This is, hands down, my favorite art gallery in Madison. They have an incredible selection of…read morejewelry, glass, ceramics, and wall art. The owner, Brian Farrell, is not only extremely kind and attentive, he also has one of the best eyes for quality art that I have ever seen. I might not like every artist he brings in, but there is not a boring one in the bunch. The selection is eclectic, and truly unique. There is also enough of a range in price points that almost anyone will be able to find something here that can fit into their budget. It is always a pleasure to come in to this gallery.

We drive past this place daily and stopped in on a whim last weekend. There is a ton of variety and…read moreeven more that isn't on display. We ended up really liking a piece but it was a bit out of our price range. This was our first experience buying art and Brian was so kind, patient, and helpful. After we thought about it for a few days and we returned to purchase, he remembered us and our taste. He even brought the piece to our house to be certain we liked and hung it for us! We are really glad we stopped in and I am sure we will be back in the future.

wandered down from Bandit Taco at the Madison Train Depot and entered Local Motive, was greeted by…read morePrasanna and Brian at the bar - which is situated inside a beautifully restored train car! Fantastic atmosphere, had a delightful Old Fashioned and soaked in the railroad environment, throwback to the cool club cars on passenger cars in the last century, yet with a lot of modern twists. If you're in Madison you should come check these places out!

After dining next door, we wanted to have a night cap nearby and Madison Local Motive, which is a…read moretrain car turned bar, was highly recommended, so we popped over. The space is two cars, with one set up as a full-time bar, and the other a mixed space that was a dance club on the night we visited. The bar car was super cute and quaint, but also tight and cramped, especially with a crowd. The car is set up with a single person bar towards the back, and lounge seating along one side leaving small space for folks to walk and wait for the bar. The other car had the bar up front and the dance floor and seating in the back. This car had a cover, so we just did cocktails and lounged a bit in the bar car. The single bartender, while he was friendly and made a good cocktail, created a backlog of folks waiting for drinks. We waited 10 minutes in a single file line for our cocktails. I went with the espresso martini, and my pal got an old fashioned. Both tasty, but the glassware was wayyyyy too small. The line never cleared, so we did one and done unfortunately. The concept is great, but execution is lacking. I know there is limited space, but the current layout and function is not the greatest, especially on the cocktail car side of things. Overall, it was cool to experience and now we can say we have done it.

I stopped by for opening night and was excited to see some really awesome pieces and lots of local…read morenames. There are some affordable kitschy prints for the farmers market addicts and Twin Peaks fans, some beautiful illustration prints, some 3D paintings you've just got to see in person, and a couple head-scratchers. I'm interested in staying tuned over the coming months and seeing what develops here.

Unique place. Definitively stop by if you're wondering down state street. The guy who runs it is…read morealso a very nice young man. I like his cowboy hat.

Needed a delicate memorial portrait RUSH framed in time for a funeral. The gentlemen here are so…read morekind, respectful, and punctual, and their handiwork is impeccable. Very reasonable pricing. Completely satisfied with the result, recommending 100%

I just picked up something I had framed at Douglas Art. I am more than pleased. It looks great…read morehanging in our study. They were professional, reasonably priced, and quick. What more could you ask for? I have already chosen the next piece to have framed there. Thank you Paul.

I just wanted to say THANK YOU for my beautiful wedding band Hiroko created for me. I wish I could…read moretell her in person but I was not able to be there when my fiance picked it up. The band is gorgeous and exactly what we had in mind. It fits my existing engagement ring perfectly - even when other jewelers told us it would be impossible to have something made to fit it. The set better than we ever could have imagined and I am so excited that I get to wear something so beautiful! Thanks again!

Really wonderful experience--great advice about a broken gold chain and high quality work on a…read morecustom replacement chain at a reasonable price. Would definitely go back with other pieces!

A small, curved gallery on the third floor of the Overture Center. I've been in the gallery a few…read moretimes, with my most recent being at Frostiball 2017. I loved a lot of the art that was featured by local artist Leslie Iwai, in particular her paper cutting and folding. There was a crowd around the typewriter so I didn't get to interact with that piece, but I hope to get back while she's exhibiting when there's a smaller crowd. Next time you're ambling down State Street stop in to the Overture and spend a few minutes at Watrous!

From the owner: The James Watrous Gallery is dedicated to the work of contemporary Wisconsin artists. As a program…read moreof the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, the gallery also features exhibitions that explore ideas and connect the arts to other disciplines.

MMoCA is a unique building offering a few levels of art. I have to say, the exhibits that I saw…read morewere not my favorite, but the staff were nice and the building itself is very spacious and modern. It's the perfect stop to warm up for a bit on a cold day!

It's a very small gallery, but it has some interesting pieces. It's a quick, free stop when you…read morewant something to do.

Higher fire is a great studio in the Madison area. The people who work there are really friendly…read moreand customer service oriented. I started a class there this summer, but was unfortunately unable to finish it out due to outside circumstances. Linda was willing to work with me on the money I had paid for not being able to complete the course. I was really pleased with their responsiveness. The class itself was very informative. The teacher was attentive, and able to answer any questions. I think that others would enjoy taking these classes.

This is a great little art studio, gallery, and retail/gift shop on Regent St. They offer pottery…read moreclasses for adults and children - a unique idea to get out of the house in the winter and the lessons make a great gift for that person or kid that already has everything. Linda was extremely helpful and patient with our group lesson. She fired the pottery and we came back to glaze it before she fired it a second time. You can also buy a variety of gifts including from the adjacent jewelry and pottery studio or, better yet, make your own gift for someone special. It's a laid back atmosphere and they offer as much or little assistance as you prefer. Keep your eye out for the Gallery Nights they host complete with snacks and occasional live music. We bought 4 really cool hand made cups intended for Sake wine (but they're also ideal for espresso and baby food!) at the one we attended recently. Higher Fire is a place you've probably driven/walked past dozens of times but never stopped. Next time check it out and I bet you'll be glad you did! Plus it's always nice to support our local small businesses.

Monroe street Arts advertised in April 2024 that they "support individuals with ASD", that's why…read morewe signed up for some art classes. Not an inclusive place for kiddos with ASD and their families Director and business manager demonstrate no cultural competence with ASD and are in need a basic education and training. They marginalized our son and family and caused us harm. Awful experience. Look at their advertisement below.

Really fun adult painting class, great for date night. Have enjoyed taking my wife to 3 of them so…read morefar

Excellent! These people do framing right. You'd never get the same quality at a JoAnn's or any…read moreother large company that does framing. And, pricing is fair too.