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.

Joanne inspires you , guides you, and teaches you all the very cool little things you need to know…read morebut she supports you in your endeavor to express with paint who you are! Thanks Joanne

I took this class for the experience in traditional painting, but what really stood out about it…read moreagainst other art classes is the cool and friendly atmosphere. Joanne is a hilarious lady with good taste in music, and the studio felt like home with its large airy windows and charming array of strange knick knacks... not to mention the gorgeous paintings of everything from traditional nudes to lesbian tango cherries. This class is for an explorative soul who likes learning new things and working in a peaceful atmosphere among friends.

Riso, Risograph printers are a popular medium for artists…read more https://www.riso.co.jp/english/index.html. I could not find reviews of them there on Yelp. This is here. It is a printing machine disguised as an old school photocopier or big size printer you may find in a business or the library. The difference is that it prints from a cartridge filled with a specific color liquid ink. You can print multi-color overlays, but the registration may not exactly match, which is why artists value the lo-fi. The Riso printers, cartridges, and ink are made in Japan. There are several spots in town with these printers. Not to take away from those, RISO Studio Arts PDX is the US distributor. So if you have a Riso, you will know them business to business. If Riso is of interest, explore all the Portland Riso spots! That said, people interested in seeing Riso art shows, or this studio's printed matter, or if you would like to explore classes and projects, visit and chat. Their art openings draw a crowd. The new witchy magic is the Riso instant silk screen making machine. You can access it through new workshops at RISO Studio Arts PDX. If you have ever messed with photo processes to burn a screen, you will be amazed! RISO Studio Arts PDX has a web presence, socials, limited hours, classes, art shows and an all about professional network with solid engagement by staff. Did I say US distributor? Yes.

Amazing art (although prices seem random). Lovely staff. Bought one piece at a reasonable price,…read morethen everything else went up 10x. Absolutely love the piece I bought.

I have attended Maitripa's Thursday night teachings with Yangsi Rinpoche, participated in their…read moreDiscovering Buddhism Series, attended Sunday morning meditation, and just attended their conflict resolution workshop that is one of the best workshops I've taken part in during my 13-year stay in Portland. The Maitripa community members are wonderful, inviting, and helpful people. The content of the public programs have proven very useful in social work within underserved communities. In other Buddhist communities, I have felt pushed and judged. I have felt nothing but comfort and acceptance at Maitripa. It is refuge in every sense of the word. I look forward to more involvement and participation at the College, and I encourage others who are curious to open their hearts and minds to all of the jewels Maitripa has to offer.

This young college has developed into a phenomenal resource and learning community for students…read moreseeking to start or further their education in compassion, service and meditation through the lens of a time tested Buddhist lineage. This college also draws talented individuals for events year after year, including HH The Dalai Lama just this past spring. Though it has a few kinks to smooth out as it grows, this college deserves a more accurate review: FACT CHECK: 1. Maitripa college is not so simply "un-accredited" as in another review. It is authorized through the state of Oregon to give Master's Degrees, and its involved in the multi-year process of moving toward full "regional" accreditation, (there is no such thing as "National") which will then allow students to apply for federal grants, federal student loans etc. They do offer very significant scholarships to assist students in the meantime. There is much value in this degree, and the multiple references to the college being "un-accredited" are somewhat misleading. If you are considering going to Maitripa for a Masters, then onward for another degree (Ph.d) or certification, as them if the Maitripa credits will transfer. Its highly likely they will. As stated on their website: "Maitripa Institute received legal authority in July 2008 from the State of Oregon to offer graduate degrees in Buddhist Studies. This approval means that Maitripa is now a College, and that its program courses are available for college credit. Maitripa is currently offering a Master of Arts degree in Buddhist Studies and a Masters of Divinity (MDiv) degree. This achievement is the first step towards regional accreditation." 2. The other warning that "these folks are missionaries" is not accurate from my experiences as a student over the last 3+ years, and surely this must have been based on a small sample audience that reviewer interacted with. Some people react differently to religious and spiritual teachers and teachings, and can often make things weird, with attempts to proselytize despite the fact that this tradition specifically instructs students against such behavior. Neither I, nor my friends have experienced a missionary vibe overall when taking classes or attending events at Maitripa. I have indeed experienced that type of environment of conversion before, but not so far at Maitripa. 3. Maitripa is a school based on Mahayana Buddhism: Mahayana philosophy, mediation, service, logic, and debate are the primary focus of the courses. They are not offering degrees in comparative religion, though some dialogue is always welcome in that area. Though "comparative thought" is certainly valued, is not the core focus of most classes, and those classes are not advertised as such, to my knowledge. However, the events have included teachers and professionals from diverse backgrounds, coming to share their expertise and opinions, and engage in constructive dialogue. These guests and teachers have included: neuroscientists, environmentalists, writers, psychologists and more... Maitripa's core is Mahayana Buddhism, but it is certainly open and engaged with the wider religious, scientific and academic communities. As for the online program, I believe it has been partially put on hold (I just checked the website), though I would confirm that directly with the college.

Wow! Love this place! Took a ten week class with Lela and loved it. As an artist who has done…read morepottery on and off for over thirty years it was great to come back to it here with great instructors who taught me some different techniques for wedging clay and throwing than I've learned in the past. Definitely coming back for a membership!

I love this creative space. Everyone is made to feel welcomed. They have the most amazing…read morehandmade items for sale, offer classes that don't make you feel intimidated to not know what you are doing and the owner is a great human! They believe in community and offer options to buy scholarships to support students who might not be able to pay for classes. It's just a great all around place!

My best friend took me to Hopscotch while I was visiting Portland, and it ended up being one of the…read morebest parts of the entire trip. We went with her 3 year old, and honestly, I think we had just as much fun as him. Every room had something different to see or interact with, and it felt like there was always another surprise waiting around the corner. The mix of lights, art, music, and creative exhibits made it easy to lose track of time. One of my favorite areas was the Secrets room. You could step into a phone booth, record a secret, and then hear anonymous secrets playing through the giant speakers overhead. Some of the kid-submitted ones were absolutely adorable and had everyone smiling. The biggest hits for our group were definitely the interactive light rooms, where the lights seemed to react to your movement, and of course the giant rainbow ball pit. Watching everyone dive in and immediately turn into kids again was pretty entertaining. We also checked out the gift shop on the way out. I ended up grabbing a magnet, a postcard, and a few stickers that I thought were really cool. And I have to mention this: I was oddly happy to find out there was an actual hopscotch game inside. After walking through the whole experience, I was starting to wonder if the name was just symbolic. Nope. There was hopscotch, and it made me laugh. Overall, we had an amazing time. It's fun, colorful, interactive, and works just as well for adults as it does for kids. If you're looking for something different to do in Portland, I'd definitely recommend checking it out. For us, it was absolutely worth the price of admission.

Super interesting place! While we did have fun, I was a bit underwhelmed. Honestly, I was thinking…read moreit was more a "Meow Wolf" type of place... so I guess I should've just entered the space without any expectations. The bar in the beginning was a nice touch. You can walk around with your drinks and explore the different rooms they had. You can even take a break and grab food- once you get in your time there is unlimited! One of the best rooms was the Secret Garden. This is where you stand under a cloud like dome and hear secrets from people who have recorded them from a month or two ago. They have a recording booth within the room and you sit there and confess things. Then it plays it back after a couple of months to make sure you remain anonymous. The secrets we heard were gnarly... Won't repeat any, just go there and see! That was probably the best room we went into. The other rooms were super cool, which included a ball pit, infinity room/light looking room as well as a semi-bouncy room. Really interactive and creative space. Entrance fee is not bad for the type of space it's in [Around $22ish?]. Just don't be a jerk and be respectful of peoples' spaces. Not that anyone was disrespectful to us, just saying!

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.