& I love creating new things. A swipe of paint, a dash of glitter, or scratch in clay- I love it all. I've specialized in watercolor painting & abstract acrylics as an adult & I've been a teacher and educator in gen ed, early childhood, & art education for the last 18 years.  I opened a process art studio called Brightly Art Studio in Brownsburg in 2018. I have two growing children, one husband (wink!), & I live here in the community. I love to collect art supplies, be surrounded by people, & sing in the car. 

How Brightly Began..

In 2017 I was struggling. I wasn't happy with the direction my career was taking and I had this under the skin buzzing feeling that there was something new in my future.  Discussing with a therapist about my childhood art studio teacher helped me connect the dots that a local art studio could be my next best step. Things in my life were very hard at the time & had nothing to lose. Let's give it a go!

To get started, I rented a room in our local library and a shelter at our local park. I reached out to all my friends who had kids and invited them to art workshops. I would create workshops with process art stations and messy art play and meet families each week.  I found that I could combine the three things I loved to create a dream job that I was real dang good at. Word began to travel fast and soon we were filling up rooms and pavilions with creative play. As the weather turned colder I began looking for other options for our workshops.  I wasn't ready to stop & the wheels started turning wondering if I could turn this into a real business thing. Through generosity of friends & encouraging words from family Brightly Art Studio began. 

We've grown steadily since 2018 growing from parks, to libraries, to upstairs storage rooms, to small 500 square foot rooms, to our new permanent two level unit on Main Street. I think back and smile as I think of the early classes. They are oh-so-precious memories.

Through Brightly Art Studio I've connected with many creative peers, wonderful families, a team of inspiring educators, and the most amazing kids on the plant. THE KIDS ARE RAD & BLOW ME AWAY WEEKLY. 

My Thoughts On Art Education...

Through my years of teaching I've learned that children are full of creative ideas. They just need time and space to let them grow. While fun, children do not need step by step do as I do instruction to become creative thinkers. This type of art education teaches children that there is an end goal to strive for & a certain way to get to the end result. My beliefs are quite the opposite. What I've found is that children need to be given opportunities to learn about different art mediums and a few keys to working with them successfully. Then they need time to tinker, play, experiment, change their minds, and keep going.  The art we do at Brightly Art Studio is process art based which means we focus on the actions of creating art rather than the pursuit of the perfect product. While most of the time the end result is beautifully unique the true end result is a joyful + creative experience.

Some Wishes ...

I'm not sure where Brightly is headed. I am committed to taking the next right step with this business & I always have.  I do wish for Brightly to always be a place where everyone is welcomed and creatives feel belonging. I wish to partner with families & provide support to parents as they love and lead their artistic children. I also wish to help heal art wounds that adults carry from their own childhood. 

Thank you for being a part of this journey with me! You might be a  parent of a Brightly artist, a fellow art studio owner in a different community, or someone also wishing to chase a dream--I'm so glad you're here. Feel free to reach out to me at any time! 

Joyfully,

Laura