Business Details
35 Years
experience
Your Trusted Art & Music School in Stratford, CT
Founded in 1991, The Little Red School of Art & Music has been a cornerstone of creative education in Stratford, Connecticut. Our founder, Carolyn West, has dedicated over two decades to cultivating a nurturing environment where children of all ages explore art and music. The school's historic building reflects our commitment to community-driven creativity, offering personalized instruction in private guitar lessons, small-group painting classes, and specialized workshops. Our team of certified educators combines professional expertise with a passion for fostering artistic expression. We emphasize hands-on learning through diverse mediums, including watercolor, acrylic, sculpture, and digital art.Our music program features state-of-the-art equipment and instruction in piano, voice, guitar, and percussion. The school's legacy includes thousands of students who have developed foundational skills in creativity and self-expression. Our summer enrichment program extends these opportunities through structured, week-long art intensives. We maintain partnerships with local galleries and cultural institutions to showcase student work. Our mission remains focused on preserving arts education in an era of diminishing public school resources.
Services
Art Classes
Music Lessons
Summer Art Program
Private Guitar Instruction
Painting Workshops
Sculpture Classes
Voice Training
Piano Lessons
Scout Badge Programs
Portfolio Development
Details
- Year established: 1991
Highlights and features
- We offer 30+ years of experience in youth arts education
- Our certified instructors provide personalized one-on-one instruction
- We maintain small class sizes for individualized attention
- Our summer program includes portfolio development assistance
- We offer specialized scout badge workshops with professional materials
Services
Art Classes
Our art classes teach children ages 7-18 foundational techniques in watercolor, acrylic, and sculpture. Students develop hand-eye coordination and creative expression through structured projects. Classes include all materials and portfolio development assistance.
Music Lessons
Private music lessons cover piano, guitar, voice, and percussion for all skill levels. Our program builds rhythm recognition and motor skills through professional instruction. Monthly packages include weekly 60-minute sessions with certified instructors.
Summer Art Program
Six-week summer enrichment program offering daily art instruction from 12:30-3:00 PM. Curriculum includes anime, cartooning, and clay sculpture. Weekly sessions include all materials with discounts available for multiple children.
Scout Badge Workshops
Specialized 90-minute sessions helping scouts earn art badges through painting, sculpting, and airbrush techniques. Program includes all materials and instruction for $15 per participant, available by reservation only.
Portfolio Development
Personalized portfolio organization assistance for serious art students. Founder Carolyn West provides expert guidance on presenting artwork professionally. Available as part of summer programs or private consultations.
People
Carolyn West
Director
Founder of The Little Red School with 30+ years experience teaching art. Graduate of Famous Artists School and former student of Norman Rockwell. Maintains active art career with works in international galleries.
Caitlin Fenton
Voice Teacher
Award-winning Bunnell High senior with AP music theory certification. President of drama club and experienced musical theater performer. Specializes in vocal health training for young singers.
Theresa Manus
Art Teacher
Certified K-12 art educator with 15+ years experience. Holds BS in Art Education and MA in Special Education. Combines traditional art instruction with innovative teaching methods for all learning styles.
Jeremy Shulick
Music Instructor
Professional musician teaching drums, guitar, and bass for 20+ years. Advocate for preserving arts education in public schools. Combines music instruction with creative cultural education for young learners.
Melanie Wargo
Art Teacher
Alumna turned instructor specializing in art as nonverbal communication. Certified speech pathologist using art therapy techniques. Teaches both traditional art skills and emotional expression through creative projects.
Questions
What age groups do you teach?
We accept students ages 7-18 for regular classes and 5-18 for summer programs.
Do you offer private lessons?
Yes, we provide private instruction in music and art with customized lesson plans.
Are materials included in class fees?
All art materials are included in our monthly class fees and summer programs.
Do you have summer programs?
Our six-week summer art enrichment program runs July-August with weekly enrollment options.
Can scouts earn badges here?
Yes, we offer specialized art badge workshops for Brownies, Cubs, and Scouts.
Videos
Reviews (5)
Alexandria Williams
Feb 04, 2022
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Caroline and Astrid are the best art teachers around. They both have helped me so much. I came to Caroline without knowing anything, with just hopes of learning the basics and I've learned so much more than that and I keep getting better every month. The Little Red School's classes are so worth it. Every week, I come in and learn something new. Seeing my paintings from when I first started to now is like a revelation.
Dialene Acevedo
Jan 04, 2020
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My grandson is here for the first time. Mrs West has some much positive energy and these kids here love her. I totally recommend this place to anyone who loves to draw. Hope my grandson finds his niche here!!
Alexandria Williams
Nov 20, 2019
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Carolyn West is amazing. She helped me to figure out my creative side and is always giving me opportunities to grow and shine. I am eternally grateful for what she has helped me to accomplish with my art! Thank you!
Cristina Garcia
Feb 08, 2018
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This school is an awesome opportunity for your child to experience art instruction in a safe and supportive environment from a real artist. She also has a summer camp happening again this year and my kids are so excited. This isn't going to be a huge camp so our kids will have plenty of attention and fun. We all love Mrs. West for her patience, kindness, and support. My kids are everything to me and I feel so good knowing that my kids will be safe, supported, and happy at her camp. I hope whoever reads this gets the opportunity to have their kids experience the gift that this school is to our family.
Stephanie Fallon Shulick
Oct 06, 2017
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We love the little red school! Amazing staff, great place to escape and explore your creativity! My daughter and her friend love to go and learn from Ms. West! The little red school of art and music rocks!
