Earlier this evening I received an email from Peri and Sean Gabriel, owners of the Pinot's Palette…read moreAlameda. They have been in business for about five years. The news was not a good one. It is with sadness to mention they are closing due to COVID 19. Peri is also one of my friends on FB. It has been a while since I attended a drawing session. Even though my paintings were okay looking, I still have fun. My Warriors basketball and thunder bolts painting was meh; however, when they had Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell singing "heaven must have sent your precious love...oh, oh, oh", I stopped painting and started singing and swaying along with that song. Hey, hey!! My fellow painters were laughing at me for trying to sound like Tammi Terrell. I wasn't even close, but they appreciated my love for some R&B old school music. I even had my GS Warriors gear on for that occasion. My painting of the cupcakes was slightly better. My husband took a photo of our daughter and me holding up our artwork. Ahhh...the memories of an evening of painting and people sipping wine have me grinning from ear to ear. How I will miss this place. I will be swinging by there this Saturday, June 6, to get one more look. They will be selling the paintings on display for $10 each; 4 paintings for $30. To Peri, Sean and staff: many thanks for all the wonderful times that I had in those drawing sessions.

"Possibly the most unique business on the island."…read more I had no idea this place existed. It's actually a combination bar and Art Studio. While you're painting you can come up to the bar and order a wine or beer. Keep in mind that you can only order drinks while the class is in session. I tried to sneak a beer before the class, but the office manager didn't fall for it. Oh well, I guess I will have to come back for a class. They have a wide variety of classes, a lot for beginners. So don't worry if you have haven't painted recently. They also provide aprons so you don't mess up your tuxedo. One of the more interesting events is a pet painting day.You bring a photo of your pet and then you paint a picture of Fido or Fluffy. If you have a group, you can actually rent out the facility. Unique place, unique environment, friendly staff.

Loved my acrylic painting class with Mokhtar Paki! Highly recommend. It helped me develop my style…read moreand understand the medium.

It's hard to write a negative review of an art center because I really value any place that helps…read morepeople access their creativity. But I have had such a comically bad experience with this place that I feel I should warn others. In January I found a Spring Session class I wanted to register for that was set to begin 3/15. It was in their catalog as a "New Class". However, when I went to their registration portal the class was not listed. The first time I called them, the receptionist said he didn't have access to the registration system and to call back later. The second time I called, they told me that they had added the class and I could register online--but I soon discovered it still wasn't listed. The third time I called they said they added the class but that I wouldn't be able to register until March 10th (which is when registration opens for LATE spring session, whereas this class was set to begin on March 15th, the early spring session). Huh? Registration is open for only five days before the class begins? I asked them to check again, and they called be back later that day and said the early spring session had been added. ...Nope, it definitely was still not in the system. Exasperated by their incompetence, I finally tracked down an email address for the instructor and emailed her directly. I didn't hear back, but soon after that the class showed up and I could finally register. So I did, and made an online payment. Two weeks later, I received an email with a receipt for a refund, with no explanation I assumed this meant the class had been cancelled, but no one called or emailed me to tell me that, and the refund never posted to my bank account. I had also never received any information about the class (materials list, curriculum, etc.) so I still currently have no idea what's happening. When I try to call them, their extension is "unavailable", as is the "operator" AND the "backup operator" that the system auto-routed me to. I really want this place to improve because they're one of the few organizations offering adult art classes in Oakland. But as is, it seems to be a bit of a mess.

I took a 6 week intro to pottery course here and overall had a good time. The location is solid and…read morethe building is really beautiful. The front opens up into this garden area which is amazing in the summer, but in winter the studio gets pretty cool so your pieces take longer to dry The class was good but stayed pretty surface level. The space itself is super clean and organized though, and they have a great selection of glazes which was nice. They also offer memberships and more advanced classes if you want to keep going. Overall I'm looking forward to taking more classes there in the future.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Space is beautiful, but the classes are mixed level and should be better marketed to the correct…read morelevel so that if you are a beginner, you get the right level of instruction

My son attends the carpentry class here. Now going on 6 years, all the staff are really kind and…read morehelpful. Sometimes dealing with kids it can make you impatient but not here. You can tell they all enjoy being here.

I came across an article regarding the Junior Center of Arts and Science, and knew I wanted to take…read moremy toddler for a visit. I actually had no idea that it sat on the beautiful Lake Merritt, with accessible parking ($2 for 2 hours) near Fairyland. The building itself is small, yet offers enough for a fun-filled morning. One can peruse the exhibits for free. We found the most interesting to be the animals (lizards, snakes, and even cockroaches.) A 47 year old tortoise roams around, and doesn't seem to mind being petted. There are also some coloring sheets for a quick art break. For $2 per child, you can play in the play area. It appears to have once been well maintained, and is painted very lovely, with amazing views of the lake. Today, the toys are a bit sad and worn down, some even broken and a tad dangerous. Yet, for $2, there is little to complain about. My favorite part of the surrounding area includes an awesome bird sanctuary - complete with pigeons, seagulls, cranes, pelicans, ducks, and many other winged friends. There is also a nature center museum and playground close by. We enjoyed it!

This was my first paint and sip event and it was so much fun! Monica was so friendly and provided…read moredetailed instructions on the painting. It was a night full of laughter and fun. Will definitely go back again with my friends.

Me and my future wife had an amazing time at the paint and sip! Monica was interactive, she made…read morethe entire process fun and was patient with us while helping us perfect these paintings! This was a 10/10 experience and we will be back again!

Definitely a fun, unique workshop to channel your creativity! I found this class by accident as I…read morewas looking for thrift store dolls and mannequins for a friend who loves using the heads and other parts to incorporate succulent, and various plants. Um right...not for me and what nightmares are made of! Well after searching online I also came across The Headdress Workshop which is a subsidiary of Mannequin Madness which was a big score...take a fun class while perusing for used mannequin heads...Class supplies you with all the materials you'll need to create a unique piece: flowers, butterflies, beads, gems, greenery, feathers, etc...the instructor, Kiana was super helpful, energetic, help guide/inspire you while making it a fun experience! Her assistant Susie was equally wonderful with offering help searching for materials or gluing. This 2.5 hour class will fly by and you'll end up leaving with a wearable piece of art. Great for team building, special event or to unleash your inner Project Runway design skilz...SO FABULOUS! Highly recommend this fun workshop...and photo studio available to show off your work and be silly. And if there's time left, you can play with the instructor's resident dog, Gremlin. :) Located off I-880 behind the Buttercup Pantry in Oakland. Plenty of street parking

I stumbled upon this workshop in an attempt to find somewhere I could either buy or make a…read moreheaddress. I signed up for a workshop in late September, but I couldn't make that date so I emailed the workshop and Judi was so accommodating about switching my date. I arrived on time to the workshop, and although we were expecting 2 more people in the class, it ended up being just me!! Judi and Kiara were so wonderful throughout the whole class. They even offered me tea!! Mint with lemon and agave......I felt just so at home. There is a workshop table on the side of the shop, and mannequins EVERYWHERE as they resell mannequins too. I was going for a Mother Nature theme for Halloween. I was looking into pure greenery, not much flowers. I showed Kiara my inspiration, and she knew where to take it from there. They have SHELVES and SHELVES worth of material, as well as example mannequin heads on a shelf above. I seriously could not believe the final outcome. I was so impressed with myself that I made something so beautiful and on-brand for my costume... I had the most fun at this workshop............. or was it a private class? THANK YOU Judi and Kiara...

A great Museum in Downtown Alameda!!!…read more I've been here a few times, as it's free to enter, but it does close early!! They also accept donations!! From the outside, it doesn't seem very big, but once you go inside, it's larger than you think. The different rooms here are interesting, some are like classic home dining rooms, others feature businesses, Neptune Beach, the Fire Department, just an assortment of old artifacts from the past. There's a very impressive train right when you enter. Also, the people working here are very nice, very knowledgeable and inviting!! Everything is neat and organized, and to really see everything, it probably takes more than just one visit!!! The Island of Alameda has a lot of very interesting history, and this museum definitely showcases all of it!!!

This is a precious gem of a museum with delightful vignettes on Alameda history and an intriguing…read morepresentation of general historical pieces including Victorian fashion items. I particularly appreciated the inviting welcome and information provided. My personal favorite was the extensive display about Neptune Beach. Did you know that it was once the largest amusement part on the West Coast or that Johnny Weissmuller (AKA the original Tarzan and Olympic swimmer) won a swimming competition there? Note: its open hours are on the weekends only. And I also enjoyed how instead of charging for admission, they offer a clever and unique second hand store for purchases to support operation. I happily found and bought the classic "Operation" game for my granddaughter. I hope you get a chance to check out this treasure soon!

I've never had a business treat clients like this ever. Total waste of time. Owners kept harassing…read morepeople for years. Customer service is horrible. Absolutely would not recommend them.

Went there for an opening February and had a great time. Good art in Oakland, and a great space in…read morethe east bay. I will frequent this venue more often.