This place is a delight! They have supplies for stained glass artwork, classes on stain glass, they…read morecan do custom stained glass, designs, basically everything you need related to stain glass. Out front they always have a little table that has an activity involving stained glass. It's fun to bring kids and let them do a stained glass art piece. For about 20 bucks you can have them put it in the kiln and come back the next day and pick up your kids artwork. What a great activity to do on fourth Street.

Recently took a class w friends w instructor Julie Orchard - mere words cannot capture her…read moreawesomeness.. She'sthat rare combo of extremely experienced & able to communicate everything clearly & calmly, while making you feel like you can totally do exactly the same thing she did... & then she made good on it! Srsly, everyone in the class was thrilled e their results. Honestly I was shocked at what we all were able to achieve in just a few short but super sweet hours. If you're a serious nose to the grindstone student you'll appreciate Julie's expertise & clarity. If you're a total beginner looking to just have fun Julie will help you do just that - AND make a super beautiful piece. Win/win! HIGHLY recommend Julie

I've been working with Peter Ostwald for over a year now and I have learned so very much. I learned…read morejewelry making in college many years ago and have always wanted to create really unique pieces. I am an artist and I primarily paint. Being able to come to Peter with a sketch of an idea and having him guide me to making it an actual work of wearable art is an amazing process. It's my favorite two hours of my otherwise crazy busy week as I juggle my art and a full-time sales job. I cannot recommend Peter highly enough, whether you are brand new to creating or a seasoned artist, his teaching style, creativity, and guidance are unparalleled. I am looking forward to studying with him for many more years.

I took Jewelry making and metalsmithing in college about 15 years ago and really wanted to pick it…read moreup again. I also needed something creative to add to my week to balance out my super technical job. Peter has been a godsend. He's super laid back, non judgmental, and has really helped me tap back into my creative side. This is my favorite 2 hours of the week and for such a reasonable price, I can't recommend it enough.

I don't consider myself a natural artist, but after taking Introduction to Silkscreen with Emily…read morehere I feel like a spark of potential was finally lit. I thoroughly enjoyed the flexible after-work hours where I could relax and concentrate on just a few set tasks that go into making a screen and prints. The small class size felt both intimate and collaborative. I also loved how the teacher provided great materials to experiment with and Kala had all the necessary equipment. I'd love to come back and take more silkscreen later in the year!

Kala has some great art programs. One of them is Drink and Draw, a post-work evening activity that…read moreinvolves drinkin' an' drawin'. It's a rare opportunity for working folks who love art (but never get to do it) to be artistic and creative. We also hoped it would be an opportunity to meet people, relax, unwind, drink some wine, and hang out... but we discovered one fine weekday eve that it was lots of Draw but very little Drink. There are some serious art students in Berkeley! The art instructor was knowledgeable, talented and inspiring, and brought some great materials for us to use - handmade paper, high-quality ink, brushes. We did have to supply some of our own stuff, like scratch paper, pencils, erasers. She taught us new techniques and was very hands-on. A few completed projects even looked frame-worthy. Kala offers great programs if you want to do art in the evening. However, if you actually want to hang out with friends, catch up, and Drink with your Draw, you may want to go to a bar. Just sayin'...!

I have seldom enjoyed an art gallery as much as I enjoyed this visit. This was like Open Studio's…read moreall in one room and all miniature. I walked around the room giggling and smiling my face off! The place is chock full of wonderful pieces of art. I LOVED so much of it. I wished I could just buy anything I wanted! Many different local artists work. The variety and creativity is just as inspiring as it could be. People, get over here and check this out! Art for Christmas presents is a great idea.

We have followed & loved the gallery for many years. Always carry great but generally not well…read moreknown local artists, with emphasis on cityscapes & Norcal landscapes. Most works are quite affordable. Visit them & check out the art!

Artists beware!! The owners of this space are more concerned with taking your money rather than…read moreactually supporting artists. The lowest monthly fee is $250, and that's just to join the space (and access a teeny tiny cubby space to keep any personal belongings). If you actually want to use any of their equipment or facilities (which is the whole point of becoming a member) they charge you an additional $50 monthly fee ON TOP OF your membership fee. PLUS, there's a $50 fee to take any orientation class, which is mandatory before you're even allowed to touch the equipment. They even charge you to use their printers!! I'm surprised there's not a fee to use the restroom...You get locked into a minimum year lease, and then are micromanaged with how you use the space. With creative culture dying in the Bay in favor of Big Tech, what artists need now more than ever is an affordable and accessible space to create and build community, without a financial barrier. THIS PLACE IS NOT IT.

The Compound Gallery is a (hidden?) gem of the Bay Area. It's *free* to enter/browse and there are…read morepieces here ranging from affordable to pricier. 1) I enjoyed David Fullarton's collection, "Everything's Getting Worse and I'm Not Helping," as well as browsing local artisans' pieces. The curation of this gallery feels cohesive. The pieces here are rich with meaning -- great conversation starters, so it's definitely an excellent place to bring a friend or two. 2) I wish I caught the name of the owner/director I met there yesterday -- he was so warm and a great host! It was my first time, and he took the time to briefly show me around the different areas of the gallery whilst entertaining my questions about the history of the gallery/its artists. He also shared upcoming events and exhibitions (artist talks, for instance), inviting me to stay connected! 3) Parking here is pretty great (I was at the gallery on the weekend). There's also a small park across the street -- great place to hang out and debrief after enjoying The Compound. I highly recommend The Compound Gallery -- I know I'll be back soon.

Charming studio with very unique contemporary artworks for sale from surrealism to pointillism. A…read moremust to visit.

I took a ten-week session of private lessons with Trius in drawing and watercolors/acrylic and I…read morefeel it has brought a dramatic improvement in my visual thinking. Trius is a hands-on teacher, and gives you the right amount of guidance without being patronizing, which I think is very important. His passion is palpable in his instructions, and his discussions and examples from the masters have been very informative to a beginner like me. At times, when I've given up on a sketch that I've been working on, he has motivated me to keep at it. He is immensely patient, has a keen eye for problem areas and gives constant feedback, which was highly encouraging for me throughout the classes. His knowledge is immense, and he focusses on the fundamentals and gives you a solid foundation to build on, which I think is the most important reason I'd recommend him over other instructors. Besides being a great teacher, he is a wonderful artist and his works are an inspiration in itself. And as another review mentioned, he is a very very interesting person to talk to :)

I took private drawing and pastel lessons from Trius for well over a year, and I think my work…read moreimproved greatly during that time. Trius is classically trained but not hidebound, and he is willing to help you work on the areas you choose. I always learned from his assignments, and he had lots of useful book recommendations, as well. He is very patient, and can teach at all levels, from very young children to experienced adults. I had already had years of college-level art classes before I started working with him, but he had a lot to contribute. I always felt his plans for our lessons were personalized to me. He was very inspiring, and encouraged me to work. I would definitely recommend him as a drawing teacher. In addition, he's just a very interesting person to talk to!

Katherine and Mitch hosted a workshop for us to make 8x8 woodcut maps. It was an incredible…read moreexperience. It's amazing that they have found a way to streamline this process such that laymen and commoners (like myself) can walk in, spend four hours working, and then walk out with a gorgeous and unique woodcut map. I would highly recommend signing up for a workshop if you have the chance. They provide all the materials and you start off with laser-cut pieces of wood. Then you lay them out, set, glue, vacuum, power sand, cut, tack cloth, and finish with Good Stuff. We had so much fun and they were the best teachers ever. You can see they really care about each piece and each student. A seriously fun friend outing or date day or solo venture, and I will definitely be ordering more pieces from them (at least until they offer workshops to make the bigger ones!)

I am very satisfied with my order. It was the perfect 5th anniversary (wood) gift for my wife as we…read moremoved to Jordan one day before our anniversary. I ordered the map and requested a pretty tight timeline, which ended up working out perfectly! I can think of a number of other occasions and designs that would make great gifts and wouldn't hesitate to use Woodcut Maps again in the future!