The teacher
Elena Ant, artist and art teacher in London, Ontario
Art Classes by Elena Ant is the art school of the artist Elena Ant in London, Ontario, where she teaches drawing and painting to children from age seven, teenagers and adults.
Fifteen years in the studio of the artist Veniamin Marshak
“No one becomes an artist overnight.”
- At 19Begins studying drawing with the artist Veniamin Marshak in Minsk, Belarus, to prepare a portfolio for an art academy.
- Fifteen yearsChooses not to apply, and trains and works in his studio: drawing first, then tone and technique. He is still her teacher.
- ThenGraduates from the acting programme of a theatre school, and later works in business.
- From 2000Studies psychology, then practises it for ten to fifteen years and teaches it.
- At 50Returns to drawing and painting. Within about a year her skills come back; people take an interest in her work and she sells some of it.
- In 2019Begins teaching children in London, Ontario; adults join later.
Her own work
Paintings by Elena Ant, artist in London, Ontario
Still life, flowers, city streets and a portrait of a dog.
A dog looking up
Lilacs by a window
Butterfly
Blueberries in a spoon
Snowdrops
Lilacs in a basket
Persimmons
Poppies
Sunflowers and lemons
Blossom
Lemons
Espresso
Coffee by a window
An old-town street
Pears
A rainbow umbrella
A tram in the rain
Pansies
Glass ornaments
How the school began: one child who wanted to draw with friends
When Elena Ant’s son was seven, he became interested in drawing, but did not want to draw alone. She gathered his friends who wanted to draw, then advertised to other children his age. Parents brought their children, and classes formed, meeting once or twice a week.
Then people of an older generation saw her notices and joined, and steady groups of different ages formed.
How she teaches
Every student at their own level, and no criticism
Her training in psychology shapes how she teaches each age. In a group or one to one, she works with each student at their level and helps them up, step by step.
She does not criticise, and she stops parents who criticise their children’s work: every stage of development matters, and young artists are very sensitive to criticism. When students are too hard on themselves, she reminds them to focus on the process of becoming an artist, not on the result.
She has seen hard work beat talent: students without obvious gifts who work reach good results, while gifted students who rely on talent alone fall behind.
She still paints and takes part in exhibitions. What she loves about teaching is being among people who see the world the way an artist does, and watching her students grow.
Ask Elena Ant about a place in a class
Tell her which class you are interested in. Groups take at most six students.