Gage Academy of Art

Took art classes here before. Price for a full class is $ 400+ but I heard scholarships are available especially if you can find your last tax return.
Good overall instructors who seen to be proud educated individuals who are of course artists and educators. Also they have teen classes and one day or weeklong courses.
Mostly students tend to be older, maybe this population has the time and money to make it worth their while.

I had been an avid patron of Gage and have taken a number of courses there. I always liked the caliber of their teachers but after today’s conversation/​phone chat with the finance director, I will never take a class there again.
I signed up for a class in mid 2013 before I knew I was pregnant, but due to the difficulties I experienced which required lots of rest, my doctors advised me to take it easy and stay off my feet. When I withdrew from the class I communicated my situation to the previous finance director, who was very accommodating and allowed me to keep the ~$ 400 credit I had on file beyond one year. After having my baby it was impossible to return to class (as any new moms know), and I emailed the director to let him know. He said it was fine but after a few additional unanswered emails in late 2014, I decided to call them today to check in.
I was transferred to a new finance director who had replaced the guy I corresponded with, and the new woman was curt and rude from the start. I asked if there was anything she could do so I wouldn’t lose $ 400 and she acted like the old director was already doing me an inappropriate favor for keeping the credit on beyond one year. She also kept mentioning that none of this was communicated to her, as though it was my responsibility to make sure the two of them discussed these things before she came on board. I even asked her if there was a way to donate the $ 400 instead of just letting it disappear and she basically wanted to hear nothing of it. I really expected her to be a bit more gracious in response to a donation offer, even if it couldn’t be done.
When I asked her what the refund policy was after the first class took place, she said she didn’t know the details and told me to go to their website. Really?! For a finance director, isn’t it your job to learn the ins and outs of your program before you take the job? In the end she begrudgingly said she’d give me 15% off a class but it had to be used by the summer (3 months). I had already mentioned to her that as a new mom it was hard for me to get away, and her measly offer was a grand discount of, what, $ 60 due to expire in 3 months, when I had given this institution $ 400 for free.
I really wasn’t trying to get $ 400 back from her but just wanted to sync up and see what could be done. I would have happy accepted the sunk cost had she been more sympathetic and nice in the way she communicated. It’s all about how you come across, and she was so busy trying to fend me off and make me feel bad rather than just listen and offer some kind of apology, then we could have both been on our way and had a good day. Instead she really upset me with her attitude and now I will never take a class at Gage again, as I don’t want to support this institution that hired a very unkind and condescending director.
Just a note, my favorite instructor has left Gage anyway so it’s not a big loss. I gotta wonder why he left after teaching there for so long. Do they treat their teachers well?

I’m taking a drawing class at Gage and am really enjoying the class, the teacher and the whole environment. But I do have to agree with some of the other posts regarding administrative issues. That said, I like the school and I’m happy.

This place was instrumental in helping me get into art school.
I have gone to countless open drawing studios (both for gesture and extended pose) and two drawing jams. My public high school had no live model drawing, serious art schools determine acceptance over drawing home tests, and drawing classes at Pratt were expensive and only offered at inconvenient times. Gage offered super cheap, no appointment, all levels welcome, frequent, conveniently timed open drawing studios and I spent a whole winter taking advantage of it. The staff was also helpful in getting me set up with a monthly discount pass.
Though the sessions were not led by an instructor, the other artists in the studio were welcoming and offered me helpful critique. The skills I picked up from all the nude model drawing practice got me in a place where I was ready to draw realistically and with confidence. I ended up getting into every art school I applied to (and a few scholarships) and I fully attribute my drawing home test success to the Gage.
The drawing jams were how I got first introduced to the Gage: great variety of studios offered, tons of people so get to a studio early for an easel with a good view, good free food on a cold winter’s day, and fun live music. How often are you going to have the chance to draw intricately costumed live models in a room packed with artists with a string quartet in the background and snow piling up on the windows?! Super fun experiences, both times.

I go by the rule of three — once or twice might be a mistake but if I’m insulted three times by the staff, I don’t come back. This was the third disappointing instance at Gage. Don’t bother with them unless you enjoy paying to be insulted. Try Pratt or any number of other fine Seattle institutions.

Drawing Jam review only:
I haven’t done much art, if at all, in almost 10 years. So on a whim, I headed up here for artsy time. It was neat how you could walk about to the variety of studios across 3 floors and the next door auditorium/​gym space. After some walking around just to soak it all in, I setlled in on this one studio on the 3^rd FL where, despite hearing an anticipated larger event crowd, it was just me in there! I s’pose that was my cue. I started a bit, then just fell on tangents and doodled in my own world. ;) I usually enjoy geometric, archtectural & random stuff and not still props… I was considering the Visual Art HH but glancing inside past the line, it looked like just small snacks and wine? I think.
You had a variety of supplies at your service and the studios were quite diverse; you had still life objects – all the way up to Nude poses. I believe this was a family-​friendly event, too, as there were kids, seniors and everyone between.