Love this studio so much! Amazing Ceramics instructors, space and love that they have oxidation and…read morereduction firings.

Take a pottery class! My mum teaches some of them, so perhaps I'm biased, but the work her students…read morebring home is always excellent, especially for beginning students, and she's had many folks continue for several years on end in her classes. Washington Heights offers dance, porcelain, theater, painting, pottery, and children's art classes, among the many offerings at this hopping little cultural center. The building doesn't look like much either outside or in, but the instructors are consistently talented and accomplished, and the students have nothing but good things to say. If you have children in the Lakewood area, look into Washington Heights for summer camps where they'll have enough fun they'll forget that they're learning something, plus be out of your hair! For yourself, many adult arts and performing arts classes are held here- expand your horizons.

i'm not a ceramics expert--just someone who finds working with clay to be my form of therapy. i've…read morebeen searching for the perfect space to grow as an artist, somewhere that feels both supportive and calming. kinship is exactly that place. the community here is welcoming, and the environment encourages creativity without any pressure. whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your skills, this studio offers the perfect balance of guidance and freedom. i couldn't recommend it more for anyone wanting to advance their craft in a truly nurturing space.

I love this place! I took my first ever pottery course (since high school) and learned so much! The…read moreculture in this studio is very welcoming and I got so much out of the hand building class. Joshua was an excellent teacher with lots of knowledge and encouragement! I highly recommend and can't wait to take more classes here!

Great teacher! I took a wheel class and Joshua walked us through every step and repeated…read moreconstantly. Good guidance and so much patience! Highly recommended!!!!

What a beautiful space and with such wonderful people! I took a group class then came back for a 6…read moreweek beginner wheel and now I'm hooked! I'll see you very soon, pottery people!

I took a 6 week course with Syd. The classes are laid back, they were very helpful, and I am happy…read morewith the pieces I came home with. Bonus that the teachers seem to be happy with their work environment. The owner is super helpful if you catch her during open studio days. The studio is communicative and flexible if classes need to change due to weather. If you're looking for a studio to join, this one is worth the wait.

For $1200 I have an unfinished ring, a few tools I'll never use again, and more than a little…read moreregret. The teacher clearly favored a couple of students, always helping them first, while the rest of us fell further behind each week. I emailed the teacher to ask if I could come back for a couple of hours to finish, and she never responded. We clearly didn't click, it wasn't much fun, and I will not be taking more classes.

I have called and sent emails multiple times regarding classes and private instruction and no…read moreresponse. Unfortunate.

I don't post reviews often, but when something is really good I do. Wife and I did the beginners…read moreWheel Throwing Workshop and then followed it up with the Glazing Workshop. It was a wonderful experience! Fun, non-rushing, non-judgmental, constant encouragement and full of laughter. Highly encourage to go with family and friends! Pro tip...park at the library.

I took an acrylic pour class here and loved it! Susan is very knowledgeable about the technique…read moreand very helpful when explaining the "how to's!" I went with two friends and we each came home with something very special that we are proud to display. So much fun!

School works in the footsteps of the great master. It is the dream of every person who hopes to…read moreget real information to build high skills in the art .

I want to be fair in saying that REAL Academy of Art Colorado was very clear that this is a…read moretraditional master-style art school. That was explained before I enrolled, and I take responsibility for not fully understanding what that style of instruction would actually mean in practice. I paid for a full semester of 12 sessions, and because of their schedule I had to complete them over four weeks, attending three days a week. I was driving a significant distance each time, so I was investing a lot of time, money, and energy into the program. What I found was that a large portion of the experience consisted of standing at an easel and drawing for very long periods with relatively little hands on instruction. I understand that sustained drawing is part of traditional atelier training, but personally, I could do that at home. I was paying for instruction, critique, demonstrations, and clear guidance, and I did not feel that I received enough of that to justify the cost. One thing that especially bothers me in hindsight is the lack of guidance around basic studio tools. They had mahl sticks available, but I was never instructed to use one. I was struggling significantly with fatigue in my arm and hand from holding my arm up and trying to draw straight lines for 3 hours at a time. I had also specifically explained that I had health issues that made prolonged arm positioning difficult. As I have continued studying art, I have learned how useful a mahl stick can be for exactly this kind of problem. Knowing now that such a simple tool could have reduced a substantial amount of the fatigue I was experiencing makes me very frustrated that nobody thought to suggest it, especially when the tools were right there. My experience with the instructors also varied. Ali was very disappointing for me. When I tried to express that I was unhappy with the amount of instruction I was receiving, I often felt that the conversation turned into long explanations rather than practical help or a concrete change in what I was being given. James was different. When I told him I was frustrated, he did listen and would try to give me something specific to work on. I appreciated that effort and want to acknowledge it. To be more specific about what I actually did during my time there, much of the work consisted of straight line blocking. They would draw simple shapes, star like forms, and I would the break them down into straight lines, working from the largest lines to progressively smaller ones. I later learned that this exercise had a name, but that was never really explained to me at the time; I was essentially just told what to copy and how to proceed. We also copied Bargue plates, again using straight line blocking. In my experience, there was very little actual instruction or critique during this process. Ali specifically told me that he did not believe in giving traditional feedback and instead preferred to tell students that they had done better than they had the day before. That may work for some people, but for me it made it extremely difficult to understand what I was doing incorrectly, why it was incorrect, or what specifically I needed to change in order to improve. I also found it frustrating that even while I was attending three days a week and clearly expressing dissatisfaction with the experience I was already having, I was pressure to purchase additional classes and and told i needed to spend even more time there. That did not sit well with me. Another thing prospective students should know is that many of the additional activities, painting workshops, and other offerings are not included in the regular tuition. They are separate and can be quite expensive, so the total cost of participating in everything the school offers can add up quickly. I also heard other students express similar frustrations about wanting more instruction, so I do not think I was alone in feeling this way. I do not think REAL Academy is necessarily a bad fit for everyone. If you specifically want a very traditional atelier environment where you spend long stretches of time independently drawing and observing, with relatively limited hands-on teaching, you may enjoy it. But if you are looking for an instructor who is actively teaching throughout class, demonstrating techniques, introducing tools and methods that make the work easier or more effective, giving frequent practical feedback, and helping you progress through varied exercises, I would strongly recommend asking very detailed questions before enrolling. I wish I had understood all of this before paying for a semester and making the drive several times a week. I hope this review saves someone else some time and money if this is not the type of art education they are looking for.