Scottsdale Artists' School

This year I took classes at SAS with artist Craig Pursley, and feel I significantly improved my oil-painting skills in both landscape and portrait. The lessons were detailed and supportive, with Mr Pursley's beautiful demos providing inspiration at the beginning of class. The school creates just the right atmosphere with its historic SW architecture and the impressive student art handsomely displayed throughout. I will definitely take classes here in the future, both with Mr Pursley again, and with any of the many other impressive artists available. A world class facility!!!

My granddaughter took a class during the summer and she just loved it! Highly recommend and we will sign up for more activities At the end of the day class the "art exhibit" was a lot of fun.

There is no other place like SAS in Arizona. Professional artists come from all over the country to teach here in their various medias...painting, drawing, sculpting... SAS has it all for youth, teens and adults of all ages and levels of experience... the artists are kind and share their experience no matter what level you are.

I have invested in two 'Adult Local Program' training classes. I am very pleased with the knowledge and wisdom I have gained as a result. The Scottsdale Artists School's reputation is legendary and I am glad I live within driving distance.

Wide variety of offerings with visiting artists help with artists further develop and tune their talents. Studios were good at spacing and COVID safety rules.

I modeled here for years. They pay their models well and the artists are eclectic. Facility is clean and has intriguing pieces scattered throughout. A must for anyone who is interested in broadening their artistic abilities. They have programs for teens as well.

What a special place this is for us to study! Thank you for the kind desk staff and providing us last minute supplies so we don't feel unequipped. I had the special opportunity to take a three day intensive class focused on an Impressionistic Approach to Watercolors with the world renowned Watercolor painter from Uruguay, Alvaro Castagnet. He taught us to look for the revolution within the painting & not 'paint pretty' We don't make pussy cats we make lions! And being a Leo myself this was incredible to hear. Interesting new concepts I learned like Maintain dirty water and never refresh it. Never clean the palette so one can Blend colors you have never seen before. Look for Lost & Found brushstrokes. Alvaro reminded me, To Paint with authority / Do not ever lack authority. because, If you are not confident it will show In your painting. All Three days we learned everything from figures to Cafè culture to architecture to interiors and all the time messing up or having a success on repeat ; most importantly "Our mistakes in life are our greatest teachers." Scottsdale Artists' School, you are very special - thank you for hosting teachers like this and thank you for giving us so much to learn in such a compact time that works with our travel schedules!

I had a great experience as an out of towner taking an in person class. The school is set up to accommodate out of town students and offer some on-site materials sales. (Most importantly oil paint solvent…you can’t carry it on airplanes so you have to buy it at your destination). They also had a great partnership for lunches with a local bistro. The $12 boxed lunches were fresh and tasty, and more than enough food. My class was taught by Robert Moore. He was a fabulous instructor with the heart of a true teacher. I’ll be back!

My daughter is having an amazing experience at the Scottsdale Artist school. They have classes for teens that are short 6 week courses. The space is absolutely gorgeous! It's a truly peaceful place for teens to be creative. The prices are very reasonable and the teachers are knowledgeable and kind.

What a special place this is for us to study! Thank you for the kind desk staff and providing us last minute supplies so we don't feel unequipped. I had the special opportunity to take a three day intensive class focused on an Impressionistic Approach to Watercolors with the world renowned Watercolor painter from Uruguay, Alvaro Castagnet. He taught us to look for the revolution within the painting & not 'paint pretty' We don't make pussy cats we make lions! And being a Leo myself this was incredible to hear. Interesting new concepts I learned like Maintain dirty water and never refresh it. Never clean the palette so one can Blend colors you have never seen before. Look for Lost & Found brushstrokes. Alvaro reminded me, To Paint with authority / Do not ever lack authority. because, If you are not confident it will show In your painting. All Three days we learned everything from figures to Cafè culture to architecture to interiors and all the time messing up or having a success on repeat ; most importantly "Our mistakes in life are our greatest teachers." Scottsdale Artists' School, you are very special - thank you for hosting teachers like this and thank you for giving us so much to learn in such a compact time that works with our travel schedules!

So happy to find a place that offers real legit art classes for younger teens! Great comprehensive program, a chance for my teen to socialize with other teens that enjoy art, and a beautiful building to boot!

I have taken classses and workshops at Scottsdale Artists' School for more than 20 years. The facility, staff and instructors (who are leading artists in their medium) have truly been the best.

I signed up for Jennifer Freeman's drawing course and it was one of the best experiences I've had in a long time. The main reason is Jennifer; she is a talented teacher who is enthusiastic about her subject and understands who her students are and has a method that she constantly reinforces. It is a twice-a-week course for 10 weeks. Jennifer gives you the supplies you need and tells you what to do with them. She demonstrates how to draw by creating value (white to black) with charcoal and that method really works; every student was able to create reasonable drawings. We started with simple objects and then moved to heads and faces. Drawing this way was unfamiliar to me and sometimes challenging but that's where Jennifer's reinforcement and encouragement came in. (I should add that I have no background or experience at all in drawing or art.) This is a non-credit course and my fellow students were mostly retired people. They were nice and I liked everyone. Some people spent time outside of class practicing and some didn't. We didn't get in trouble if we didn't but Jennifer praised us when we did. She has a very positive influence and attitude which meant a lot to me because I am a total beginner. Every student liked her. I recommend this course and instructor without reservation. It was really fun, I learned a lot of useful things and I can create a pretty good drawing!

This school is the best. Have been taking classes for almost 4 years with no prior experience and I actually can paint now :-) Regular on-going class instructors are extremely talented and patient, and renowned artists come to teach amazing short-term classes. People come from around the country and around the world because the school is known for being amazing. If you want to learn the right way, this is the place. And .... I don't want to hear any of that "I can't draw a straight line" business.. neither could I!

I love this school! There isn't another place like SAS in the United States and are a great resource if you're interested in building your skills in the fine arts. For those complaining about the cost, they have a VERY generous scholarship program if you can demonstrate either considerable talent or financial need. Just as an example, I was able to get into a three day in person workshop with world renowned artist, Dominique Medici for only $150-which is insane. If you're motivated to learn with drive to work hard, you will get the most out of these classes. You can go learn things on youtube for free, but you get what you pay for friends. If your goal is to be a professional level oil painter I highly recommend Scottsdale Artist School.

I recently attended some summer classes at Scottsdale Artist's School. I had a bad initial gut feeling after reading all the negative reviews but decided to sign up for some classes here. First off, the two women at the front desk aren't friendly. I called to schedule a tour and they said "just stop on in before 5". I arrived at 4:30 and they were very condescending about me arriving so close to closing time, despite what they said over the phone. I had no other experiences with them. My first class was with "Lauren Edmundson" I would give that one 4 stars. She was very good at teaching, however everyone here is very traditional. I still felt the class lacked fun and was just all lectures and no real explanation. My second class was with "Holly Ruchi". I would give that one 1 stars. She wasn't friendly at all and gave all of her attention to the "better" students and was very unknowledgeable. They do not have the proper supplies- 5 of 6 not glue guns wouldn't work- the rulers were wooden and broken- and one instance they didn't even have any colored pencil. Not only would I not return but I would go as far as telling people not to go here. It's a "private school" out for people's money. Instead, I would recommend Carrie Curran's Art Studio. Save your money instead of attending a boring and judgmental class.

I'm not one to leave reviews but, the two front desk ladies were extremely rude to me and un welcoming.. all I wanted was to come in and tour the school and I wanted to see how to enroll. I was told on the phone few days prior to come in today .. I've been looking forward to this all day. And now I'm leaving beyond disappointed, I drove 20 minutes to get a 3 minute tour. I felt extremely judged and very unwelcome by both of them. Not cool. Luckily I got to talk to a instructor a little bit . And he is the only reason I will actually come back here... because I actually want to take a class. To the ladies up front, do better.

I love everything about this place! Scottsdale Artists' School is a non-profit, it educates and encourages people to pursue their creative artistic instincts, and it teaches the fundamentals of a variety of art mediums, techniques and styles. It even has programs for youth so kids can enjoy a more formal yet fun approach to art education as well. It is truly a community of artists and art lovers and I love being a part of it.

This place has very high calibre teachers, for people who are serious about skills and learning. FYI--It's a real art school -- with multiple classes going on in many large, well-equipped classrooms in a pleasant historic building. This is nothing like the strip mall art & craft places for casual hobbyists who want to "express themselves" while drinking wine and socializing. Many of the workshops are by very well-known artists who travel from all over to teach here. Most of the students tend to have some experience, but there are classes for all levels, and people come from all over the country to take classes. There is an exhibit of student and teacher art in the hallways. It's unfair for people to give 1 star reviews for workshops that were cancelled during a pandemic and because they couldn't schedule a "tour". The facility and quality of teaching and quality of experience should be honestly assessed, by someone who's actually taken a class there. Just go and have a look some time in the middle of the day and see the quality of art and teaching that's going on--you will be impressed. There's not a huge staff and there's usually only one person at the front desk, but they're very welcoming and helpful and I've never experienced any rudeness. Most of the classes end around 4, so show up before that if you want to get an idea of class size and experience level of the students.

I took a class with Dennis Perrin and it was a nightmare. He brought his wife with him and she was interrupting him constantly, at the point everybody wants to leave the class. Feel sorry for him, for a minute, until I realized he allow her to be in control of him, she was so annoying . He is a good guy and a good painter, but as long he brings that woman to his class I will never take his class again.

I have tried to school a couple times now over the years and they're just doesn't seem to be away for them to get it right. If it's not their staff this regarding the needs of the students it's the school booking people who don't know how to teach class. They invite feedback but then perfect you view if you give them any negative feedback. When you consider you take time off work you pay for the airline the hotel and the tuition for the school it's a lot to waste when for one reason or another the class is not delivering on the education they offer. The head administrator was key in the harassment of me when I told the teacher I was not getting much from her presentation in this last visit. Because of all they put me through it will be my last visit. Her defense was that they don't normally get a lot of complaints but I can see why when they see how they treat constructive criticism let alone and outright complaint. Why would somebody voluntarily put themselves through that. The head administrator reneged on an offer to refund my tuition that she made on a Thursday morning. Between Thursday and Friday the teacher gave me less than 20 minutes time. So essentially I paid for the whole course amount for that 20 minutes of cursory check in by the instructor. When I pursued taking her up on her offer for a refund because the class last two days ended so badly I was informed it was too late. There's no need to go to the Scottsdale artists' School. The good teachers it attracts offer plenty of other courses and plenty of other venues. And it's other venues I'll go to in the future.

Love this place! Almost every day of the week they have open studio with a live model. This is heaven!!!

SAS has been the best resource for me and my career in art. I've learned so much from the instructors here, probably more than I have in actual school. Mimi, the front desk receptionist is the sweetest woman ever and everyone on staff is kind and respectable. I've been coming here for nine years and I have always been impressed by them. I would definitely recommend taking classes here.

I will not be taking any more classes here. This is the second time the instructor allocated more to time to experienced students even though the class is described for all levels, beginners welcome. This class was not oversubscribed but previous ones were. YouTube is better. And free.

I love this place. The open studios are always fun, even though they can be crowded, and I can be frustrated with my painting! There are both beginners and professionals most of the time I've taken so many different classes over the years and I always learn a lot. The instructors ( all professional artists) are so generous with their knowledge. The staff is so helpful and welcoming too. Don't be intimidated... you'll feel comfortable and welcomed I'm sure.

I am crazy about this little gem of a school. The teachers are all professional artists and there is a refreshing variety of classes. If you want to learn how to draw and paint or sculpt, this is the place for bringing out the artist in you or simply honing the skills you have. They even have a reference library and a small art store to help round off your materials list.

We are so fortunate in the Valley of the Sun to have this amazing resource in our midst. It's a beautiful venue, always comfortable, with a staff that is very personable and approachable. It's a place for local artists to teach and to learn, to form community, to showcase their work. Additionally, renowned artists come from all over to teach workshops and classes, encouraging beginners and mentoring fellow professionals. One caveat: the Open Studios are usually very crowded. So arrive early in order to have a good spot. (Easels are provided.) I was afraid of SAS for years not realizing that I did not have to already be an artist in order to learn. Don't make the same mistake I did. Take a dive, look at their workshop and class descriptions and sign up-just do it! PS. My niece from Colorado attended one of the Youth Academy classes this summer and really enjoyed it too.

Have you ever felt like you won the lottery and it had nothing to do with money? Learning that one of my favorite instructors; Eugene Daub, was going to teach a five day workshop was one of those OMG moments. I just finished day two and I have learned more in two days, than I did in a month long class. Mr. Daub is teaching an intermediate portrait sculpture class, and is a walking encyclopedia book of knowledge and patience. He is a master at portraits and shares everything, no ego issues here. The school is accommodating in many ways; huge class rooms, a kitchen to use, lots of beautiful art on the walls and sculpture pieces shown-off so nicely. The administration works very hard at keeping everything organized. There is a library for students enjoy, picnic tables for us to have our lunch. There are classes of all levels. As I read some of the lower ratings, I don't think these artist did their homework to see if the class they signed up for is at them. Just Google the instructor and see if it fits your needs. Write the instructor and ask what they are going to teach. Hopefully that would clear up any problems. Thank you SAS for an amazing creative time. J

My husband signed up for a class and was first on the waiting list. I called 2 weeks before the class and made sure they had our cell number because we were coming from out of town, before the class, for Thanksgiving. We received no calls the week before. We called the day before the class began and were told nothing and that they were full. We returned home to find several calls saying he had been accepted and then replaced because we had not called back. This organization is unprofessional and completely unorganized. Beware!!!!

Nice range of classes Really enjoyed the school and their wonderful staff Have taken several painting and drawing classes with Bob Lemler, Nancy Chaboun and most notably Larissa Aukon who is wonderful.

I visited Scottsdale Artists' School for the first time in 1993 before they moved into their current building. I returned in March this year for my 6th sculpture workshop. The building, located in Old Town has a wonderful charm inside and out. The classrooms are large, well-equipped and maintained. The staff have been very helpful both before during and after the workshop. The instruction by working artists is consistently the best I've found and I see personal artistic growth after each visit. I will be making plans to return again next year.

Check out the Beaux Arts event each Fall. This year's event is 11 Nov 2017. See pic.

Would not give partial refund for workshop that was supposed to be intermediate/advanced and ended up not being so (explaining core shadows, etc) that I took one day of. By the end of the day I hadn't learned anything because it was all not at the level they had advertised, but they refused to give a partial refund even though I was completely flexible about the amount (down to $100 out of 300 for the workshop - meaning the price of one day even though I only attended one out of three!) The lady was very polite at first, but she not only hung up on me, but also walked away when I tried discussing it with her. The workshop I attended was not in any way as described (on the website, etc.) I will not be going here again for a workshop - Make sure you ask people who have been to that workshop before what it is like, I wish I had!

Scottsdale Artist's School is a great place for a workshop. It was an elementary school at one time and still has an interesting traditional quality with beautiful tile floors, generously sized classrooms, a lovely patio, and a professional staff. The school brings notable artists from all over and students also come from everywhere. The Friends of the School organization gave a reception on Thursday with bountiful food & wine. That night there was a gallery walk in Old Town. I enjoyed my week there. Scottsdale itself doesn't have great appeal though there wasn't time to explore much and that is just as well.

I attended SAS for six months and took every workshop I could in painting, drawing, composition, pastels and sculpture that I could. The front office staff were extremely student friendly. The director and the rest of the staff offered excellent guidance as to what would best suit my skill development and interests. Nationally prominent artists routinely offered classes and were uniformly interested in teaching. I could go on and on, but will end by saying that I had an excellent experience and would highly recommend this school to anyone interested in developing as an artist.

I've started going here for their open studios during the summer so I have something productive to do. As a student you get a discount on the open studio price, which is very nice, and already after 2 open studios there's a diversity of models that ASU does not have. I'm so grateful they offer the opportunity of open studios for anyone to learn and grow. Everyone has been very friendly so far and I hope to take a workshop sometime soon.

Love this internationally known art school. Whether you are a art workshop junkie or enjoy the open studios, this is an amazing place to learn or improve your skill. The staff is super helpful. Due to my work schedule, I have only taken one workshop from one of the famous instructors (although I regularly droll through the online offerings) but drive down to Scottsdale for the evening or Saturday open studios. Pay $10 for hours of a variety of models in short & long poses. The school has decades of great reputation for a reason.

This is THE best school I have ever attended, I've worked or studied in 7. They really care about the students and the instructors. They won't get it exactly right everytime but it isn't because they don't try their best. Negative feedback is a 2 party relationship. Students travel and get overwhelmed, they battle ego and often don't click with the instructors. I teach and they are so accommodating to everyone if they can be. Sometimes there is an off time for the teacher or the student and that is what sets creativity apart from production. The school has the largest array of incredible teachers offering classes from beginners to the most advanced. They are unbelievably friendly for having to put up with weary travelers and ego riddled artists as well as insecure students for 35 years. That in itself says so much. The weather here is nearly perfect so you have that on your side as well.

Gorgeous setting and lovely staff always ready to answer any questions. I would absolutely recommend this school to all ages looking for a classical arts education.

This school is absolutely fantastic! I have had a wonderful experience here. The quality of instruction is absolutely incredible. They teach you the REAL foundations of art and do not skip over or rush crucial things like values, proportions, etc and the instructors are very sensitive to what you need to improve on and what your level of skill is. I have improved in a 10 week class more than I improved a year on my own, and the ten weeks aren't even over yet! If you want real art instruction with fabulous instructors and famed guest artists, this is the best place for it in Arizona.

Firstly, this art school has a heavy emphasis on traditional techniques and styles of painting. I have taken 2, week-long workshops and was impressed with the quality of instruction. I was less impressed with the class size (both very large, with limited individual instruction) and unspoken disapproval against abstract/modern art. Also, being a figure painter, I found it bizarre that for a Figure painting class, the models would be completely clothed at all times. Secondly, on a more sinister note, I have signed up on a waiting list for a class over 2 months ago, at which time I was told I was 3rd on the list and that I should check my emails daily, because I will only have 24 hours "if my number comes up." Today, I called to see if I had "moved up on the list" and the receptionist told me I am FORTH on the list! "How can that be?" I asked the lady. She had nothing to say... I guess I don't know the "right people" at the Scottsdale Artists' School....

I signed up for a painting workshop with Jeffrey Watts. I was informed it was canceled because only 6 people were signed up. I understand that can happen but I was given less than 30 days notice of the cancellation. This seems very irresponsible in that most VRBO reservations require at least that much notice. I did lose a significant amount of money due to having to belatedly cancel several reservations. I don't think I would chance another workshop here if it required travel reservations.

I attended a class at Scottsdale Art School and was fabulously happy with not only the class but the staff as well. The school has a warm friendly atmosphere that makes you want to come back. It was a great experience and I absolutely would like to return for more classes.

A true Arizona gem! Their talented instructors and professional, caring staff create an enjoyable educational art experience. If you are a beginner or professional you will gain new knowledge.