UCLA MFA Art Grad • Drawing, Painting, and Portfolio Review for Apps

Ari S.

I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a Master of Fine Arts in Painting from UCLA. While at SAIC, I was the first student in a decade accepted to the Yale Norfolk Summer School of Art Residency under the Ellen Battell Stoeckel Fellowship.
I am a Los Angeles based painter passionate about helping students develop a confident and expressive art practice. I have taught painting, drawing, and printmaking at UCLA as an assistant instructor and have worked with students of many ages, from children beginning foundational skills to college applicants preparing portfolios and adults refining their creative work. My teaching includes one on one lessons, classroom instruction, and group learning environments.

My lessons are individualized and shaped by each student’s goals and interests. I also offer portfolio reviews, written feedback for art school and residency applications, and guidance for students building competitive application materials.

Students can expect:
• Personalized instruction tailored to skill level and preferred mediums
• Support in drawing, color theory, composition, and material handling
• Critiques that build conceptual thinking and visual clarity
• Exposure to new materials and experimental techniques
• Discussions connecting art history with contemporary practice
• Generative questions that deepen creative purpose

I believe that being an artist begins with self nomination and is available to anyone who chooses to pursue it. When students feel supported and encouraged to explore, their growth becomes expansive. My goal is to help students build a meaningful relationship with their work and develop a clearer understanding of their own creative language.