Unlock your creative flow with a three-hour drawing class built around observation, one of the more relaxing team building activities you can book in the San Jose and Bay Area region. In a calm Saratoga studio with ideal lighting, your group draws from life after a long demonstration of how to study a subject.
The class runs three hours and is priced at $200 per guest for private groups of 2 to 8 guests. All skill levels are welcome. If anyone in your group has felt their artistic potential needed a gentle push, this workshop is designed for exactly that, and all of the drawing materials will be waiting when you arrive.
What's Included
- Three hours of drawing from observation in a private session
- A long demonstratio
Unlock your creative flow with a three-hour drawing class built around observation, one of the more relaxing team building activities you can book in the San Jose and Bay Area region. In a calm Saratoga studio with ideal lighting, your group draws from life after a long demonstration of how to study a subject.
The class runs three hours and is priced at $200 per guest for private groups of 2 to 8 guests. All skill levels are welcome. If anyone in your group has felt their artistic potential needed a gentle push, this workshop is designed for exactly that, and all of the drawing materials will be waiting when you arrive.
What's Included
- Three hours of drawing from observation in a private session
- A long demonstration of studying a subject in the studio
- All drawing materials, ready for you in class
- Ideal lighting and a quiet, supportive studio atmosphere
- Time to share stories and reconnect with your creative flow
About the Class
The lesson is simple: three hours of drawing from observation, starting with a long demonstration of studying a subject in the studio. From there, guests spend quality time drawing and freeing the artist inside, in a space with the lighting and atmosphere to support it.
The class invites guests to set down the stories that kept them blocked from their creative nature. You can tell your stories, reconnect with your artistic flow and draw in a supportive setting. Many students have found a creative outburst almost immediately after reconnecting with a talent they had kept on the back burner for decades. This is a place to feel empowered and put the block behind you.
Why It Works for Groups
For teams that run on deadlines, a slow, observational drawing session works as a reset. It belongs with wellness team building activities on the creative side, since the focus is on attention and calm rather than competition. Groups of 2 to 8 make it one of the more flexible team building activity ideas for small groups, from a pair of cofounders to a small department.
The class also works as one of the more creative team building ideas for celebrations. It suits a team building activity, a Christmas party, a birthday or a bachelorette party, and individuals and couples book it as a date idea or as a gift. Among unique team building activities it stands out because everyone leaves having drawn something they studied closely, and as holiday team building activities go it is quiet, focused and easy for any skill level.
About the Atelier and Your Instructor
The studio is a small, neatly organized atelier in Historic Saratoga Village, tucked behind the shops on the main downtown street, with walls lined with artwork. It is set up for drawing and oil painting, with easels and good lighting. Your instructor is a realist painter and draftsman who pursued private atelier studies from the mid 1990s in Seattle, Santa Fe, France, Norway and New York City, and who has fifteen years of continuous experience teaching in his own studio.
Most of the studio's students are teens preparing for college and art school, and many students have worked there in small groups for several years at a time. Adults and groups take classes and workshops throughout the year, and the studio also hosts visiting instructors for intensive weekend workshops. In 2025 a museum exhibition in Santa Clara featured 27 of the instructor's original works alongside work by more than 30 current and alumni students. The teaching formula is simple: an ideal studio environment, expert instruction by lecture and demonstration, and a healthy amount of personal space and freedom to work.
What Past Guests Say
One guest said everyone in their group enjoyed the class and found it very peaceful to sit there and soak in the drawing.
How the Session Runs
- Arrive and settle in, with drawing materials ready
- Watch a long demonstration of studying a subject from observation
- Draw from observation with guidance from the instructor
- Share stories and reconnect with your creative flow along the way
Good to Know
- All skill levels are welcome
- Drawing materials are included
- Bring water and snacks
- Private groups range from 2 to 8 guests
Plan Your Drawing Class
Share your preferred date and group size to check availability. At $200 per guest for three hours, with all drawing materials included, this class gives your group a calm, guided session of drawing from observation and a fresh start for anyone who has felt creatively stuck.
