Katy Art School offers drawing classes. (Courtesy Katy Art School)
Driven to provide extracurricular art activities for children in the north Houston area, Katy Art School was founded in the Cinco Ranch area by Luralynn Lombardi in 2014.
After serving the Katy area for over 10 years, Katy Art School expanded to the Cypress area in December 2024 to serve students in the Cypress area and be accessible for Waller, Tomball and Cy-Fair ISD students, Victoria Cachia, manager at the Cypress area Katy Art School, said.
About the program
Operated alongside eight ISD-certified teachers, Katy Art School serves children ages 5-17. The art school offers students a space to practice their art skills without the pressure of grades or time restraints, Cachia said.
“We let them take creative judgment over their pieces. We like to use the phrase ‘It's your art, not mine’. Although we are here to provide instruction and step-by-step guidelines, we recognize the importance of autonomy,” Cachia said. “So this is a space for the kids to actually have a say in what they do and create.”
Classes at Katy Art School are capped at 12 students per class. (Courtesy Katy Art School)
From painting and drawing to digital art and cartoon anime, there are several art classes for students to choose from. Classes are offered after regular school hours on an hourly basis as well as during the summer during summer camps held four times a week, Cachia said.
Class prices vary per course and start at a rate of $30 an hour with an additional one time $35 supply fee and no registration fees. To provide a personalized experience, Cachia said classes are capped at 12 students per class.
While the fall semester begins in August, students can sign up at any time during the school year and are not required to pay for the classes missed, Cachia said.
At Katy Art School children are encouraged to create their own unique style of art. (Courtesy Katy Art School)
The impact
More than art skills, Cachia said Katy Art School provides children with a safe space to express themselves and socialize.
“There are so many older kids and younger kids here who are just having trouble in their day-to-day life at school, and they come here, and this is their place to decompress and really express who they are,” Cachia said.
Cachia, an artist herself, said she joined Katy Art School as an assistant four years ago after a former high school art teacher who taught at Katy Art School encouraged her to join.
While Cachia said her passion for art led her into a career path as an art teacher and art school manager, it was her love for children that inspired her to join the Katy Art School.
“I tell my kids the main purpose [of art] is actually to not be perfect. The whole gist of art, of course, is that there are styles, there are things that you can do to make it look amazing, and there're rules, right? But here at the Katy Art School, what art means to me and my staff, confidently, I can say, is that it's yours and it's imperfect,” Cachia said. “And it's the imperfections that make our art so perfect. I tell my kids if you want something to look realistic, sometimes you have to accept that real apples have bruises or dents in them.”
