The Arienas Collective reviews

14 Sep 24'

Susan reviewed: Introduction to macrame with Lucy Wayman

"What an enjoyable day! Lucy was so helpful and I learned so much from her. Many thanks."

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Susan Thanks so much for taking the time to send this lovely review of your macrame class with Lucy Wayman. I’m so glad you enjoyed your day, and feel like you’ve learned enough to carry on your new craft at home! We hope to welcome you back to The Arienas Collective. With best wishes Lynn "

7 Jul 24'

Chris reviewed: Silver clay jewellery taster with Anna Campbell

"Excellent and relaxing course and a wonderful teacher. Would love to come back soon!"

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Thank you for taking the time to leave us this lovely review Chris. Anna is passionate about sharing the magic of making jewellery from silver clay, and is a very skilled teacher. We’d love to welcome you back soon to our home-based workshop space! Best wishes, Lynn "

6 Feb 24'

Susan Duncan reviewed: Introduction to macrame with Lucy Wayman

"Great introduction to Macrame. Lucy explained everything very clearly and taught everyone the basic knots they needed to complete a project. She was so good at going around helping everyone (no easy task when we were doing different projects). The workshop was set in Lynn's lovely home and we had all the equipment we needed to complete our projects. Tea and coffee were supplied in lovely bone china cups. I would highly recommend this course. Thank you"

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Susan Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this lovely review. It means so much to us. Lucy does indeed do a great job at supporting people to create their individual macrame projects, and it was wonderful to see so many different styles. And thank you for appreciating the small things too, like my family's vintage cups. I love my tea, and always think it tastes nicer in a lovely china tea cup! I hope your fabulous macrame hanging has found its rightful place hanging proudly at home. And I hope to welcome you back again soon. Best wishes Lynn"

2 Feb 24'

Ann reviewed: Beginners Screen Printing Onto Paper

"This course was a great introduction to screen printing. A lovely course tutor who was very knowledgeable and encouraging. Great host and lovely workspace that made for a wonderful relaxed evening where some fantastic images were created in a short space of time. I would definitely return and recommend the course and providers! "

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Thanks for this lovely review Ann, and for taking the time to leave it. It was wonderful to have you join us, and to welcome you to our workshop space. I thought everyone did so well, and thank you for letting me join in :-) I do love when I get the chance to get creative myself too! We hope to welcome you back soon. Enjoy your prints! Best wishes Lynn :-) "

3 Dec 23'

Christine Armstrong reviewed: Beginners silver clay jewellery class with Anna Campbell

"The entire day was excellent. It was well organised and delivered in a very nice environment. The atmosphere was a good balance of warm, friendly but professional. I learned a great deal, came home with wearable pieces of jewellery I'd made and met some nice, like-minded people. I will definitely be booking more courses. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable day. "

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Christine Thank you so much for this lovely, thoughtful review. We really appreciate that you have taken the time to share this feedback. And we absolutely love it when people go home proudly wearing the jewellery they have made! Well done on creating such beautiful pieces. We look forward to welcoming you back to The Arienas Collective. And thank you for supporting small, creative businesses. With best wishes Lynn "

2 Jul 23'

Terri reviewed: Introduction to calligraphy

"Such an excellent day learning calligraphy, the pace was just right taking us through the basics with enough space to experiment. Thank you!"

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Terri. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this lovely review. We really do appreciate it, and are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your introduction to calligraphy with Panna. We do love to give everyone the chance to explore their creativity! We hope you keep up the practice at home with the pack Panna gave you. And hope to welcome you back one day. With best wishes, Lynn "

21 Jun 23'

Marinella reviewed: Cold process soap and cream blending workshop with The Scottish Soapworks

"Lovely experience! Definitely recommend it "

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Marinella. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this lovely review. I’m so glad you enjoyed your soap making experience and hope you will continue making soap at home. I look forward to welcoming you back to The Arienas Collective one day. With best wishes, Lynn"

5 Dec 22'

Karen reviewed: Screen printing using gold leaf

"Excellent course ,knowledgeable encouraging tutor. End result brilliant 👏 "

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Karen Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this really lovely review. Lou is indeed a very knowledgeable and skilled printmaker, and loves printing with gold leaf herself! I thought your work was amazing, and loved the finished prints. We hope to welcome you back one day soon. With best wishes Lynn"

27 Sep 22'

Dorothy Hawthorn reviewed: Introduction to lino printing onto paper

"Great course that provided knowledge and experience to get going with lino printing at home. Tutor was skilled and knowledgeable and a good communicator. Course held in beautiful surroundings making it an enjoyable day. Easy to access by public transport. Pleasing to come away with cards and a framed picture. "

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Dorothy Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this lovely review for Suzanne's lino printing workshop. I'm so glad you enjoyed your course and were pleased with the cards and framed print you designed and printed on the day. It was lovely, well done! We hope to welcome you back to The Arienas Collective again. Best wishes Lynn :-)"

28 Aug 22'

Michelle Calvert reviewed: Screen printing using paper stencils

"Really enjoyed the afternoon. Everything was supplied, great tuition. Only thing is, it went by far too quickly! I would highly recommend. "

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Michelle Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this lovely review of Lou's screen printing workshop. They say time always passes quickly when you're enjoying yourself - and especially when you're fully engaged in getting creative, we find ;-) I hope to welcome you back...maybe to one of Lou's full day printing workshops?! With best wishes Lynn"

18 May 22'

Janice A reviewed: Festive soap and cream making with The Scottish Soapworks

"A most enjoyable and relaxing experience. Our tutor, Jenny, made us feel right at home (and that's where we were! Thank you Lyn). A great mixture of giving information, demonstrating, and practical experience of making soap. Everyone in the group was so friendly, and I felt as if I had known them much longer than a few hours. It was very pleasing to be able to take away the soap we had created - a real sense of achievement. Looking forward to making more at home. Many many thanks to Jenny, Lyn and the team for a memorable day: I loved it."

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hi Janice. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful review. I'm glad you enjoyed your workshop and now feel ready to make your own soap at home. I'll be emailing you Jenny's notes soon, so keep an eye on your inbox! I'm sorry to miss seeing you, but it sounds like you quickly made friends with the others in the class. We love it when that happens :-) With best wishes, Lynn and Jenny "

22 Jan 22'

Shula Murdoch reviewed: Art + Wine evenings

"Spent a lovely evening with Suzanne and Lynn. Met lovely people. Would recommend this for beginners."

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Shula Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this lovely review. You were a great group, and it was amazing to see how everyone's interpretation of Iona by Cadell turned out. Each one had its own individual style. I hope to welcome you back one day. With best wishes Lynn"

4 Sep 21'

Elain Bauchop reviewed: Beginners silver clay jewellery class with Anna Campbell

"Great course with Anna. Enjoyed it so much I booked on two subsequent more advanced courses and am enjoying wearing the jewellery I made."

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Elain Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, and we're delighted you've got so hooked on making silver clay jewellery that you've come back for more! We're so impressed with everything you've made, and are particularly glad you're proud enough of it to wear it out and about. Keep creating! Best wishes Lynn and Anna"

4 Sep 21'

Elain Bauchop reviewed: Silver clay ring making

"Excellent course run by Anna learning how to make two rings. Anna is very knowledgable and very patient."

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Elain Thanks so much for another lovely review, and I'm pleased you found Anna so helpful. She is indeed very knowledgeable, and we are fortunate to have an expert like Anna on hand to teach our silver clay jewellery workshops. It's lovely that so many have said how patient and inspiring she is. Look forward to seeing you again soon! With best wishes Lynn"

4 Sep 21'

Elain Bauchop reviewed: Silver Clay Boxes and Beads

"Anna is a superb tutor and extremely knowledgable. The boxes and beads workshop was great for building the skills learnt on an earlier course by Anna."

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hi Elain It's so lovely you've come back to do not one, but two intermediate level silver clay workshops with Anna, and that you've found her to be knowledgeable and patient. Thanks to Anna, many people fall in love with silver clay and this has allowed us to introduce a series of next level workshops, and also introduce our first-ever masterclass course in October - which we're very excited about! We look forward to welcoming you back again soon. Keep creating! Lynn"

18 Aug 21'

Laura MacPhie reviewed: Creative workshop hub in Edinburgh's beautiful and historic New Town

"I recently attended a one-day workshop (lino printing on fabric) at Arienas Collective and cannot rate it highly enough for the entire process. If you are considering using it as a workshop venue, just do it! The venue itself is beautiful and airy, and is full of interesting and quirky pieces and couldn't be handier for travel. Lynn is lovely, friendly and welcoming and the admin was faultless despite so many Gov't Covid cancellations and restrictions: she kept us fully updated with when the course could go ahead, and juggled what must have been a nightmare timetable perfectly. It is just the right size for a small group workshop where everyone can get enough space to work and be safe (Covid again... aargh but necessary) yet still feel part of the group. As a participant, I'll definitely be back and as someone who knows artists who struggle to find the "right"place to lead courses I would totally recommend it. Loved it!"

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Laura. Thank you so much for this lovely, considered review of our workshop space, and for your understanding of the challenges small creative businesses like ourselves have had to face this past 16 months or so. It has been a tough time for so many, but it's thanks to loyal and supportive creatives like yourself that we have survived, and found the will to keep going. Thanks for your personal recommendation: I can't tell you how much it means to me personally, and to all members of our creative Collective. We can't wait to welcome you back, and would encourage any creatives who wish to bring their workshop ideas to life here to get in touch. Lynn x"

18 Aug 21'

Laura MacPhie reviewed: Lino-printing onto fabric

"Great workshop, perfectly pitched for the range of experience across the group. Suzanne is informative and made the learning fun and people quickly grew in confidence trying out various designs and techniques; my toadstool tea-towel has been well complimented at home! The setting is beautiful and airy and is a restful place to work in, and Lynn is doing everything humanly possible to meet the dreaded (but necessary) Covid guidelines with grace and good humour. This meant we could confidently and safely focus on the workshop itself. I look forward to coming back to Arienas for future workshops - loved it!"

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Laura. Thank you so much for this lovely feedback. We really do appreciate it when people take the time to add a review of their course. We are glad you felt safe enough to enjoy your lino printing workshop to the full. We do our best to get the right balance between keeping the space and everyone in it safe, and being able to switch off and focus on getting creative. The compliments for your tea towel are very well-deserved! I absolutely loved your toadstool design and I could think of a few people I know who would love one (you could probably go into hand production with them!). We look forward to welcoming you back. With best wishes, Lynn and Suzanne :-)"

16 Aug 21'

Sian Clifton reviewed: Lino-printing onto fabric

"A well taught and fun workshop. Would highly recommend it."

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Sian, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. I'm so glad you enjoyed your workshop. Personal recommendations are always the best! We look forward to welcoming you back to The Arienas Collective :-) With best wishes Lynn and Suzanne"

26 Jul 21'

Lara Mieduniecki reviewed: Silver clay jewellery taster with Anna Campbell

"A really enjoyable class, I had wonderful day. Anna and Lynne couldn't have been more welcoming. The class was extremely well organised and Anna has endless patience in showing everyone the different techniques. Especially impressed that they sent through an email afterwards detailing what we had covered so we could refer back to it. I have booked the soldering class for later in the year as well to carry on building on what I've learned."

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Lara Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this lovely review. We're so glad you enjoyed your day - we were very impressed with what you made! We can't wait to welcome you back for the soldering class, which we hope you'll enjoy just as much. With best wishes Lynn :-)"

18 Jul 21'

Kirsty Campbell reviewed: Silver clay jewellery taster with Anna Campbell

"I thoroughly enjoyed the silver clay day workshop and would definitely recommend it to friends. Anna created a very calm atmosphere and was so patient explaining everything individually and helping everyone with their pieces. I was so proud of what I achieved with the silver clay- they look fab! Will definitely return for another workshop."

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Kirsty Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this lovely review. I'm so glad to hear you felt calm - it's what we try to achieve even given the Covid restrictions - and that you were proud of what you achieved: they did indeed look fabulous! We look forward to welcoming you back :-) With best wishes Lynn"

17 Jul 21'

Lesley reviewed: Silver clay jewellery taster with Anna Campbell

"It was absolutely fantastic to be able to finally attend another course with Anna and Lynn - very relaxed, great course with enough time to craft the silver clay, it was a bit different with the COVID rules but felt completely safe at all times - loved making my charms and stone setting- highly recommend The Arienas Collective and my friend and I are already looking to book another course - there is something for everyone ???"

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Lesley. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this lovely review. We're so glad to hear you felt safe, since this is important for being able to relax and enjoy your workshop, and benefit from the wellbeing benefits of engaging in a creative activity. We look forward to welcoming you back soon! I wonder what you'll choose next??? With very best wishes Lynn :-)"

28 Jun 21'

Lynda Hepburn reviewed: Bookbinding and sketching workshop at The Arienas Collective in central Edinburgh

"Such an enjoyable day of face-to-face crafting. The book binding with Cass was as always clear, unhurried and helpful. Sketching was the challenge for me, but Mark made time to help each participant with their sketches and give plenty tips. The Arienas Collective is a lovely space to work in and the whole day was a rare treat."

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hi Lynda Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this lovely review. We're so glad you enjoyed your day. The beauty of smaller classes is that the artists have time to give you the support you need, and I'm glad you got some helpful tips from Mark to progress your sketching skills. We hope to welcome you back one day. With best wishes Lynn, Cass and Mark x"

13 Jun 21'

Lucy Logan reviewed: Silver clay jewellery taster with Anna Campbell

"My mum and I really enjoyed our morning making earings, charms and pendants. Thank you Anna and Lynne"

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Lucy Thank you so much for leaving a review. I'm so glad you both enjoyed your day so much. You and your mum made some beautiful pieces! It's such a wonderful material to work with, and lovely to see all the different things people create from the same piece of metal clay. Hope to welcome you both back again one day. With best wishes Lynn"

1 Oct 20'

Nancy reviewed: Art + Wine evenings

"In the midst of all the current chaos, this was a lovely sanctuary of calm! Suzanne and Lynn create a friendly, open atmosphere where you feel encouraged and supported throughout, and as other reviewers have mentioned, you will be amazed at what you create! I'd highly recommend this, and it would make a lovely gift."

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this lovely review Nancy. We're so glad you found some sanctuary while you were here, and really happy to hear that you were amazed at what you created within just 3 hours. You should be rightly proud! Hope to welcome you back soon. With best wishes Lynn"

11 Sep 20'

Ed Robertson reviewed: Learn to sketch with the Edinburgh Sketcher

"Short taster course and really enjoyable. I don't consider myself to be very "Arty", but this brief intro got straight to the point, here is a pen and paper and get sketching. Mark has a relaxed manner and makes time for each person in the group. I've already got a place booked on one of the advanced courses, so I'd better get some practice in. Lynn had everything sorted out for Covid 19 precautions - information, screens, single use items, hand sanitizer etc."

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Ed. Thanks for your lovely review! I’m so glad you enjoyed your workshop with Mark, and felt safe while you were with us for our first In-person workshop since lockdown. We love helping people release their inner artist, and look forward to welcoming you back for your advanced sketching workshop with Mark and to seeing how you’ve progressed. Meantime, keep sketching! Best wishes, Lynn"