I Have been taking adult art class with Inna for half year and making a lot of progress. Inna is an amazing teacher who tailors the teaching based on my level. I'm able to learn a lot from each session. For someone who has been learning painting from YouTube for two years, getting immediate feedback on my work makes a huge difference. Also, watching Inna doing demos are simply rewarding and nothing short of wonder. Furthermore, Inna creates an inspiring environment that makes me want to do better each time and also learn from each other. The class is both serious and fun. Although still new to the field, I now approach painting in a different and more principled way. Would highly recommend the class to anyone who is interested in pursuing art in any capacity. read more

I have been learning to paint at Art Academia for about 2 years. Inna is a really talented artist, she is very knowledgeable, patient, polite and is a great teacher! With every class I learn something new and feel absolutely accomplished! Lessons have been focused on a wide variety of topics like landscape, still life, portraits, different techniques of painting with pallet knife, brush. You're welcome to use any medium as well! During this pandemic, Inna has been able to beautifully adapt to teaching online over zoom and gives personal attention, it's almost like a private class! I consider myself fortunate to have found Inna as my art teacher and I would highly recommend Art Academia to any one who is passionate about art and would want to learn and grow into an artist. read more

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Inna is a wonderful teacher. I was very impressed with the range and quality of work my daughter brought up home from art camp. My daughter absolutely wants to go back next year and really enjoyed the experience. Highly recommend. read more

I have been taking one of Inna's adult painting classes for a few years and love every minute of them! Inna is a very talented classically trained artist and a great teacher. She is very passionate about her art, and her instructions are very helpful, personal and inspirational. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic Inna has been teaching her classes online and she managed to do it in a way that, instead of being restrictive (no in-person instruction), proved to be very beneficial - our skill level progressed greatly during this time! I highly recommend her classes to children and adults of all levels, including beginners - you won't be disappointed! read more

We were incredibly lucky to find Art Academia and meet Inna Polnar and her staff. We tried few other studios in the area and found this one to be the best around. The reasons are simple. The studio offers a variety of mediums to create a work of art, would it be a painting or a sculpture. Inna is very knowledgeable in her field, responsive and will pay enough attention to your child. Our daughter made an excellent progress just in few years of studying with Art Academia. The place also offers unique ability to participate in various national competitions. However the most valuable thing you will get by enrolling your child here - is giving them the love and understanding of Art, and with the right instructor it is priceless. Thank you Inna and Art Academia for all that you do for our children! Five Stars. read more

Inna's camp is still amazing. My son was so happy with the work he created and learned satisfying art techniques in a supportive small group environment. He returned home each day feeling calm and centered, capable of being an artist. He wishes he could attend all summer! read more

Inna has been a wonderful teacher for our son and he has been attending her classes through in person and online throughout the last couple of years. She has been very communicative with our son and has taught him valuable art lessons. We have seen massive improvement not only with his acrylic, watercolor, and even ceramic skills. We highly recommend her for anyone of any age. read more

My teen girl has been studying techniques in fine art and ceramics with Inna and Marina for some months now and it's one of the classes that she looks forward to every week. She learned so much in just a few short months. Both teachers are warm and supportive in person and in the online classroom. When the COVID social distancing was being enforced, I was initially very skeptical on how the studio art classes would be carried out. I was happy to see that they made quick and effective transitions to Zoom classroom. They are very patient and thorough in giving instructions during the transition. Communication was always very prompt and clear. We made some adjustments at home so that my daughter's study desk now doubles as her studio when class time comes. My daughter now enjoys the online studio as much as in-person. I will recommend Art Academia to any art students in a heart beat. read more

We sent our eldest daughter to Art Academia when she was 12 and she studied with Inna for several years before heading to high school and then on to study fine art at USC. Ten years later, our youngest daughter attended the summer camp program. She absolutely loved it and has signed up to begin a weekly class. We have nothing but positive things to report about Art Academia. Inna is a professional artist who shares her practice and her passion for art across multiple media. Her studio in downtown San Mateo is a bright and wonderfully unique space. If your child is creative and loves art, this is The professionally run academy to which to send them in the Bay Area. read more

Art Academia is an independent art school for both adults and children. Our child is very artistic and we were looking for a place that would take his skill set beyond the "arts & crafts" offered at school. He started several years ago while in late elementary school and he has gone weekly every since (he is in high school now). Inna and Marina are great teachers. Our child's mastery of art has increased enormously. Painting, ceramics and stone carving - he has done all of them. Honestly, he has brought things home that we couldn't believe he created. They are teaching him techniques on many levels and he has received national recognition as a result. He continues to love to go to class and to learn more about creating - and the expectations on him have appropriately increased as he has gotten older. I can't say enough about this great art school. We are thankful to have found it. read more

My children recently attended a summer camp session and really enjoyed it. They sculpted and painted pottery, made an en plein air landscape drawing with oil pastels, and created a canvas painting. They enjoyed the sessions and the teachers, and shared positive feedback at the end of each day. We highly recommend Art Academia for those with children who love art and want to expand their artistic expressions and skills. We will definitely return for more classes. read more

I highly recommend Art Academia! It's great for students at all levels - whether you have some experience or no experience at all, you'll enjoy it. Inna is an amazing teacher who offers just the right balance of support and hands on instruction that is suitable for students at any level. She explains everything thoroughly and encourages her students to take risks, experiment and be comfortable with mistakes! That's the part I love the most! My son (8yr old) also attends a session there- he does ceramics one week, and water color the following week. He enjoys both sessions and are so motivated to go there! He is learning the basics of painting and ceramics which is fantastic because he can choose in the future if he wants both or have more interest in one over the other. read more

My daughter really enjoyed going to summer camp at Art Academia! Great teachers do great job in great space! Thank you very much! We will return for more lessons for sure. Highly recommended! read more

My daughter really looks forward to her art class every week. I love the calm and quiet environment it provides. She also learns pottery in addition to painting and sketching. read more

My 14 year and 11 year old daughters attended summer camp this past week at Art Academia and loved it! Ina and her staff run a very organized program, with a great balance of structure and play. Ina is a talented artist and teacher. Although there was a variety of ages, both girls really enjoyed the activities. My eldest was worried as she is in advanced art but she still enjoyed the activities. They made amazing pieces, including ceramic fish, a marionette birds, a still life painting...I looked forward to what they brought home every day. If you have child that loves art and being creative, this is a great camp! We are looking into the art classes now! read more

Art Academia is awesome! I love the teacher and owner, Inna Polnar. She is excellent in letting you have creative freedom while teaching you the basics of painting and drawing. She has a great sense of humor too! I signed up for the Adult painting class and LOVED it! For anyone who looking to start doing art for the first time or is a seasoned artist, I would highly recommend signing up with Inna at Art Academia. Do More Art! read more

Joining these art classes is probably one of the best decisions I made after moving to San Mateo last year. The art studio is beautiful - large glass windows, stunning art work on the walls, sunlight streaming in from the backyard and relaxing music during the class. When I come here after work I am transported to another world - it's a little haven away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Most importantly Inna is a fabulous teacher. The classes are not only for teenagers but for adults as well - Inna very patiently teaches the basics and moves onto bringing out the creativity in every student. I came as an adult with no experience in oil painting and Inna taught me the techniques and I ended up with a painting I was proud of and never realized I could accomplish. Inna is absolutely amazing and I would highly highly recommend her classes for anyone who wants to grow artistically and relax at the same time. It's the best part of living in San Mateo for me :-) read more

I started taking oil painting lessons with Inna about two years ago and I have learned so much! My weekly time at the studio is a little respite where I can stretch my creative muscles. No matter what your experience level, Inna carefully explains concepts like color theory, air perspective, composition, and brush technique and then reinforces those concepts as you practice and evolve your skill. I appreciate the one-on-one attention and the fact that Inna pushes you to try new approaches and develop your personal style. I take the adult painting classes, but I love seeing the pottery and artwork that comes from the kids classes -- they are amazing! read more

My daughter, Crystal, has been learning at Art Academia for the past 3 years and both she and I love Inna and her studio so much. Inna is a true artist who inspires everyone around her with her love and passion for art. She is also a great mentor who pushes her students to their full potential, as well so sensitive and patience to their individual need. She has the sharpest artist's eyes to her students' work and she is a critical teacher. Yet she also listens to the inner voice of each of her student, nurtures them and encourages them along their journey to explore the world of art. I've never seen anybody else who has combined the characters of an uncompromised coach and a gentle mentor so well until I met Inna. Crystal has been to other local studios before but her skills and confidence have improved so much at Art Academia compared to at other places. Now Crystal is a high school junior and she's seriously thinking to pursue art as her career. With the solid foundation Inna set for her students, either you are exploring art as your hobby or considering art as your lifelong passion and career, Inna Polnar is the mentor you do not want to miss! I highly recommend Art Academia to anybody who's looking in Peninsula! read more

i am 22 years old and recently began my art lessons with Inna in late july. In the course of a month, i have seen myself improve under Inna's teaching methods. I find her to be very refreshing. Her knowledge in fine arts is quite incredible. She is honest with constructive criticism and it is exactly what every aspiring artist needs. She has helped me perceive still life in a more coherent and structural way. I highly recommend her, even for teenagers and people in their 20s! read more

My daughter joined Art Academia in January and loved the class immediately. The owner Inna is very professional. She teaches kids not only techniques but also critics and appreciations. They take water color and clay projects in turns. Inna moves all art classes online since the outbreak of pandemic. She acts quickly and gives thorough instructions on art supplies and links where to buy. It makes shopping easier. Also distance learning gives a great chance for parents to paint with kids and make fun projects. Thank you Inna for offering high quality lessons and fun projects!! Love them all!!! read more

I randomely stumbled upon this lovely studio and got a chance to chat with the owner. She is very sweet and pleasant. I am definitely coming back to take some art lessons from her. :) read more

This is my daughter's third year with Art Academia and her improvements amazes me. She brings home her art piece once every month or every other month and they all look amazing! My home is now like an art gallery full of her paintings. Inna is a great teacher and a great artist! It's one thing to be an excellent painter/artist, but it's an entirely different talent to be a great teacher... And Inna is both of those! She also give students great opportunities to participate in art shows in local communities and competitions. I would highly recommend Art Academia! read more

This is a school, but so much more. Inna spends time with each and every person or project and works from the heart. She is a gifted teacher and friend. Inna painted a a lovely portrait of my dog from a photo and it brought me to tears. read more

What a wonderful find. Inna is so patient & kind to each child. She truly shows how much she cares about each & everyone of their pieces. My daughter loved her class! read more

We have had a great experience at art academia. Inna is super helpful, very accommodating and great to work with. It's a fun easy going art studio where kids can learn so much. Great place and great staff. Highly recommended. read more

My daughter had a great time at art camp this week. She learned a lot and always looked forward to it. I'm glad I brought her here. I appreciated all the different types of art projects they did. read more

I've been going to this art class for ten years, sketching, painting, and sculpting for most of my childhood. My progress over the years has been amazing, thanks to Inna's great teaching. I love how students can explore different mediums of art, and I really enjoy making ceramic and stone sculptures with Marina. Art Academia is a fun, welcoming school in which I've made many friends. read more

Dissapointed. Website notes drop ins but when I spoke to inna she stated that they were in the middle of a project, and it would not be s good time to join. Hmmm Inna you need to work on your business approach. You cannot offer lengthy project lessons for drop in- hence I would have paid the price of s whole class session which defeats the notion of drop in. Please update your website to CLEARLY present your offerings and not mislead others. read more

My two sons(9.5yrs and 7yrs) took a week long summer class here and I was so surprised to learn how much they both loved it. It was their first art camp and generally have shied away from any sort of art projects. I was expecting that they would only "tolerate" but instead insisted on signing up for more classes! The staff are very friendly and seem to get along with children well and the the variety of projects (clay, oil pastels, painting, paper mache etc) was impressive. They also got to do art at the park so they got to be outdoors a bit too and it made them realize and appreciate the class more! We will definitely be back for more. Thank you!!! read more

We were excited about this camp from the reviews, but upon entry we could sense the assistants were not as excited as we were to be there. Inna's two assistants didn't greet us upon entry or even remove their earphones. They pointed to a corner while fiddling with their iPhones and said "put your backpack there." While we weren't seeking a day of festivities and expected there to be a degree of structure and rigor, the camp was characterized by a marked absence of joy and enthusiasm. We hope that in the future, at the very least, the assistants would appear to like instructing children and be required to put away their phones. read more

My daughter has attended summer camp here for the past two weeks. She loves it! Inna is so kind and patient as well as talented. Even though my eleven year old has taken art classes elsewhere before, I think she's learned more and improved immensely in these past two weeks. We will definitely be signing up for classes during the regular school year. Art Academia is a true gem. read more

I decided to take some time off from work and really wanted to do something fun and creative. Looked into watercolor painting classes as I used to enjoy it a long time ago. I am so glad I found Art Academia. Inna is a great teacher and so patient. She has me looking at how light hits objects in a whole new way! Even if you are an adult, you can learn to paint! read more

Love the place environment. Painting and Pottery is awesome. Very nice clean studio.