About
Art Students' Atelier offers drawing and oil painting instruction that includes life drawing, master studies, still life, and portraiture. The studio is described as a small but neatly organized space with walls lined with artwork, easels set up with still life scenes or other references, and an area for a model so students can practice drawing from life. The Atelier offers year-round instruction for drawing and oil painting, and students can begin as young as 12 years old and learn at their own pace with generous class hours and support inside a well lighted and functional studio.
• Ages: 12–18 years old
• Schedule: Summer Art Studio Workshops are 5-day workshops, Monday through Friday, typically 1 pm to 5 pm in June and July, and the program also offers after school art studio classes, daytime studio on Tuesday mornings, and a night gallery art studio class on Tuesday evenings.
• Price: Summer Art Studio Workshops – College Portfolio Builder are $550 per week; the After School Art Studio on Tuesdays from 4:00–6:00 pm is $425 per month, with a possible $60 materials fee if needed for shared supplies.
The instructor and director, Gabriel Coke, specializes in teaching talented children and teaches drawing and oil painting using skills he practiced in ateliers in Europe and the United States. His education includes study at The Grand Central Academy of Art in New York City, Frovik Kunstskole in Norway, Ecole Albert deFois in France, The Studio of Anthony Ryder in Santa Fe, The Gage Academy of Art in Seattle, and The Concrete Tower at The Old Arcata Creamery in Arcata. He has fifteen years of continuous experience teaching in his own art studio in Saratoga, California, and has been Director of Art Students' Atelier since 2021, after serving as Director of NUMU Atelier for New Museum Los Gatos from 2015 to 2020 and Director of Cloud Castle Art Studio from 2010 to 2015.
The Summer Art Studio Workshops are described as a drawing and painting intensive that includes life drawing, master studies, still life, and portraiture, and are noted as ideal for the creation of an art portfolio as students prepare for college applications. All abilities are welcome whether for fun or for reaching academic goals. Students who want to paint are encouraged to buy their own brushes and panels, while all oil paint is provided, and the studio paints solvent-free with “oil only” safe practices. After School Art Studio includes one week of life drawing in April and May, and the studio also offers night classes for adults and hosts weekend-long workshops with other contemporary art masters.
The mission of the Atelier states that it offers year-round instruction for drawing and oil painting, with a studio built on a solid foundation and a kind-hearted approach that nurtures artists, students, and teachers. Gabriel states that making art comes from the soul, that a drawing or painting leaves a trace of consciousness, and that having a place to go to find answers and get advice can make a world of difference.
Parent testimonials describe students studying with Gabriel from middle school through high school, learning techniques from charcoal to oil painting, and developing portfolios that were used for applications to art schools such as ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. One parent reports that a student went from having no portfolio to receiving a merit scholarship based on a portfolio built in less than a year. Another parent notes that Gabriel’s teaching included portfolio help, participation in art competitions and exhibits, and chances to work with professional artists from around the world.
Gabriel’s community involvement includes directing the atelier program at New Museum Los Gatos for five years, culminating in the exhibition “On The Shoulders of Giants,” which featured 12 professional visiting artists alongside 22 young local artists. From May 3 to August 10, 2025, he is exhibiting work at The Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara in an exhibition titled “Unlimited Imagination,” which features 27 original works by Gabriel and additional work by over 30 current and alumni students.
Last updated May 24, 2026.
• Ages: 12–18 years old
• Schedule: Summer Art Studio Workshops are 5-day workshops, Monday through Friday, typically 1 pm to 5 pm in June and July, and the program also offers after school art studio classes, daytime studio on Tuesday mornings, and a night gallery art studio class on Tuesday evenings.
• Price: Summer Art Studio Workshops – College Portfolio Builder are $550 per week; the After School Art Studio on Tuesdays from 4:00–6:00 pm is $425 per month, with a possible $60 materials fee if needed for shared supplies.
The instructor and director, Gabriel Coke, specializes in teaching talented children and teaches drawing and oil painting using skills he practiced in ateliers in Europe and the United States. His education includes study at The Grand Central Academy of Art in New York City, Frovik Kunstskole in Norway, Ecole Albert deFois in France, The Studio of Anthony Ryder in Santa Fe, The Gage Academy of Art in Seattle, and The Concrete Tower at The Old Arcata Creamery in Arcata. He has fifteen years of continuous experience teaching in his own art studio in Saratoga, California, and has been Director of Art Students' Atelier since 2021, after serving as Director of NUMU Atelier for New Museum Los Gatos from 2015 to 2020 and Director of Cloud Castle Art Studio from 2010 to 2015.
The Summer Art Studio Workshops are described as a drawing and painting intensive that includes life drawing, master studies, still life, and portraiture, and are noted as ideal for the creation of an art portfolio as students prepare for college applications. All abilities are welcome whether for fun or for reaching academic goals. Students who want to paint are encouraged to buy their own brushes and panels, while all oil paint is provided, and the studio paints solvent-free with “oil only” safe practices. After School Art Studio includes one week of life drawing in April and May, and the studio also offers night classes for adults and hosts weekend-long workshops with other contemporary art masters.
The mission of the Atelier states that it offers year-round instruction for drawing and oil painting, with a studio built on a solid foundation and a kind-hearted approach that nurtures artists, students, and teachers. Gabriel states that making art comes from the soul, that a drawing or painting leaves a trace of consciousness, and that having a place to go to find answers and get advice can make a world of difference.
Parent testimonials describe students studying with Gabriel from middle school through high school, learning techniques from charcoal to oil painting, and developing portfolios that were used for applications to art schools such as ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. One parent reports that a student went from having no portfolio to receiving a merit scholarship based on a portfolio built in less than a year. Another parent notes that Gabriel’s teaching included portfolio help, participation in art competitions and exhibits, and chances to work with professional artists from around the world.
Gabriel’s community involvement includes directing the atelier program at New Museum Los Gatos for five years, culminating in the exhibition “On The Shoulders of Giants,” which featured 12 professional visiting artists alongside 22 young local artists. From May 3 to August 10, 2025, he is exhibiting work at The Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara in an exhibition titled “Unlimited Imagination,” which features 27 original works by Gabriel and additional work by over 30 current and alumni students.
Last updated May 24, 2026.
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