The Linden Tree was founded by Linden in 1999 with the belief that,"the innate creativity that we have as children isn't ever really lost. It just needs to be fed so it can blossom." Her site is at www.linden-studio.com

After the death of her father in late Winter 2005, Linden turned the school over to Michael Vitale, who had been teaching several classes for her over the years. He has taught at such places as the Settlement School in Philadelphia and privately and has given art workshops at Mary Farmar School and Robert Semple in Benicia. He has also worked with students through Civic Arts in Walnut Creek..

Mike attended the University of the Arts and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the oldest art school in the nation. His teachers included the artist who designed the back of the Lincoln head penny which you probably have in your pocket or purse right now. He also studied under the sculptor who made many of the presidential portraits now in the US Capitol. He continues to work actively as an artist and has had solo shows on both coasts.

Mike has also interviewed and written about artists, museum directors and collectors for such publications as "Ceramics Monthly," Golden Paint's "Just Paint" and the Oakland Museum's "CCAC Centenial". He generously passes on what he has learned to his students.

Art is not simply something extra. It can be loads of fun and should be, but it's much more. Researchers have found that doing art is essential to developing such skills as conceptual thinking, problem solving and spatial differentiation.

Mike's teaching philosophy is that people learn art by doing, but a skilled and experienced teacher can help speed things up through close attention and sensitively applied advice at the right time. Your child will learn in a real, fully equipped working artist's studio in the old Benicia Arsenal. Classes, available for all age groups, are small and customized to fit the needs of each student. In them, children can learn everything from color theory to two-point perspective to ceramic sculpture to wood assemblage, solar printmaking and art history.

The Linden Tree studio is equipped with easels, carving and sculpting tools, including a kiln, and all materials are available for each course and are included in the class fee, with the exception of paints and canvases for painting students.