Art Academy of San Diego

I’m working on my second stained glass window project with Lisa at the Art Academy.
Lisa is patient and brings loads of experience to share. I initially wanted to start with a big project for my front door. She suggested I start with a smaller project to get a feel for all the steps. I’m happy I took her advice so I could take the time to have fun and learn with my first piece. It’s taken me much longer than I thought to finish my second project. There will be tears when it is complete! I will post when I’m done. Excited to start the next one!
Join us and let your creative spirits cut some glass!

I’ve been a student at the Art Academy for a little over two years, taking Stained Glass on Monday nights with Lisa Maywood. It’s become my art home away from home and I’ve learned so much. After a long day at work, I look forward to going to the Art Academy and seeing the friends I’ve made there.
Lisa is knowledgable, friendly, and gifted in her work. She’s great with beginning and advanced students alike, as she knows just how to get beginners on their feet with stained glass and how to help more advanced students perfect their craft. I’m thankful to have found the Art Academy and look forward to continuing my classes there.

I had an amazing time taking Connie’s drawing classes! She is a brilliant teacher, who makes you believe you can draw anything and you really can! It doesn’t matter, whether you had a drawing experience or not, this classes are a lot of fun for beginners and people with some drawing background.
Groups are usually small, so Connie really spends time with each student and her techniques are amazing! You really learn and she changes the way you see things!
Very friendly and relaxing atmosphere! It’s like therapy, except you pay a lot less and actually learn something!
Can’t wait to take more classes! So glad we have this place !

Love my Monday classes with the director of the academy. Stuart is an amazing artist and instructor, this is better than therapy and keeps me balanced during the entire week! I get to learned from him and the students and the music the atmosphere is perfect to create and work on my painting skills.
He really knows how to get the best out of you, if you are ready to get your painting skills to the next level you should enrolled in a Monday class with Stuart Burton.

I would ask for a refund but leaving a bad review will get this torture off of my chest and the money would not. What a total waste of money! I am madder than a mad hatter! I feel cheated and ripped off. My feelings ARE valid and mine to own no matter the businesses potential excuse. The instructor was not current on any of the new techniques or training. I can state this for a fact.
I would never again SIGN UP for anything this place has to offer! I would leave a Unilocal zero, that the company can later supress to last place by paying Unilocal,but that was not an option. I paid over $ 1,000 fto the shcool and spent another $ 1,000 in supplies.
The worst was the teacher made fun of the students behind their backs, but loud enough that the student being made fun of could hear her say the indecent and often uncalled for remarks taking almost everything to a personal hateful level. She made fun of me to my face and I ignored her because it is none of my business what she thought of me. I tried to explain my rationalization and she blah blah blah blah.
We were informed how much each teacher made by name. Why do I need to know this information? This is none of my business. I do not care how they spend money on instructors. I care about quality of education received and this was in the deficit. I would expect better equipment and supplies with that type of quality leadership.
There appears to be a dicension of rank within the company unravelling from the inside out. We were not allowed to do anything because «Stuart (sp)» would never allow that… Stuart said no… Stuart told us we not to touch that… Stuart would not allow that either… you cannot bring that because Stuart would never allow that…” Who is this Stuart?

I took classes in silversmithing here years ago to gain some new skills in my jewelry making endeavors. My goal was to learn how to make my own findings and create things from scratch, instead of wire wrapping and cold connecting. I took a 7 week class with Diana Jacobsen who’s personal style is reminiscent of Mexican silver jewelry from the 1940’s and 1950’s. In a class of women who were more interested in chatting and socializing, I used the opportunity to focus on gaining as much knowledge as possible in the time I had, classes are pricey and I’m on a budget!
Diana let me work ahead and even taught me a skill usually reserved for the second level class. After completing the course I started putting my own studio together and now, 5 years later I’m a full time metalsmith working with gold in addition to silver and copper, and I’m learning more skills all the time. Getting the foundation from Diana was exactly what I needed to forge my own path as a metalsmith. I recommend her class if you can afford the fees, materials, and tools!

i never had a chance to attend the classes i paid for because the instructor called me and let me know he couldn’t teach me oil painting techniques, because he only painted acrylics.
Would be fine if they gave me my money back right away, instead they wanted to charge me $ 50 cancellation fee (even though the teacher canceled) and now they are in no hurry to give it back.
Will update my review if they don’t return it soon.

There are plenty of artists in San Diego, so Stuart, the director, has his pick of artists who can teach… inspire…and …create! Stuart leads a school whose sole purpose seems to be fostering the artist within you and supporting you as you become a better artist. Great classes, instructors, and classmates! No portfolios, no waiting for an open slot, and no competitive critiquing! I wanted to sculpt and one year later, I am sculpting and making some pretty awesome stuff with Mary Carin, an artist and an excellent mentor/​instructor, at the Art Academy of San Diego!

I took beginning drawing here earlier this year with Brian and really enjoyed it. It was a fun, relaxed environment. The courses are three hours which I think is a great length because you have time to learn and to get into your work. Day and evening course offerings work for most schedules. I am not a natural and have zero design background but I was still able to learn a lot and ended the class with drawings that looked like what I wanted them to. I took the 14-​week course, originally signed up for the 7-​week but realized I needed more time. For some, 7 weeks were enough and they went onto painting or one of the many other course options. I actually just looked and it seems as though beginner is now only 7 weeks. I intend to take more classes here in the future.

I am an ongoing student of Connie Athens’ watercolor class. I started out in her beginning drawing class three years ago. She is the best and most supportive teacher I have ever had. As long as I can afford it, I will take classes from Connie. Due to her tuteledge I am now selling my paintings and taking commissions on peoples homes, businesses and pets and making a steady income! A very supportive and artistic community. You will make great friends as well.

I’ve taken a few painting classes, even hold a college degree in fine art so one could say I have some experience with instructors. Stuart, the owner, is the right blend of support and letting you work through trying something new. I’m very pleased with the atmosphere as well. Fun, friendly, and relaxed. A perfect

I have taken classes from Stuart for 3 years now, painting was always a hobby and my paintings remained in the garage and my knowledge was stagnant. I have learned much about painting in my three years and now my paintings are going on walls. I can see my progression and development in each painting. The school offers different painting classes to accomodate different styles. I highly recommend this school

I would not sign up for Art Academy classes unless your schedule is wide open because you cannot do make up classes if you miss classes for any reason. They are not flexible and will require that you pay for an entire new semester just to finish the project you started. If you know you won’t have scheduling conflicts, maybe you won’t have a problem. However, don’t expect them to be flexible. They are about as rigid as it gets if there’s an opportunity to get more money from you.
Were I reviewing Mary Carin, the instructor, I would give five stars. She is fantastic. Try taking a class from her somewhere else.

Quick and simple… It’s a fantastic school! They are very friendly and have such a wide range of creative classes. Give it a try! You will love it no matter what level of artist you are. Just enjoy being creative and have fun.

I took a one-​day class here before they moved to their new location. They had to cancel and reschedule twice! The instructor was very approachable and knowledgeable, but his instruction style was very much «go out and play on your own», which could have been a reflection of the kind of class I took, but I couldn’t help wondering what I had paid the money for. They also don’t change up their schedule nearly often enough — if nothing interesting fits your schedule at any given time, it is going to stay that way for months on end. I’m not saying that their offerings should be ever-​rotating, but a change every 6 months or so would be helpful. As it is right now, there is nothing I can take until they change up their schedule again (and heaven only knows when that is going to be!).

I just started class on painting, and it’s been good so far. It’s a beginner’s class so we started with the color wheel, which I haven’t done since high school. I’m happy just to be painting something and learning some basics. There are only 2 students in the class, but the instructor kind of chats with other people that are working on their paintings which has its ups and downs. You don’t feel super pressured cuz he’s staring at you, but sometimes he’s not right there if you have a question.

I originally attended art school for Oil Painting, but in the end I graduated with a BFA in design. In recent years I’ve longed to get back to my easel and much to my enjoyment I have found myself with some extra time and the perfect place to reconnect with my artistic side and other creative individuals.
The Art Academy of San Diego is a wonderful space where I have been able to brush up on my painting skills by taking classes with other professionals and artists of all levels of skill. Recently I took an abstract painting class with Reed Cardwell and a Mosaic class with Lauren Becker Downey, both are impressive and accomplished artists that are down-​to-​earth, helpful and very inspiring. This space has provided a supportive place for creative growth and an accessible studio for me to work at.
The Art Academy of San Diego is truly an extraordinary opportunity for any individual who wishes to explore the creative arts!
Check out many of the artists and students that attend classes here at the upcoming «Evening in the East Village» Friday, Feb. 29^th 5−9pm. The businesses in the East Village will be throwing their doors open with food, drink and art!