At one table, children happily hummed or chatted with each other as they painted their blue paper plates last Tuesday before delicately placing their black or grey paper whales on the plates. Toward the back of Art 101 on Boonville, a few children were busy cutting paper to create their colorful paper fishes.
The children found their "happy place" at the new location for Art 101 on Boonville, business partner Cindy Schnieders said.
Originally known as The Village Art Studio for six years, Art 101 on Boonville opened at 101 Boonville Road in late April, when the Cole County stay-at-home order expired. It moved from 1507 E. High St.
The new location previously housed Angelina's Cafe, which closed in November 2019.
Art 101 on Boonville offers children summer camp, adult evening classes, glass fusing classes, private lessons and more.
"The keyword that we get - and (business partner) Andy (Cleeton) and I have joked about this - is people will poke their heads in and say, 'This looks like a happy place,'" Schnieders said. "That's the idea - that you can stress-relieve and do something fun, get your mind off of it."
Schnieders and her husband, Michael, bought the building and began renovating the art studio's new workplace last December, adding new flooring, roof, windows, paint, cabinets, heating and air conditioning, plumbing, and electricity. She also took down some walls to make the room feel more open.
What used to be a small restaurant is now an open room with vibrant paintings lining the white walls.
Business partner Charlotte Middleton said she is excited to have classes in one location. At the art business' old location, classes grew so large they had to be split between two buildings, making communication difficult, she said.
"We're working with our hands, so we couldn't stop and text or call, so a lot of times there was miscommunication if you weren't in the same room," Middleton said. "I love this because I can walk over."
Vehicles often sped by the old location, too, Cleeton said. Now at the intersection of Main Street and Boonville Road, vehicles must stop at the four-way intersection, meaning they are more likely to notice the art studio, she said.
Schnieders said her favorite part about the new location is the friendly neighborhood.
The location has a special meaning to Schnieders, too. She attended West Elementary School, across the street from Art 101 on Boonville. After school, she would walk to Bob's Market, which was located at 101 Boonville Road until it closed in 2005.
"I still have to pinch myself," she said. "I still cannot believe this - and when you're a kid, you never would have thought you would end up with this building. It's very special to me."
Since reopening, Art 101 on Boonville has hosted summer camp, where children do a wide range of artwork, from papier-mché to canvas painting to mixed media.
Middleton floated from student to student last Tuesday, answering questions and praising children's artwork.
"There is nothing like children's art," the retired Jefferson City School District art teacher said. "It's just so real and pure, and it always comes from the heart. They don't have to over-think everything. Children just enjoy all of it, not just the end product."
With 29 years of teaching experience in Jefferson City, Schnieders said she saw how important it is for children to have a creative outlet. During the coronavirus pandemic, she added, that outlet became even more vital.
"They're not sitting there on the phone because they're busy using their brains and thinking, 'What steps should I do next? What should I do to make this different? How do I do this?'" she said.
After the children left Tuesday, a couple of women sat at the back table and worked with Cleeton on fused glass projects.
"My favorite part is the creativity of helping people," Cleeton said. "A lot of times, they'll go to Pinterest or Etsy and look up fused glass and then bring in pictures and ask 'What about this? What about that?'"
While adults take Cleeton's glass-fusing classes, children can also participate if their guardians give permission.
Schnieders leads evening adult classes, from sip-and-paints to couples' painting sessions.
Class schedules and prices are available at Art 101 on Boonville's Facebook page, facebook.com/art101onboonville.
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