The Creative Escape

First time I took our oldest two to Creative Escape was a hoot. We went with our Kiwanis club to make bowls to donate to Habitat for Humanity fundraising efforts. It was so much fun! I was really worried because at the time, my second-oldest was about to turn 4. So ... to say the least, I had visions of him tearing through the store, breaking everything in his path.Boy, was I wrong. These kids--all the kids, in fact--were absolutely enthralled and taken by the pottery painting. They all sat up at the tables together, with the adults, and painted bowls to donate to a good cause.It was a great time and a wonderful learning experience. But not only that, the kids made the most beautiful bowls! Even better than the adults. Know why? We adults TRIED TOO HARD. Kids are kids and make the most creative pieces every time.I love to see how the bowls look after they're painted--usually a mess. But it's the most fantastic transformation to see how your bowl (or other ceramic of your choice, including figurines, plates, plaques, mugs, etc.) turns out after it has been fired in the kiln. When we picked up all the Kiwanis club members' bowls, we were blown away. The color is so deep and fantastic on every single one.Head to Creative Escape next time you need a good gift for a loved one. We've gone back several times (And my husband has snuck all three boys out to make me the best Mother's Day gifts EVER ... handmade masterpieces) and plan to make plates for the grandmas until they have an entire set of homemade dishes. What a wonderful gift!NOTE: You don't need a reservation. Walk right in! (Reservations are suggested for large groups.) Thursday night is Ladies Night from 6-9 p.m.

My son's teacher held a gathering here for his first grade class. The manager and another employee were present. They were unfriendly, unenthusiastic, impatient, and generally disinterested. Neither employee engaged with a single child. They couldn't even bothered to smile, let alone say "thank you."I volunteered to pay for two pieces they said had been painted by other group members who ostensibly left without paying. (Neither employee recognized my generosity in doing so--which in part saved them some headache. These were very small pieces. Given that it was their error in not properly collecting payment from each partygoer, they ought to have just written it off.) We later discovered that one of the pieces had not, in fact been painted. Rather than apologize for their error, the employee made a snide remark about it being the customer's fault. I'm still not convinced that the other piece was unpaid for--rather I think they probably made a clerical error given their lack of organization.The employee who supervised the party also complained about the noise. Perhaps she expected first graders to paint in silence. The manager never left her perch on the stool behind the desk. It must not have occurred to her that her associate might need assistance. Our group was in the establishment for exactly an hour on a Sunday when it appeared there were only two other customers. These two young women need to realize that, without paying customers, their employer can't afford to pay them, and that repeat customers are their best source of revenue. So they should exhibit a modicum of hustle for the brief time that they actually have to do some work during an otherwise, quiet, un-busy day.As an aside, they do not even have so much as a paper cup on hand for a drink of tap water. If your child is thirsty you'll be invited to drive across the street to CVS.I'd like to point out that the 5-star reviews mention how much fun pottery painting is, and the variety of available projects, but make no mention of employees being friendly or helpful.Pottery By You at 86th/Township Line and Half Baked Pottery in Broad Ripple are far more deserving of your business. Their owners are on-site and their employees are fantastic!

It had been a while since I'd been into Creative Escapes when I took my kids today. This used to be my favorite place to paint pottery so I was disappointed to find it has changed significantly. The selection of pottery was dismal. There was trash on the floor and it was generally dirty. The gentleman was friendly but the older woman (who appears to be the owner) just seemed annoyed by the presence of others. The overall experience was disappointing. We won't be back.

Love this place! I've been to this place a few times - usually with a group of ladies I work with. We like to release our inner "creative" selves after a stressful week of work! Anywho, what I really like about this place (and what is different about this place compared to other paint your own pottery studios) is that you can choose from a multitude of projects. You can choose from pottery, mosaics, silver jewelry, or glass. On my most recent trip I made a really neat holiday-themed glass plate. Cost $35. We also made silver jewelry one evening - this is neat b/c you don't have to wait for them to fire your project - you can take the jewelry home with you that day! (for the pottery and glass projects you have to wait a week or two for them to fire the project). Most projects range from $5 - $35. So you don't have to spend a lot of $$ to get your creative vibe on if you don't want to. Oh, and if you're not the super creative type, no worries b/c the studio has TONS of ideas for you to copy off of (I'm not ashamed to say I've done this! they encourage it!). Some of the things you can make and/or paint: earrings, pendants, rings, business card holder, coasters, plates, bowls, vases, chips/dip plate, various serving plates, coffee mugs, kleenx cover, baby foot/hand prints on a plate.... TONS more to choose from!

What a special treat it was to visit and be creative at this store. It made me feel like a kid again, while also allowing me to bring out my inner artist ...I use the word "artist" very loosely ...heehee. I think the hardest thing was choosing what to paint, but after that decision was made, the sky was the limit to how creative you can be with your project. There were a couple of children there with their mother and they were so focused on their painting that you didn't hear a peep out of them. I was extremely impressed by the Manager, Chelsea. She was SO sweet and genuinely interested in making sure our experience at the store was the best possible. She made herself very available by giving us help and great suggestions, explaining all the different paints and types of effects we could get from them. She had the sweetest disposition and you could tell she really loved and was commited to her job, the store, and her customers. I also enjoyed looking around and finding some crosses, "Jesus" fish symbols, and scriptures -- it's clear that this store is owned by Christians. It truly was a delightful way to spend an afternoon.Gea HarringtonIndianapolis, IN