A Studio Built on
Belonging
Rainier Gardens Art Studio was founded in 2009 by a collective of Seattle-area artists who wanted to create a space where creativity could flourish without pretension.
Art for Everyone,
At Every Level
We provide professional-grade facilities, expert instruction, and a thriving community to support artists at every stage of their journey. Whether you’re picking up a brush for the first time or preparing work for a gallery show, Rainier Gardens is your home studio.
Today we serve over 500 members across 8 disciplines, host 40+ classes per month, and maintain a rotating gallery that showcases local and regional artists. Our 12,000 sq ft facility sits in the Rainier Valley neighborhood, surrounded by community gardens that inspire the work made inside.
What We Stand For
Accessibility
We believe art should be available to everyone. We offer sliding-scale scholarships and reduced-rate memberships for students and seniors.
Community
We're more than a studio — we're a gathering place. Our events, open critiques, and shared studio time foster deep, lasting creative friendships.
Craft
We honor the tradition of making things well. Our instructors are working artists who bring rigor, passion, and decades of experience to every session.
Sustainability
Our studio sources low-impact materials, recycles clay and paper scraps, and maintains a sculpture garden that celebrates the natural world.
Our Instructors
Every instructor at Rainier Gardens is a working artist with a genuine commitment to teaching.
Elena Vasquez
Lead Ceramics Instructor & Resident Artist
Elena has been throwing pots for over 20 years. Her work has been exhibited nationally and is part of several Pacific Northwest museum collections.
Renata Nowak
Painting Program Director
A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Renata brings rigorous classical training and a warm, encouraging teaching style to all levels.
Marcus Chen
Sculpture & 3D Instructor
Marcus works primarily in bronze and mixed media. He leads our sculpture garden programming and the advanced metalwork workshop series.
Sofia Andrade
Printmaking Instructor
Sofia studied at the Tamarind Institute and specializes in lithography and relief printing. She brings an interdisciplinary lens to her teaching.
Tanya Okafor
Watercolor & Drawing Instructor
An award-winning botanical illustrator, Tanya teaches observation-based drawing and watercolor with a focus on the natural world.
Hiroshi Tanaka
Illustration & Design Instructor
With a background in graphic design and fine art, Hiroshi bridges the worlds of commercial and studio practice in his popular illustration courses.
Our Facilities
Professional-grade equipment in a beautiful, light-filled 12,000 sq ft space.
Ceramics Studio
12 pottery wheels, 3 slab rollers, 4 electric kilns
Painting Studios
Natural north light, easels, drying racks, and a model platform
Printmaking Lab
Etching press, litho stone, screen printing, and a relief station
Fiber Arts
Floor looms, spinning wheels, a dye kitchen, and embroidery frames
Sculpture Studio
Welding equipment, stone carving tools, mold-making supplies
Sculpture Garden
A half-acre outdoor space for large-scale work and inspiration
Gallery
Professional lighting, hanging system, and monthly rotating shows
Library & Lounge
Art books, reference materials, and comfortable gathering space
Come See It for Yourself
Schedule a free studio tour and meet the community.