Close Up Radio features Sunnyvale art educator Shubhada Zunjarwad

Close Up Radio recently featured Shubhada Zunjarwad, founder of ANFS Studio in Sunnyvale, Calif., as she expands her art education business and prepares to grow beyond painting. The interview highlights her push to bring arts learning to children and adults while linking creativity, focus and STEM skills.

Why it matters: - Shubhada Zunjarwad is building an arts-focused alternative as schools continue shifting time and resources toward STEM. - ANFS Studio is serving children, adults and seniors with painting and drawing instruction in Sunnyvale. - Zunjarwad argues that art supports the same focus, confidence and problem-solving skills that science and math programs require.

What happened: - Close Up Radio recently featured Zunjarwad, the founder of ANFS Studio, in an interview with Doug Llewelyn on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 4 p.m. Eastern. - ANFS Studio is based in Sunnyvale, California. - Zunjarwad teaches about 30 students across age groups that include 5-7, 8-12, 13-17, adults and seniors. - The studio is operating from a 250-square-foot space and is preparing to double in size.

The details: - Zunjarwad spent more than two decades in tech, including 13 years at Microsoft and later work as a technical product manager at Starbucks. - After a Starbucks reorganization eliminated her job, she traveled to India and taught art to her nieces and nephews, which led her to launch the studio. - The planned move adds two rooms, a large hall, a private bathroom and an independent entrance. - The larger space is meant to improve access for children and seniors by removing stairs and making the bathroom easier to reach. - Zunjarwad starts beginners with low-pressure techniques such as tracing and repainting over mistakes with acrylics. - She also uses a fresh-canvas ritual in class, telling students they will leave with a finished piece they created themselves. - One adult student, a radiologist, progressed from tracing a portrait to drawing a freehand folk art scene. - Zunjarwad says the change came from time spent with the work, not a single lesson. - A January workshop at the Sunnyvale Public Library drew 40 children ages 5 to 7. - Zunjarwad brought in eight of her own students, ages 6 to 12, to help younger children through the session. - One student opened the workshop with an unscripted speech about mistakes being part of the process. - The studio includes a "Zen Time" break with dimmed lights for sketching, mandala work or quiet rest on a couch or bean bag. - Zunjarwad says 10 minutes of Zen Time helps children recharge and become more creative. - She uses art activities for family engagement, including a recent 10 p.m. painting session with her teenage son and his friends. - The group painted for two hours without phones. - Zunjarwad documented studio moments on Instagram, including the family session. - ANFS Studio also plans to expand into ceramics or textile crafts with local artists. - A recent collaboration produced a dot mandala workshop tied to Indian sibling-gift traditions. - The studio says it will host a Rock Manadala booth at the Sunnyvale Community Center in October and a Sand Art workshop for teens at the Sunnyvale Public Library in November. - The studio shares lessons on YouTube and Instagram at @artnfunwithshubhs.

Between the lines: - Zunjarwad treats art and technology as complementary rather than competing skills. - She sees AI as useful for administrative work and idea generation, but not for finished artwork. - Her view is that the value of art comes from discovery during the making process, not just the final image. - That philosophy mirrors her product-management background, where a feature only works after understanding the user. - The studio’s peer-teaching model suggests Zunjarwad is trying to make art instruction more communal and confidence-building. - Her emphasis on emotional energy in finished work also frames AI-generated art as incomplete in a way that matters to her.

What's next: - ANFS Studio is preparing to move into a larger Sunnyvale space. - Zunjarwad wants to widen the studio’s offerings beyond painting into more creative disciplines. - The studio is set to continue public programming through local workshops and community events. - Listen to the podcast, listen on iHeart, or listen on Spotify. - More information is available at ANFS Studio and on Close Up Radio's Facebook page.

The bottom line: - Zunjarwad is turning a post-tech career pivot into a growing arts program built around confidence, access and hands-on creativity.