About Us
What Makes Aliki’s Special
It is our experience and our belief,
that learning to draw
is an attainable and attainable skill.
Talent doesn’t matter.
Aliki’s Art House
is a place and space where creativity begins
The reason you may not know how to draw is … no one taught you how. Did you know that only 2 percent of people are born with a natural talent to draw? Everyone else can learn and discover their drawing ability. If you can sign your name, throw a ball or tie your shoelaces, you can learn how to draw. Let us teach you.
We’ve been teaching the world to draw since 1991. Our focus is unique. We strive to teach practical skills that will encourage you to use drawing as a way of life. We are also experts in painting, sculpting and art journalling instruction. Our objective is to design opportunities for everyone to discover, experience, and take away new skills, as well as gain greater self-confidence in one’s own abilities.
Our bright and inviting studio doubles as a gallery where we regularly exhibit and honour the achievements of our students throughout the year. We’ve created a safe, non-judgmental atmosphere for everyone to explore and learn. Our instructors are professional artists and trained teachers with a passion for art education and who genuinely love to see our students grow.
For almost 3 decades, we have been privileged to journey alongside hundreds of artists — from beginners to professionals of all ages. We have witnessed many achievements and success stories!
Our Teaching Philosophy
We believe that ANYONE can learn how to draw because drawing is a teachable skill just like any other.
Aliki’s Art House founder, Alice (Aliki) Sorounis was convinced that drawing is, in fact, a teachable subject and that a structured method could be established in much the same way as had been done in music and writing. Trained as a visual artist and school teacher, she developed what is now known as Aliki’s 7-Step System. Using this systematic instructional drawing method, and sound teaching techniques, Aliki’s Art House has encouraged hundreds of artists of all ages and at all stages to express themselves through drawing and creativity.
Drawing is not only a valuable life skill but also a foundational skill for all other art forms. Artists who paint and sculpt, do so better when they know how to draw. Learning to draw creates endless possibilities and allows students to apply their knowledge of concepts and techniques to other visual art forms. Furthermore, research shows that students who study the arts,develop 10 important skills for success in everyday life such as creativity, confidence, problem-solving skills, perseverance, focus, non-verbal communication, resiliency, collaboration skills, dedication and accountability (Phillips, 2010). We encourage and nurture our artists in a safe, non-judgmental atmosphere where everyone can explore and learn. All children, teen and adult art classes and workshops are taught by teachers who are professional, practising artists with a passion for sharing their artistic knowledge.
Society and peers often believe the myth that realistic drawing is the gold standard for evaluating a person’s artistic ability. That being said, learning to draw realistically does build artistic confidence. Success comes as students gain confidence in knowing the drawing steps and skills. This, in turn, builds artist self-esteem. At Aliki’s Art House, students are taught a range of artistic styles — such as abstract and non-representational in addition to realistic drawing. Through this process, students begin to understand that not all drawings need to be realistic and they can choose to convert their drawing into abstract works of art. Focusing on the process of art-making, debunking myths, and freeing students to view mistakes as an opportunity to discover new ideas in their art is a large part of our art school’s philosophy. We also provide an in-depth and expansive art education by teaching our students colour theory, art history and vocabulary.
Our goal is to support developing artists to reach their potential in the time they spend with us. It is important to us for students to experience what it feels like to use the “right side of the brain” and to achieve success in their creative process. Classes, workshops and camps strike a balance between structure and freedom to ensure skill development while allowing individuality and creative expression. Aliki’s Art House is a place of quiet contemplation and positive growth for our students.
About Us
We’ve been teaching the world to draw since 1991 Our focus is unique in that we strive to teach practical skills that will encourage you to use drawing as a way of life. We are also experts in painting, sculpting and art journalling instruction.
Our objective is to design opportunities for everyone to discover, experience and take away new skills, as well as gain greater self-confidence in one’s own abilities.