We are OPEN!!

What a ride! Everything has been happening so fast, this is my first day I have had a chance to breathe. I feel like I have had my Super Hero cape on flying through this experience!

So....Here is my new home! I love how it turned out. I have had tremendous help from my hubbie. There was a look and feel that I was after, and I think together we accomplished it between going to salvage yard, refuse centers and buying a few items new. There will still be some fine tuning, but it is a warm, inviting, wonderful space.

Thanks Jenessa for all of your help from putting the chairs together to creating a sign letting new customers know all of their options for the shop! And of course thanks for your help too Kaden and Kyla!!

This is the view of the large windows that allow light to pour in. Being on the corner has it's benefits.

Look at our area of the handmade/handcrafted items that are for all to enjoy. We have artists such as Flowie, F2, Nikki McClure, Little Who, 215 Design, Nate Manny, Sesame Letterpress, Emily Ryan Lerner, Mathew Porter, Little Otsu, Jennifer Carden, Jenessa Neugebauer, Three Four Quilts and ArtKits from Studio 4 Art. I can't wait to find more "goodies" to support artists in this community. A great selection to begin!

A glimpse of the slab roller, underglaze and clay tools.

Our sewing machines sit upon a 100+ year old farmers table. A few more machines and a serger are in this week, yeah. I love my serger and so will any of you who have not experienced this lovely machine before.

Looking towards the back of the shop from the wheel area.

Our first painting student. From what his mom shared, he had been counting down the "sleeps" until he could come paint. He had a great experience and will join us every week for painting workshops.


Another participant. Can you guess who it is? I sure hope he loves art as much as the rest of our family.

Experiencing wheelthrowing for your birthday present. A very nice present from grandma. Thanks for letting Studio 4 Art join in her birthday joy.


Okay, well that is a small view of what has been keeping me busy. Another big change...yesterday I dropped Jenessa off for her first day at college. Santa Cruz her she is, take care of her please.

I will miss you J, but more than that I am thrilled and so very excited for you and all that you choose to see life has to offer you. I am VERY proud of you. Have fun and I love you!!!

Guess What!? Studio 4 Art is soon to open a shop in Novato!!

I don't think I could have envisioned my summer being so full. Not just with camps. But about 3 weeks ago I signed a lease for a retail space in Novato on Grant Avenue. So, as I am in my last week of camps, I am also (with the help of my, most awesome, husband) redesigning Studio 4 Art's website, signage, putting new schedules together, creating a "look and feel" for the new space, purchasing wheels, kilns, furniture, sewing machines, and art supplies. It is all very exciting, and may I say a bit overwhelming. But did I say exciting!

Let me tell you a bit about the reasons I began looking for a home for Studio 4 Art.

You all know I absolutely love what I do. And the response with after-school enrichment classes, private lessons, birthday parties, wedding events, etc. has been tremendous. But, at the same time I felt limited to what I could do, how many people I could involve in the creative process, and my limitations of reaching out further into the community. I wanted to introduce art to more people in an environment that was open, warm, cozy, fun, not intimidating and with work around them that would inspire them to experiment. A place that you just wanted to "hang-out" and create.

Another situation I kept thinking about was how many creative friends I have, how much beautiful work there is being created by local artisans and how much this inspires me. I am on the web as much as possible looking at work of others and thinking "I want to see this in person". My personality is one that has to see it, touch it and get a good appreciation of the work that went into whatever I may be looking at. In my research there is a limited amount of brick and mortar shops to go and buy handcrafted, handmade items (made in the USA), of high quality, and yet reasonably priced. Until NOW!

So, as my husband has pointed out. I am creating a space that encompasses the full circle of creativity. There is a space that allows, you to paint, draw, sew, wheel-throw, hand-build, create a mosaic, or anything else a child's mind may imagine (and adults too). Then there is the retail side that shows appreciation for the many talented people there are that often don't get the acknowledgment and support they deserve.

We will be having a Grand Opening on October 4th! More details to follow. However, if you are not on our email list, please do so. I want to go as "green" as possible and will be using the web for announcements, workshop/class schedules, special guests, craft evenings for adults, time out for parents (3rd Friday evening of every month we will "chill" with the kids while parents get time-out to have dinner, see a movie, or maybe even a chance to talk).

Please keep checking Studio 4 Art's blog and website for new information!

For anyone worried about Studio 4 Art continuing there work on-site and on wheels! NO NEED. Studio 4 Art will continue to have after-school enrichment classes, birthday parties and any other creative need you may have, wherever you may want them to take place.

Peace everyone. And remember that if you can envision your dreams, they will come true.

A "Sweet" Time at Art Camp

What a great time we all had at art camp in Corte Madera. This is an acrylic painting that was created by Molly, a camper that I have had for 5 years! This painting is luscious! Her use of paint, shading, light, color and texture make this teacher proud. Thanks for joining us again!!

Can 5 year olds be any cuter?! Sydney (on right hand side) was 18 months old the last time I had her in a class. Yes, I do start classes before the kids are 2! It was so fun to see her again.

Here they are all three working on their cupcake still life. Very hard to resist the temptation of sticking their fingers in the frosting, but they did it.....well almost.

Although some of the campers weren't in this photo I wanted to share the difference in age that we had this week (like all others). This group too was so wonderful together. They all were so proud of their cupcake still life. We celebrated that every cupcake was painted with a little bit different technique and style. Making all of them as unique as each of them are! I celebrate diversity every chance I get.

I am trying more than ever to repurpose items in art. Here Andy created a sculpture using items I had saved from our own recycling. First we glued boxes, cylinders and jars together. Then we added plaster strips to have the sculpture become rigid. As the final touch we added brightly colored acrylic paint. It was a really fun art project! And, as you can see they became quite large.

This was one of the clay projects this week. Creating a pinch pot, then adding a slab of clay, cut to create a cone shape, adding both together to create a fun birdhouse. As with most things, they all turned out better than I could have envisioned.

This birdhouse was created by Cameron. To share my history with Cameron, his mom (Windy Linden) was my 18 year old daughters Kindergarten teacher at Tam Valley. She is such a wonderful person and we have been friends ever sense. Now we both have a 1 year olds with birthdays 2 days a part! It has been fun together.

Thanks for joining us this week Cameron.

This is my dear little Kaden. When he saw all the "big" kids creating, he had to experience it too! Look at those fingers...fine dexterity already. It his 18 year old sister (Jenessa) in the striped shirt behind him, wish you could see her face. She was the teachers assistant all week and I greatly appreciated her help and the kids thought it was great having a teenager help them.

Thanks everyone!!