Check Out Paul Eventoff’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Eventoff

Hi Paul, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
After receiving his BFA and MFA from the Maryland Institute of Art, Paul Eventoff, along with his brothers recorded and album “Out of the Egg” with their gypsy band The Organ Grinders. His good friend, Ellen Cohen, also known as Mama Cass, encouraged the band to come to California. They struck out in the colorfully painted school bus performing across country performing where the bus took them. They arrived in L. A. and parked in Mama Cass’s driveway in Laurel Canyon.

Paul continued to paint all during the band’s travels and when the music career slowed, he settled in Echo Park where he met his love, now wife, Donna Zweig, a photographer who was photographing a friend’s artwork in Paul’s studio after an art exhibit they had just taken down, Paul also fell in love with Donna’s four year old daughter, Malaika, and they became a family.

When they went with Malaika’s nursery school class camping in Malibu, they returned home to find fire trucks at their Echo Park home that had burned to the ground after a fire raced up the hillside next to their home. Ever the optimist, Paul said “I will build a great artist studio in this same spot” and he did. Paul painted every day in the newly built artist loft/residence and Donna continued her photography career in the new space with 25 foot ceilings. Malaika grew up there until she left for college and received her BFA and MFA.

In 1996, Paul and Donna opened the art school, The Wizard of Art. They knew they could share the heart and soul of living life as an artist. The knew they could share the art of teaching art. Paul’s optimism and creative spirit was apparent in how he cared for his students in art class and how the students and their families responded to his sincere approach to creating art.

After 28 years of teaching, many students and their families have become members of the Wizard of Art Family. Of course, Malaika is an artist and also teaches at the studio, and several students who attended The Wizard of Art for many years, went to college and returned to teach with Paul. All of the teachers have proudly named themselves the “Wizettes”. There are second generations of students, children of the now grown up students who want their children to learn about art from “The Wizard” as Paul is now known. The parents of a second generation family were dating when they first began taking art from Paul. They married, had four children, all of them took art at the Wizard of Art and are now teenagers. The youngest two became Donna and Paul’s god children.

Time flies when you are creating art. It is amazing to see all the students who have passed through the doors over the past decades and many return to visit and share their stories with Donna and Paul.

Donna and Paul feel it is a gift to witness a young person (and adults as well) become inspired by the art they create and become confident in who they are in this world. The art and the heart are what is important

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been a joy all the way. When covid hit, it was a serious shock, because we were old school, no internet, no emailing. We were in person totally. We had to learn to teach through Zoom, and communicate electronically, Paul is still old school, and none of us wants him to change. I had to change quickly, with the help of Malaika and her husband, Stephen Latty, we had internet and a camera to attach to the computer so we could see students and they could see Paul.
It was actually fun for the 18 months and the students made incredible art, and their families were happy they had a creative outlet. When we reopened in 2021, everyone wore masks and were required to have been vaccinated. Only a few folks were unwilling to comply, but we all stayed safe and enjoyed the situation as best we could.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Paul is a painter, who paints every day in addition to teaching art. The art school teaches drawing and painting to all ages, in the same class, with each working on their own art at their own level. The student work from observation, so they can learn to draw what they see and want to create. They use charcoal, pastels, water color, acrylic and oil paint, depending on their experience and what they are hoping to achieve.
We truly want each student to enjoy their time in class, and hope they leave feeling better than when they arrive. Most people tell us they have a special feeling when they walk in the door, and say there is just a “good vibe”, I think we are known for just being happy. Joy goes a long way.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Sure, just reach out and come by. Our classes are often full, but the schedule changes monthly.. Enrollment is by the month, and if there isn’t room in the class of your choice, we will keep you on our list and keep you informed when it is available. Many people enroll and stay for years, but we alway have space for new artists to join and welcome new friends and families.

Pricing:

• Call or email for class info and tuition

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thewizardofart.com
• Instagram: thewizardofartlosfeliz

Image Credits
Most photos by Donna Zweig

The one of Donna and Paul sitting outside is by Jessica Lehrer