What a great soft opening! I was lucky enough to be chosen to volunteer and help host the opening…read moreof this new spot in logan square. If you are looking for a space to create art, build something interesting, or just have fun with no pressure, but all the BYOB filled relaxing fun and music with your friends look no further. Space itself is intimate, relaxed lighting, great music not too loud, and the owner who has been a high school art teacher for years, and creating art for longer, and her sons are kind and compassionate. I can see, how when the classes will offer children's coloring, woodcraft, and art therapy, that the owners will create a great experience for everyone. Can't wait to see what Artspace does next!

What an amazing place!! Art classes of all kinds! Took my daughter to the Saturday morning kids art…read moreclass and we had a BLAST!! Audrey, Hailey and Elizabeth were super nice and helped us out and had many different suggestions! They had snack time for the kids with story time! such an incredible find literally right down the street from us!! We'll definitely be back!

I take classes here and love it. Love the environment and the teachers are Great. Would recommend…read moreto anyone

Such a cool place and such a cool concept! I've gone to events a few times and the staff has been…read morenothing but sweet and accommodating. We need more places like this in Chicago! The atmosphere and art on the walls is also gorgeous.

No strings attached, no questions asked. Come in, pay 15 bucks and you get 3 hours with a…read moreprofessional model, good light and very nice atmosphere. You can bring any type of tools you want, have any skill level and do whatever you want; as far as unstructured figure drawing sessions it doesn't get better than this. The place provides benches but no tools so make sure you bring your own. Also be ready to be impressed by the very good artists that practice here. If you want you can also take a lesson but those cost more and are on tuesday and thursday I believe.

This is the best drawing class I've ever attended. The instructor is extremely thorough and…read morehelpful. If you want to improve your artistic abilities you need to take classes here.

First time going to a pottery class and Mar was amazing!!! Thank you so much and I'm so excited to…read morepick up my piece!!!

This was a phenomenal experience!!! I didn't think it was possible to do something like this, but…read morewe did it and I am so glad I did. Mar was amazing with teaching us and helping make beautiful pieces and was such a great person to talk to!!!

My daughter loved she made new friends and she learned about her culture even more then she knew…read more My daughter was worried about ice but the teachers and security made her feel safe she loves marwen and we will come back .

For years I've passed Marwen by train or bus on my way to/from the Loop. For years I wondered what…read moreMarwen was, but was never curious enough (read too lazy) to find out. At some point I decided that Marwen must be the corporate headquarters of some outdoorsy clothing brand because the name reminded me of Erehwon, the mountain outfitter. Well, mountain outfitter it's not; this is what Marwen is all about (from their website): "Marwen was founded to provide Chicago's youth with stimulating and diverse opportunities to channel their adolescent energy into personally rewarding and developmentally appropriate outlets. Chicago is a city rich in history, architecture, art, and culture, and it is Marwen's intent to leverage these resources, providing our students with an out-of-school program that provides access to opportunity, while remaining highly relevant to their individual and collective experiences." The fabulous Kelly S told me about "Show Me Marwen" which gave me a chance to check the place out, for free to boot! The event was really cool, but a little crowded. I liked that they asked attendees to not only wear name tags, but add color-coded stickers to show how they were affiliated with Marwen (student, alumni, parent, friend, etc.), it really gave it a community feel. The alumni and student artwork on display was amazing and ranged from photographs to paintings to pottery to claymation videos. I was in awe of all of the creativity in the room. The only downside was that when I left Marwen I felt about as creative as a cucumber.

I took a class here as a teenager and it was top notch! I have talked to many students who have…read moretalked classes here recently, and you know what, they can't speak highly enough about it! Yes, the rumors are true! It's just as good now as it was 45 years ago! Hats off to all the great teachers for encouraging all the students from around the world (yes, I knew a young woman from Italy who attended classes back in 2005!). A big standing ovation to all the teachers keeping this great institution world class all these decades later! You are the greatest!

Continuing Ed "intro" courses are not worth it. Don't bother unless you've already mastered the…read morebasics elsewhere because you will not be taught any techniques here.

It's actually way too far away from where I reside . I've been there before!! I love the atmosphere…read moreand how helpful the staff has been- A alas, it's too far away from me KNITTING RULES

Tried rug tufting for the first time and honestly... best date I've been on in a minute. I was so…read morenervous at first (curvy lines had me fighting for my life), but HUGE shoutout to Emily for being the sweetest, most patient guide ever. By the end I was locked in fr. The studio had everything - tons of colors, multiple craft options, and it's BYOB.

Running from May 30, 2009 to June 30, 2009, the Old Town Art School Student/Faculty Exhibition is a…read moretreat -- a diversity of art from the very talented students of the Old Town Art School and a few examples from their instructors. No admission, and easily viewed in less than an hour, it seems that every student had one piece indicative of their style (no artists' statements to be found) on the walls. Most of the art is available for sale and reasonably priced; pieces seemed to range from $100 to $800, with instructor pieces or really large works coming in in the $1000 to $1500 range. There are a variety of styles to enjoy and absolutely no pressure to buy. The instructors included this year are Robert Brasher, Grace Cole, Tom Francesconi, Didiet Nolet, Phil Renaud, and Illinois Artist Laureate Kay Smith. I had the pleasure of attending the opening reception on Sunday (apologies for not yelping it in advance!) and the artists, teachers, and patrons were all accessible, friendly people. They ran the event themselves but the food and drink assortment was nicely balanced -- wine, cheese, crudites, sweets, and non-alcoholic drinks -- and the live harpist set a wonderful tone. I would encourage everyone to go this June if they have the time or are strolling around the neighborhood. Who knows if any of these artists are up and coming stars -- but the art itself is truly enjoyable, and that's the important part.

From the owner: The Old Town Art Center offers classes for all skill levels. Work in your favorite media, oil,…read morewatercolor, pastel or learn to draw or enhance your drawing skills. Open figure studio is available every Monday (noon - 3) as a drop-in or for a reduced price sign up for the series. Visit our website for the most current listings, we offer workshops, short sessions and full (10 week) classes. Instructors are all professional artists.

Lillstreet Art Center is a magical place, it has a little bit of everything!…read more I've taken everything from pottery classes to jewelry workshops to textile classes here. They really have a wide selection and great time options in the evenings for those who work 9-5. 12 years later I still use the garlic grater I made in a sculpting class. Prices are expected, but reasonable for what you get. Teachers are awesome and work with you to help you learn, even if working with clay isn't your thing (I learned quickly it wasn't my thing). But it's still fun to try something new! In the heart of Ravenswood easily accessible by the el, and they do have parking if you drive. Definitely check out this gem if you haven't yet.

As described in the Lillstreet Art Center website, it was "founded in 1975, Lillstreet is a…read morecreative workspace for artists of all levels, from first-timers, to professionals. No matter how you define yourself, you belong here!" When Daughter told me that she had just registered for a "Beginning Wheelthrowing" class at Lillstreet, I did not know the art center. However, I had always been curious about wheelthrowing and wanted to finally learn about it, so I registered too! We both registered for a 10-week class that met once a week in the weekend. It had been a fun 10 weeks! Well, we had missed 2 classes for our unexpected trip to Europe, but we were fortunate that we could make up work by going to "open studios" that are available only to current students. Our teacher Jen FitzGerald has 25 years of experience in ceramics. Both Jen and the class assistant, Kim, are very kind, welcoming, and encouraging. Jen always has solutions to whatever problems that we might have. After she made a demonstration throwing on the wheel, she would go around the classroom to see how everybody was doing with her own work. It was especially helpful during the first couple of classes that Jen came by me and helped me one-on-one to overcome the hurdles that I had. After I "mastered" the techniques, wheelthrowing is relaxing and fun. Glazing pottery has been a lot of fun too! Looking for our fired glazed work on the common shelves is like Christmas! There have been nice surprises of how the glazed work turned out! Now both Daughter and I have made a bunch of cups, mugs, and bowls that we are proud of. Like a lot of the students at Lillstreet, our passion for ceramics have been ignited, this class won't be the last! Lillstreet Art Center not only offers a lot of different art classes for all levels, it also hosts private events like birthday parties, and one-time workshops that you can test the water and have some fun. There is a gallery/gift shop that features a lot of one-of-a-kind creations from teachers and students, most are really sophisticated and professional, and inspirational too! There is a small café that you can enjoy local baked goods. We had tried the almond croissants which were very good. Our teacher Jen is having a Lounge Show "Mudweaver Ceramics" in the cafe, from November 1 to 30, 2024. The show showcases some very amazing ceramic art that looks like woven baskets! Come see the show if you can! Closing reception is on Friday, November 29 at 6:00 PM.

I brought my mom to a Basics class at GnarWare for her birthday a little bit ago…read more We thought the space was nice and the class was maybe good for experienced people but not beginners. And we found the instructor oddly rude. In general, the instructor didn't give much feedback to people during the class.. despite it being pretty small group and only a subset of people who clearly needed help (including us). In general, she went through the steps twice. If you got it, you got it. If you don't, sucks for you. More importantly, my mom found the instructor impatient & rude. Whenever mom asked a question, the instructor would respond with "as I said earlier...." or some variation. It resonated as weirdly passive aggressive, condescending, and dismissive - particularly combined with lack of proactive feedback. In short the cycle went, instruction starts - we struggle a bit - no proactive help - mom asks for help - receives condescending response - struggle continues. Mom was annoyed the whole car ride home. I apologized and told her I'd put it in the review.

Perfect place for beginners and oldtimers! Perfect place where everyone is welcome. I highly…read morerecommend doing a workshop if you want to get a feel for ceramics; if you're experienced, you'll feel like you're coming home.