Where Afternoons Become Art

The Creative Lab is Santa Barbara’s fine art studio for kids. Practicing artists guide structured sessions in clay, photography, and mixed media. Each project builds on the last, becoming part of a portfolio that reflects your child’s skills, creativity, and confidence.

Enroll in Fall Sessions

Kids clay class in Santa Barbara at The Creative Lab

Why Families Choose The Creative Lab

At The Creative Lab we give kids the structure and depth of a fine art program, taught in a welcoming studio setting. We believe every child has an artist inside, and our mission is to help them grow as creators with skills they’ll carry for life.

🎨 Artist-Led Instruction
Every class is guided by practicing artists who share their craft.

🧱Structured Skill-Building
Sessions build step by step, giving children fundamentals they can master.

📂 A Growing Portfolio
Each piece adds to a body of work they can be proud of and share.

What students will learn

Mixed Media

In mixed-media sessions, kids explore design through a variety of materials and processes:

Sketching & Painting Fundamentals – line, color, shading, and expression.
Collage & Assemblage – layering textures, paper, and found objects into dynamic art.
Textiles & Beading – weaving, stitching, or string-based designs.
Creative Combinations – mixing materials to design unique, one-of-a-kind projects.

These projects encourage experimentation, problem-solving, and personal expression, while adding diverse pieces to each child’s portfolio.

Two hands working on a crafting project with templates and vibrant colorful sand, creating a detailed design.

Clay & Sculpting

In our air-dry clay program, students learn sculpting and design. They’ll explore:

Mosaics & Mixed Media – combining clay with beads, glass, and tiles to create textured art.
Miniature Sculptures & Charms – small-scale projects that build fine motor skills and imagination.
Functional Art – bowls, vases, and everyday pieces kids can proudly use at home.
Finishing Techniques – painting, glazing, stamping, and sealing to make projects durable and display-ready.

Every project is hands-on, structured, and adds a unique piece to your child’s growing portfolio.

A small white bowl filled with green paste, accompanied by brown and white powders in small glass jars, a brush, and a wooden spoon, all arranged on a beige linen fabric.

Photography

Our photography program teaches kids the fundamentals of Photography. They’ll learn:

Composition & Framing – capturing balance, perspective, and visual storytelling.
Lighting Basics – using natural and studio light to create mood and depth.
Creative Techniques – experimenting with angles, textures, and movement.
Project Work – building a portfolio of themed photo studies to share and display.

Kids come away with technical skills and a fresh way of noticing the world around them.

A photo studio featuring two large photo umbrellas, one black and one white, set up against a white shooting backdrop. In the background, there’s a blue couch.

Program Details

Ages: 5–12 (grouped by age)
Schedule: Classes start at 3:30 PM
Duration: 2-hour sessions
Format: 6-week cycles, structured progression each week
Location: The Creative Lab, Downtown Santa Barbara
What’s included: All materials provided. We use Canon point and shoot cameras for our Photography classes

View Class Schedule

Meet the team

Our instructors aren’t just teachers, they’re practicing artists. Kids learn directly from creatives who bring their own expertise, passion, and perspective into every session.