Bay Area Art School

New students are encouraged to share what influences have shaped their artisitic tastes.  Some students know exactly what they want and we get started on creating a portfolio of work that will serve as something to be proud of, or use for highschool and college admissions. Most students show up and just want to have fun with art.  We start with drawing lessons and encourage being in a creative environment with other young artists. Some know what medium they want to work in so we build the skills.  In general we offer critiques and lessons that build confidence!  

I’ve had the unique privilege of teaching 5th through 8th graders and developing content that challenges my students at each level as they get older and learn to see the world around them. I have a BA from UC Davis in Fine Art, have learned from Wayne Thiebaud, and have been trained in classical realism from various instructors. Everything else I’ve self-taught or have learned from my students. I teach a modified method of classical realism that I’ve developed to allow all my students to be able to draw well and keep in fun. 

I have hourly coaching fees with are designed to create portfolios, improve on specific or general areas, and build on skills within a specific medium. I offer discounts for bulk purchases or classes.  

I switched careers from digital marketing in 2015 and returned to art. It had always been my plan but I realized that I enjoyed spending time with younger artists.  They seem to absorb information at an astonishing rate and it made it ideal to teach them, work with them and even be challenged artistically by working with kids and teens.  I was hired as the art teacher in private school in SF and now continue to online as I have a child I'm looking after as he stays at home during Covid.  I hope to return to in-person teaching in the near future. 

I've primarily work with students from 4th grade through highschool.  The youngest students I teach are 8 years old. 

I love to paint waves. I recently was scouting out scenes to paint and found myself down at Gray Whale Cove, just south of Pacifica, when the sun was rising over the cliffs that cover the beach.  The sunlight lit up the sand as if it were pure gold and waves were full of colors you'd never think existed in a wave.  I was able to recreate what I saw in a painting 4 by 2 feet in size.  

When looking for a teacher, first decide what you want to create. Is it realism, abstract, character design, anime, landscapes, surrealism?  Then find teachers whose work inspires you and who you would like to paint like.  Most often when learning with a teacher you adopt their frame of mind as well as their process all for the goal of creating art like them.  So love their workmand learn as much as you can from them.  Then find other teachers to expand on your learning and style.

What is driving you to learn art?  This can be a simple answer or it can be a long winded one, but either way it should resonate within you.  Art is something that comes within and it's important you have an idea of what you like, what you want to create, and why you are doing so.  Again, this doesn't have to be well defined because if it were, you'd probably be a writer.  So have a sense of what you want to be creating... and enjoy the process!