Tolt Art Studio LLC

★★★★★Daniel

Jason at Squak Art Studio is a fantastic teacher. Our two children have taken summer art classes there for the past two years, and we’ve been amazed at how much they’ve learned. Most importantly, they had a wonderful time while learning and creating.

★★★★★Mason Bergh

I went for the trial class today and I wanted to describe what it is like to those who are nervous or on the fence about it. First, Jason, the instructor was really knowledgeable, a great instructor, and kind as well as all the others there. How the classes work is you show up and sit down at a small table in a school like fashion (3, 2 person tables put together), they have all the materials you need, Jason will sit you down and ask you pick a photo you wish to make your first drawing you will be doing colored pencils first so no need to worry about clothes, I picked an apple, and he begins by giving you one on one steps to make the drawing. He will leave you to it once explained to go and help or talk to others but he is available for questions. Once done he will come back and give you another small 1 or 2 min lesson on what to do next and why, all the lessons where great and easy to understand. There was only 2 other students there who were great to talk to as well. Overall it was a great experience and I recommend it to anyone looking for art classes!

★★★★★Katie Christman

Our 7 year old daughter goes to these art classes and she loves it. The instructor is very knowledgeable and has good ability to keep the kids interest, keep everyone on task, and maintain a peaceful and educational environment. He also teaches them new words in new languages while they are doing their projects. I also like how he teaches them respect towards other cultures and languages. I appreciate how the instructor asks all the kids to do their own clean up after class and does it in a fun way. The instructor seems very knowledgeable, has exceptional communication and is very professional.

★★★★★Ruth Ross

Never having done any art before, I signed up for lessons at Squak Art Studio at the age of 64 thinking it was unlikely I could learn to draw or paint at my age. I was therefore totally amazed how Jason explained things and broke the task of creating a first project (for me, a simple picture of a carrot in oil pastels) into understandable steps I could follow. Six months later, I continue my lessons and love the progress I have made. Jason is a wonderful teacher---patient and encouraging while providing insightful advice and constructive criticism about how to make our projects better. I have been very impressed watching how effectively he works with students across a wide range of ages. I would encourage anyone interested in trying his or her hand at the visual arts or wanting to improve their abilities to take a trial lesson at Squak Art Studio.

★★★★★Emma Ross

What a wonderful new addition to the Issaquah art scene! The owner, Jason Liekhus, just started the studio earlier this spring. Definitely check out the gallery space in the entry area where he displays his own artwork and another local artist. Jason received a degree in fine arts from the Academy of Art in San Francisco and has taught art to adults and teens for years. His training and experience shine through in his carefully constructed curriculum and thoughtful individual instruction on color theory, technique, and composition. I have been taking a weekly Adults & Teens class at Squak Art Studio for almost 3 months now and I highly recommend it. At 29, I had never done any kind of visual art and have always been convinced I was "bad at art." However, Jason's tremendous one-on-one attention and perfect balance of encouragement and constructive criticism put me right at ease. I'm so proud of the pieces that I've created in colored pencil, watercolor, and oil pastel. I look forward to painting my first acrylic once I finish my next project. Come join us for an art class! Each of us works on a personally tailored project at our own pace, so you can easily try out a class anytime. Jason's kindness, humility, and quirky sense of humor will put you at ease and keep you coming back.