Our Studio

       Anyone can discover their inner artist here. Our curriculum is tiered according to the experience and age group of each student. We serve adults, teens, and children as young as 6.

    Our lesson plan is structured but flexible, allowing students to reach set goals while still being creative and original. We chart artists' progress through many techniques, media and movements. Every project focuses on new skills, and is designed to build on previous challenges in order to help artists become well-rounded. 

    All of our instructors are well versed in many genres, include landscape, portrait, figure, still life, realism, surrealism, impressionism, cartooning, and abstraction. Instruction is given in acrylic, watercolor, oil paints, pastel, charcoal, graphite, and colored pencil.

Founder and owner Jason Liekhus has been coaching artists in drawing and painting since 2010, in both the Seattle and San Francisco Bay areas. Having studied fine art at the Academy of Art University, he is trained in such areas as color theory, composition, anatomy, and art history. Since graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2008, he has familiarized himself with many genres in painting and drawing. Jason grew up in the triangle of Redmond, Carnation and Issaquah, and in a nod to his roots, Pacific Northwest scenes and wildlife are common themes in his art. In 2017 he founded Squak Art Studio in Issaquah, which became Tolt Art Studio nine years later. As a Carnation resident raised in King County, Jason takes great pride in serving his community.

Our Team

Head instructor Aarika McGinnis is a local artist and teacher with roots in Washington's Snoqualmie Valley. Her areas of expertise include acrylics, colored pencil, illustration, landscape, and figure painting. She holds a BFA in fine and studio arts, having graduated from Washington State University in 2014. She taught graphic design at Redmond High School for 5 years, after which she joined our team. Since becoming a parent in 2021 she has delved into illustration for children's books with an emphasis on neurodiversity.

Cityscape by Jason Liekhus