Unlock Your Child's Creative Intelligence
Build a Future AI Can't Replace
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Young Guns is Vancouver’s Premier Art & Design Institute for Ambitious Students.
We don’t just build portfolios, we build identity, agency, and rigour.
900+
Offers to Top Universities
$10M+
Scholarships Earned by YG Students
17+ Years
Boutique studio focused on elite creative education
Top schools our alumni have been admitted to
What educators are saying
"The work Pete does with his students is truly inspiring. I see the hard work Young Guns puts into creating meaningful and impactful learning experiences for their students. It’s clear that YG’s hard work serves as a solid foundation for their students’ emerging creative careers."
Richard Mapes, SCI-Arc Faculty
"What sets Young Guns apart is how they empower students through real world projects and a community that brings out their best creative selves."
Kelly Poole, Crofton House Senior School Art Faculty
"Young Guns develops students personal voice and strengthens their passion through thoughtful, individualized creative guidance."
Margot Harms, West Point Grey Academy Head of Arts
"Young Guns gives students space to think and grow creatively, offering an opportunity for them to develop a genuine and sincere visual voice."
Santhe LeBlanc, St. Georges School Head of Arts
Loved by families
See why parents trust Young Guns
Before we discovered YG Studio, my son was adrift, spending countless hours on video games, and showing little interest in academics or responsibility for his future. The young boy I worried about just a year ago has evolved into a different teenager altogether, someone disciplined, committed, authentic, and passionate.
Rose H.
Parent
I witnessed Lauren transforming from a not so confident and committed person to someone who was driven and focused… not because she will be accepted by prestigious institutions, but because she is now equipped with tools that will stay with her to face the future for the rest of her life.
Elaine Y.
Parent
Pete has sharp insight, enthusiasm, and patience. This is crucial for discovering a child’s individuality and potential, laying the foundation for their passion, portfolio development, and even future career pursuits… We are very grateful that Amy found YG and had the chance to grow in such an inspiring environment.
Sophia A.
Parent
More than just art classes.
What we actually do.
Most art studios focus on technique and teach students to follow a formula.
We teach creative intelligence. The rare human abilities AI cannot imitate.
We cultivate curiosity, rigor, and agency. Students learn to think outside of the box, shape their ideas with intention, and create work that they are stoked to share with the world.
Results?
YG Students don't just perform, they build.
They build portfolios and stories that admissions officers remember, not through formula, but through impact.
In the process, they develop the one skill required to thrive in the age of AI…
Original thinking.
Our 5-Stage Creative Intelligence Framework
A clear path from first napkin sketch to a world-class portfolio
Construct
Build core skills, habits, and confidence
Integrate
Explore disciplines, connect ideas, and test directions.
Breakthrough
Develop a distinct voice and creative identity.
Capstone
Design and document a signature project.
Impact
Take your work into the real world and into elite applications.
Our Product Ecosystem
Three Tracks, One Path to Creative Mastery
Tier 1:
ArtLab
Early exploration that builds curiosity, confidence, and creative habits.
Grades 5-10
Tier 2:
Foundation Studio
The creative engine is built through stronger skills, deeper thinking, and a personalized development plan.
Grades 8-10
Tier 3:
Portfolio Track
Personalized portfolio preparation for top global art & design programs.
Grade 9-12
Student and Alumni
Hear it from those we taught and mentored
Roy L.
Student at USC
"YGS challenged me to grow in ways I never expected… With their guidance, I built agency, explored unconventional ideas, and built a unique portfolio that reflected my voice"
Austin L.
Student at Carnegie Mellon
“YG gave me something no other studio could. It gave me true passion. From university-level technical courses to in-depth conceptual conversations, I developed a natural drive to create. I became more explorative, ambitious, and most importantly, authentic.”
Jenny Y.
Student at Cornell
"YG help cultivates a kind of optimism for creative problem-solving. It's a way of thinking: continuous self-questioning, iterative problem-solving, systems-level perspective. No matter what job you're in, it makes you an Irreplaceable problem solver."
For those serious about the future
Why families choose YG
Selective intake, high-touch mentorship
Personalized Development Plan (PDP)
YG Network: specialist mentors
Identity + agency coaching
Real-world projects
Integrated AI literacy
AI era positioning
Your child needs more than skill; they need creative intelligence
AI can draw, design, and write drafts. But AI cannot generate meaning, build identity, or connect human experiences.
That's what we train.
Tools will change. Your child's creative intelligence won't. We build the part AI can't replace.
Hey parents and students!
I'm Pete, founder of Young Guns.
After two decades of teaching, here's what I know: school rewards compliance and right answers. It's a race to the middle that leaves the truly brilliant kids behind.
Roy was seen as distracted, unfocused, and always restarting. His fast, nonlinear mind made traditional school hard, if not impossible. Teachers' favorite report card comment? He wasn't reaching his potential.
But he wasn't behind, he was ahead. He just needed someone to see him.
Together, we worked on his mindset and voice, unearthing his brilliance underneath the chaos. He built a powerful portfolio of projects that mattered to him, including sensory instruments, a chair for forest bathing, a manifesto about perception, to give some examples. The result? Roy was accepted to USC's Iovine & Young Academy, one of the most selective innovation programs in the world.
Now he's found his tribe. He's building apps with AI, joining hackathons in Shanghai, working with developers and entrepreneurs at IYA.
I built YG for kids like Roy. Students who can think creatively, take risks, and build original ideas the world hasn't seen before.
Don't let your child's spark get buried in compliance. Let's build the story only they can tell.
After two decades of teaching, here's what I know: school rewards compliance and right answers. It's a race to the middle that leaves the truly brilliant kids behind.
Roy was seen as distracted, unfocused, always restarting. His fast, nonlinear mind made traditional school hard, if not impossible. Teachers' favorite report card comment? He wasn't reaching his potential.
But he wasn't behind. He was ahead. He just needed someone to see him.
Together we worked on his mindset and voice, unearthing his brilliance underneath the chaos. He built a powerful portfolio of projects that mattered to him, including sensory instruments, a chair for forest bathing, a manifesto about perception, to give some examples. The result? Roy was accepted to USC's Iovine & Young Academy, one of the most selective innovation programs in the world.
Now he's found his tribe. He's building apps with AI, joining hackathons in Shanghai, working with developers and entrepreneurs at IYA.
I built YG for kids like Roy: students who can think creatively, take risks, and build original ideas the world hasn't seen before.
Don't let your child's spark get buried in compliance. Let's build the story only they can tell.
Our Educators
Teachers & Mentors
James K
Core Instructor
Anhi T
Academic & Portfolio Advisor
Howard C
Core Instructor
Christian G
Writing Instructor
JC F
Creative Technology Instructor
Cole S
3D Arts Instructor
A boutique art & design studio that builds agency, identity, and world-class portfolios.
Join Young Guns Studio and empower your child to rise above the noise.
Book a 1:1 Consultation
