Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
New art student Raj Patel works on his painting while the oil painting
of a younger student sits on the other side of his easel.
Painting their way to a bright future
Local studio has a history of teaching intimate lessons
By Amy Jenkins
Lombard Street, sailboats, animals--these are all subject matters expressed in art by students of all ages at Young at Art Studio, located in the Portal Plaza Shopping Center in Cupertino.
Specializing in oil painting and offering after school programs, Young at Art has been a part of the Cupertino community for 25 years.
"It originally started in somebody's house, then moved to the Cupertino village, and has been on Stevens Creek for six or seven years," explains owner Paul Wood. He and his father, Peter, have run this family business for approximately twelve and a half years, after taking over for former owner Bernice Faulkner who ran the business out of her home.
Students, ages 6 through adult, work on their own individual subject matter in classes that meet once a week, four times a month, year round. "It is a place for kids to come after school and parents are welcome to stay and paint with them," Paul says. Although the school specializes in oil painting, it also offers classes in drawing, ceramics and mixed media. In the mixed media class, students explore charcoal, ink and sculpture.
Adult classes are offered as well, but only make up 2 to 3 percent of their students, Paul explains.
With a six-to-one student-to-teacher ratio, students are assured one-on-one help with their art projects. Currently the school has 14 teachers, with four to five leading any given class. Teachers are skilled artists who are either in college art programs, college graduates or high school teachers' aides. Some teacher's aides were students at the studio since the first grade. The school teaches basic artistic techniques such as mixing color, contrast and brush strokes.
The teachers say the school is more like a college atmosphere than grade school because students work individually and have more teachers surrounding them, which gives students ample help and teachers room to breathe. "We are able to lean over the student's shoulder, and they can ask questions as they go along," San Jose State University fine art graduate William Hendershot says.
The studio gets most of its business through word of mouth and repeat customers, according to teacher Erika Theodoroff, who has seen aunts, cousins and siblings spread the word about the studio over the course of a year she has worked there.
"The kids have lots of talent, and here they get the chance to do nice projects because they are given real tools, not crayons and typing paper, so I've been surprised with what they come up with," Theodoroff said. She is now working on extending classes to reach kids ages 4 to 6 and opening the studio between 1 and 3 p.m. for home-schooled children.
"All students are doing great stuff right from the beginning, but it's not something you can learn overnight," Paul says. "Most students enter with no prior experience, so they take three to five years of classes."
For further information about the art studio and classes offered, call 408.255.1414 or visit their website at www.youngatartstudio.com.
Cupertino, California Since 1947
