*** 2025 review #9 ***…read more I walk by all the time and finally popped in one day to find out more about the BAC. They offer classes for young and old, with the option for drop-in, 4-week or full 8-week package signup. We attended their Open House that happened to be the next day and enjoyed meeting the staff as well as try out some activities such as coaster painting (ceramics) and creating a vision board. Oh and very much enjoyed the charcuterie board and wine + there was even cake that a staff member brought for someone who mentioned it was her birthdsr

I want to share a terrific find at the corner of Olympic & 17th. It's Brentwood Art Center and they…read moreoffer an array of adult classes. I've been taking the handbuilding pottery class (as opposed to the wheel throwing class which they also offer). The handbuilding classes are taught by an incredible artist named Rob Homsy who is a patient and fun instructor. There is an assortment of people in his classes - all ages and an array of skills. Some of us are total beginners and others could sell their pottery because it's so great. What I especially love about this class is that Rob doesn't do the thing where "this week we're making wind chimes" and that's what the entire class must do. He definitely teaches us all of the basics and suggests what we may want to build, but he also genuinely supports whoever wants to make a giant cup, or an elephant for a gift, or a planter, or whatever one really has their mind set on. I will never be a great potter but I'm having such fun in the classes and working with many nice people. Classes are on a monthly schedule but you can enroll at any point. I take the Tuesday class from 1 PM - 4 PM but they also have an evening class. The phone number is (310) 451-5657 and the link is https://www.brentwoodart.org

Born to do art, forced to write emails...I know I've been saying this a lot (especially w/all the…read moregreat businesses I've found lately), but seriously I'm so happy this place exists. ARTime BARRO is part pottery studio, part community space, and is a relaxing, chill place where you can unleash the creativity you thought was dead, where your artistic spirit gets to come out to play, if only for just a little bit of time in this crazy world. On a recent weekend, I had the opportunity to take the One-Time Class, which is a one-hour course designed for complete beginners. You get to make two pieces, one by hand at the table and one on the pottery wheel. The class size was small (just 5 people) and we got great 1:1 instruction and guidance from our knowledgeable instructor Max. I've always wanted to try the wheel and was surprised how hard it was to use it but it was such a great experience that I think everyone should try at least once. After you sculpt your pieces, you are invited to come back to hand paint (glaze) your work at no additional cost. You can also have them do a one-color glaze for you, but after I saw all the multi-colored pieces of other folks previous to me, it was no contest to decide that I wanted to color my pieces myself. You have up to 3 months to come back to glaze so it's very doable in anyone's busy LA (corporate) lifestyle. Pricing was very reasonable for such a cool bespoke experience. There are a lot of pottery painting studios (e.g. Color Me Mine) but this is awesome bc you get to make the pottery AND color it later! I've already recommended this place to countless people!

This place is amazing for pottery on the West side of LA!!! I can't recommend this place enough. I…read morebought a Groupon for 2 people and my best friend and I loved it! We even bought 4 wheel thrown classes to come back. The best part about these classes is they are smaller, 5 people go a group. You get to make 2 pieces per person - 1 hand shaped and 1 on the wheel. Definitely wear comfortable clothing! There is a parking lot in the back which is also really nice.

I popped into These Hands Maker's Collective this afternoon after having driven by it countless…read moretimes but also because I was trying to find a needlepoint kit that I thought they might carry (turns out they don't). Not sure why unwind.studio lists them as a Stockist but alas, it was great to finally have a reason to check this place out. It is a maker's collective so there are various forms of art available for purchase. But, also, they have a variety of classes that I am definitely going to explore their schedule because I am interested in the Dubai Chocolate Bar class and candle making, among others. Definitely a neat space and you can get some inspiration by checking out the crafts available for sale.

Love this place!…read more Great for gifts-- handmade wares (jewelry, paper goods, art, etc) + craft kits with everything you need to create your own work of art. Lots of classes/workshops. I took the paper flower wreath class which was SO FUN. The instructor was great. Ample high quality supplies (we're talking Paper Source, not Michael's...) The space is lovely. Parking can be a little hairy, so give yourself time. SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS & LOCAL ARTISTS. Spend your money here, it's worth it!

Most definitely 5 stars. Jessy is amazing!…read more We had a little trouble getting logistics to line up and we really wanted The Magical Atelier at our daughter's party. Jessy was working hard to find a teacher for potions who had availability. We ended up moving the party to a park with a room (fear of rain), which just so happened to be down the street from her studio. I reached out to Jessy and she was able to schedule our party in for an hour. We took it and weren't disappointed. The kids loved making potions with Jessy and her teacher Gala. They we're so great and engaging for our young guests. All they needed was a table to set up on. They brought the aprons and all the supplies. The kids take home their potions in little bottles, get a party bag, and if they have time, get some fairy dust on the their arms. A few of the kids were so engaged, they almost spent an entire hour at the potion table. Payment was easy and Jessy really stressed enjoying the party and paying the balance after all was said and done. This was a phenomenal experience and such a great opportunity at party. We're so glad we got them booked. Final Word: We will be reaching out to Jessy again. No doubt.

A Perfect Birthday at The Magical Atelier!…read more We celebrated my daughter's 10th birthday at The Magical Atelier, and it was an absolutely wonderful experience! She and her friends did the Sparkle Art activity and loved every minute of it. They all said they felt so free to use whatever materials they wanted -- and to make as much creative mess as they liked! Jessie is a phenomenal hostess. She's amazing with kids and has such a natural way of bringing out their creative sides. She went above and beyond to make the party theme extra special for my daughter. I can't recommend The Magical Atelier highly enough -- it was magical in every sense of the word!

I'm a bit annoyed at the overall disorganization and blasé approach that this studio has…read more I took a one-hour bowl making class in February and was pretty disappointed. The instructor seemed inconvenienced at helping novice learners, offering those who messed up to give them a "demo bowl" to push them out rather than just assisting them in making a new bowl. Everything was rushed and it seems like they took the class/shift with disdain. People in the class would look around confused, as they thought it was an hour-long class, but we were being pushed out at the 45 minute mark. I got a notification that our bowls were ready for pickup. The pickup pile is a shelf with 50 different pieces, all with different dates. Some have names, some don't. Never got my bowl because it wasn't there. Tried to message and they are out of office for 5 days. After I left this review they told me I can come into the studio to find my bowls. Came back, still not there! Asked for them to be shipped, absolute silence.

I was signed up for the bowl ceramic class by Renaissance. I didn't even really think about it that…read moreit was Valentine's day, so in the end I was the only person who was by myself, while everyone else was with a partner on a date there LOL. Parking was easy, there is a street around the corner near the crosswalk with plenty of street parking spots that are free. The building is very large and spacious with plenty of room for many people to come and do pottery/ceramics projects. I was there around 6pm and it was not crowded at all, there were plenty of spots open and available for people to use. Upon arrival, there were no signs and nobody greeted me, or the people who filtered in after me. We all kinda stood around wondering, but we couldn't tell who was an employee and who was just a regular person there. People would look up and smile at us or stare at us but nobody said anything until precisely the start time of the class, then suddenly the instructor came to get us. It would have been nice to maybe have a sign such as "please wait for instructor here" or something like that. Once class started though, super fun! The instructor was down to earth, friendly, and patient with us going from station to station to assist everyone as we performed each step. I loved getting my hands dirty and I loved the ease of following the step by step instructions. Watching my bowl take shape was so fun. Learning how to control the pedal speed and how much pressure to apply to the clay to get the shape you want was pretty cool. My favorite part was creating the inside of the bowl and watching the sides of the bowl thin upwards. At the end, you get to choose between several colors of glaze and they will email us to come back to pick up our bowls once they are glazed and dried. I chose Midnight Black to match my kitchen colors. I cannot wait to pick it up when it's ready!

The best art teacher. Rama is very talented! I am so appreciative of the space Rama has given my…read moredaughter. A personal experience no one can duplicate. You will not find a better art teacher. Her and her son are truly loving and good people.

Rama and West LA Art Center is truly amazing. This place is life changing and transformational…read more Rama, the owner and art teacher has been a mentor, support system, and the most amazing art teacher. I have been going to her for over 10 years and the level of respect I have for her is unmatched. She not only is an amazing human being, but she is an amazing artist herself who teaches you the fundamentals of drawing, painting, and beyond. I have made masterpieces with her and she guides you through it all! She puts her students first and makes sure they succeed in every single way. It is a privilege to be one of Rama's long standing students. I have also been able to help her grow her business and she is such a pleasure to work with. Her energy, her calming presence, and love for her job makes painting so enjoyable. I am so ever grateful for Rama and her work! I only want to see Rama succeed and grow her business even more. I am so grateful for her and I hope anyone has the privilege to take at least one of her classes!

I am a classically trained artist and received my BFA from Boston University and got my M.Ed. In…read moreArt Therapy in 1976. After traveling to speak in China with a colleague about Safe Place as an Art Therapy directive, Dr Richardson , Our Chinese colleague Wang Chunhong, and I wrote a chapter on our experience in the text book, Art Therapy in Asia. Even on zoom, Kathy Leader provides a safe space to make art. She personifies the Traditional Chinese Medicine concept of Dao Yen, loosely translated into - to guide. We had a class on January 6. All of us came to group upset. Some people even kept the news on as we worked. Kathy led us through a breathing exercise and encouraged us to put aside everything but our art for the next hour and a half. I stopped hearing the news in the background and became completely engaged in art making. I felt like a weight was lifted as I worked. Having rarely worked in mixed media and hating my color and design courses in college, taking Kathy's class was a real stretch for me. I decided to try it because I believe Art heals and I needed a push to make art during this Covid depression. I have enjoyed learning concepts of composition and how to use mixed media and am constantly surprised at how I progress each week. Kathy is a terrific teacher/ guide. Andrea Gollub

I took workshops with Kathy about three years ago and had a wonderful experience. Not only are…read moreKathy's classes a great way to explore the Artist within, but Kathy has every attribute you would want in a teacher. She is encouraging, supportive and knows her stuff. I love the title, "The Art Process" as it speaks volumes to me as to how much fun and how much artistic satisfaction I get while in the process of creating and the process of learning. I just got back from Kathy's weekend Art Retreat in Santa Barbara. There were so many things about it that were positive. Thanks Kathy for providing an environment where I was able to explore, create, and feel inspired both artistically and spiritually.