Crealde School of Art Main Campus — Local services in Winter Park

Crealde is such a gem (and the campus is very charming!). I've traveled around the U.S. and I haven't found anything like it. It's especially great for someone like me in my 30s who wants to pursue art, but doesn't want the financial investment to go back to school for it. The classes are so reasonably priced, and from my experience, I feel like you're getting so much more than you pay for — my instructors have been SO good!

My skills have improved drastically in the 7 months since taking classes. Some instructors I've had and highly recommend are Dennis Schmalstig (drawing), Patty Kane (watercolor), Beth Pendleton (oil), & Joseph Mattus (drawing, colored pencils).

I really like that in most mediums, you can progress through classes as your skills grow. For example, if you're interested in oil painting, you can take the Fundamentals of Color, Design, & Comp class to get started, and the school provides most of the supplies so you don't have to invest a ton. Then move on to Oil I, Oil II, and then there are other advanced oil classes you can...

I found Crealde three years ago and this is my happy place! I began taking wheel throwing classes with Vince and Jeff and then moved on to hand building with Belinda. These teachers are not only incredibly talented, they love to share their knowledge and expertise. The pottery studios were recently renovated and they are a great place to learn. The children's studio is also new and has the best window view!

Towards the back of the campus, there are tables where you can sit and relax, grab a bite or just enjoy the view of a pond. This is my favorite spot to have lunch between class and open studio (where you can go and work at the studio on your own).

Crealde has beautiful galleries with incredible works of art, as well as pieces all over its campus. It seems that every time I look around, I find something new!

This is not just an art school, this is a community where teachers and students work together to create art and...

Crealde School of Art has proved to be one of the bigger environments for actualizing what it means for me to be an artist in a public space. In simpler terms it gave me a place to "fake it until I make it". I feel for my artistic inspirations, aspirations, and delusions to become reality they must be presented as a tangible entity or idea that another person can experience. The public space if you will. Crealde has given me that space by providing a platform for showing, creating, and talking art.

That space has been inhabited by a positive and nurturing environment which included many kind, giving, and caring people. To top it off it inhabits a wonderful main campus which I used many times for inspiration in...