Our Team
JIAN LU | FOUNDER, PROGRAM MANAGER
Jian Lu graduated from the esteemed Academy of Fine Arts, Tsinghua University, the top art school in China, in 2001. In 2005 she continued her education and graduated from Tokyo Bunka Women's University in Japan. The following year, she went to the United States to purse a career in art education.
Jian Lu founded Art365 Academy in Atlanta in 2018. Her ethics in education served to help her establish a content-rich teaching curriculum and methodology. At Art365, students not only learn art technique, but subject-area topics, such as math, literature and geography are incorporated into lessons so this deeper knowledge can be applied across subject specific domains.
Jian’s teaching philosophy has unique insights which elevate students’ confidence. It focuses on the relationship between the child’s"heart" and art; exploring each child's individual talent, allowing them to shine and apply what they’ve learned. Many of her students have won recognitions and have been accepted to the most prestigious universities.
“Believe that every child is born an artist and teach them using a mother’s love. This warms the heart of every child, allowing their little flame of creation to burn forever. “ -Jian Lu
MICHAELA LINDA SOTILLO | SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
Michaela Linda Sotillo was born in Berlin, Germany. Through her family’s extensive travels, Linda embraced a diversity of rich cultures and expressed her views through art at an early age. At sixteen, she was offered a summer scholarship to the Atlanta College of Art. After high school, she served as a Sergeant in the US Army, going on to graduate with honors from the Art Institute of Atlanta. Shortly thereafter, she was employed and represented by Graphique du Jour art publishing. In 1991 she started her own company Innerspace Art Publishing, producing works for many prominent agencies and private collectors. In 2001, Linda closed her publishing to focus on family. Later, she returned to her love of art, and to the community through teaching. Linda really enjoys working with students and is humbled by their unique gifts and watching them grow.
SAIYA LIN | INSTRUCTOR
Saiya Lin is a Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) alumnus. His work mostly consists of visual storytelling and illustrative work with an emphasis on character acting. He is passionate about telling stories in any form that appears on the screen. He is also a digital art teacher that loves teaching young students an introductory course in Photoshop painting.
GABRIELA O. FERNANDES | INSTRUCTOR
Gabi O. Fernandes was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and has been drawing and painting since she her childhood. She graduated as an architect, which enhanced her knowledge of perspective, space and form. After working as an architect she traveled to the United States as an animation Master’s student, where she enhanced her art skills and learned digital Art, Animation and the principles of Art Direction. After graduating she embraced her love of teaching Art, as means to to inspire upcoming artists just like she was inspired as a kid!
JANE LIU | INSTRUCTOR
Jane Liu is a Graphic Designer, Illustrator, and Printmaker with a BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design. Originally from Beijing, China, Jane's artistic journey took her through continents, from Germany to the United States, where she pursued her passion for design. Now, as a dedicated professional graphic designer and art educator, she combines her love for storytelling with a bold approach to breaking conventions in the art world. Her deep understanding of design principles, visual communication, and creative problem-solving fuels her mission to inspire students. She aims to guide them on a transformative journey to uncover their most innovative selves, encouraging them to utilize available resources and redefine the boundaries of traditional art.