Mission: Renaissance Fine Art Classes

While the teachers are supportive, I don’t like the business practices of this chain. Classes are expensive ($ 187 per month, one class per week) and in addition, you must purchase the recommended art supplies — between $ 60-​$ 270 every few months. Yes, art classes and supplies are expensive. I’m willing to sacrifice for quality. But whenever they run a Groupon (twice a year), the class is packed with rambunctious 5 or 6 year olds running and jumping around the studio with bags of Doritos and candy. There’s only one teacher, so while’s she’s left wrangling the new kids, the regular students are left completely alone for weeks until the Groupon babysitting is over. One teacher mentioned how she was so busy, she hadn’t spoken a word to my daughter during class for over a month! Teacher turnover has been a problem; it seems there is a new teacher every month at this studio.
The final kicker for us was when the business office failed to send an invoice to us, and then insisted that we pay their late fee. This is how you treat your regular, full-​price customers?
In short, the Groupon is a good deal, but don’t sign up for classes afterward. You’ll be paying a premium but your child will be put in a corner and left on their own during classes. And the customer service at the business office is terrible.

Our daughter started lessons here when she was 7, and I can’t praise these classes or the instructor, Susan, enough. Our daughter was always interested in art, yet she has flourished and risen to amazing new levels very quickly under Susan’s guidance. She’s 8 years old now and has an incredible understanding of perspective and light/​shading. Every time she brings home a new piece we are almost speechless at the quality and skill she displays.
If you’re looking for a school for your child, please stop in and talk to Susan and look at some of the students’ work that is displayed on the walls. It will blow your mind.
The teaching approach focuses on positive reinforcement and learning solid fundamentals. The tools these kids are learning at an early age are identical to what I learned when I was attending art classes in college. At the end of each lesson the students get to talk about their success for the day, it’s a very positive and affirming environment to explore talent and learn the fundamentals. And our daughter is not alone, I’ve watched the other kids in her class do amazing work as well. It’s really something to watch these kids get better and better week after week.
I’ll update this review as our daughter reaches more advanced levels… we can’t wait to see what she’ll do next! Hands down, this is the finest art school in the LA area!

Great nurturing atmosphere. The teachers here really encourage creativity and talent. My daughter has been going there for years and has become an incredible oil painter. Even from the first class she was producing terrific work. They teach drawing, portraits, watercolors, pastels, and oil painting. It’s become a central part of our weekends.