Richmond Hill Art School has really been taking off. The addition of new art courses to our roster – new classes, new workshops, new social painting events – has really paid off. People have been saying nothing but nice things about our school and we could not be more grateful. We aspire to do great things for our students and we have been touched by your feedback. Thank you for calling us the “biggest and best” art school in Richmond Hill. It is in fact the kids that make us proud, that make us successful, and who make us who we are.

At Richmond Hill Art School, we believe in the power of art. That art education not only makes you more creative and more intelligent, but it changes the way you see the world. This statement is true for many art forms, not just visual arts.

I started my piano career at the age of 3. I could not even sit on the bench and could not even reach the piano. Despite having to be lifted every single time, I continued to play for many years. Why continue for so long? 1. Because I felt a sense of self-worth; I felt I had a talent, something that I could do really well, and being a pianist became a part of my identity. 2. Because I felt a sense of community; my classmates, teachers, and I became a musical family where we challenged and supported each other through every song, exam, and competition.

Being a part of such a program really shaped the way I grew up, the way I learned, and the way I appreciate the arts. This is what Richmond Hill Art School offers its students. The opportunity to learn about themselves and the world through art.

Introduced this year for the very first time is a new art course – the “Gifted Artists Program”. We created this program to cater to our hardest working students, students that put in the extra effort at the studio and at home. These students have what Natasha Tolub, RHAS’ founder, describes as the “AA” (double A) – Aptitude and Attitude. We are lucky to have quite a few gifted children that have the Aptitude and the right Attitude to succeed.

But it does take two to tango. It takes a great art school to build up an artist, and it takes a great student roster to build up a successful art school. When a child has exceptional skills, and their parents and teachers recognize it, we work hard to foster that talent. That is the goal of the program. These gifted children will be working alongside the best of the best, and learning from our highly trained professional artists. We will continue to engage them in art history and modern art by visiting Art Galleries, participating in regional competitions, and selling their artwork to collectors of young talent. This will be an opportunity to propel their skills like never before. Age doesn’t matter – kids as young as 6 will be selected on an individual basis to be included in the upcoming program.

I know that being a part of an advanced class was the best thing that could have happened to my piano career. Being the competitive person that I am, I was even more motivated to do well because I was surrounded by talented artists – talented artists that I wanted to beat! Piano competitions may look like sugar and spice, but think again! For this reason, I am grateful for the environment of excellence I found myself in. Without it, I wouldn’t have pushed myself to succeed.

Upcoming Programs

Stay tuned for upcoming programs this September: the Gifted Artists Program, Modern Video Art, and an Introduction to Architectural Modelling for Kids (scheduled to be announced).

Register your child for a free art class to assess your child!