Testimonials & Reviews

“This is a long overdue review of Prima Materia. My child Will took classes in person (pre-Covid) and on-line (post Covid) as well as taking private lessons with Nikusha. I credit Nikusha 100% for helping my kid get into an art college.”

“I have been a student at Prima Materia Art Institute for over four years and want to give a big shout out and thank you for outstanding classes. I have learned all techniques and media you would ever want to know and learned about the old masters in each class.”

“This art studio is the best place I have stumbled upon in a while!! I started with the Prima Materia paint workshop led by Olya, which was fantastic. It was a very fun, open environment with great vibes and good music. I came home with 10 awesome paintings that day (all supplies included!)”

“I signed up for this class....as a non-artist....hoping to learn something that might "Awaken" some hidden talent I didn't know I had. REALLY...lol My congratulations to Nikusha....In 3 hours, I actually learned what drawing was all about and succeeded in making my first piece of art!”

“Best art school I ever attended! Very inspirational and the instructor and staff are so helpful that even the least confident students become confident artists with beautiful creations.”

“WOW! I have only taken 1 lesson here so far but I really enjoyed it! I walked in a little intimidated because I haven't taken an art class since high school and even though I wasn't any good at it. But immediately I felt welcomed by not only the staff but fellow students.”

“It was a really hard decision for me to pursue the College portfolio program. I thought it would be too difficult to combine it with my acting career and I was positive that the people who succeeded at Prima were probably just some "rare/special cases" ...but the curiosity to find out was just too tempting, so I decided to go for it and do the Portfolio, and I dove right in. At first, it was a kick in the butt, I wanted to learn things "my way" and as a result of my stubbornness I didn't get the best results, but after finally conceding to the guidance I decided to let go of some preconceived notions and follow their advice. The breakthrough was immediate. Prima Materia accelerated method took hold and within a month I was lucky enough to auction a piece of my work from the sketching and drawing class. I have since built a knockout portfolio, finished the program, and now have a website. Also, the true gifts have been the relationships I have made along the way in those classes as well as the internal transformation that took place from having completed the Portfolio program. I now have confidence in my ability to share my voice through art, something I didn't have before I took my leap of faith. Super happy! It's the best thing I've ever done with my time. There is so much joy. It's been a gift.”

“I started painting during the pandemic but hadn't had any formal training. I figured I would benefit from some guidance and found Prima Materia Art Institute. They had a great beginner drawing course with multiple live online sessions and access to recorded classes, which was of great value. We learned one technique per class (so many!) and got lessons on art history as well. I later took a facial structure course which looked at each facial feature per class. I teachers are professional artists and are committed to quality teaching m, technique and the enjoyment of the process. I am certain that I will take another course in the near future. Highly recommend the Institute to anyone looking to polish and/or learn new art skills.”

“I wholeheartedly recommend Prima Materia Art Institute! The instructors' extensive knowledge, patience, kindness, and passion for art are truly inspirational. My classes with Nikusha helped me to break through my artistic fears and learn how to enjoy the art-making process from start to finish. I also have gained a whole new way of looking at both art and the world just by the artistic techniques we learned in class. If you're an emerging artist or just someone looking to nurture their creativity, I definitely would recommend Prima Materia!”

“I've been taking art classes at the studio for a few years and have loved every minute. This year, I've been taking classes on Zoom and have learned even more than I expected. I'm not a Zoom fan in general...I prefer the in person experience. But, I must say Prima Materia has done an outstanding job recreating the learning environment online. And maybe even more importantly, the sense of community the studio has always had, may have even grown stronger online. It's such a pleasant mix of art instruction, formal and informal, plus meaningful and fun discussions with other members. Recently, I signed up for a one-on-one critique/review of one of my paintings with Olya. I wasn't sure if the painting was done. Actually, I WANTED it to be done, but knew it was lacking in a few areas. Olya's review was SO helpful! Olya delivers her critique with the perfect mix of positive feedback and helpful suggestions on how to take your work to the place where you are confident it is done. I would definitely recommend a one-on-one session for any artist who is stuck, or questioning their work, or for those artists who won't stop until they are truly satisfied with what they have created. As an artist, it is natural to doubt your work...is it good?....is it done? A session with Olya will leave you with what you need, whether that's help solving a problem, validation with a concept, or maybe just confidence in your own abilities. Can't recommend highly enough!”

“Olla is one of kind, a true master, her instruction is to be treasured. Highly recommend this school.”

“Because of this school art has turned out to be the most fun thing in my life! Need I say more!”

“We took a beginning drawing class. The instruction by Kinusha was exceptional. There were many tips to help you 'see' your art object so that you could draw what you see. Discussion of techiques as well as encouragement to let your ideas run free, like when we were children. Fun. We are going back for more.”

“Helpful and a bit freeing, sometimes pointing out the obvious is the best lesson! I really like the collaborative atmosphere of the studio...everyone's working on their own thing, and obviously supportive of each other.”

“great experience, really helped me to channel into my right brain, fun class and very encouraging teachers”

“It was a wonderful first experience! Ill be back thank you.”

“My experience was the best, as usual!”

“Best thing since sliced bread”