New Fine Arts Pathway at Da Vinci Design Blends Studio Skills with Real-World Experience
This year, Da Vinci Design proudly launched its Fine Arts Pathway, an innovative program that prepares students for informed career and higher education choices in commercial and visual art fields. The pathway provides a strong technical, historical, and theoretical foundation that parallels 2D/3D studio art coursework taught in college.
What makes the Fine Arts Pathway truly stand out is the variety of media taught and the rich opportunities for collaboration with industry professionals, colleges, and working artists. This year, students have engaged in hands-on learning experiences including TIG welding, wheel-throwing, multi-layered screen printing, drawing, glass fusing, and more. All students have also completed OSHA 10 training and certification, equipping them with lifelong workplace safety credentials.
Another core element of the program is professional portfolio development. Students document their work throughout the year, building a body of evidence that showcases both their artistic growth and technical skills.
Real-World Partnerships and Mentorship
Fine Arts at Da Vinci Design is built around deep industry and higher education partnerships. This year, students worked directly with:
- Otis College of Art and Design
- Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
- Indivisible Arts
- Craig Bartlett, creator of Dinosaur Train, Hey Arnold!, and the Penny cartoons from Pee Wee’s Playhouse
Junior Tatiana Nunez shared, “Fine Arts is a great opportunity to explore new art media in order to find your niche.”
Lena Hayes added, “It has opened my eyes to new opportunities and made me confident in my choice to pursue art.”
Pathway founder and instructor Jason Kartez has been working closely with Sara J. Frantz, painter, professor, and Chair of the Art Department at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Through this mentorship, students had the unique opportunity to attend a figure drawing class earlier this month at Cal Poly and receive portfolio reviews from BFA seniors.
Junior River Higareda reflected, “I got to take a live model drawing class for the first time and it pushed me out of my comfort zone.”
Lena remarked that the trip “motivated her to keep a relationship in the future with art and with Cal Poly.”
Venizio Martinez shared, “I found the whole experience calming—being in a new environment outside the classroom, drawing from a live model.”
From Classroom to Community
Fine Arts students are continually encouraged to submit their work to contests and scholarship opportunities. Most recently, Da Vinci Design Fine Arts students, along with 10th grade Honors Art students, participated in the 2025 Congressional Art Competition hosted by Otis College of Art and Design and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, co-hosted by Congressman Ted Lieu.
- River Higareda received Honorable Mention for printmaking for their piece "Where Did You Go," earning a $250 in scholarship and a Raising Cane’s gift basket.
- Solana Tsai, a sophomore, sold a painting to an Otis staff member.
River shared, “I enjoyed the opportunity to meet Congressman Ted Lieu, and it was an honor to display work at Otis College and receive valuable scholarship money.”
These experiences offer students direct engagement with community leaders while strengthening their artistic and professional skills.
Upcoming Events & Future Projects
In June, the program will host the Second Annual Art Show at Indivisible Arts in Hermosa Beach. This community celebration will showcase student work on June 7th from 4–7 p.m. — all are welcome to attend and support.
Looking ahead to next year, the Fine Arts Pathway will include both Juniors and Seniors and will launch an ambitious year-long collaborative project with Bryan Benedict, Design Director for Hot Wheels Matchbox and former designer for Mercedes-Benz and Mitsubishi.
Together, students will design and build a real art car to be entered in the 39th Annual Houston Art Car Parade and Festival. This dynamic and creative endeavor epitomizes Da Vinci Design’s project-based learning model—blending experimentation, teamwork, and real-world application.
