Artworks Fine Art Studio Brings Successful Arts Teaching Program to W. Broad Street

Strolling downtown by the Botanologica Makers Market this past Sunday afternoon, The Falls Church Independent had the joy of meeting Erin Johnson, founder and owner of Artworks Fine Arts Studio at 819 W. Broad St.  

In the bright afternoon sunlight, under the studio’s light blue advertising banner: “ARTWORKSCLASSES.COM: Classes, Camps, Parties, Workshops,” Johnson obligingly ushered me inside for a quick peek at Artworks’ studio spaces and a friendly on-the-spot interview, as she and one of her teenage daughters finished bringing Erin’s artwork displays inside as the Makers Market wound up for the day.

Thinking this new studio was perhaps a start-up operation operating on a shoestring budget, I was immediately surprised by what Johnson told me – her business was founded in 2003, and it’s expanded to three locations: in Bethesda, Potomac, and now the City of Falls Church. On Google, the studios currently have an impressive 4.5 out of 5-star rating. 

In her artist biography website, Johnson is described as a “Bethesda native, … Founder of Artworks Fine Art Studio, one of the preeminent art education facilities in the Washington, D.C. area.” She was motivated to launch her teaching studio in 2003, “when she realized there was a need for art education” in the region.

“Throughout her career” Johnson “has given back to the community by volunteering in art programs in underprivileged communities, donations, classes, and much more,” her bio continues. “Children and families are her priority, having two young girls herself. Her artwork reflects much of the mother/child relationship, as well as the modern female perspective. She typically takes a traditional approach with a modern twist. Her primary medium is oil on canvas, but also enjoys ceramics and three dimensional work.”

Having taught “thousands” of art students over the last 22 years in operation, Johnson acknowledged that her business model has been successful and said of her work, “It’s great! And it’s so much fun. And I have kids [myself] and you know working with kids – it’s second nature.”

Her new location in Falls Church is just getting off the ground, having opened in November, 2024. Right now, it’s just Johnson sharing instructional duties with one other teacher, a graduate art student.

“Dedicated to bringing creativity to our community for 20 years, we provide expert art and design guidance, delivering successful outcomes for our students in any skill they want to learn. Our professionalism is reflected in our respect for creativity above all, we invite you to try out our classes today!,” Johnson’s studio advertises. 

Before launching her art-teaching gig, Johnson “studied visual arts and semiotics at Brown University” and “got to take classes” at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) as well as at Lorenzo de Medici School in Florence and the Art Institute off Chicago. “And then I just fell in love with teaching,” she said. “So, I’ve been teaching ever since.”

Running her three studios, Johnson spends most of her time teaching and managing her business’s operations. “Well, now, I do paint, but I’m not a ‘working artist,’ she said, as her energies go toward helping her many students – young and old – gain the basic skills necessary to become artists themselves. 

Asked about the basic concept behind Artworks’ successful teaching approach, Johnson said, “We really teach drawing and painting from start to finish, really how the masters would have learned. We believe that anyone can learn to draw and paint, you know, it just takes practice and a few little techniques.”

When I countered that “Many people don’t believe that for themselves,” Johnson rebutted with a laugh and said: “Anyone can. You know, you’ve got to want to do it. You’ve got to want to learn. And yeah, you’ve got to practice.”

Asked if she and her instructors employed any particular modern teaching approaches, Johnson said their instructional techniques are both practical and inspiring as they are designed to build necessary skills from scratch. “We really teach them how to draw realistically,” Johnson said. “So, we want to give them the tools so they can draw anything they want. You know, learn the basics and the foundation and then they can go and do whichever style” they might choose… And we teach the students how to use the mediums. We start with pastel and drawing, then we usually go into water colors, then oils.”

With a 7-to-1 teacher-student ratio, Artworks is able to customize instruction to the whole range of students, from absolute beginners and children, through students who have studied fine arts before, to seasoned adults. Customers can select classes for “youth, teens, and adults” from the studio’s menu of offerings. 

“Our passion is rooted in imparting the fundamentals of fine art to individuals of all ages, with a specific focus on drawing and painting, within an environment that fosters creativity and effective instruction,” Artworks says. “At Artworks, we firmly believe in the ability of every individual to learn the principles of art and design. Our programs are designed around a unique curriculum, empowering budding artists to create stunning works of art while nurturing the development of self-esteem. The journey begins with mastering basic drawing and pastel techniques, establishing a foundation for more advanced artistic skills.”

One constant Johnson sees in the classroom is that just about every student – no matter how experienced – is anxious at first. “Well, everyone’s nervous the first time. You walk in and they’re like so nervous,” Johnson said. “But, as I said, we really start from how to hold a pencil, and how to sit. Then, how to draw a line. So, anyone could do it…. And if people really do have a background in art, then we’ll just build on that. We’ll assess them and kind of go from there.”

Once the Falls Church studio is more established, Johnson looks forward to students putting their works on display – but, they’re not quite there yet.

For now, Johnson is very pleased with setting up shop in the City of Falls Church. “Oh, I love Falls Church,” she said, enthusiastically. “I actually really do like Falls Church. The other day I was just walking around during lunch, you know?.... And there’s just really a sense of community, which I like. A lot of families. A lot of different festivals and farmers markets and things like this [makers market]. They really make a difference in community.”

It helps to be at the center of things on W. Broad Street, Johnson affirmed. Being across from St. James Catholic School has enhanced the studio's visibility and many students have been signed up for classes from Haycock Elementary, Oak Street Elementary and other local schools. “Yeah, our location is great,” Johnson said.

Johnson admires the Impressionist painters the most, though she insists she doesn’t really have “any favorite artists.” She’s able to teach all genres, though her own painting is “soft, very representational, and realistic,” and sometimes she’ll even do abstract landscapes herself. 

Asked if she had a message for Falls Church readers, Johnson said, “Come visit us! We’re open to everybody and would be happy to meet all of them.”

She also puts out many flyers and coupons with good deals. Families interested in Summer Camps can contact the studio for a special Discount Code for "$30 or more off Camp Weeks." “So, keep an eye out for those," she said. "There’s also a groupon coming out soon, so we definitely have good offers.” Johnson also offers free introductory courses for those who want to give her studio's classes a try.

And remember… Anyone can be an artist!

Artworks Fine Arts Studio is located at 819 W. Broad St. For info contact: info@artworksclasses.com, or call (301) 656-0044.

By Christopher Jones