Saratoga News

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Photograph by George Sakkestad

Marvegos Fine Art School owner and founder Rita Young (left) works with student Cole Bayer in an advanced art exploration class.

Young at Art

At Marvegos, children are encouraged to develop their creativity

By Marianne Lucchesi Hamilton

Rita Young doesn't care too much about her floors. What she does care about is helping children become "self-directed, independent art-makers."

At the Marvegos Fine Art School, which Young founded in Saratoga 15 years ago, she and her staff encourage children and teens to put brush to paper and not worry about making a mess. Amid the paint spatters and excited chatter, Marvegos students learn important lessons about life, problem solving and thinking for themselves.

When Young's two children were small, she wanted to encourage their creativity. A graduate of San Francisco State with a degree in painting and drawing, Young had made her living as a fine artist. But when it came time to share that passion with her offspring (both of whom exhibited a strong artistic streak early on), Young found that the available programs fell short.

"I got my son, who is the oldest, into some classes," Young says. "But then I realized that there were some things he was getting at home that should be incorporated into a program. I wanted to give him more, because he looked like he had initiative and could handle it."

Young set about designing an arts program geared specifically for children. She dubbed it Marvegos, which she says is shorthand for "marvelous egos." Respecting and nurturing the ego of the child is the basic tenet of her teaching philosophy. "We believe that children have the ability to create, to make art, solve problems and make decisions. Sure, we show them how to keep their palettes clean, and wash their brushes. But we never make their creative choices for them."

Marvegos students are grouped according to age; classes are available for 4 1/2- to 7-year-olds, 7- through 11-year-olds and 11 and above. Sessions are held from September through May, with a variety of programs and camps rounding out the schedule during the summer. For the youngest students, classes typically begin with what Young calls an "inspiration piece." For this students are free to select an object from the studio's towering bookcases, which are crammed full of every imaginable object: mannequin heads, vases, bits of driftwood, broken crockery, shells, dolls, baskets and countless other items. There's a method to this seemingly random process.

Says Young, "If we say 'Draw whatever you want,' the kids will draw exactly the same thing they draw at home. But if they choose a flower and we ask what else they associate with flowers, that gets them thinking and talking. And before you know it, they bring that story into their art. The projects are all very loosely structured; we set up guidelines, but the kids are completely in charge of the creative process."

Older students are encouraged to bring in their own inspiration pieces from the outside world: the words of a favorite song, or a story related to them by a good friend. No matter what a child uses as the starting point for an art project, one rule is sacrosanct among Young and her staff: Students are never chastised because their art doesn't "look like" something recognizable. Instead, they are free to capture their own artistic truth in whatever medium engages them.

This freedom is in large part reflective of Young's own struggles with her art. After years of painting loosely and fearlessly, Young found herself bound by a self-imposed mandate to create photorealistic art. "I lost my confidence about just painting freely," she says. "So for a really long time I painted just with my left hand, or upside down, or in any way that was different or uncomfortable so I could break free of that fear. I didn't want my kids to go through that; I wanted them to just experience what's around them, and then fold that into their art."

Lest parents worry that anarchy rules at Marvegos, Young adds that she and her colleagues do teach children the essentials of drawing and painting. In addition, regular games and activities--such as assembling a jigsaw puzzle that features the works of Van Gogh and other masters--help familiarize children with both history and classic artistic techniques. Young also organizes summer outings where students have the chance to learn how paint plein air style. In the process, the children learn how to pack for a trip, how to find a composition that's unique in that setting and how to make art in a public place. To date, Marvegos students have set up their easels and paints in such locales as Oak Meadow Park, the Saratoga Town Center, Hakone Gardens and Memorial Park in Cupertino.

Young and her staff also maintain control by keeping class sizes small. No class has more than seven students, allowing for ample personalized attention for each child. Erin Moore, who has taught alongside Young for the past year, enjoys the dynamics of the studio, and appreciates Young's philosophy. "I really like the fact that we're preparing the kids to be independent thinkers; it's all about growing them as people," Moore says. "With the small class sizes, we have a lot of one-on-one time with the students. We can get acquainted, and watch them grow through their classes."

Saratoga native Liana Huie joined the Marvegos staff after earning a bachelor's degree in fine arts from UC-Davis, and has worked with Young for two years. "We really focus on building the children's confidence, and to think outside of the box," says Huie. "They learn that they don't have to try to make their picture beautiful or realistic. I love it, because we as teachers get to innovate with new projects and ideas, but still instill the fundamentals of art in our students."

Young's self-directed approach has resonated with children and parents alike: In addition to her Quito Village school, she has opened an operation in Fremont and will be launching a third school in San Ramon next month.

Saratoga resident Heidi Parrish, whose twin sons Jacob and Geoffrey attended Marvegos as small children (and are now sophomores at Laguna College of Art and Design), isn't surprised at Young's success.

"Jake and Geoff were always gifted artistically, but Rita really helped foster that gift and set them on their current path," Parrish notes. "Both boys applied to prestigious art schools, and based on their portfolios they were accepted to all of them--with scholarships as well. Besides having a good time, Rita gave them a basic foundation in art. We as a family will never forget her."

The Parrish twins concur, saying in an e-mail, "In an area where art is not considered a very serious subject, Marvegos was a place where we could expand our art skills. We were very young when we took classes with Rita, but she and her teachers helped us by providing a more professional outlook on art. Marvegos definitely doesn't offer the everyday, elementary school arts and crafts program."

Young is now sharing the secrets of successfully nurturing youthful artistic talent in a book titled Teaching Art to Children The Marvegos Way. One of the tips parents will learn in the volume: Should they visit their children at Marvegos, they will be politely requested to turn their backs and read, knit or otherwise divert their attention from their children's work. For Young, this process supports the evolution of self-confident, engaged learners.

"Kids don't really need their parents' approval to create wonderful art," she concludes. "By separating them from that wish to please their parents, we help them take that first step toward independence. And that self-confidence will take them much farther than any one suggestion we could ever give them."

Rita Young will sign copies of her book this month at the Westgate Barnes & Noble, at Border's in Los Gatos and at the Linden Tree in Los Altos. For dates and times, or to purchase a copy of the book, visit www.marvegos.com.