Unleash Your Inner Artist
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Long Beach honors its local artists through mural-walled streets and eclectic shop windows. But the art scene doesn’t stop at simply viewing or buying a piece. The city is home to many businesses that offer hands-on art classes to encourage individuals of all ages to express themselves, focusing on creativity and not perfection.
Clay on First
Photo by @dassquirrel.media
Clay on First is a full-service ceramics studio that offers a wide range of pottery classes, services and specialty workshops. Since its establishment in 2009, Clay on First’s goal focuses on cultivating a “welcoming environment for the exploration and manifestation of the creative inner workings inherent in everybody.”
Try your hand at the pottery wheel and learn to mold rustic decor and dishware from a lump of wet clay. Decoration classes are also offered to allow customization before the pottery is glazed and fired.
Beginners can take part in a one-time intro class, or delve into the art of pottery through a multi-class series ranging from six to twelve weeks. Private classes are open to groups interested in getting their hands dirty together. For experienced artists, the space is available to master their craft and store their art through a paid membership.
Past workshops have included beginner-friendly mug and pumpkin creations, and future classes will focus on ornament making for the holiday season.
408 E 1st St. Unit B Long Beach, CA 90802
Open Thursday - Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Brushstrokes + Beverages
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For those looking to liven up their evening or make art classes feel more like a social affair, attend a painting session hosted by Brushstrokes + Beverages. Established in 2012, Brushstrokes + Beverages began as Long Beach’s first paint-and-sip through collaborations with local restaurants and wine bars.
These workshops are led by seasoned artists who teach painting basics to participating patrons. The studio changes their class theme and paints subjects every day so visitors can visit daily without feeling dull. Guests are welcomed to bring their favorite snacks and non-alcoholic beverages to savor as they color their canvases. Brushstrokes + Beverages also partners with alcohol retailers District Wine and Trademark Brewing on select dates, just in case you want to get your creative buzz on.
Brushstrokes + Beverages offers multiple weekly classes inside and out of their studio space. Individuals may locate the time, location of the classes and collaborations through their event calendar on their website.
431 E Broadway Long Beach, CA 90802
Visionary Artware Gallery & Studio
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If you want a pop of color in your garden or outdoor space, take a mosaic-making class at Visionary Artware Gallery & Studio. Open to all ages and skill levels, their classes teach individuals how to make mosaic pieces with hand-glazed tiles.
Apart from learning mosaics, individuals can take a glass-cutting course to create stained glass suncatchers or window treatments. The studio also sells hand-made art and mosaic supplies, and offers studio space for advanced mosaic artists.
Until the end of the year, people can enroll in “Taste of Mosaic with a Sip of Wine”, a workshop where they can learn the basics of mosaic-making while enjoying a glass of something bubbly.
2915 E Broadway Long Beach, CA 90803
Open Wednesday - Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday’s from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.