I hired Jessica to create an artwork for my unsightly driveway retaining wall. It was a wonderful…read moreexperience. She collaborated with me on the design and offered several options. Jessica created a delightful floral mosaic design. She kept me informed of cost and schedule. The result is drop-dead gorgeous! Friends and neighbors are so complimentary. Even the mailman is a big fan! There are so many lovely mosaics and murals in the city of Philly, so it felt especially fun to bring some of that whimsey into the suburbs. She allowed my grandson and other family members to place a tile on the wall, making it even more special. My grandson loves to point out "his leaf" to everyone. Jessica is a talented and committed artist with years of experience. She is friendly, down-to-earth, and easy to work with. Her creations are unique. She uses a mixture of handmade clay tiles with special designs and glazes along with commercially-made tile. The result is breath-taking. She is a delight to work with. I can highly recommend her.

I absolutely loved this mosaic class! The instructor/owner, Jessica was patient, knowledgeable,…read moreand made the entire process feel approachable--even for beginners. The step-by-step guidance was clear, but we were also given plenty of creative freedom to make our pieces unique.

Fantastic space, even better mission and lots of thought provoking events that we need in these…read morethoughtless times.

We attended a wedding reception on the top floor (third) of the Asian Arts Initiative ("AAI") and…read morehad a great time. The AAI is located in Philadelphia's Chinatown North (Callowhill) neighborhood, attached to a Best Western Plus which was perfect for wedding guests. The center sits on Vine which parallels I-676. It has nice views of the downtown Philly skyline to east and south, especially from the top floor. The AAI is a nonprofit organization. It serves as a community center with an art gallery, workshops, meeting spaces, and theater. The art gallery is located on the first floor and is open weekdays, 10am-6pm. The organization is inclusive, works to promote racial equity, and encourages discourse about the Asian-American experience. Like many buildings in Center City, the AAI building is old and creaky. There are both stairs and an elevator. The stairwell on the lower level had a funky, sewer-like smell. The stairwell had cool, colorful murals. The wedding reception took over pretty much the entire third floor space. The open layout had all-white walls and wood (or wood laminate) flooring. The ceiling was decorated in string lights, there was ambient blue and purple lighting up some of the walls, and six windows provided views facing south towards city skyscrapers. There were white tablecloths, candles and flowers, white folding chairs, bar and catering stations set up along the perimeter by Chef's Table Catering of Philadelphia (https://www.yelp.com/biz/chefs-table-catering-philadelphia), a DJ, sound and lighting system, and photo booth. The ductwork was exposed and generally, the room had a sort of loft or factory feel to it. The reception went off without a hitch. Dinner flowed well, sound was good for mics and music, and lighting was dimmed/turned off for dancing. The reception ran from 6pm to 9pm. During this time, the front door to the center, which otherwise would have been closed, was open. There was a lady stationed at the front desk and she was helpful. The floor was a little warm. I'm not sure if the AC was working or not. There were two restrooms. At this event, they were designated one per sex though I think normally, they're gender-neutral. The ladies got the multi-stall restroom while the guys got the single-stall restroom. This caused a backup for the guys at one point. I think we could have also used restrooms on the other two floors if we had to.

Jane Gallery is one of those small galleries that really stands out. It focuses heavily on women…read moreartists and a lot of the exhibitions center around identity, culture, and lived experiences. Like most galleries, it clearly has its own curatorial style and the artists they invite reflect that. Here, the focus tends to be on representation, storytelling, and work that explores womanhood from different perspectives. I went for Philly first Fridays, and right now the exhibit is centered on women's bodies for Women's History Month. The pieces are powerful but still very tastefully done. Some works are intimate and vulnerable, others more bold and expressive. There's also a mix of mediums like painting, mixed media, and sculptural pieces, which keeps the space interesting. Last time I visited, they had a South Asian focused exhibit that really showcased culture and identity in a beautiful way. It's nice seeing a space consistently highlight artists and perspectives that are often underrepresented. Finding the gallery is part of the adventure. It's tucked down a small alleyway and you follow the pink lights to get there. It might look a little sketchy at first, but once you step inside you realize it's actually a hidden gem. They also had a make your own goddess craft activity during this visit. I am definitely not great at crafts but it was fun and made the experience feel interactive rather than just walking through and looking at art. Small space, but definitely not to be underestimated. The vibe is thoughtful, creative, and very welcoming. Definitely worth checking out.

With First Friday right around the corner its the perfect time to drop a review for another…read moredeserving Old City Art Gallery! I had no idea that Jane Gallery existed before Ministry of Awe started collaborating with other local galleries to mapped out a First Friday Tour. And from the moment that I walked through the almost hidden alleyway and entered the pink string lit door I was hooked! The owner, Alison Mustokoff, is fully committed to displaying art made by female and queer artists (https://6abc.com/videoClip/the-jane-gallery-nataliya-yermolenko-female-artists-queer/16022668/) and their main gallery caters to a featured artist each month. toss in things like a themed cocktail and a chance to meet with the artists, and the receptions feel like a big deal. In addition to art gallery viewings Jane also features things like drawing workshops and yoga on occasions which makes checking their Instagram for events a must (https://www.instagram.com/thejanegallery/).

I've done Paint Nite and others before but this instructor is by far the best! Jesse was the…read moreinstructor and he was great!! He's so funny, knowledgeable, and knew how to keep the class going. Also, Mike his sidekick for the night was awesome too. Whenever someone needed help on their painting or had a question he was there to help. My girlfriends and I very much enjoyed our night at PWAT northeast. This is BYOB, wine and beer only.

Great experience, the instructor was awesome. My friend and I went on 3/7 to paint Monet's lillies…read more Great music, great vibe and laughs and very easy to follow along. Will for sure go again!

We visited the Performance Garage for a private ballet lesson. I was able to take a quick tour of…read morethe venue to observe the performance room before we settled into the ballet room. The owner was there to teach a class and was cordial upon meeting us. I enjoyed the posters on the wall and hearing a bit of history about the facility. This is a great place for a private lesson, a group class, or a performance with a small audience. Parking, on the other hand, is on your own. Allow extra time to find a space.

I Love PG. As a performing artist, it's beyond comforting to know there's an affordable venue in…read morethe city for artist to utilize. You can book the space for practice, performances, plays, rehearsals and classes. Centrally located near CCP, off of 15th and spring garden. You can take the sub easily. Parking can be tough, so plan accordingly if you plan to park on the street. There are parking lots within walking di

When it's the second Thursday of the month, definitely visit Crane Arts if you love art. The…read morebuilding is full of so many art galleries and studios that you'll be able to discover so many talented artists. They also offer light snacks and drinks and some food in a few studios too which is a great bonus.

Visited Crane Arts to check out the 'Shades: Expanding the Language of Black Skin' exhibit at…read moreLuster Gallery & Studio, and stumbled upon some great work! It was a Thursday night, and we were able to enjoy exhibits in the other studios/galleries in the building, so that was a surprise treat. A night of creativity and connection was very much necessary, and I look forward to seeing more and visiting again in the near future.

I was first introduced to Sippin' Pic's Painting Parties when I attended a birthday party at their…read morelocation. I had a great experience. When my friends on social media saw pictures and videos from the event they asked to go. I ended up booking an event the following weekend. Everyone had a great time dancing, painting and singing karaoke. The owners are extremely accommodating and they created a clean, comfortable and welcoming atmosphere. I recommend this business and encourage people to experience it at least once.

The owners for the market are so chill they listened to our rec's and got the chips we wanted too!…read moresuper above and beyond we even got a stuffed animal for my daughter! Super neighborhood vibe in the city love stopping by!

This is a new game lounge in the Univeristy City area. You can buy bubble tea and chill or explore…read morethe board games and video games that they have around the lounge. For bigger groups, party games in private rooms are a must try! They also have DDR, a crane machine and a piano so there is a lot of things to do in between studying.