ActonArt is a vital resource in the arts and is a nurturing leader in enabling a full education in Massachusetts. ActonArt is a quiet force in putting the A into STEM, to empower it as STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics). I observe ActonArt as not only fostering growth in art itself but just as importantly awakening capacities for observation, imagination and flexible thinking in the sister STEM disciplines.Leila Kinney, executive director of arts initiatives at MIT, writes: “Beginning with the presidency of Jerome H. Wiesner in the 1970s, MIT incorporated the arts as a conduit of innovation, believing them to be essential to the creative environment of a research institution renowned for science and engineering.

My daughter started to take drawing lessons at ActonArt at age 5, and continued for a several years until she shifted her interest to other things. Here is one of my daughters painting in pastel when shes 5. I was totally amazed when I saw it.

Acton Art is a wonderful studio. I’ve learned so much here over the years from various teachers. All of them bring their own skills to the table and in the more advanced classes they offer advice to students who are considering art as a career. Aside from learning a lot, I’ve met some great like minded friends at this studio. It’s absolutely worth checking out and I’d recommend it to *anyone* who was thinking about taking art lessons.

I have been going to Acton Art for two years. I have had only the best experience and the skills I learned really helped me improve my art. The supplies are high quality name brand materials. The teachers are insanely skilled and pay attention to everyone in the class. It is a good place to go, and I would recommend it to anyone that wants to get better at or start drawing.

My son took classes at Acton Art for 9 years, until he went away to university where he is studying to complete a BFA in visual arts. His art education at Acton Art was top notch. The teachers are fantastic. The projects are engaging and the methods used for teaching how to draw are effective. My son loved his teachers and felt valued and respected as a student. Now I am taking classes at Acton Art, and my experience as an adult has been just as wonderful as my sons experience was. I feel so lucky to have access to such a high caliber art school, where the teachers so clearly enjoy sharing the joy of learning to create art with their students.

Observation skills are what allowed Edward Jenner to discover a smallpox vaccination. What does that have to do with art? If you truly want your child to succeed, you will give him or her the opportunity to learn to SEE, OBSERVE, then DRAW. These skills are found in not only our best artists but also our best doctors, scientists, and engineers. My four children have been poured into at Acton Art since 2011 when we first started attending classes. None of mine are brilliant artists per se, but learning to see and observe then draw it has given them a very important skill set. If you want your children to succeed in life, give them this chance. The classes are incredibly professional, the supplies outstanding, and the instructors challenge children in a way that they develop their own sophistication in approaching the creation of their own projects. If you happen to have child that shows signs of being gifted in art -- this is the place to get them started for a lifetime of creation. Thank you John and all of the wonderful instructors for all of these years past and years to come in Instructional Drawing class and private art tutorials. We so appreciate you!

My daughter has been taking classes at Acton Art for three years. Her knowledge and skills have increased tremendously over that time. The teachers at Acton Art are outstanding. The program has an excellent balance between skill development and individual creativity. The supplies provided are high-quality, varied and abundant. The annual Student Art Show is an event highly anticipated by students and families alike. If my daughter had to start giving up activities, Acton Art would surely be the last to go.

My son loves to draw. We found ActonArt & couldnt be more pleased. His skills have improved tremendously, the schedule is great, and the teachers are wonderful (especially John). He loves going to class every week. Update, 2018: Still loving it, highly recommend!

We had very bad experience at this place. We tried to complain but this is the privately own drawing school. They simply don’t care!

Wed always heard great things about ActonArt, but it was a bit challenging to get into a class at first. My son has thoroughly enjoyed his classes and weve been very impressed with the way they teach the children and great results they produce. He cant wait to start again in the fall and move up a level to learn more. Im sure well be going for years to come and we look forward to seeing our sons artwork evolve.

I cannot say enough good things about this art school! We drive all the way from Tyngsboro just to take our son to his weekly art class, and dont mind a bit. He has been attending classes at Acton art since he was 5 years old, and his drawing skills have noticeably improved! He loves to draw and I cannot wait to see what he will get to create in the fall.John and Tracy are absolutely fantastic teachers! They try to keep the classes very small so they can give the kids the maximum of their attention, and do an outstanding job of managing the children and keeping them focused while having fun creating their masterpieces.Highly recommend!

We live on the North Shore and searched all over for an art school that teaches fundamental technique rather than acting like a crèche with paint brushes. Its a 45-minute drive in traffic to ActonArt from where we live but I look forward to it every week because I know that my daughter is building her skills when she goes there and we get some spectacular output as a bonus! John Goodnough and his team strike a great balance between a disciplined approach to teaching art while allowing the kids to express themselves and have fun. Examples of techniques, materials, and themes used are: perspective, light and shade, detail, portrait, architecture, wildlife, flowers using charcoal, chalk pastel, watercolor, and pencil. John always says that its the kids who have the talent but ActonArt knows how to make that talent flourish.

All my children love these classes. We drive every week, in the middle of rush hour traffic from Woburn, just to come. ActonArt is that good.

The place is not closed. The other review is for a different business which got accidentally associated with ActonArt.