In Park Slope, art is no mere spectator activity. Adults and kids alike—even those who have not yet mastered walking!—can learn everything from watercolor painting to origami, pottery to printmaking.
592 Pacific Street (between Fourth and Flatbush Avenues)
Though classes vary by semester, Created by Kids offers children ages 5 to 10 a variety of afterschool options. Beginning in April it holds painting classes on Mondays, pottery on Tuesdays, drawing on Wednesdays, and printmaking on Thursdays. While classes are hands-on (the school is called Created by Kids, after all), students will also learn a bit about famous artists and the history of the mediums. Come summer, kids can attend day camp at the studio and try a wealth of techniques, including jewelry making and papermaking.
428 15th Street (between Eighth Avenue and Prospect Park West); moving to Seventh Avenue and 13th Street in autumn 2018
In keeping with the philosophy that one is (almost) never to young to develop an appreciation for the arts, Hootenanny offers classes for little ones as young as 15 months old. While the tiniest artistes will be using the likes of “slime,” shaving cream, and flowers to create their works, children ages two to four will be creating self-portraits using paint, clay, and ink, working with spray bottles and pipettes as well as brushes, and even learning embroidery. Five- to seven-year-old will create decor for their bedroom, such as painted pillowcases, and have a say into what sort of projects they would like to work on, from puppets to collages.
200 Seventh Avenue (between Second and Third Streets)
A mug before firing at the Painted Pot. Image: Chris Morgan/Flickr
In summer this studio offers weeklong day camps for children ages 6-14, where they get a chance to make everything from paintings to jewelry to mosaics to, of course, pottery. But kids do not have to wait till school is out to get creative at this walk-in studio—and adults can channel their inner Michelangelo or Matisse as well. In addition to paint-your-own pottery, you can stop by to paint on canvas, create mosaics, or create a glass-fusion objet.
361 15th Street (between Seventh and Eighth Avenues)
The Park Slope Armory YMCA. Image: Jim.henderson/Wikimedia
You do not have to be a member of the Y to enroll in one of its myriad classes. Courses change each session, but it is safe to say that the offering is consistently varied. The spring semester, for instance, included mask and puppet making, photography, and Build, Build, Build, where students created 3-D robots, castles, cars, and other structures. Adults are not left out. Among the spring classes was one for adults that focused on collage and mixed media.
382 Fifth Avenue (between Fifth and Sixth Streets)
A “paint and sip studio,” Pinot’s Palette hosts themed events throughout the week where adults can enjoy wine, beer, or nonalcoholic beverages from the in-house bar while wielding a paintbrush. Recent events included Midnight Merlot, where attendees were encouraged to paint an evening scene, and Choose Joy, a Sunday brunch session where bagels, cream cheese, fruit, and a mimosa were included. Although attendees need to be over 16 years old for the Friday and Saturday evening sessions, all ages are welcome to the other events (though obviously they cannot partake of alcohol).
237 Fifth Avenue (between President and Carroll Streets)
Babies, of course, excel at making messes. Private Picassos’ Art Playgroup for Babies encourages tots as young as 12 months old to make messes on paper that parents can stick on the refrigerator door. Toddlers learn about shapes while honing their fine-motor skills in the Triangles, Squares, and Circles, Oh My! class. For older youngsters, classes include Contemporary Kids, where they use the works of Keith Haring, Jim Dine, and others to spur their creativity; Move Your Body, great for those with energy to spare; and one where kids create their own comic books. The studio also offers evening workshops for adults such as Watercolor Exploration, Quick & Easy Printmaking, and DIY Stamp Creation. All materials are provided, except for your beverage—alcoholic or non—of choice.
95 Seventh Avenue (between Union and President Streets)
Even if you have never been able to create a paper airplane that stayed aloft for more than a nanosecond, you are likely to learn at least the basics of the art of paper folding at Taro’s Origami Studio. Classes are open to all ages (though children under the age of five are strongly discouraged) and skill levels. You and your youngsters can also drop into the studio to work on your own; touchscreen instructions are available for creating a handful of child-friendly designs, which can be further decorated with stickers, stamps, and markers.