Where there’s paint, there’s passion and problem-solving
After working together at a preschool, Amy O’Brien and Abby Conner realized they shared a common dream of opening a family art studio.
As moms themselves, they knew the value of such a space – where kids and grown-ups can make art and make a mess, too. With some research and planning, they became business partners in 2016 and opened I Heart Art in Pleasant Hill.
“We bring art to all ages,” says O’Brien. “It’s especially sweet to watch parents create with their toddlers. Art is both calming and bonding for both of them.”
O’Brien goes on to describe their after-school program for older kids, without parents in tow.
“We host a really fun Art Club twice a week for 7- to 12 year-olds. We have lots of different art and craft supplies they can use, including recyclables. We teach them about certain tools and techniques, but really there’s no right or wrong way to make art,” she explains.
“Kids can spend hours drawing, painting or gluing things together randomly while their imagination runs wild and free. They can also be inspired to create by specific experiences they’ve had,” she adds. “We had a boy one summer who was in town visiting his grandmother. They had just been to San Francisco, where he saw the Golden Gate Bridge for the first time. He came in to the studio afterward, went to our makers table, which is always filled with random stuff, and he made an amazing replica of the bridge out of straws, cardboard and string.”
In addition to providing parents with respite, I Heart Art gives kids a sense of pride. “Making art is about more than color and composition,” Conner says. “It’s also about problem-solving and self-empowerment.”
Conner notes that children are often skeptical about their artistic skills at first. “But with a little trial and error, they figure out how to make it. Then they make it better. Then they realize they have the power to create,” she says. “It does wonders for their confidence and self-esteem.”
Through this process, the kids become part of an art community – what Conner calls “a special place to make new friends and share common interests that doesn’t involve staring at a mobile device.”
There’s no shortage of creative things to try at the I Heart Art studio for kids, teens and adults alike. Visitors will find papers and paints, a pottery wheel and a kiln, sewing machines, rubber stamps, wood crafts, glass fusing supplies and more. In addition to the monthly children’s art programs, they host birthday parties, paint and sip nights, drop-in days, pop-up art shows and studio workshops.
Connor and O’Brian have turned their passion for art into a business, and it brings them joy to help people discover their own passion for art. They are now working closely with local artists and community organizations to provide a wider variety of activities, like an Art Nite Out for adults on the first Friday of each month.
You can learn more at iheartartstudio.co. Lisa Fulmer is a mixed media artist, small business marketing consultant and community arts advocate.
Lisa Fulmer
Lisa Fulmer is a mixed media artist, Concord Art Association board member and founder of MadeinConcord.com. She also consults with local artists on self-promotion and personal branding.