Houston School of Art and Design

Do you have a five year old that draws for hours on end, a ten year old that has plastered the walls with paintings of horses 100 different hues, perhaps a teen that seems to do nothing else but draw Manga? Children love art but some may find it frustrating when they get it or do it “just” right. Many tweens and teens moan they don’t like to paint. One reason could be after they spent hours on a great pencil drawing, they then tried to add color smearing the pencil lines ruining their hard work.

Master Artist Thomas Cleveland, like many creative children, struggled to overcome many such creative obstacles. Perfectionism, paintings left unfinished to pursue the “next big idea”, feeling unsure of his abilities, fear of failure when considered talented, all can stifle one’s desire attempt creating art. Thomas eventually found ways to overcome or manage most of these. in 2004, he founded the Artist Within Studio School located in Cypress to help others avoid these pitfalls while taking ownership of their fledgling talent. In 2016, the school expanded with a sister location, The Houston School of Art & Design, in the Spring Branch area of Houston.

Students receive personal instruction and step-by-step demonstrations of professional drawing and painting techniques presented in easy to understand analogies and everyday language that takes the anxiety out of trying new art techniques and mediums. Allowing them to relax while taking their artwork to a level they may not have thought possible.

Our Aspiring Artists classes inspire, educate and encourage students in a nurturing, motivating and judgment free environment. Thomas believes allowing one self to be a perfectly flawed perfectionist, is key to enjoying the creative process and the results.