My son, John, is a guy of many talents. When he was in second grade, I recognized that he would really enjoy more art projects. And I also knew that it would be a blast if other kids were there too. What to do? There were no art studio teaching kids anywhere near us. So, I inquired at his school if I could teach art on a volunteer basis. After all, I had my BFA and many years of professional experience as an art director and product developer! How hard could it be? Teaching art to kids is a very specialized talent, and I was put through my paces with the children at John’s school!

The children taught me so much about how they approach art class with excitement and a sense of adventure. I wanted to meet their expectations and then some! After a couple of years, I had found my stride. Parents started to ask me for more. And I was enjoying it so much, I wanted to do more than the school had resources to handle. I started a few after school art clubs and soon grew tired of all supply hauling and set up/clean up it takes just to have a great project. Because I had parents that approached me to do classes for their kids, I just went for it. That’s when I started teaching in my dining room.

We had a fun bunch of kids and their wonderful families who all came together for them to have an art class! But that interest from families soon outgrew our dining room. I decided to make the leap to rent a space and start my art class a business. Since 2013, i’ve seen interest in art classes for children and teens grow rapidly. I am proud of what we do to reach those kids that may see things a little differently than their peers. I am excited to bring the joy of art and creative making to our artists. The team at Blue Sky may look like ordinary teachers, but they have a real fire for art. And our greatest goal is to pass that along to our artists! It may be the beginning of a lifelong passion and outlet that will serve them well in the years to come. Skills learned in art training like keen observation, problem solving, and creative output are all highly desired skills for any employer too. Kids need art, and they are uniquely qualified to create it masterfully!

Ann Sobieski

Founder , Artist, and Teacher