Eli Portman is a terrific teacher! And both the Eliot street and amory street locations are very…read morecomfortable, with easy parking.,,

It makes me sad to write this review, especially since I felt the possibilities of a community…read moreatmosphere at the Eliot school, but I was really disturbed by the use of the words, to me in the last email by the Assistant Director, Jean - "At this point, I think we just need to part ways." (when someone who's providing a service to you says that - HUGE RED FLAG!) So, I signed up for private lessons with Joe for $65/hour. This was expensive for me, but I really needed to get a project done for a deadline. I was clear about what I wanted a small model of a house, with all mitered joints, because I was going to use it to cast a model. I even brought paper patterns. Joe met with me and said it was do-able. We did the first session of three hours, one of which he gave me an hour free, it seemed to go well. (I got the hour free - because the the machines here aren't so good - so its not your fault, his words) We didn't finish so I suggest we meet again. An hour into the next session, Joe proclaimed that the project was not do-able and too complicated, because there isn't a left-handed table saw. He even took my piece and attempting to go forward, took it the sander and wanted to sand it down to 45 degrees (yikes). Anyhow, so I decided to cut my losses and say, okay let's stop. He decided not to charge me for this hour. So I left with a pile of wood, and also broken-hearted, because I had really wanted to complete this piece. So, I wrote Jean, asking if I could get my money back, because I was clear about what I wanted in my project and felt like I should have been told that my project was not do-able from the beginning or at minimum, warned. Not have my project unfinished, after I had spent $130, 4 hours of time, and $30 on materials. And on top of it, I now need to find and pay someone to build this model. It wasn't anything personal against Joe, he was a nice guy, but more about professionalism. For example, if you had a contractor who said they could do something, they wouldn't walk away midway through the project and say it was too hard, leaving you hanging. Same concept. But instead, I got an email that from Jean that said, we are NOT refunding you, but (as if I had won a prize) we aren't charging you for the extra two hours Joe gave you, and "at this point, I think we just need to part ways."

Are you ever on a random journey in a new town and open to new ideas and experiences???? That was…read moreus on this very cold but sunny day in Boston. We were walking from the north end after getting fresh pastries from an amazing shop ( See my other Boston reviews) when we saw a small historical sign explaining the history of North Bennet Street School. It was bustling as we curiously peered in. As we continue to walk up to the corner where we spot a sign for an open house at the school. We immediately turned around and went back. The lobby and staff were so welcoming! They got us checked in and answered a few of my questions. They gave us a low down and a map. Each area had us exploring and listening to the enthusiasm spilling from the students. It was really interesting and inspiring. Each presentation was so specialized and well organized. We spent a good chunk of time learning about the complexity of pianos, paper making, hand bound books, architecture and more! Another highlight was talking to an older gentleman who was a first year silver smith ( yes it was super cool) who was putting the finishing touches on a ring just as we walked by. He took the time to show us all of the steps from a rod of silver to the dazzling finished ring!!!! My feedback is that they should a season or two of web series showing their talents to the world. It would also be a great STEM connection for education. So many talents and interesting people in the area. Highly recommended. I'd love to attend a class or two here!

Unprofessional is an understatement to describe how the North Bennet Street School handled my kid's…read moreapplication. The admissions committee ghosted my student after they completed all the admissions requirements in time for the priority deadline. My student received an email confirming their materials were submitted in time for the priority deadline. Following an interview, there was no notification of acceptance, rejection or placement on a wait list. Zero. Weeks went by, and then months. My student sent emails to follow up, including to the admissions director. Crickets. We parents also contacted the admissions office and director to ask about our student's application. No response to very polite emails and calls. At one point, we got a human on the phone at the admissions office who seemed to be reading from a script, saying they were reviewing applications and would reach out if they needed more info. Six months have passed since the priority application deadline. Still no word -- except that they have the nerve to keep contacting my student with marketing materials. So, clearly they have accurate contact info. Even highly selective Harvard communicates with all applicants to let them know if they're in or out. Yet, NBSS can't get its act together to offer applicants the courtesy of sending a timely rejection email. There is something seriously wrong, in my opinion, with an artisan and trade school that charges $30K a year but treats prospective applicants and families in this manner. In my view, it's a big red flag, and I'd be curious to know if others have had similar experiences.

I took the 12-week evening course and cannot say enough wonderful things about the training…read moreprogram. Dr. Steve is thorough and concise in his teachings and wonderfully encouraging making this a wonderful learning experience. I loved the course so much that I cannot wait to take the next advanced lesson course. Highly recommend this course!!!!!

I took the twelve-week night program in floral design at Rittners this spring, and honestly I can't…read moresay enough wonderful things about this little gem of a school. If you have a serious interest in working with flowers, you can't go wrong here. Steve Rittner (or "Dr. Steve," as he is known to his students) runs the place and co-teaches the classes, and he is a great person to learn from. He's been in the floral business basically from the day he was born, as his grandfather was a stalwart in the Boston floral scene, so he really knows his stuff. You couldn't ask for a nicer, more approachable guy, and he's got a charming, corny sense of humor. As far as his teaching goes, he's quite thorough and usually anticipates your questions. Each class usually follows the format of a lecture and demonstration of an arrangement, followed by a session in the floral studio to put together a design. A perk of the lessons is that all of them are videotaped, so if you miss a class, you can just call Dr. Steve and arrange a time to view the tape. The course material is extremely varied, ranging from designs for everyday delivery to funeral work to items for weddings. You'll learn to make traditional as well as more contemporary designs. Not every design will necessarily appeal to you personally, but the idea is to give you a broad education so that even if something isn't to your taste, you'll know what to do if you open up your own business and get an order for a certain type of arrangement. In a similar vein, you won't usually work with specialty flowers or hard goods here, but that isn't really the point - you're being given techniques that you can apply in a variety of situations. Overall, I'd recommend Rittners for someone who is serious about working in the world of flowers and wants to have some fun while learning. I had a great experience there and feel very ready to apply what I learned from Dr. Steve to my own original designs.

They sold a me a gift card then went out of business and never refunded the money. Don't trust…read morethem. Ever!

Something got me interested in glass blowing. I know myself, and I knew I probably wouldn't have…read moreheaps of fun... but it is something I wanted to experience for myself. After reading the reviews, I decided to go here. I took the glassblowing sampler, which serves as an introduction to the art. My two instructors were Matt and Pat. The first thing we did was go through the shop, and see what kinds of things they do. There were no visible sales tactics involved, more like a "this is what we do". Then we got to the room where the melted glass actually lives... now folks... they tell you to bring a bottle of water, bring one. Molten glass is incredibly hot, and therefore the room is too. They go over what we will be making, and how we will be making it, as well as things that could go wrong. In this glass we make paperweights. Then we go over safety and practice three times to make sure we got everything down. Yes, burns do happen, but they do everything they can to minimize the risk. When it is your turn, one of the instructors will be working with you one on one to guide you through the process, and ensure you don't get a burn from glass whose temperate well exceeds 1,000 degrees. However, this is where this place lost some stars. When it was my turn, Pat was the person working with me. While I appreciate his help, he did many things that were extra, and unrelated to safety, such as spinning the rod. While minor, and while I was the one manipulating the glass, I still felt it took away from the experience. It was more like me assisting him than him assisting me. You don't get the opportunity to "blow" into the glass in this class, but it was demonstrated to us at the end. Some more notes: Instructors were fairly chill, but no-nonsense dudes. When you have molten glass, joking around is very dangerous. The owner has a great sense of humor! And finally, molten glass is very viscous. It is not as easy to manipulate as it looks. In conclusion: if I had enjoyed glass blowing, I would return here. But, alas, I found it was not for me. Definitely worth it for the experience though!

I have taken two classes and one pottery series at FYA. I love that they make art accessible, I…read morehave been able to use their scholarship program for financial assistance. I enjoyed the two classes but the pottery class has been an amazing experience- I've seen myself improve during the short time I've been a pottery student (I made my first not crooked bowls last night!) and I think I could improve even more with more practice. I like how the pottery class allows for open studio time on top of the class time too, it makes it a better value for me.

Truly awful. Every time I try to call or email, no response. I've tried all weekdays, at various…read moretimes of the day. Is this a real place?

I took several classes about wild animals, which all took…read moreplace at Franklin Park Zoo. Each was informative and fun! CLASSES: BACE offers Adult Education Classes, taking visitors behind the scenes of zoo exhibits. MY FAVE CLASS: GIRAFFE SCHOOL... You get to feed "Beau" the giraffe by hand! Gorilla School was not nearly as exciting, but you do learn a lot about the personalities of each gorilla resident of this Boston Zoo. They also offer a Big Cats Class as well. THE DEAL: Go with a friend, so you can take photos of each other, and video your "behind the scenes" experience.

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!

I highly recommend taking lessons with instructors at Vineyard Artist. I've been to their events…read moreand workshops and had wonderful experience. The teachers are all super nice, patient, very dedicated, and professional. They respect students' work and know how to encourage students. Definitely taking more lessons with the teachers there.