Testimonials:

Meghna G.

I took a 12 week beginner adult arts course with Maria and highly recommend it. I have no prior art training (except for random doodling in my notebook during office meetings). Maria however did a fantastic job explaining the basic concepts, overseeing all of us and bringing out our individual talent. Each week focusses on a different technique and the last 2 weeks are sort of a 'final project' where you pick your own theme and incorporate everything you learned. The best part was the 'no judgement ' attitude - all ideas are your own and Maria just helps you achieve it, with some really good suggestions from her experience. The first class is free so you know what you are getting into before making the commitment. The schedule is also very flexible and you can make up for missed classes. This was overall a really relaxing yet challenging experience for me and I plan to continue drawing and painting whenever I find the time.
If you are like me and want to level up your doodles while having fun doing it, take this course. You will not regret it.

Elizabeth B.

Last year, I started to look for adult painting classes in the Bay Area and stumbled upon the art school of SF Bay. I had no prior experience and didn't know what to expect going in. Our instructor Maria surpassed all of my expectations. While Maria definitely taught us some painting techniques, she more importantly gave us overarching concepts for how to create beautiful art (teaching us perspective, shapes, colors, composition, etc). I definitely have a better understanding of art from both an artist and viewer standpoint.

On a side note, at the end of the class, you get to pick what you would like to do as your final project. I had just gotten married and wanted to paint a family portrait from my wedding day (a total of 7 ppl). Maria told me this would be quite the undertaking as a beginner, and she was right! However, she stuck with me throughout the whole process and 6 months later, I came out with a beautiful piece! I am so grateful for Maria's help on this project and also very glad I chose to take a class at this Art School.

Karla Interiano

I took the Key Elements of Fine Arts class with Hugo Kobayashi and it was great! Hugo is a really patient and talented teacher and is able to explain concepts clearly. I inmensely enjoyed taking Saturday classes with him, and I highly recommend him and the Art School of SF Bay. I will continue taking classes with them if time permits!! 💜💜💜

Judy S.

I would recommend the Key Elements of Fine Arts course for adults, it's beginner friendly but also caters to different levels of experience. Each week we learn something new, using different mediums, paper, and techniques. The instructor Austin is very passionate about art. The studio has space for about 12 students, a bathroom and a water station. Some students wear masks and some don't, it's flexible for your comfort level and they also keep the door open. The 2 hour class length is just right to really wrap up what you are doing.

sabtn1

My husband and I took the Key Elements of Fine Arts class with Sara S. for 12 weeks during Fall 2022. We thoroughly enjoyed our class with her. She would start the class with a small lecture and demo and then release us to try on our own. Then she would walk around to assist and provide tips for us to improve. This is where she really exceled! She was great at analyzing our paintings and trouble areas and getting us on the right path quickly. For my first art class ever in my life, I have gained a greater appreciation for artists now. Sara is also very calming and chill in her mannerism, and she would hum a gentle tune as she helps us.

We learned many different types and techniques. We learned about the skeletal structure and the body shapes and perspectives. We learned vanishing points, scale, shading, and proportions. We also got to draw a live model. It was a fun and relaxing atmosphere. Highly recommend!

Y H.

I have taken an adult class and cannot recommend this school more!

The 12-week course is structured enough to make and observe progress on any level from beginner to advanced, yet flexible enough to feel non-hurried, laid back and non-judgmental. A huge benefit to a novice like me - the program covers a variety of painting and drawing genres and all the supplies (acrylic, watercolors, pastels, specialty paper, etc) are provided, so one gets to experience it first hand and form an opinion or a preference before investing in own materials. The teacher - Julia - was an excellent eloquent, thoughtful and attentive personal guide to every student in a small group.

I enjoyed the process and the results so much that I will be both continuing myself and transferring my kids from another art school.

Wei Bing K.

Maria is awesome.E verything I ever learnt in painting basically came from here.

The basic adult class is structured based on fundamental concepts like mixing color, silhouetting, proportions, composition, perspectives, anatomy and so forth.

So cool. You should try it out.