*The Dancing Cat Art School is an online art school created by Rhode Island School of Design graduates and husband and wife team Jamie and Tom. After living between Martha's Vineyard and NYC for several years we found ourselves artistically isolated and in need of a community in which we could share and express our art. Tom read about Etsy in an article in the NY Times and we decided to open an online shop to sell our fine art and prints. The Dancing Cat was born in December 2008, our first sale in time for Christmas.

It was from there our online art community grew and in 2009 we decided to expand our love of art and art making by creating online art courses, with weekly assignments aimed at creative thinking and examining new practice. This led to a collaboration with blogger and illustrator Amy Ng of Pikaland, creating what later became known as Pikaland Bootcamp, with courses ranging from overcoming ones fears about making work, to how to market your art online and visual journaling.

Our goal has always been to provide a core understanding and basis for what makes a work of art strong and visually engaging. From this foundation the goal is self discovery and uncovering ones artistic voice, in otherwords what makes you and your art unique!

Now more than ever with so much focus on the finished product ie an object and selling one's work, the core understanding and joy of making art is lost. Our courses are aimed at putting the joy back in making. To not only help you uncover what it is you want to say with your art but to enjoy the process. Inspiration is all around you sometimes all it takes is a relaxtion of pace and an opening of one's eyes.

We're always developing new and engaging classes, (and have been teaching online art courses for the past 2 years!), some of our recent favorites have included Painting the Winter Landscape (in Oils), Exploring the 5 Senses, The Art of the Bicycle, and a 3 day art trip to NYC this past Spring.

As professional artists with world study ranging from Australia to The Hermitage in St. Petersburg Russia, and Rome we feel we have something genuinely unique and of value to offer to our students.

Hope to see you in class!

View our most recent course offerings. And view the work of Dancing Cat Art School Alumni!