Education & Classes in Lemon Grove

Bonnie Stromer, a registered art therapist, opened Xpressive Arts Center to make art programs available for everyone in the community, animating her belief that the arts are an important form of communication. Inside the historic stone building, instructors lead an array of classes in printmaking, beadwork, and painting. Art-therapy sessions are led by a registered art therapist specializing in treating children who have behavioral problems and adults who suffer from depression; the art therapist palliates these afflictions by stoking the flames of each individual’s artistic expressivity. During the popular BYOB painting sessions, groups of painters bond and learn new techniques over wine, beer, or basically any kind of matter that starts with the letter b. A variety of parent-and-child classes, such as Mommy and Me sessions and family craft nights, helps strengthen the bond of caregivers and tots through artistic expression and paste.

Featured on Fox 5 and CBS 8, PaintNVineyard's painting classes give students of all skill levels the chance to learn how to paint under the direction of a professional artist in a state-of-the-art, fixed-location studio. Each class focuses on a specific subject that everyone in the class re-creates, such as a Tuscany hillside, a view of outer space, or an implausibility of gnus. The staff equips each workstation with acrylic paints, a tabletop easel and canvas, paintbrushes, and any other needed materials. During birthday parties and group outings, the 40-person studio whispers with the sound of brushstrokes and hushed debates about whether Monet knew he was inventing impressionism or was just nearsighted.

Pottery holds a unique place in human history: from clay bowls to sterling platters, housewares are both practical and artistic, at once a means of sustenance and a medium of expression. The latter is especially clear at A Colorful Universe, a vibrant workspace that immerses visitors in a cosmos of creativity, where they're free to transform pottery items, clay, and glass into personalized pieces of art. Along with regular classes, camps, and parties, special events enhance the experience of creating with activities suited for couples on a date or college students taking a night off from studying the dean's weaknesses. No matter the event, the studio's friendly staff is always available to demonstrate new techniques and help finish the pieces in the kiln.

As proprietor of Sew Inspired, Laura spreads her love for clothing design and assembly through creative sewing programs for children, teenagers, and adults. She starts kids out at the foundational level, encouraging them in the creation of simple projects such as crafting felt flowers or stitching smiley faces onto moms' best business suits. Teenage sewers take their learning into their own hands with self-directed sessions while tackling the more advanced concepts of sketching, patternmaking, and draping. Adults may opt to work on personal projects during unstructured open-sew studio times or hone their skills in three-week classes, during which they acquaint themselves with the sewing machine and set to work crafting A-line skirts.

Commanded by a retired Navy fighter pilot and commercial captain with more than 25,000 hours of flying experience, Grey Eagle Aviation's team of certified flight instructors guides students skyward via flights that range from first-time cruises to professional training missions. Students receive their instruction at [McClellan/Palomar Airport])(http://gr.pn/Mkma8u), a tower-controlled airfield that makes a great training environment due to its facilities, sunny weather, and ban on toy planes. Before placing them behind the steering column of a Cessna 152 or 172, instructors teach burgeoning pilots through ground studies in computerized classrooms with modern aids and training materials.

As a high school student, Freddi Pakier's favorite breakfast item was a candy bar. However, as the school days dragged on, her sugar highs inevitably gave way to lethargy and mood swings. She didn't realize the correlation until she was in her 20s, which caused her to completely change her diet—a change that she credits with giving her an abundance of energy and a more positive outlook.

Freddi now shares her story and tips as a health coach at Meals that Heal, introducing students to holistic techniques and the tactics of nutritional science so that they can craft healthful dishes on their own. Her recipes also mesh well with weight-loss plans, helping clients to shed pounds without counting calories or removing their solid gold shoes.

Students can choose from a variety of class options that highlight diverse topics such as travel meals, vegetarian nutrition, detoxifying internals, preventing disease, and strengthening bones. All sessions are safe for those avoiding gluten.