About Young Artists

The Art School

Every year since our opening in 2010, thousands of children enjoy visiting the Sydney Young Artists Art School to experience our art programs, art classes and school holiday art workshops. Our carefully structured approach to education is designed to give students a rewarding art experience in a nurturing, creative and inspiring environment.

Young Artists educational art programs are designed by qualified educators who specialise in art education for children. We develop technical skills in drawing, painting, mixed media, printmaking, collage, clay, sculpture, ceramic painting and glazing.

Our age appropriate programs and classes give students confidence by allowing them to experiment with a wide range of media.  We teach art terminology and help students recognise their own strengths and weaknesses as artists. Programs and classes also change from term to term, meaning students stay interested, and challenged. We aim to make our programs enjoyable for the children because they learn more when they enjoy what they are doing!

Young Artists is located in Castle Hill in the Hills District of Sydney, NSW. Our professional, child friendly and light filled studio space is located in a safe area away from busy roads at Unit 43, 9 Hoyle Avenue, Castle Hill. There is parking at the front door.

All Young Artists teachers have had a working with children check.

about Jane

(our School Principal and qualified art teacher)

   

Jane Blatchford was born into an artistic family in a small NSW country town. Surrounded by creatives—her father originally an art teacher and her aunt and uncle both recognised artists—she grew up constantly making and designing. By six she was creating clothes for her dolls; by nine she was receiving some art tutoring from her aunt in Forbes, sparking a lifelong love of art.

Through high school, Jane studied visual arts and assisted painting a mural on the Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre at age 16. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Education in Visual Arts, majoring in drawing, at the College of Fine Arts  UNSW. She later studied portraiture and figure painting at the historic Julian Ashton Art School.

Influenced by regular visits to her uncle’s gallery in the Blue Mountains, Jane grew up immersed in art and art education. With over 37 years’ experience teaching Visual Arts and Design and Technology across government and independent schools, she has taught students from infants to secondary levels, many of whom have continued to tertiary art studies. Her students have won many awards including the Young Archie at the NSW Art Gallery and their HSC works have been selected for ART EXPRESS.

Alongside teaching, Jane ran a successful hand-painted giftware business, JFB Designs, which supplied boutiques across Sydney and appeared in home décor magazines in the 1990s. Jane aims to nurture confidence, creativity, and joy in every student—free from fear of judgement.

This passion led her to open Young Artists Visual Arts School on July 12, 2010, fulfilling a long-held dream. Guided by the motto “Joy Creating,” Jane is dedicated to helping young people develop a lifelong love of art.

      

about Kate

one of our art teachers

Katerina Asistin is an emerging artist whose connection to Young Artists began before she joined the team. Her journey started as a student, spending nine years at Young Artists developing her love and skills for creativity, and even exhibiting her work in the Sydney Royal Easter Show during her early years. Her final year at Young Artists focused on developing her HSC Visual Arts Major work which earned her a Band 6 in 2021 and ranking first in her class.

Now, Kate has returned to Young Artists as an assistant and teacher, teaching and supporting students as they experiment, grow and discover their talents in their own ways.

Kate holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting) from the National Art School, where her practice focuses on oil painting and the exploration of everyday urban environments of Western Sydney. Since graduating in 2024, Kate has exhibited in group shows across Sydney, including The Pool Show at Penrith Regional Gallery and becoming a finalist in the 2025 Campbelltown Arts Centre’s Fisher’s Ghost Art Award. She is also active in the local arts community through doing volunteer work with 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Pari in Parramatta and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Additionally, Kate has participated in the Accessible Arts and Diversity Arts Ripple Internship Program in 2025, supporting representation and professional development for emerging artists and arts workers.

about Alex

one of our illustrators and Manga Anime teachers

Completing the HSC in 2016 with a focus on the creative arts, Alex’s Visual Arts and Costume design major works were individually selected for both the esteemed ARTEXPRESS and OnSTAGE. Both exhibits showcase works by the top HSC students in the state, in both Drama and Visual Arts disciplines.

In 2017, Alex completed a Diploma of Production Design at Enmore TAFE, studying fields such as illustration, graphic design, special effects makeup, and set production.

Furthering her artistic skillset, Alex then completed a twelve-month core Concept Design course at Production Art Department in 2019. This program delved into subjects such as live drawing, human anatomy, and colour and light study. During this time, she was also a part of a small studio that participated in several conventions selling and displaying their work.

Currently, Alex is continuing her studies, completing her Bachelor of 2D Animation at the Australian Institute of Technology. She is constantly sharing what she learns with her students, giving them the best head start on their art journey before they have even finished school.

Alex loves all things anime, cartoons, animation, and gaming, shares a common interest with her students and enjoys showing them the artistic side of these much-loved media.

No stranger to Young Artists, Alex was a student herself at our school for over 5 years and a Teachers Assistant for 4 years.

about Leah

one of our art teachers

Growing up immersed in creativity, Leah began her artistic journey at the age of five at Young Artists Visual Art School, founded by her mother in 2010. Over 12 years of classes, she explored a wide range of mediums—from printmaking to pottery—before discovering her passion for painting. Encouraged by her family and the nurturing Young Artists community, she developed a deep appreciation for art as a way of expressing ideas, emotions, and stories.

Throughout her youth, she participated in competitions such as the Sydney Royal Easter Show, earning multiple awards including first place in the clay category. In her final year of high school, her series Byte by Byte was selected for ARTEXPRESS 2024 at Hazelhurst Gallery, a milestone achievement that fueled her interest in surrealist realism and conceptual storytelling. She continued developing her practice through competitions like Mosman Youth and was honoured to win the 16-18 years category in the Young Archies 2024 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Today, Leah balances a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Sydney with a growing art practice, taking on commissions and creating new work for exhibitions. As both a teacher and assistant at Young Artists, as well as a workshop facilitator in other creative spaces, she loves inspiring children to explore their imagination and gain confidence through art.

Blending teaching, ongoing study, and active involvement in the art community, Leah is committed to continual growth—both personally and as an educator. She strives to share the transformative power of creativity with every young artist who walks into the studio.

about Zoe

one of our art teachers

Zoe has been a part of our art community for many years, first as a student for 10 years and as a dedicated teacher’s assistant for the past five. With a Diploma in Visual Arts and currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Art Therapy, Zoe brings both artistic expertise and an understanding of the emotional power of creativity.

With a passion for working with children, Zoe fosters creativity and personal growth. She aims to create a nurturing and inspiring environment where young artists feel encouraged to express themselves freely and confidently. Zoe believes every child has a unique creative voice, and she loves guiding them as they develop confidence and self-expression through artistic exploration.

Amy

Office manager and one of our art teachers

Get in touch with us now

The programs at Young Artists are written by qualified educators who specialise in art education for children. We aim to make our programs enjoyable for the children because they learn more when they enjoy what they are doing!

Young Artists is found in the Hills district of Sydney. Our professional light filled warehouse studio space is located at Unit 43, 9 Hoyle Avenue, Castle Hill NSW 2154.
There is parking at the front door.

“Happiness… it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.”  Vincent van Gogh

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