Art School for
the Rest of Us
You don't have to attend an art school to
become an artist. Learn to make realistic
drawings and paintings, even if you're a beginner!
Drawing & Painting Classes in the Kansas City Area
SoRA specializes in teaching realistic drawing and painting across a variety of subjects including still life, portraiture, landscapes, and the human figure. Join us for live art classes at our studio in Overland Park, KS. Many live classes can be joined virtually from home, too!

A System for Color Mixing Workshop
In-Studio Class
Sunday, September 14th, 2025 10am-3pm
Learn to mix any color in paint in this one day weekend workshop.
1 Day WorkshopÂ
Location: School of Realist Art, 7800 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Suite 17, Overland Park, KS
$75 Virtual Attendance
$150 In-Studio Includes all materials
A new virtual painting group is forming now!
Come paint with us every Tuesday starting April 8th, 2025
Learn MoreNew Membership Options!
Everything you need to learn realistic drawing and painting, without the art school price tag.
Basic membership to on-demand video courses starts at $25/mo.
FREE Sketching Video Course
If you can't draw a stick figure, you need a little guidance for how to even get started drawing, and you have paper and a pencil, then you're ready to start the challenge! Get 5 free sketching lessons including reference photos.
Start Drawing!Work smARTer when studying art at home with
On-Demand Video Classes!
Maintain consistent progress through free and affordable video courses created for your ability level!
No more plateaus or feeling aimless or stuck.
Find the course for your level and goal, with options for feedback and help from a professional artist.
See Video Courses
Learn From a Professional Artist Who Didn't Go to Art School
When I was 15, I knew I wanted to be an artist.
At 16, I became a mother.
I wouldn't say that motherhood prevented me from going to art school, but it did force me to think critically about the decision. I graduated from high school with the rest of my class, and went on to get my Associates in Studio Art, graduating Summa Cum Laude.
However, I found that the instruction I found in college wasn't teaching me what I really wanted to know: How to paint and draw realistically. And being a mother meant my priorities dictated that I should not go into an incredible amount of debt to 'find myself' in a 4 year art school somewhere.
So instead, I dedicated every evening from 8pm until midnight to painting, seeking out feedback from artists I admired, and researching methods of art instruction from the French Academy to Golden Age Illustration. I created my own art education, and I can guide you through yours!
Check out Lacey Swift's art website.Be the first to know about new classes and freebies!
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