Student artwork from Drawn2Art, a Los Altos-based art studio, is on display through Tuesday, Dec. 30, at the Los Altos Library.
The “Art Brings Us Together” exhibit features 32 pieces created by Drawn2Art students, some as young as 4 years old and others who are adults.
For several students, the exhibit represents a milestone in their art careers. Lexie Hadjiradeva, a 16-year-old student at Wilcox High School, said she has attended Drawn2Art since 2018. She learned about the exhibit through an email.
“I was so excited, because I’ve never really had anything like that,” Hadjiradeva said.
According to Kelly Otsuka, the manager of Drawn2Art, the studio focuses primarily on traditional art mediums and emphasizes specific instruction.
“We like to say it’s like an individualized class within a group setting,” she said.
The pieces featured in the library exhibit were selected from Drawn2Art’s 20th anniversary art show.
“We handpicked a wide variety to show what we do here at the studio with varying mediums,” Otsuka said. “It’s nice for (the students) to see their hard work pay off. It’s nice to see (the art) in a different setting versus attached to a drawing board or a sketchbook – something more formal.”
Claire Kwok, a 13-year-old student at Keys School in Palo Alto, said she has been taking lessons at Drawn2Art since she was 5.
“I was really honored that I got chosen. I was pretty happy about it,” Kwok said. “It was a proud moment. I was like, ‘Yay, I finally did it! Someone likes my art.’”
Ten-year-old Erwen Zhang, a student at Bullis Charter School, said she has been attending Drawn2Art for four years and described the studio as “very immersive and fun.” Erwen added that seeing her work displayed publicly has inspired her to raise her standards.
“I’m proud of my artwork, and I want other people to see it and how hard I work on it,” she said. “Now whenever I do art, I always think, ‘this may end up where other people can see it,’ and I want to make all of my work the best I can for other people and for myself.”
Otsuka said art plays an important role in a region heavily focused on technology and digital careers.
“I know there are a lot of students working toward more digital things like working in computers and in tech, especially in this area,” she said. “Art helps bring a creative side into that work. It brings a refreshing view on anything they may be working on.”
The Los Altos Library is located at 13 S. San Antonio Road.
For more information on the exhibit, visit tinyurl.com/Drawn2ArtShow.
