Red Dot Gallery - Birmingham, Alabama

LC Kat

Whether you’ve been artistic your whole life and want to broaden your portfolio, or you are simply curious to learn if you have even a drop of artistic creativity within yourself, Red Dot is a fantastic place to learn! Dori is extremely adept at helping students connect with their inner talent in a welcoming and low stress atmosphere. Even though I have been artistic my whole life, oil painting always seemed daunting to learn. Under Dori’s excellent tutelage and encouragement, I added oil painting to my repertoire and I haven’t looked back! Within months I was creating works I was proud to share!

Amy DeLoach

I love my oil painting classes with Dori at Red Dot!
I am a somewhat experienced painter as I had lessons growing up, and took several painting classes in college. Dori's teaching style is excellent and she explains things in a way that's easy to understand and remember. Even though I have painted a lot in the past, my technique has leveled up from her coaching and guidance.

Classes are also really fun and I have met a lot of wonderful people. I had originally planned to come for a 6 week run to get back into painting but this is now a part of my regular routine that I look forward to every week. Thanks Dori!

Brenda Powell

I’m so sorry for the person who left such a terrible review that may negatively impact anyone looking for art instruction. I’ve been attending Dori’s class for a little over a year and am considered a newbie still. Most of the students in my class have been with her for a very long time. When I came in for my first class, I brought in my existing supplies also, but I appreciated Dori’s evaluation and recommendations. I mean, I’m going to art class to develop any skill I may possess. Gaining knowledge of the right tools is a gift. Art classes are expensive, and the supplies certainly are too. I’ve taken art lessons from three different instructors for well over 10 years. Their experiences and opinions with paints, brushes and palettes may differ but they all are passionate for art and teaching others. Dori is a beautiful example of this passion and dedicated her professional life to art. For anyone looking to develop their art skill, please do yourself a favor and contact Dori at Red Dot.

Virginia Bruch

I have loved taking oil painting classes from Dori at Red Dot! It is a highlight of my week. I have learned so much about oil painting and she also mixes in some art history lessons which are fun since I have no art background.
Dori is an amazing teacher and just someone you want to hang out with! I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the other people in my class too - would highly recommend to anyone looking to refine their skills or just wanting to try something new!

Clare Mallette

I’ve enjoyed my oil painting classes with Dori. I’m a novice. Dori has been encouraging, patient (extremely!) and helpful as I attempt to develop my skills. My interactions with the other members of my class have been so much fun. Highly recommend Dori if you are interested in learning!

Chosimba94

I've been taking classes here for over 2 years, and it's one of the highpoints of my week. Dori is incredibly knowledgeable and skilled in both her craft and teaching. She's cultivated a positive environment with a fun diaspora of other painters-in-training that makes every class a great learning experience with a great deal of laughs. She can teach anyone how to see the world as a painter should.

Erika R. Harvell

I signed my husband and I up for beginner oil painting classes with Dori. She was friendly and informative over email. We had to get on a brief waitlist because her evening class was the only time we could attend. I was a little nervous walking in because I had never painted before in my life and there were other students in the room who were working on their own paintings that looked advanced. We watched a series of pre-recorded video tutorials Dori made on iPads and learned the basics first. As the weeks went by, I started noticing that if we just followed Dori’s instructions, we would get good results in our beginner painting. Dori is so encouraging and patient, as well! She has a gift for teaching and is always checking on each student to give tips and guidance. I’ve learned so much already in 8 weeks. We are now on our second painting (a landscape) and I can’t believe I’m actually painting something that I would be proud to show friends and family and this is thanks to Dori and her excellent teaching methods! I am so happy I have found this rewarding new hobby and something my husband and I can enjoy doing together. I highly recommend signing up with Dori if you’re interested in learning oil painting.

patty cambron

I signed up for the oil painting class with Dori. In the class description they offer a kit for an additional fee which is almost as much as the cost of the class. After exchanging a few emails regarding questions I had, I asked if I could bring my own supplies. Dori said that would be fine. I showed up for class and she asked to "see what I brought". She started by telling me that the paint I brought wasn't worth the tubes it was manufactured in, then she told me the brushes I brought were "flimsy". Then she moved onto the palettes I brought which I wasn't even told to bring but did anyway. She looked at them with disgust and told me I *could* use them but they were made for watercolors. Why does it matter where you mix paint as long as you have a surface to use? So at this point I am feeling insulted, unwelcome and angry that clearly Ive gone through all this for no reason. She made me feel like I wasn't elite enough to be there so I immediately wanted to leave. I asked for a full refund and received it. I also have no idea how you can "teach a class" if you can come any date and anytime they have available. That never made sense to me and should have been my first red flag. It seems this isn't much of class. If you want to save yourself the trouble of being looked down upon unless you have $400+ dollars to spend on learning to oil paint, I would look elsewhere.