A community of artists and makers, very welcoming and accepting of other artists…read more I hope to be a part of this scene one day

Past Lives Makerspace is an ideal facility for hobbyists, inventors, craftspeople and artists…read more There are studios and workspaces for all kinds of activities: metal shop, wood shop, ceramics studio, glass and stained glass studio, textile arts studio and so much more. Every work area is well equipped with the tools of the trade and the tools are well maintained. It's the kind of makerspace where you can spend all day. There's a full commercial kitchen and communal eating/meeting area, so no need to leave in the middle of a project. And the community of makers is phenomenal. The member-teachers I've learned from so far have been top notch - I look forward to taking classes in ceramics, stained glass and art framing next. I highly recommend Past Lives LLC for quality, community and learning.

What a lovely way to learn how to create art, and to learn something about yourself at the same…read moretime. So much of what Phil teaches spills into other areas of life too--areas where perfectionism and self-criticism reside. He helps us be more gentle with ourselves as we approach creativity. The energy in the room is not competitive, it is supportive and helpful. People return, year after year, to retake the "beginner" classes, in part to stay in touch with the beginner mindset and sense of wonder. The Drawing Studio is wonderful!

If you're looking for an art class where the instructor shows you how to hold your brush to paint…read moreclouds, this is not the class for you. Phil Sylvester does something much more valuable: he helps you to ignore critical thinking when you paint (or draw--he has drawing classes, too). Keeping your left brain from sabotaging your artwork can be a formidable task for some people, myself included. Phil basically helps you become that 5 year old kid with crayons again, where you have no expectations of what your art is supposed to be. His exercises encourage you just to paint, while he cites mantras from himself and other artists amid occasional music. This process leads you down a path where you find yourself and lose yourself at the same time. I can honestly say, in the short time I have been painting, that Phil has made me a better artist. Any class which does that is a good thing. So I suggest taking classes that teach techniques and color theory as well as taking the types of classes offered at the Drawing Studio. Every time you expand your horizons as an artist your soul will benefit.

I have a vintage, fun little piece of costume jewelry...it's my favorite piece. It broke a couple…read moreof years ago, and I could never get anyone to even look at it. Megan was more than happy to look at it. She fixed it, and charged me a more than fair price. I can't wait to go back to shop her store. She has all kinds of vintage goodies!

Megan repaired a broken silver and turquoise necklace for my wife. She did an excellent job. Thank…read moreyou, Megan.

What a kind, helpful person! I called with a whole list of questions and got lots of good answers…read more She was flexible and willing to work with my special situation. We didn't end up going with her because the dates didn't work out, but gosh, thanks for being a nice person.

Francoise was the perfect florist for our wedding! She is an amazing artist - we just asked her to…read moremake bouquets that would work well with our style and colors and they turned out beautiful - we are still (a week later) getting notes about how great the flowers were. Thank you for your beautiful flowers and for being wonderful to work with, Françoise!!

I attended a meeting at Greenhouse Gatherings a few days ago. It is a beautiful space, a little…read moreoasis in the city, and I had a great time. Lila, who runs the space, is a great baker and offered delicious cookies (including gluten-free options) and a fruit torte we loved (also some amazing caffeine-free beverages). I plan to attend a craft event there soon. I totally recommend the space. Thank you!

Such a beautiful space! I attended a botanical craft session there and was overwhelmed with the…read moresimple beauty of this place. Surrounded by fruit trees and fragrant herbs and Lila's wonderful iced teas and snacks. It was so well decorated and the ac unit ensured our comfort the whole time. I would definitely go back! Thank you Lila!

This place is very convenient to Gigantic Brewing and Hip Chicks Do Wine it is a great place to…read morewalk your dog around if you are in the area. IF you are interested: Park in the north parking lot on Steele and then cross the pedestrian bridge and you will find an awesome open space to walk your dog. It's pretty low key, you may cross a person with their dog off leash but most dogs keep to themselves and there aren't many people who know about this area. Check it out if you can!

Attended a 5 day conference here. The dorms are a nightmare, they didn't clean the restrooms for 4…read moredays and they weren't cleaned well when they did clean them. There is no ventilation in the dorms and the bathrooms are ancient with small showers. I'm fairly short and the shower heads were too short for me and there was no water pressure. The bathroom lights are on timers so are prone to turning off mid shower but the switch is outside the room so be prepared for a pitch black shower. The Vollum building also has no ventilation and seems to be filled with mold as every time I go into it I end up with bad allergies that clear up as soon as I leave the building. It would be a great setting for an episode of Grimm.