About
The Children's Art Program includes perspective drawing, a watercolor lesson on warm and cool colors, and mixed media activities. Children use blue tape to resist watercolors by creating a design with the tape and then painting over it, and the program also offers a family paint night. Materials used in the classes range from crayons and paper to soap suds and paint, and sometimes the activities can be very messy.
• Ages: 5–10 years old
• Schedule: Art classes are scheduled every two weeks.
The Children's Art Program is part of the Coastal Arts League, a donor-supported and volunteer-run nonprofit serving the San Francisco Bay Area, which encourages and supports visual artists in the SF Bay Area in an environment where diversity is valued and celebrated. Classes are taught by lead teacher Carla Periat, with other artists assisting, and teachers are background-checked before entering the Main Street Park site. Karen Beltran from Resident Services manages the after-school program and helps the children with homework, and Program Specialists for Mid-Pen Family Services are involved. Fourteen children attend regularly, and together the teaching team provides art activities for the 5 to 10 year-olds at the Family Apartment complex, where the children are supervised on site in an after school program until they are old enough to attend the Boys and Girls Club in Half Moon Bay. The Children's Art Program cooperates with the Family Services director of MidPen Resident Services, and the Coastal Arts League Board of Directors voted to continue its contract with MidPeninsula Family Services for another year. During school days, transportation is provided by Cabrillo Unified School District to El Granada Elementary School, and after school the children are returned to Main Street Park Apartments in Half Moon Bay. With a grant from the San Mateo County Arts Commission, the program has a small budget to purchase additional supplies, and there are a lot of crayons and watercolor paints in supply. Online Art Resources for the Whole Family are provided, and admission to the public art gallery is always free.
According to Program Manager Juan Rios in 2018, the Coastal Arts League had already been at Main Street Park for a year, and he stated that Carla and her team had done a wonderful job with the kids and community and that they would love to continue having the Coastal Arts League at Main Street. Lead teacher Carla Periat reported in March 2020 that, when the children's program was interrupted, she reached out to Karen Beltran to check on the 14 children and their families, and that Karen was sending fun emails to keep the kids engaged while families gathered art supplies, including crayons and watercolor paints. In feedback about specific projects, Gail Dennis noted that a project turned out great and that it was obvious the kids were engaged and having fun, and she also described how students recently learned to use blue tape to resist watercolors and watched their project emerge from start to finish. Sue Hatfield commented that it was fun watching the little artists create. Carla Periat reported that about 20 participants attended the first family paint night, that parents and children were very happy with their paintings, and that the event relied on help from Gail Dennis, Sue Hatfield, and Susan Kerby.
Last updated April 22, 2026.
• Ages: 5–10 years old
• Schedule: Art classes are scheduled every two weeks.
The Children's Art Program is part of the Coastal Arts League, a donor-supported and volunteer-run nonprofit serving the San Francisco Bay Area, which encourages and supports visual artists in the SF Bay Area in an environment where diversity is valued and celebrated. Classes are taught by lead teacher Carla Periat, with other artists assisting, and teachers are background-checked before entering the Main Street Park site. Karen Beltran from Resident Services manages the after-school program and helps the children with homework, and Program Specialists for Mid-Pen Family Services are involved. Fourteen children attend regularly, and together the teaching team provides art activities for the 5 to 10 year-olds at the Family Apartment complex, where the children are supervised on site in an after school program until they are old enough to attend the Boys and Girls Club in Half Moon Bay. The Children's Art Program cooperates with the Family Services director of MidPen Resident Services, and the Coastal Arts League Board of Directors voted to continue its contract with MidPeninsula Family Services for another year. During school days, transportation is provided by Cabrillo Unified School District to El Granada Elementary School, and after school the children are returned to Main Street Park Apartments in Half Moon Bay. With a grant from the San Mateo County Arts Commission, the program has a small budget to purchase additional supplies, and there are a lot of crayons and watercolor paints in supply. Online Art Resources for the Whole Family are provided, and admission to the public art gallery is always free.
According to Program Manager Juan Rios in 2018, the Coastal Arts League had already been at Main Street Park for a year, and he stated that Carla and her team had done a wonderful job with the kids and community and that they would love to continue having the Coastal Arts League at Main Street. Lead teacher Carla Periat reported in March 2020 that, when the children's program was interrupted, she reached out to Karen Beltran to check on the 14 children and their families, and that Karen was sending fun emails to keep the kids engaged while families gathered art supplies, including crayons and watercolor paints. In feedback about specific projects, Gail Dennis noted that a project turned out great and that it was obvious the kids were engaged and having fun, and she also described how students recently learned to use blue tape to resist watercolors and watched their project emerge from start to finish. Sue Hatfield commented that it was fun watching the little artists create. Carla Periat reported that about 20 participants attended the first family paint night, that parents and children were very happy with their paintings, and that the event relied on help from Gail Dennis, Sue Hatfield, and Susan Kerby.
Last updated April 22, 2026.
Is this your business? There is no cost, but you will be asked to sign up or log in.