I started taking Kathy Leader’s The Art Process, mixed media composition classes during the pandemic.She is a talented artist and an excellent teacher. She gives techniques and the vocabulary of art basics. She shares inspiration through her work demos and the works of other mixed media artists. She also finds a way to supporther students during class by understanding where each person is on theirart making journey. I have learned many different mixed media techniques such as painting, geli printing and collage. I feel pleased and excited about where my work is going and look forward to many more sessions with Kathy.

My kids and I really enjoyed doing the “Abstract Mixed Media & Collage Portrait” e-course with Kathy. She walks you through each step and just the sound of her voice is soothing. The directions were clear and concise. We had all the materials on hand so it was easy to set up. I highly recommend Kathy’s classes for those who do NOT have an art background but are interested in creating art. Plus, at $25 per class, it’s a steal!

,Kathy generously shares neverending ways to express oneself. As an art therapist, I love her focus on the art making itself vs. the final product, exploring various art materials, tools, techniques and combinations — which feels inspiring and liberating. To me the most valuable learnings happen while watching her demonstrations, immersing myself into new experiences, hearing her comments.

I am taking a mixed media class with Kathy. She is amazing and encouraging; everything you could hope for in a teacher. Her studio is inspiring and I leave each session feeling full and stretched and creative.Its a real treat! I am especially enjoying making art with Kathy during the pandemic. Art energizes me and Kathys way of teaching really speaks to me. I know she is also offering small *safe* groups where we can work outside at her studio. My next move is to sign up for that!

I love Kathy Leaders art-process classes. Kathy makes it so easy to learn new techniques in a fear-less and fun way. Thanks to Kathy, I feel like a real artist, not just a arts and crafty wannabe!

I have had a great experience taking classes with Kathy, both in person and on Zoom. She is very creative, organized, inspiring and supportive. I had never taken an art class before, and she helped me develop new skills as well as confidence. Anyone can benefit from her instruction.

Kathys art classes are a delight! The setting, at her home studio in the hills of LA, is peaceful and beautiful and changes dramatically with the seasons. When I started her classes, I considered myself a non-artist who liked to dabble with collage. Her process of taking her students one step at a time through different techniques to create an artwork helps take the judgment and the fear out of creating, and I am always surprised and happy to see the result. And its fascinating to see, at the end of each class, how the same process can lead to such different and amazing results for her individual students. I highly recommend Kathys classes to both new and more experience artists and artist-wannabes!

The art experience process, under the brush baton of fine arts visual artist, Kathy Leader, opens the psyche for pure the engagement of who you are as a human BEING.The whole experience is transformational, as you reach into your inner promptings, for an art form to take its innocent shaping. Thank you, Kathy, for guiding us, each step, with the process, to reach deep inside and create. Not being attached to the outcome is the core theme that Ms. Leader, firstly, expresses. With this, at its centering core, the process and the finished product, has the full permission of freedom, to develop from the inside out.In gratitude.Elizabeth Agnese, M.A.

Kathy calls her classes The Art Process because she truly focuses on the process and not the final product. This is such a liberating and relaxing way to express our creativity. A day with Kathy in her beautiful studio erases weeks of accumulated stress. I truly consider this self care.

My daughter goes to Kathy and loves it so much that I decided I wanted to try it as well. We just had a private event there and it was amazing. Kathy explains the project clearly, and let us explore and try, while enjoying the company of our group. It is laid back and structured at the same time. I cant wait to try another class with her

Kathys mixed-media retreat was such a wonderful experience! She helped us understand how to relax and embrace the creative process as we incorporated images, colors, and drawing into our collages. The Pepper Tree retreat itself was a delight - so beautiful and peaceful. We dipped into the herb garden for natural brushes and gazed over orange groves and the surrounding hills for inspiration. I felt refreshed and revitalized.

I brought a 21 person team here for an outing. We did candle making and we had a blast. It was just long enough for everyone to stay busy and we all left with two candles. Everyone had a perfect time, even the guys on the team enjoyed it. I would recommend Kathy Leader Art Studio to any small team looking to get out and do something together!

What to do with 15 family members over the long holiday? An art project with Kathy, of course! Some of us, including me, are not artistic at all, but Kathy walked us through a project that ended up being fun, insightful, and thought-provoking. She is so warm and supportive, she even made ME feel like I produced something very special!

We were fortunate enough to have Kathy at our corporate office for an hour long painting session. She was such a breath of fresh air. Kathy was very kind, encouraging, and creative. She provided a safe, non judgmental atmosphere, which allowed for optimal fun for us. Thank you again for such a great experience!

I had little prior experience in painting, but always wanted to give it a go. I found Kathy thru positive Yelp reviews, and scheduled a private session at her studio — which is a beautiful space with tons of parking! As advertised, she is warm and nurturing and filled with positive observations and helpful instruction. She demonstrated and taught me several acrylic techniques. She also helped me articulate a few concepts to start with. I highly recommend her — regardless of whether you’re experienced or just starting.

Kathy is an amazing art instructor. She has such a calm manner about her and is great at putting students at ease, especially those who have never done art before. Her interest is in the process of creating, not so much the finished product. She also plays great music, which contributes to the calm, creative vibe one feels in her class. If you are looking to find your inner artist, Kathy is the one to help you along. I cant recommend her enough!

The workshops start with a theme or idea given to start your work, which I find very helpful. You are encouraged to work at your own pace with suggestions and whatever help you need from Kathy. I love the fact that the students always come away with finished work. I highly recommend Kathy!

Wonderful experience! Highly recommend if your child is creative and you wish for them to learn how to continue to keep that creativity flowing.

The Ojai Art Retreat this past weekend was the best and most multi-faceted gift I have ever given myself and allowed myself to receive. With Kathy’s expert guidance, I was able to find peace through uncovering and revealing unknown parts of myself, thereby producing a tangible mirror (Ojai landscape painting).I now have a beautiful piece of Ojai that will remind me of a unique experience —both in my imagination and in reality! I am truly grateful for Kathy’s wisdom, talent and encouragement, and for her providing me such a rare and precious opportunity to be part of The Art Process. I look forward to many more of her art retreats. 💜🕉

I took a series of art classes with Kathy Leader of the Art Process. I loved every minute of every class. I learned some amazing techniques and Kathy is such an amazing teacher and a brilliant artist. Anyone looking for an art class in mixed media would love this class.

Kathys gentle guidance and encouragement will coax out your inner artist (everyones got one). She gives clear instructions on techniques and then steps back and lets the art process unfold. If you have the opportunity to take a class with her, DO IT!

When I started classes with Kathy I knew very little about collage/ mixed media. Each lesson has a focus, and you continue learning new techniques as well as incorporating what you already know into that weeks art piece. I have learnt so much and am constantly inspired by Kathy.

Kathys workshops are fabulous. She has helped my confidence as an artist and given me the freedom for self expression. Her workshops are a great place to paint and do art!

Kathy is lovely and warm, and amazing with kids! My daughter absolutely loved her art camp..

Great studio space to work and play with papers-colors-scissors, in an uplifting environment surrounded by nature; students I met here are like-minded people, the whole experience was ideal for my continuous growth as a person and a practicing artist.

Yesterday my friend coaxed me to go to Kathys mixed media collage workshop. I needed coaxing because the last time I did anything remotely artistic was 7th grade art class. The class was so much fun. Kathy creates a relaxed and nonjudgmental space where she leads people through the process of creating unique and personal art. Whether you consider yourself the least artistic person in the world (i.e., just like me) or are a talented and experienced artist, you will probably love her workshops.

I absolutely love Kathy and I highly recommend the Art Process to all of my clients. If you can go on the trip to Ojai, do it! You will be more centered, focus and creative.

Kathy is an inspiring, patient, creative teacher. She obviously loves what she does and I am appreciative that I have been able to benefit from her teaching.

The fact that Kathy is a great teacher goes without saying. However I just came back from her Ojai Retreat which exceed my expectation. Kathy put together and experience.

My girls just took Kathy’s camp last week and absolutely loved it! They would look forward to it daily and were sad when the week was over!

The teacher and the materials inspired art to emerge...the workshop was wonderful.

FABULOUS AND INSPIRATIONAL, CLASS AND SETTING