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About Theo Art School
About Us
Theo Art School is a nonprofit, year-round art school offering educational artistic enrichment to our community of Bismarck, North Dakota, and surrounding cities. Theo Art School has been Bismarck-Mandan's premier art school since 1992, with more than 80,000 student registrations! We provide affordable and enriching art instruction, fostering creativity and self-expression through classes, camps, and community outreach. Our students vary from 10 months old to 100 years young. We teach painting, drawing, paper arts, 3D art and more, sharing our love of Impressionism, Realism, Pop Art, and other artistic styles. We supply the materials and inspiration you need to create fun and fabulous art; you just bring your enthusiasm!
Our studios are located in the upper and lower levels of the Frances Leach High Prairie Arts and Science Complex at 1810 Schafer Street in Bismarck, North Dakota. With large rooms, ample parking, a very safe environment, excellent instruction, and a load of inspiration to share, Theo Art School offers students a fabulous art experience.
Our Mission
Our mission at Theo Art School is Art for All – Sharing the Love of Art. Our goals toward meeting our mission are:
Theo Art School fosters a sense of belonging through a positive, safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for all, backed by policies and practices. We promote a supportive environment that encourages respectful, trusting, and caring relationships between staff, students, and clients.
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Provide art education for all ages and skills levels in the Bismarck metropolitan area and surrounding communities.
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Provide transformative experiences through our classes, camps, events, and community outreach programs.
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Enhance the art education available in the public and private school systems for children and adults with low-cost tuition, free full scholarships, with all art supplies included.
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Offer a great art program for our children in a very dynamic, nurturing environment that encourages children to discover their unique creative and artistic talents.
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Continue providing art opportunities by building constructive relationships within our community – with families, local businesses, schools, and other local nonprofits organizations by promoting our mission of "Art for All – Sharing the Love of Art."
Inclusion Policy
Theo Art School proudly follows its mission of "Art for All" by adhering to an Inclusion Policy that welcomes all. Since our founding in 1992, we have provided an environment that embraces students of every ethnicity, language, shape, size, and ability, aiming to build a vibrant and diverse creative community. We cultivate an environment without discrimination, a creative space where students from all backgrounds feel equal and welcome.
Key aspects of our commitment to inclusion:
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Accessible Art Education: The school offers classes for everyone from toddlers to centenarians.
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Affordability: Programs include low-cost tuition, full scholarships, and all necessary art supplies.
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Diverse Programming: Offerings include Summer Art Attack camps, After-School Art Clubs, and, as mentioned on the Theo Art School website, specialized sessions like Art, Canvas & Wine.
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Supportive Environment: Policies focus on creating a safe, caring atmosphere that encourages respectful relationships between staff and students
Zero-Tolerance Policies
To further support our "Art for All" mission, Theo Art School enforces strict zero-tolerance policies prohibiting discrimination or harassment based on race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, or gender identity. These policies apply to all staff, students, board members, and community affiliates, covering conduct at school studios, offsite events, social media, and digital communications. The school is committed to equal opportunity for all, regardless of any legally protected status, and adheres to Title VI compliance guidelines.
Who was Theo?
Theo Van Gogh (the man painted in the straw hat in our banner at the top of each page) was the brother of famous Dutch Impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh. It was Theo who encouraged Vincent to pursue his dream of art and then supported him financially through his years as an artist. Theo was Vincent's life-long supporter and best friend. Our school is named after Theo to follow his mission of support and encouragement to all who want to learn about and create art.
Staff
Liliana Norby, Executive Director
When Liliana moved to Bismarck with her family in 2002, she brought with her a passion for art and a pizzazz for management that have enabled her to work miracles with Theo Art School. She doesn't claim to be an artist but has the keen eye that sees talent, quality, and creativity. She has fallen in love with North Dakota not just as her husband's and family's home but also for its peaceful beauty, sweeping prairies, and bright, starlit nights.
Jamie (Hilderman) Resendez, Instructor
Jamie came to Theo in early 2016 as a diamond in the rough with great recommendations, great artistic talent, and a character of art explosion like no other! It does not take long to warm up to Jamie. With her solid work ethic and willingness to share her love for art, Jamie teaches groups from 10 months to 100 years old. Her favorite art mediums are charcoal and pencil, but she can teach any medium. Her studies in the Visual Arts bring endless talent. Her mantra: "Don't ever, ever stop learning."
Joy Gerhart, Instructor
Ms. Joy Gerhart brings her watercolor techniques, expertise, and solid foundation on her medium of choice: Watercolor. A wonderful young artist with an incredible talent and joyful ART inspired her life in our great state of North Dakota landscapes and nature- a perfect match for the next generation of Art Club members. Part of her residency at Theo Art School is to experience the Four Seasons through her Art and the inspiration that she will bring to the After School Art Club members by creating their own masterpieces with simplicity and dedication to the medium.
Memberships
We encourage our students to become a Theo Art School member for a low annual fee and save on all our classes and camps! Learn more about Theo membership
Gift Certificates
Gift certificates to Theo Art School are a great way to encourage someone to relax, have fun, and be creative. Learn more about gift certificates
Scholarships
We believe that every child should have the opportunity to enjoy our classes and camps. Learn more about our scholarships
Sponsors
See our sponsors on our home page. Theo Art School is grateful for the financial support of those organizations, as their sponsorship enables us to keep our programs affordable and purchase some of the many supplies needed for our classes. If the opportunity arises, please extend your thanks to them for supporting Theo Art School. We invite you to Be a Sponsor, too!
Board of Directors
We are looking for people who believe in supporting the mission of Theo Art School to join our Board of Directors. Skills needed are leadership qualities, teamwork, and a love of art! Time commitment is about four meetings a year and approximately 8 to 10 hours a year outside of meetings. Gain experience and give back to your arts community! Contact us for more information.