The details of the young Rembrandt’s life are obscure: a childhood growing up in the Netherlands of the 1600s is as much as anyone can draw on. But what’s clear is that Rembrandt van Rijn continues to inspire people, including Richard and Claudia Gonzales.
The Covina couple threw a 20th anniversary celebration for Young Rembrandts ESGV on June 14 in West Covina, marking two decades fostering the creative development of children in the community.
“We teach art fundamentals that develop students’ skills and confidence. Every day, we witness the positive impact that art has in children’s lives,” Claudia Gonzales said.
Claudia, born in Mexico and raised in Los Angeles and La Puente, worked in human resources. Richard, born in Los Angeles and raised in Lincoln Heights, was in operations and supply management.
The two met in 1994 when both worked at a health food manufacturing company in Irwindale. Richard jokes that Claudia laid him off, since she worked in HR.
“I keep reminding him that it wasn’t my decision,” she said. But the lack of control bothered the couple. After the last company Richard was laid off from offered outplacement services, he explored franchise opportunities.
He zeroed in on three possibilities: Fast Frames (retail custom picture framing), Maui Wowi mobile smoothies, and Young Rembrandts.
The Chicago-based art education program was just 3 years old at that time, “but everything felt right,” Richard said.
“It made the most sense to us,” Claudia added. “The art education component felt instantly gratifying. It represented meaningful work and the idea of making a difference in our community, as we ourselves were about to become parents, seemed like destiny.”
Young Rembrandts offers weekly instruction to students on a variety of subject matter, artistic concepts, art history and mastery of materials. Classes are taught to children ages 3 ½ to 12 years old, and because the program is offered in school, costs are lower.
Young Rembrandts has a six-year curriculum, which means a student can take a class through elementary school and never repeat a lesson. All lessons also incorporate state standards for visual arts.
Claudia kept her corporate job for another two years before joining her husband full-time as the business grew. Today, from the seven students they started with in 2004, Young Rembrandts ESGV enrolls about 2,500 students in its afterschool classes at local schools and community centers.
This doesn’t include the thousands of students they teach via in-school partnerships with school districts. The Gonzaleses lead 25 instructors, including Angela Jeter, who has been with the company for 13 years.
“I get to have fun teaching what I love, art, drawing and history, all while I continue to learn,” she said. “I love that my students have the innate ability to live in the moment, and let their imaginations just go when personalizing a project.”
Jeter said one of her favorite quotes comes from Henri Matisse, who said, “Creativity takes courage.”
“Art is a great vehicle to foster creativity and celebrate diverse approaches and outcomes,” she said. “When you encourage the young to share their ideas and equip them with the ability to question and analyze those ideas, they are more open to all the possibilities, good or bad.
And you’ll often notice that students are much more motivated to continue learning and have the courage to articulate their thoughts and feelings.”
The Gonzaleses said walking into school campuses knowing they have something good to contribute holds true today just as it did in 2004 when they began.
And then there’s the students and the parents pride in the artwork. How it grows confidence in young lives.
“We nurture their curiosity and help them analyze the world around them so they can see that basic shapes make up just about everything,” Claudia said. “As they start to understand this, their drawings become more detailed and balanced, which motivates them to continue developing their art skills. This still happens and never gets old.”
Developing an artistic bent is as fundamental as reading and writing, Claudia added.
Fabian Cazares said he and his wife signed their son Aaron up for art lessons because he has a passion for it.
“We’ve seen how his skill set has improved and plan on enrolling him every chance we get,” he said. “We look forward to seeing his new artwork after every class as he explains the techniques he’s learned.”
Aaron, an incoming fifth-grader, said he loves how each class is different and that the teachers are very nice.
“I really enjoyed the cartoon drawing class,” he said. “My favorite artwork, if I have to choose, I would choose the ice cream drawing because there were three types of flavors to draw. My favorite part about it was drawing different toppings on the ice cream flavors.”
As for being a young Rembrandt, Aaron said that’s still in the mix of things of what he wants to be when he grows up.
“I was thinking about being a firefighter when I grow up but also considering being an architect or artist,” he said.
That’s the big picture for the Gonzaleses. It doesn’t matter if their students want to be an artist. They should just not be afraid of creating art.
“The skills involved in drawing develop all areas of the brain and enhances success in academics and social-emotional development, and is relevant to so many career paths,” Claudia said.
Anissa V. Rivera, columnist, “Mom’s the Word,” Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Whittier Daily News, Azusa Herald, Glendora Press and West Covina Highlander, San Dimas/La Verne Highlander. Southern California News Group, 181 W. Huntington Drive, Suite 209 Monrovia, CA 91016. 626-497-4869.
