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Review

Ksenia Kogevnikova 2020, Feb. 28
I am so thankful to Olga for all she has taught me about art throughout my childhood and into adulthood. She genuinely cares about her students (not just from a teaching perspective but also personally) and supports them in what they want to learn, providing interesting projects, help, and guidance. She really increased my confidence and made me comfortable with drawing and painting. I'm really grateful my mother took me to her studio when I was young ;).
Ann Karamysh 2020, Feb. 6
Palette is an incredible art studio that mixes a home-like, warm atmosphere with professional teaching and plenty of techniques to learn. Olga is one of the kindest people I have ever met, and she gently guides her students through their projects, carefully tailoring her approach to your particular strengths and style. She knows when to pitch ideas and provide specific, goal-oriented compositions to complete in order to learn a particular skill, and she also knows when to let the student choose their own projects if they are inspired by something of their own. The studio has a very relaxed feel to it, and everyone comes from very different backgrounds, age groups, and skill levels. Olga is an excellent teacher, and I will always be thankful to her for the foundations of painting and drawing that she's laid, which now allow me to inject art into my life freely.
Alyssa Lucose 2019, Dec. 5
I have been drawing at this studio for a while now, and can say i've grown so much here. Olga is such an amazing teacher, and she really cares about her students. She takes the effort to go above and beyond, and helps students grow to full potential. Her studio is a great place to paint, and she has all the supplies you'll need. I love this studio a lot, and would highly recommend it :)
Alyona Glazyrina 2019, Mar. 7
Amazing studio and the teacher is great and always welcoming! I've been a student for 6 years and hope to continue for a while longer.
Milena Markovich 2018, Sep. 3
Hi Olga! I wanted to say thank you for everything you have taught me over the years. The technical skills you teach proved an important foundation for my creativity to jump off of as I got older, and I would not be the artist I have become without your lessons, and the welcoming environment of this studio. Thanks!
Peter Julian, MP Burnaby-New Westminster 2006, Oct. 3
Dear Ms. Zakharova, Just a short note to thank you for inviting me to the reception to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the Art Studio "Palette" which was established in Burnaby in 2001. I was very impressed by the excellent quality of work produced by your students. Young and old, they are fortunate to have access to a variety of art mediums to pursue their goals and polish their talent. As well, the learning environment and the professionalism of the teacher are key elements in their artistic development. It was a real pleasure to encounter so many spirited people surrounded by their artistic contributions. The success of Palette is a result of your dedication and commitment to your students. Good luck with your future endeavours. Yours truly, Peter Julian, MP Burnaby-New Westminster
Yousra Roumanis 2006, Feb. 25
First I like to say that a long time we looked for a good art school, but unfortunately we had no success. One day I was telling this to a friend of mine and she mentioned to me about Olga's art school called "Palette". So I said: "Okay, we will try one more school", and indeed my daughter Nicole loved it. Now, she waits every week until it's Wednesday and she can go. She's very proud of her work because she works hard at learning the skills of painting and drawing in order to express her concepts. Olga Zakharova not only teaches technique, skill and expression, but she teaches it with love.
Karen Cattell 2006, Jan. 27
I am pleased to be given an opportunity to express my opinion in something I feel is important; that is an art program which my friend Olga Zakharova is providing for children in her Art Studio "PALETTE". Olga is creating an important public service in the type of art instruction she teaches children. Her teaching gives these children a special kind of structure and knowledge of art which unfortunately is not so readily available in public schools for young kids. She teaches them proper technique and how to develop their own personal styles. Upon viewing some of her students' art work, I was truly amazed at the talent she has brought out of them. When my son was in junior high school and excellent in art, I tried to find an after school art program for him, however none existed, and only adult programs were available. I feel creativity is vital for children to express themselves and built up a personal sense of worth and self-esteem and programs like Olga's foster these important traits. An art exhibition is just the kind of thing children need in order to obtain recognition and appreciation, and furthermore is another step in building relationships among youth and their communities. Sincerely, Karen Cattell
Vladimir Smirnov
Artistic skills have shaped me into the person I am today. With the teachings of Olga Zakharova, I was able to develop my skills as an artist, which in turn inspired me to further advance in the study of arts. I have been a part of "Studio Palette" for four and a half years. During those years, I gained the knowledge of color perception and extracting the creativity of my mind onto paper. I found the world to be much brighter when the colors it consists of are well known to you. Olga taught us to recreate the beauty of nature and people. She was always there ready to give us individual help with our unique projects. Whether it is pattern practice or a portrait, the mistakes showed up rarer with every lesson. The creativity I practiced wasn't just for art but it also trained me to easily picture objects in my head. Imagination is a tool for any subject one might encounter with in life. The future depends on ones skills and interests. I decided that art would be a skill and an interest for me. My goal is to achieve a "Bachelor of Design" from the Emily Carr Institute of Arts. From there work my way to become an industrial designer as my career. I believe that I could make the world a more beautiful place if I make all the hidden colors visible to everyone. With thanks from all my heart to Olga Zakharova and "Studio Palette" for helping me achieve my goals and leading me on the right direction for my future.
Nick Antipenkov
My journey through art. I knew I wanted to be involved in the animation industry by the time I graduated Secondary School. My options for post secondary education in such a field however, were very limited. Private institutes were very expensive, ranging from 25000 to 35000 dollars per year, and placement rates for graduates were low. After speaking with a few professionals who worked in the industry, it was obvious that these private institutes were not very good options. Instead, they recommended a government subsidized Digital Animation program at Capillano College. It was more affordable and much more successful than the private schools. This meant that their artistic standards were very high, and their portfolio requirements were beyond what I was capable at the time. It was obvious then, that I needed to further develop my artistic abilities. Not only to enter Capillano, but as a vital skill to have when working in any creative field. It was then that I found out about Art Studio Palette. Of course there were many other art tutors, but none that provided a relaxed and creative atmosphere quite like Olga's. Her love for teaching art gave her a unique understanding of what her students wanted to accomplish and the ability to carefully guide them towards their goal. During the time that I attended her classes, I learned the basics of drawing, such as form, composition, color theory, and most importantly how to keep my works creative and unique. Last year, I decided to take the "Animation Fundamentals" summer course at Capillano, to get a better understanding of how the animation process works. While I was there, I found out how important it was to work around people with similar interests and goals. Not only do you get to see a lot of different methods and techniques, but you will often get great ideas and suggestions on how you could improve your work, from people who are very artistically talented. During one of the lectures, one of our teachers expressed how important it was to be able to capture the human figure as one of the primary skills for character design. So after the summer course was over, I took night lessons on figure drawing at Gladstone secondary school, taught by James Picard. I also started attending figure drawing sessions at Basic Inquiry (LifeDrawing.org) with some friends from Capillano. It was very intersting how every artist saw the same pose, but every one of them drew it very differently. It was also very inspirational to see so many unique and even strange methods. Last month I got a job at Bad Angels Production as a Visual Effects Intern, and as an intern, I get to try doing just about everything involved in the visual effects process. It's a very insightful experience, as you get to see exactly how the industry works, and what kind of skills are important. Intern positions are great for people who have no actual work experience yet, and want to see what options there are in a particular industry. But the most essential qualities in any field are always imagination and creativity, those skills can take you just about anywhere, but they also require a lot of practice and experience. That's why it's so important to try new things and keep a lookout for new opportunities and possibilities. It is also beneficial to work with or around other people who have similar interests, as they will often be the best source of inspiration and motivation as you come up with new ideas and techniques. You can also find many art oriented communities on the Internet,such as deviantart.com. Many of my friends have started their own websites and blogs where they can post their most recent works and receive feedback from each other. This year I'm applying for the Digital Animation at Capilano to further my education and open up new opportunities. Nick Antipenkov.