Our Mission

To provide serious students — at every stage of their artistic development — with a disciplined, historically grounded education in classical drawing and oil painting. Through direct instruction from Luis Borrero, students build genuine technical mastery: from foundational drawing and anatomical study to oil painting in the manner of the Flemish and Spanish masters.

Instruction at Atelier School follows a structured, progressive curriculum — students do not jump between subjects or techniques at random. Under Luis Borrero's direct guidance, each student advances through carefully sequenced stages of development: from the fundamentals of proportion, light, and shadow, through anatomical study and figure drawing, toward oil painting in the classical tradition. This progressive approach ensures that every technical skill is genuinely mastered before the next is introduced — building the kind of deep, lasting foundation that serious artistic development requires.

We are equally committed to preparing students for the next step in their artistic lives — whether that means entering a university fine arts program, building a competitive academic portfolio, or deepening a lifelong practice. Graduates of our portfolio program have been accepted into the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Cooper Union, the Savannah College of Art and Design, and the Ringling School of Art and Design.

Our Vision

We envision Atelier School growing into Puerto Rico's foremost institution of classical figurative art — a place where the disciplines of drawing, anatomy, and oil painting are taught at the highest level, in the unbroken tradition of the European ateliers. A school that serves students in Puerto Rico and throughout the Americas, both in our Hato Rey studio and through our online program.

Puerto Rico deserves a serious classical art school. We are building it — one student, one Saturday, one painting at a time.

About,Luis Borrero

Founder & Director

Luis Borrero graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1999, where he was honored with the prestigious Cresson Scholarship for European Studies — the Academy's highest student distinction. His travels through Europe ignited a lifelong investigation into historical painting materials and techniques, leading him to study historical pigments under Peter Trubig in New York City in 2005.

His paintings are held in private collections in Puerto Rico and the United States, and he has exhibited at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico and the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico. He has been awarded the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant from Montreal, the Constance Saltonstall Foundation Grant from Ithaca, New York, and Best in Show at the Salmagundi Club's Non-Members Exhibition at the Denise Bibro Gallery in Chelsea, New York. His work has been featured in El Nuevo Día, El Vocero, Caras, and Random House's Color for Painters by Al Gury.

A recognized specialist in historical painting materials and techniques, Luis has delivered lectures and workshops at institutions including the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. His figurative work draws from the early Baroque tradition — Rembrandt, Velázquez, El Greco — filtered through a deeply personal and contemporary vision.

He has taught classical drawing and painting for over 25 years.

Lillie Ann Pérez — Co-Director

Lillie Ann Pérez oversees all operational and administrative aspects of Atelier School — from class scheduling and student enrollment to orientation and day-to-day coordination of the program. She is the first point of contact for prospective students and families, guiding them through the enrollment process and ensuring every student finds the right program for their goals and level.

While Luis Borrero leads all academic and artistic instruction, Lillie Ann ensures that the studio runs with the same discipline and care that defines the teaching. Together they have built Atelier School into Puerto Rico's most serious classical art training program.

To enroll or for more information, contact Lillie Ann directly at admin@atelierschoolonline.com