Signing up for art classes at Visionary Arts has been one of the best activities for my child…read more Online and in-person classes are offered which fits well for my daughter's and my busy schedules. In the past year and a half since my daughter started at Visionary Arts, her confidence and her art skills have blossomed. In just that short time, my daughter has been able to win a local Bay Area art contest as well as has been recognized as a young artist in the Junior Duck Stamp contest. It does help if your child is naturally interested in creativity and art, but my daughter has no shortage of that and as a result I feel that the art studio has taken my child's interests in art to new heights. We have gone on field trips with the art studio to the DeYoung museum and wildlife preserves. Both of which have been positive experiences that my daughter and I have enjoyed because Teacher Helen took time to guide the group. For my family, this has been an unexpectedly fun, positive, and educational journey in learning about art, conservation, and life skills. My daughter not only has been improving her drawing and painting skills, but she has been learning patience, perseverance, and time management skills through doing art. The art contest and art show display opportunities that Visionary Arts have the kids participate in are instrumental to this. Last year's Junior Duck Stamp contest was my daughter's first big art project that she completed from start to finish. Ever since, my daughter's confidence in being able to complete bigger projects has increased. The art studio does get busy at times when there's a deadline for submission to art contests but even during the busy times Teacher Helen manages single handedly all the kids and parents remarkably well. It is a small business after all and those are the kind that I like to support the most and feel I get the most out of. We've certainly gotten a lot out of our experience with Visionary Arts! Thank you, Visionary Arts!

My daughter signed up for summer camp for a month this year. The camp itself is okay but I want to…read morecomment on business owner response for cancelling membership. When we signed up summer camp, it only has auto renew option on website but it says you can cancel anytime. As school stated, we want to cancel membership, but I can't cancel cancel link on website. I called owner, emailed her, wechat her but no response from her at all. . I can she's online, active and commented on my friends post but not responding to my cancellation. Be careful when you signed up visionary art, you will have a hard time getting money back and no response from owner Helen.

I recently began painting under the warm and inspiring guidance of Shubhada. Shubhada is an…read moreincredibly calm, patient, and creative teacher. She guides you step-by-step, gently helping you discover the artist within. Her art room is filled with the soothing sounds of melodious music, surrounded by her stunning paintings, and energized by a wonderful fellow learners. It's not just a class; it's a retreat. Every session is a perfect blend of creativity, relaxation, fun, and laughter. I've cherished every moment learning with her. If you're looking to explore your artistic side while unwinding in a positive, joyful space--Art n Fun with Shubhs is the place to be! Written by Trupti Nangare

We had a wonderful experience at ANFS with Shubhs. She set up an amazingly relaxing environment for…read moreus to paint together, and even went the extra mile to decorate for Valentine's Day. We did the private session, so it was just us and Shubhs, and she made sure we were both comfortable to be ourselves and to maintain a positive attitude. We started off with writing positive affirmations for the painting session, and then we got to choose what we wanted to paint from the many examples she had on the wall. She was super flexible in what we wanted to paint, and even let us paint something that was not one of the examples. During the painting process, she sat with us and taught us step by step what to do to create a beautiful, and well blended painting. Throughout the whole process she was very patient and encouraging, which was so lovely as a beginner painter. She offered snacks and music changes, which made the experience even more personal.

Deepti is awesome! I have been to painting classes all through my childhood and also tried one in…read moreSunnyvale -- Deepti is by far the best. Both my kid and I go here. She's really patient and also helps bring out the creativity in you. What a great gem!

If there were 10 stars, I'd be rating it that high!…read more I began taking classes here a few months after I started chemotherapy. I really wanted something to help me keep my mind and body busy, that wouldn't use too much energy, but gave me a calm and creative outlet. Deepti was SO helpful and kind right from the start. She gave me the flexibility I needed when I was feeling ill, and the encouragement and guidance that I needed to get started on something I had never done before- I had no prior experience. I have now been going to classes for the past year and a half, and I hope never to stop. There's always more to learn and try. Deepti is the perfect teacher in that she knows when to provide instruction and guidance, and when to let you just go at it on your own. She encourages you to fulfill your passion for what you like to paint and gives you the skills you need to do 3/4 or more of the work on your own without more instruction until you want it/ask for it. She gives tips, suggestions, advice, and helps out just at the right times when you need it or get frustrated. She's SO creative and patient! This class has meant so much to me. I can't explain just how caring of a person Deepti is. She's invested in you as a person, not just you as a student. This class really became my mental therapy and helped me get through chemo, and all the repercussions after it. It has brought me great joy and stimulated so many brain cells that I wasn't sure I still had after my chemo and while I'm still taking a chemo oral medication. Deepti has helped me find a way to be proud of what I can create and also encouraged me to try new things, learn and deepen my learning. It's the first thing I've done in a long time that really has allowed me to be creative. And I've found such a sense of pride in my work, that I've even made paintings for family and friends who've asked. I did NOT have any skill in painting prior. I've come a long way and still have much to learn and improve, but Deepti is helping me get there. If you want a place for you or your child to learn and feel like they are learning with a perfect balance of guidance, support and encouragement, then the Artcircle Studio is just the place to go!

I took the intro to stained glass here. I've been burned by other maker classes where you kind of…read morewatch the instructor do everything, but we got to be very hands on. The only shared equipment was the grinders, and there were 6 for our class of 10. There are competitor classes in the area that are cheaper, but I was very happy with my experience here. Parking is easy because there's a dedicated lot. It's a huge makerspace, so there was an open mic night, a photography session, and welding all happening in other places around the warehouse. What a cool environment! Khaled was a very energetic, kind, and supportive instructor. I'm honestly not that pleased with the quality of my work and would love to try again now that I have more experience. I'd come back for an intermediate class, but their website doesn't show any.

I took a blacksmithing class on a Saturday morning. The location for the class is in their hot shop…read morein the back. Entrance is off of Julian vs the Alameda for the rest of the studios. Area was clean and spacious and we had 4-5 hrs of safety talk, demos, and making our own knife from a piece of steel. The instructor was great and if we needed help he'll provide it and overall had a good time. They did provide water but if you want to you can bring your own beverages and a snack since it's from 10am to 2pm. Had a great time and hope to come back for more classes!

I first came across this studio on a visit to the bakery next door and was drawn in by the bright…read morecleanliness of the studio. I had just moved back home to the bay area and wanted to continue my pottery journey and take my skills further. I walked in and asked for a tour from the staff on-site and they were very thorough with questions and the walk through! After doing some research on studios in the south bay, I found this one to be the most attractive space in the area. I took a 1.5 skills class (between beginner and intermediate) and am happy to report that I have greatly improved my pottery skills! Prior to taking the class, I was able to throw with some skill and explore shapes. My objective in this class was to throw larger, cleaner, and more confidently. My teacher, Josephine, taught me an alternative method of throwing to what I was used to but I picked up on it quickly and was able to adjust my style to center and throw beyond 2 lbs. This in itself was a win because I have relatively smaller hands that would cramp easily when trying to move larger clay bodies. From the beginning of the class, Josephine clarified the goals of each student to identify the emphasis of our 6-week class. We cut through cylinders, practiced shaping, throwing off the hump, etc. By the halfway point, I was able to pull even cylinders with significantly more weight, setting up success for larger forms. I highly recommend this class and I am very happy with my work :) In the class, I started with Laguna Half and Half, then B-mix. About the studio: The studio is airy and clean. *Emphasis* on clean! Although many students do not have prior experience working in artistic spaces, everyone is respectful and mindful of the community. Meaning, people look after their own messes and clean up their stations, which is much appreciated in a creative community; this was a major factor in my deciding to sign up with this studio. If you take a class, there are long hours of open studio to come in and practice throwing, tools available for potters, and staff on-site to answer questions. If you are a more established potter, there are dedicated wheels for members. Overall, this studio gave me a lot of flexibility to grow my skills in a relatively short amount of time. I was able to reevaluate my throwing methods with an encouraging cohort, in a fantastic space. They also have some great glazes and stains to finish off your pieces with. It's also a plus that this is centrally located in a great part of Cupertino/South Bay. I am looking into more special guest workshops and a membership at this point. I've loved my time here and if you are hopping on the pottery wagon, this is a superb place to be!

New ceramics studio just opened in Cupertino! They offer both adult classes and memberships (with…read more20% member discount for members). They have 12 member wheels and 10 class wheels. There is a slab roller, extruder, and wedging table available for use. They have 16 glazes available. Clay will be fired to Cone 6 (currently they have BMix and Speckled buff for now but will expand more in the future.) Member hours are 9am-9pm starting in July. And of course they have a friendly and welcoming staff. :)

We had a wonderful experience at Paint with Emily! This was our first paint and sip event and it…read morewas truly enjoyable! The instructor, Emily, was so funny and nice. She assured everyone that our paintings were going to turn out great no matter our skills and as long as we didn't give up and just had fun. All the materials were set out and ready for us to use. Emily was a fabulous host and everything was well organized. The location, Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards in Saratoga, is a perfect place to relax and paint. The serenity and beauty really inspired us--or maybe that was the wine! Overall, we had an amazing time and can't wait to do it again. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this experience!

Jenny is absolutely fantastic! Her instruction is easy to follow, she is so engaging with the kids…read moreand the finished products were beautiful. She makes everything so easy from start to finish. I couldn't recommend her more for any kind of kids art party....you will not be disappointed!

Great fun, relaxing and challenging at the same time! Jenny is knowledgeable and a delightful…read moreteacher...highly recommend a class for adults and great for kids

Apparently this has not been reviewed in about 10 years, so I'm happy to provide an update: it's…read morestill great! I took a 6 week class and truly loved it. I am not a natural at pottery so I took the class again. I had a different instructor for the first round of classes than the second and both were really talented potters and teachers, clearly masters of their craft, and clearly deeply passionate not only about ceramics but about teaching it. I have since been going to open studio for about 1.5 years and it's such a special place! The kiln techs and instructors are truly passionate and there's even a local celeb potter there regularly as a tech who is an absolute wealth of knowledge and quite truly a master. There are a wide range of skill levels from more beginner (me) to intermediate to highly advanced folks, which is a really lovely blend in studio and everyone is so incredibly kind and supportive. I adore the ceramics community here and have made life friends from it! The studio itself: they have tables if you need to sit, a slab roller and LOTS of molds and patterns for slab building, several clay options (bmix, t2, porcelain), and a variety of glazes that they make in house, as well as commercial underglazes. They provide all the tools you would need, but if you need any specialty tools I recommend bringing your own. The wheels are well maintained electric wheels (and one kick wheel!) and there are options for folks in wheelchairs as well. It's a well maintained and cared for supportive space. I couldn't be more thankful. AND the wheels overlook a beautiful pond! What more could you want? If I could hope for one more thing it would be more glaze options, but they do already offer quite a few crowd-pleasers in the more neutral family of glazes.

I started taking pottery wheel lessons here about a year ago. On Saturday mornings at open studio,…read moreI'm pretty sure there's no where else on the planet I'd rather be. The studio is a great place to spend a four hour chunk of your life -- good light, about 15 electric potter's wheels (I've never had to wait for one), a plaster wedging table, a slab roller, and most of the tools you could ever need. You can choose between three high fire clays (porcelain, B-mix, and brown); each is $16 for a 25 pound bag. With its high fire gas kilns and beautiful glazes that make even slightly wobbly bowls look artistic, it's about as close as the general public is likely to get to a professional studio. Instruction is casual and provided on an as-needed basis. The main teacher is Danny Sheu, who is terrific on the wheel and a great instructor, too. Unlike other pottery teachers I've had, he won't waste time telling you that you have 'an interesting technique' if you're doing it wrong, but he's always happy to show you how to do it right. Just catch his eye if you need help. Beginners might prefer his more structured six week classes, but if you're a quick learner, you can just show up at open studio and ask for a lesson in the basics of centering, opening, and compressing. Some of the open studio regulars are professional or near professional potters, but everyone is friendly and willing to lend a newbie tools and advice. That said, no one is there to socialize, so there's plenty of space and quiet to concentrate on your own project. I consistently come out of open studio covered in clay and beaming. Cheaper and better than therapy any day!