Welcome to DeRaud Art School
This is your place to sign up for Art Lessons, and explore all we have
to offer.
About Us
Artists & Instructors: Mark & Wendy DeRaud
Mark DeRaud has been a professional artist in Fresno since 1992, and spent a year as an art instructor at Fresno Pacific University. Self-taught, beginning as a child prodigy in Germany at the age of 14, Mark has produced a large body of work from Michelangelo-style gallery art to commissioned paintings to massive murals. Most well-known for his liturgical art, Mark's work can be seen at Holy Spirit Church where his Stations of the Cross and altar piece stand over 14 feet tall and 100 ft long. In addition, Mark did the humorous murals at Me 'n Ed's Pizzerias, tropical murals at Irene's Cafe', St. John's Cathedral Narthex, and a mural at Boy's and Girl's Club. Mark specializes in oil painting and the old masters technique in the style of Peter Paul Rubens, and opaque watercolor.
Wendy DeRaud has a multiple-subject teaching credential and has taught primary grades, reading intervention, and high school art. An avid artist all her life, Wendy specializes in figure drawing and portraiture and loves teaching, inspiring and encouraging others to engage in their creative gifts,
For more information about Mark & Wendy, or to purchase a print or original art work by Mark, visit their website at www.markderaudartist.com
about deraud art school
Drawing Classes for Ages 5 & Up
DeRaud Art School is continuing to grow as our students excel in learning and creativity. Beginning in the Fall of 2018 with a handful of students at our River Park location, we quickly settled into our home studio at the end of the year. By June 2019 we had 13 students, and by December 2019 we grew to over 50. At the end of the Spring semester 2021, we totalled 71 students, ages 5-18! To celebrate our success, we had our first annual ART SHOW with over 200 in attendance.
Both the 2021/22 and 2022/23 school years brought further growth, and classes for both Mark and Wendy averaged between 90 and 100 students. Our 2nd and 3rd annual art shows were both was packed to the gills with 86 students' art work represented! As of June 2024, we have completed our 6th year of teaching and had hundreds of visitors to our 4th Annual Student Art Show!
Ours is a realistic drawing curriculum that has enough structure for achieving skill and mastery, while giving freedom for individual creativity. It is a progressive art curriculum starting with animal drawings and progressing to Still Life, volume drawing, value, shading, and some faces. Students will learn to use a variety of media, including colored pencil, markers and pastel. Artist/Instructor Wendy DeRaud teaches students ages 5-10.
For junior high and high school students, Mark DeRaud offers more advanced courses, including the Art 1 & 2 courses are aimed at older students ages 11-18. Mark teaches serious students only, and ages 11 & 12 year old students are recommended to present a portfolio of work before acceptance.
For Wendy's class: 8 students max/4 student minimum per class - Ages 6 and up
(Note: 5 year olds can be accepted into class if they are able to sit still and
follow step-by-step instruction, upon acceptance by the instructor.)
For Mark's class: 10 students max/4 minimum per class, ages 11-18.
We are Vendors for Yosemite Valley and Monarch River Academy Charter Schools. We teach homeschool, private, public and charter school students.
Location: DeRaud Art School @ the DeRaud Home, 1161 West Celeste Avenue in Fresno.
Mark & Wendy DeRaud, Artists & Instructors
What We Offer
Art Classes
Art classes are open to children and adults in our community. We are currently vendors for Inspire Charter School and welcome public school, homeschool students and anyone else interested in learning from us.
Please ask us about scholarships available through our 501c3 non-profit, Art 'n Soul. Scholarships are offered for children with disabilities, or those with financial concerns.
Trauma-Aware Art Instruction
If your child is struggling with depression, anxiety or loneliness because of the prolonged traumatic lockdown, quarantines and other effects from the Covid 19 pandemic, consider the benefits of art instruction to offset these issues.
Research and our experience in our classroom has proven that art Instruction helps children struggling with ADHD, Autism, Aspergers, complex ptsd, and other mental, emotional and physical challenges.
Art 'n Soul Events
Gatherings of artists connecting art and faith.
We love this documentary, Faith in Imagination, "Fantasy Makers". Here's the trailer for it:
We are planning Art 'n Soul Art & Spirituality Retreats in the near future.