Welcome to Easel Kids!

I offer art workshops for kids ages 4 and up, in the Austin area (and sometimes online).

 
 
 

About Easel Kids

In my art classes, I strive to provide an environment of inspiration, creativity and fun into the lives of children and adults. Perfection is never the goal, but to enjoy the process of making art. Students feel empowered to create without fear or judgment. It is a time to explore and frolic in the art studio!

 

About Me

My name is Anneke and I am the founder and teacher of this small business. I started teaching art workshops in my home studio during the summer of 2012 and have been on a roll ever since. I am a former K-2 teacher, but now I have the honor of teaching my true passion — art!! I have some classical art training coupled with figuring it out as I go. As a life-long learner, I am learning right alongside my students.

I believe that making art should be a joyous endeavor and I strive to instill that joy when I am teaching. There is a fine balance between technical art skills and making art just to have fun. I seek to incorporate both aspects into my workshops. My motto that I often share with my students is: “There is no perfect, just process,” as every artist is on his or her own unique journey. My hope is to offer a space where students can explore new materials, have the freedom to take risks and create art that brings beauty and joy.

 

Classes

Class schedules vary depending on demand. Sometimes they take on the form of one Saturday per month, in weekly blocks or 2-3 day camps in May and December. Please check the class page to see what’s available.

If you don’t see anything that fits your schedule, please reach out and we can create a class!

Testimonials

  • “Anneke Swanson is an incredibly knowledgeable and encouraging art teacher. She is patient, engaging, intentional, and knows how to teach in a way that is understandable to her audience. She can discern when a student is struggling and uses wisdom to engage the student and help them overcome their obstacles to pursue their individual art goals. She shows in-depth knowledge on the subject matter that she is teaching on and yet is able to share her knowledge in a way that is not condescending but is enlightening and inspiring. We love every opportunity to sit under her art teaching!”

    -Casi H.

  • “Anneke lead a birthday art party for my daughter. Not only were all the kids fully engaged, really enjoying it and making delicious looking cupcake paintings, but we parents had the easiest time because she was interacting with our children so delightfully and appropriately that we only had to chat with each other with no worries about if they were paying attention or behaving! She also offered a variety of options with what they could paint and what supplies would be needed. She did an all-around fantastic job before, during and after!”

    -Donna R.

  • “Anneke did an amazing job of bringing a fun, paint-your-own canvas party to our house. The children were all engaged and given individual attention and encouragement as they worked on their pieces. Anneke’s skill and joy for teaching was evident. As a parent hosting a party, I was pleased with how easy it was to host. All I had to do was cover the table with a plastic table cloth and provide mason jars with water. Anneke took care of the rest!”

    -Brooke H.

  • “Anneke did my daughter’s 8th birthday. She was great at leading the girls in a way that they could all feel confident and the end product was super cute!”

    -Bevan R.

  • “Our daughter loves these art classes. She learns new artistic techniques and color theory. She has so much pride in her finished products. Her artwork looks as amazing as her growth in these art sessions.”

    -Teresa K.

  • “My kids have been going to Easel Kids for years, and they absolutely love “Miss Anneke.” They always come home happy and inspired, chattering away about their projects. We look forward to many more workshops!”

    -Ryan W.

  • “Online art classes with Anneke are engaging, fun and paced well for young artists. As a parent, I enjoyed learning more about the particular style of the artist Anneke taught the students.”

    -BB