With five art classes per week, geared toward pre-kindergarten through sixth grade students, the ‘Happy Artists’ working with instructor Alicia Johnson are learning the finer points of drawing and unleashing their creativity.

Classes are Wednesday and Thursday at the studio location at 2189 Jackson Ave., in Escalon.

“All my Wednesday morning classes are home schooled students,” Johnson explained. “We have four total classes on Wednesday and one on Thursday.”

One afternoon class each day, Wednesday and Thursday, are after school and draw in mostly local youngsters.

Johnson is an approved vendor through the local Gateway Academy and her classes help students meet the art requirement.

Recently, the half-dozen students in a Wednesday class were working on creating castles, complete with moat and drawbridge.

“It’s simple line drawings,” Johnson explained, with students able to personalize their castles with unique features and color schemes.

Mediums used range from watercolors to chalk, clay and more.

“Our mission is to cultivate a lifelong love of art,” Johnson states on her website.

Enjoying the chance to be creative in the class were Landon Sales, Luke Nelson, Olivia Nelson, Leah Sales, Morgan Merzon and Grace Sales.

The spring session of classes will start May 17 and Johnson is also looking ahead to the summer.

“I am planning two one-week summer art camp sessions for June,” she said.

Additional camps may be added as well, depending on demand.

More information about the classes can be obtained at the website, happyartistscreate.com.