My 9 year old daughter has attended classes at Avant-Garde Art Studio with Nalyne Lunati for one and a half years now (since January 2009). Nalyne has so much energy and enthusiam teaching the kids about art theory as well as working with various media (e.g., pencil, charcoal, pastels, watercolor, acrylics, ceramics). My daughter is receiving a very authentic and well rounded art education and most importantly she loves going to class each week.
Besides teaching the children, Nalyne also strives to create a friendly and collaborative community among the Avant-Garde Art families by hosting shows/receptions of the kids works in the studio, arranging guided trips to local art museums and arranging to have the kids' art displayed publically at library exhibits and the Plein Art event in Pleasanton. I appreciate Nalyne's passion and drive to not only teach the kids but to inspire a lifelong love and appreciation of art. - Alicia Starron, April 2010 update
Previous review from Alicia:
My 8 year old daughter started attending Kids Love Art Fine Arts Studio last winter and we couldn't be more pleased with the curriculum and the owner/instructor. Ms. Lunati is very generous with her knowledge and strives to teach not only art fundamentals, but also introduces the children to other artists work/technique through field trips and slide presentations. To provide variety and additional "hand" work, she also guides the children to create one ceramic project during both the winter and spring sessions that my daughter has attended.
While my daughter LOVES art, she did become a little impatient with some of the fundamental skills she was learning initially. Ms. Lunati was very patient and helped keep her focused on learning the new skills. Several months later, my daughter now confidently and happily sketches and paints her class projects.
But for me, the truest testament to Ms. Lunati's skill as an instructor has been watching my daughter start to spontaneously sketch a scene or object that inspired her. She has learned basic fundamentals of drawing so now she can follow her muse and just enjoy a creative moment.
Ms. Lunati has gone out of her way to create an art community at her studio by introducing parents to one another and hosting big pot luck parties. She also has many art contacts regionally which provide opportunities to expose her students to many relevant experiences such as last Saturday's Paint the Town event for Museum on Main in Pleasanton or a show of the children's artwork at a Fremont library this past February.
While her focus may be "2D" art (as stated on her informative website), Ms. Lunati's approach to teaching art to children is definitely multifaceted! Her classes are highly recommended for children (and adults) who love art and want to learn more. - Alicia Starron, June 2009
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I have been a student (and eventually an intern) of Ms. Lunati's since the studio opened in 2008, and I have to say that she's given me the most valuable and interesting learning experience out of all the other art teaching instruction I've ever received in the past 16 years of my life. Ms. Lunati has been hugely influential on the development of my art and my mindset about art. I credit my renewed interest in the arts and determination in creating art to Ms. Lunati who has always encouraged me and taught me new things about art and the art world. She cares about all her students and I really appreciate that she is tirelessly enthusiastic to teach us new techniques, expose us to other art forms and artists, etc. She goes above and beyond normal art teaching instruction, giving us powerpoints about art history, making sure that we are provided with the best art supplies, and taking us on museum trips for inspiration. I also appreciate how she exposes us to other types of art and media such as printmaking.
Ms. Lunati has made me a better artist not only technically but also inwardly. I now thoroughly enjoy art and Ms. Lunati has made me excited to learn more about it. As a high school student, I am thinking about what I want to do in my future, and having her as a mentor and instructor has definitely made me realize my passion in art and made me contemplate what I want to do for the rest of my life. I am very thankful for a knowledgable and talented teacher like Ms. Lunati and that I can enter my future as a more well rounded artist. Jessica Huang., May 2010
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Our son, Matthew, has attended classes taught by Nalyne since July of 2010, at Avante Garde. From the very first class, we were quite impressed and surprised at the result of Matthew's art pieces. One, in particular, hangs proudly framed in my parent's home. It is of a panda and bamboo painted in water color using Japanese art technique, one of the many techniques Nalyne teaches her students. I thought to myself, "Wow. It's awesome." And, then I thought, "Wow. How'd he learn to do that in just one class?" Also, our son is very particular of his teachers and when he came home the first day after meeting Nalyne, he said he liked her a lot because she is not a push over of a teacher and she was serious about her work. He felt like he would really learn from her. Since then, he has come home with more beautiful pieces which we've also framed, vibrant colors and texture. On a personal level, Matthew enjoys Nalyne's funny stories and the time Nalyne takes to teach them about art and art history. He is even more passionate about his art than when he first started with Nalyne and he has grown in his abilities. And, our family is very thankful for that, including Matthew's grandparents.
We also joined Nalyne with many other students and parents on a special tour presented by Nalyne at the DeYoung Museum when the post-impressionist masterpieces from the Musee D'Orsay were on exhibit. And, Nalyne has also put together additional events (ex., parties) for the students and their families as well. If you want your child to gain a wealth of knowledge and technical skills, Nalyne and her studio is the place to be. And, an added bonus is that we, as parents, have grown in our knowledge of Art too. - Junior and Christine Estrada, March 2011
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Our older daughter has been attending the school for a while now (3rd semester). She is very happy, enjoys the school curriculum and the teacher very much. She likes to draw and when my wife found this local school here in Pleasanton, I did not expect very much. I was positively surprised by Mrs. Lunati's excellent professional education and such a well organized and equipped studio. She invested a lot of her time to provide the best possible environment for kids, to learn and develop their natural talents. If you are a parent and would like just to drop a kid few times for some drawing lessons - that is probably not the best place for you. But if you think about art seriously and are able to accept that it needs some hard work and learning before the results will be great - that is the place! The teacher is very dedicated but also expects full commitment from the student - what makes perfect sense to me. Kids learn how to sculpt, draw and paint using the techniques real painters use. I'm so glad that we have the luxury to have such a valuable activity just around the corner. Mrs. Lunati also reserves ahead of time, places around the bay area to present the work of her students to the public - another complementary feature I was not aware of, until I got invited to Fremont library to enjoy my daughters painting displayed there. - Radek S., April 2010
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Ms. Lunati taught art at my learning center before she founded Avant-Garde Art Studio. Ms. Lunati came with a wealth of knowledge in art and art history. Her classes were never dull. She always came prepared teaching art using a variety of techniques that would cover a wide range of art periods from the Cro-Magnon to the Contemporary Art eras. Ms. Nalyne's strong passion in art and pursuit of founding a top quality art school for the interested individuals made her work diligently in developing her fine art skills and transfer her knowledge to her students to the best of her abilities. She incorporated humor in her teaching especially with young students. Her students grasped the art concepts and techniques quite well in a relatively short period of time. My son who was one of her students mastered the color blending techniques which was not an easy task. Painting using minimal palette was another skill he learned from Ms. Lunati. If your child or yourself has the intention in mastering the fine art, Ms. Lunati is the one of the hard-to-find experts in the field who would go an extra mile to help your child or you how to look in the artist's lens. Katie Nguyen founder of Kepler Learning Center, May 2010
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I wanted to give an update on my review of Avant-Garde Art Studio. My daughter has had and contuinues to have a great experience at Kids Love Art. She has been with Ms Lunati for nearly two years now and has truly shown growth in her artistic abilities. Kids Love Art is a very valuable addition to Pleasanton, especially for parents who desire quality art education and training for their children. - Dr. Kala S., April 2010 _______________
We had wonderful experience in Avant-Garde Art Studio. My sons started in the ceramic summer class and continue with the painting and drawing class. Ms Lunati guide them step by step to explore different concepts of modern arts and applied them into different projects. My sons are proud of every project they have completed. Besides classroom instructions, Ms Lunati also organizes field trips to art museums and art shows which we have so much fun. - Susan Chan., April 2010
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Avant-Garde Art Studio has been a wonderful experience for my 5 year old. Ms. Lunati is educated in the Fine Arts (MFA Fine Arts Degree) and shares her enthusiasm with the children as well as adults who take her classes. Her warmth and patience really helped my son learn about colors, painting and different art mediums. The classes are geared toward the specific age groups and I felt the class that my son took, was the right pace and content for his age.
Ms. Lunati also offers classes for adults, too. Her studio has professional art supplies for sale and the studio itself is a light and airy space. Very inspiring! Kids Love Art is a welcome addition to Pleasanton! - Ann D., April 2010
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Fortunately, I didn't let the name of the school mislead me when I was searching for an adult art class for painting. After reading Nalyne Lunati's (the instructor/proprietor) philosophy, I decided to enroll.
Now, 14 weeks later, I have completed my first painting in nearly 15 years. Although I was trained as an illustrator, I have not worked as an artist for a very long time. I chose Nalyne's course as a means to reignite my talents. Her class begins with the basics to understand value and color. Nalyne believes strongly that artists must understand the basics in order to develop their talent. She is knowledgable and often references works of great artists from history. The course was not only instructional, it was rewarding. The course is hands on so be prepared to paint from the very start. - Adult student, Rose F., January 2010
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My daughter has been taking private art lessons in the past 5 years. When We moved to Pleasanton two years ago we were not able to find an art instructor we like. When Kids Love Art School of Fine Arts opened its business in September last year, we were so thrilled. The artist Nalyne is an excellent art teacher and she is so passionated about the program. The program offers a wide variety of art lessons- ceramic, drawing, painting, sketching, etc. The students and their family even get to go to San Francisco museums for free guided tours by Nalyne, which really inspired these little "artists" and enriched their learning experience. I found no other art program that can compare with Kids Love Art. My daughter is thoroughly enjoying the program, and as a high schooler she is thinking about choosing art as her career, all because Nalyne has been so supportive of her. I highly recommend Kids Love Art to all the talented high school students if they have a passion for art! - Susan Huang, January 2009
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My daughter loved to draw and I wanted to find an art school that was close to home. I found Kids Love Art by googling it. My daughter loves it! She has learned so many different art techniques from painting, charcoal sketch to ceramics.
Ms. Lunati also gives wonderful instruction through her own personal art experiences.
5 Stars for Avant-Garde Art Studio ! - Mary Jones, September 2009
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My son, Sean, has attended art classes at KLA since Oct. last year. I called Nalyne over the phone and scheduled an appointment with her to visit the studio the same day. The studio is big and bright with wonderful artwork from the students. At first I was a bit hesitant since my son just turned 5 and I was not sure if he was able to pay attention to instructions and sit through for the whole class time. Nalyne answered my many questions and reassured me that Sean would be doing fine in the class. She is right! Sean's first class went so well. She is very good with kids and Sean loves going to the classes.
I really appreciate Nalyne's knowledge and enthusiasm about art and her approaches of teaching kids becoming confident artists. I recommend Kids Love Art to any parents who wish to build a strong foundation for their kids in essential skills such as creativity, observation, attention to detail, visual perceptual skills, etc.. - Jennifer C., January 2009
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As a high school student in AP Studio Art, I have be exposed to a wide variety of artists such as Monet, Kandinsky, Sean Scully, and many master painters. I have been studying with Mrs. Lunati since the school opened in September 2008. Mrs. Lunati has taught me how to paint like master painters. She has also encouraged me to go outside my comfort zone and really become immersed in art. She has been an outstanding instructor. Mrs. Lunati's skills has been demonstrated by her excellent teaching methods. I highly regard Mrs. Lunati for her vast knowledge and abilities in art and art history. - Ting L. March 2009
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The workshop was wonderful and we learned many different genres of art! We were also exposed to many materials and enjoyed each class. - Kelli W., Kindergarten Teacher at Hearst Elementary - Pleasanton, CA, November 20