got more involved and eventually became the laser shop lead for four years. That experience opened the door for me to build a small business creating bamboo candle lanterns and piggy banks--something I never would have been able to do on my own without access to the tools and support there. That's really what makes a makerspace like this so special. You get access to equipment that would be wildly expensive (and impractical) to own yourself, and you're surrounded by people who are both learning and generously sharing what they know. A recent moment really drove that home for me. I needed to test out my tent system for an upcoming show, but the weather outside was terrible. I was able to set everything up in the common space and run a full test. Honestly--such a small thing, but incredibly helpful, and exactly the kind of flexibility that makes this place so valuable. These days, my focus has shifted to painting, and having studio space at the Asylum has been just as important for this next chapter. I have the room I need to work in encaustic, lay out panels, prep surfaces, and wrap finished pieces for transport. The shared spaces make all of that possible in a way that would be hard to replicate anywhere else. It's a welcoming, diverse environment with something for everyone--whether you're just curious or looking to build something serious. If you've ever thought about trying something new, take a class and see where it leads. You might surprise yourself. Time to get creative.

completed the jewelry 101 course. Fantastic instructor who led us through a series of steps…read morelearning the correct techniques on every tool in the Artisan's Asylum jewelry shop. We completed a ring (which my wife liked) over the two day 6 hour course. I have had some previous experience but this was an excellent learning process that taught me many things that improved my skills. Highly recommend taking this learning journey!! Great value for your money.

Amy is a gem. We were running late, but she was very flexible and upbeat. She even stayed late with…read moreus, I was so impressed. We did a Saturday night Sip and Sew, with 3 of us as completely beginners and 1 experienced sewer. She catered her lessons to each of us. We had the option to make a tote bag or pillow. I went for the tote, with a long handle to wear as a cross-body bag. We certainly got a bit buzzed with the sipping part, but she was so patient with us. I hope to go back and learn more about sewing, what a fun new skill to learn! One location note, we thought it was at the Hipstitch place on Spencer Street, but found out the class was at the retail store at 1280 Washington St. Which is very close, like less than a minute from Spencer St. Our fault for not reading the email thoroughly, made us really late. Just a heads up to future Sip and Sewers!

This review is for hipstitchers Wellesley -- not Newton…read more Business refuses to answer a phone call or numerous emails asking to cancel a class 22 days away for a credit due to a child being in school . Only response was 10 minutes after booking a course asking to apply the new customer 10% credit only to be told "no we can't do that. We will apply it to you next class". Refusal to respond at all to any other communication. Same company that will tell you you can't get a credit if you don't cancel with enough leeway. Hypocritical and terrible customer service. Will never book a class again.

We attended a Sunday morning group workshop at the end of May 2023. We were complete novices. Our…read moreinstructor Kate taught us what we needed to know to throw pots on the potter's wheel. At no time did we feel confused, lost, overwhelmed, rushed. I and my friend KHK both threw two good pieces suitable to fire. 9/10 would recommend. Only negative was they are still masking at this late date.

I've been taking classes here since about 2015, and it's been a bright spot in the pandemic…read more Everyone is so nice, the teachers are great, and there's lots of tools to play with, both on & off the wheel.

Hidden gem in Brighton. If you like arts and crafts this is the place for you. The owners are…read morecommunity driven and bend over backwards for creating a space for kids and adults to explore art and creativity. Thank you for being a wonderful space for families to gather and friends to share.

The Corner Art Room is the best thing to happen to Brighton! I love coming here every week for the…read more(free!) stitch lounge. I've taken a few classes as well and they were all very affordable and and taught by experienced teachers from the community. Bobbie and Silvia, the owners, are super friendly and welcoming. One or both of them is always around and it's so nice to sit and craft and chat. As an avid crafter, I'm a huge fan of this kind of space and hope the Corner Art Room stays in Brighton for as long as possible!

Gallery 253 reception / party! Great environment and group of people who work and show artwork…read morethere!

***** WARNING ARTISTS *****…read more I entered a fee-based competition for possible inclusion in a Gallery 263 exhibition. Instead of adhering to the specific acceptance/denial notification date stated in the specifications, this gallery, without any communication whatsoever, drug their heels and sent out notifications many days later than originally stated, thus rendering my artworks in limbo and unavailable for consideration or exhibition elsewhere. Upon my pointing this out to them, to my horror, their response did not suggest any plan of rectifying the situation going forward. In fact, they recommended I "...not submit to further opportunities at Gallery 263..". Way to go "Gallery" 263! Shoo away those demanding accountability when you take their money, and proceed with business as usual. (documents regarding this matter available upon request)

I can't say enough good things about the Chickpea after school program! My daughter absolutely…read moreloves going there--she's always excited to share the new activities, games, or even field trips they've had that day. The staff always have something engaging planned, and it's clear that they put a lot of heart into everything they do. What really stands out to me is how the teachers and Ms. Cecilia treat the children--with so much respect, kindness, and care. My daughter often says she feels like a "grown-up" because of how empowered and supported she feels there. It's truly a place that goes beyond expectations to help little ones grow, feel seen, and gain confidence. As a working parent, it gives me tremendous peace of mind to know that she's in such a nurturing and enriching environment. They even handle school pickups, which has been a huge help. I'm incredibly grateful for the Chickpea team and the joy they bring to my daughter's afternoons.

This is a great place to bring the little ones. If they're not in daycare or if school is closed…read morefor the day, this place is welcoming, safe and fun. Drop in hours are 10-1 or 2, it might vary. Best to go by 10 or 11. Drop in play, very nice owner. You can even pack and feed lunch before you leave so baby/tot can nap on the walk home. Pricing is reasonable. This is not a place where kids get a lot of energy out. It's not a gym, this is really imaginative play and crafts, etc. Still very good and also good to interact with other kids.

Oh my goodness where to begin? !!! I've been doing calligraphy for years and years and in 5…read moreminutes I learned more from Liz than any other teacher. She's a joy to work with so much so that when my kids couldn't figure out what to get me for a gift they made a handmade gift certificate to study with Liz cause they knew I'd LOVE that for sure! Her styles are so much more fun, playful, varied (including romantic and modern) than anyone I've met. Her passion for lettering makes the time fly. In my first class with her there was a woman who had never calligraphied before and me - we both learned a ton and I was amazed at what a newcomer could accomplish in one class!!!! Many thanks and see you soon!!!

This review should be 2 stars but I feel bad tarnishing this page solely because I have zero…read morepatience for individuals being unable to effectively communicate via email in 2015. I will start by saying that I was perfectly satisfied with the work Liz did for me. If this review was based on quality vs. price, it would have been 5 stars. What I was not pleased with was how many times I had to poke and prod her to get an actual result. I had been working on a tattoo idea for about 3 years. Finally committed to some text and wanted a professional to draw it out in pretty font. Nothing on Microsoft word was jiving with me, so I decided to look into a calligrapher. Liz had the highest ratings on yelp. 2 stars seems really harsh, but when I write a yelp review, I think about whether I would recommend the business to a friend. In this particular case, I can't say that I would. After initially reaching out and getting no response, I sent a follow up email 8 days later to see if she was even interested in doing the work for me since it was such a small project. Frankly, overcharging someone for doing one sentence worth of work, versus hundreds of envelopes for a wedding seems kind of a no brainer to me...whatever amount she would have suggested...I would have happily paid. Courtesy is also another big thing for me--it's 2015, I know you have a smart phone and, as such, nearly 24-7 access to email. A simple "Hey, thanks for your email. Sorry I'm super swamped for the next couple of weeks, can I touch base then?" would have been more than OK. After Liz confirmed that she would do the text for me, it took another 6 days to set up a paypal transaction. I paid within half hour of receiving the email prompt and then it took another 3 days to actually get the file via email. Again, all if this would have been OK had she not emailed me that I'd have the file the next day. Again--nothing wrong with the quality--at the end of the day I got several options to work with, but I cannot tolerate this level of slowness/unresponsiveness. I can't imagine paying her to do wedding invites and then sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear back.