If you own your own business or have owned one in the past, you know that it can be one of the hardest things you will ever do but also one of the most rewarding. When a business idea hits you, it can bring you great excitement. You do all the research to put together a business plan, bounce business name ideas off of friends/family, and drive around looking for locations for your business. Then the nervous excitement of your grand opening hits you the night before. It can all be very exhilarating!
My family and I once started/owned The Lemon Lily Tea Room & Bakery in Oviedo. My wife and mom ran it for three years and I managed the books. It was a 7-day per week job that required us all to wear many different hats. There were many ups and downs during those three years, and we sold the business in 2017. I look back on those times with a huge sense of accomplishment knowing that we brought a business from the idea stage all the way to selling it to someone else that saw the value in it.
July's OWSAA Feature Artist has had a diverse career centered around art. This artist has a bachelor's degree in Art Education from UCF and a master's degree in Art Education from The Art of Education. She has created murals and mosaic installations for the City of Orlando, has written and published four instructional art books for Northlight Publishing, has created many designs that were licensed for gift and home décor lines (including a greeting card line with Leanin' Tree), and has run a successful online shop where she sells her own paintings and mixed-media work. This artist has also worked as an art teacher for many years (since 2004) which is the work she states she is most proud of. She has taught at the elementary and middle school levels for Seminole County Public Schools, has taught in a private Montessori setting, has taught adult workshops across the country, and has run private art camps in the summer. More recently though this artist added the title of Small Business Owner to her resume with the opening of Palette Art Studio. Her name is Chrissie Grace!
Chrissie Grace
Palette Art Studio is located in Tutu's School of Dance building at 1319 Winter Springs Blvd. in Winter Springs, FL 32708. They are currently in the middle of Summer Art Camp. On Saturdays the studio offers a program called "I heART ART" where attendees will paint an 11" X 14" canvas with a different theme each week. They offer Toddler/Pre-School Art Classes, Homeschool Classes, After-School Classes, and even Adult Pottery and Mosaic Classes (starting in August). In addition to classes, Palette would love to host your next birthday party or private event.
Chrissie was nice enough to show me the studio recently and answered some questions so that we could learn more about her and her new business. I hope you enjoy what she had to say!
Who/what inspired your love of art? At what age?
I think I was born an artist! I remember as a very young child my mom would buy me large packs of Crayola crayons, and I would dump them out and line them up in rainbow order all around the room. I really enjoyed drawing and painting. When I was in high school my parents let me paint all over my bedroom walls. That freedom of expression was important to me.
What is your favorite medium of art?
I can't pinpoint one favorite...I go through phases! I love to create mixed-media mosaics using handmade clay pieces, ceramic tiles and found crockery from thrift stores. I really enjoy acrylic painting in what I consider a modern folk-art style, and I love to embroider and sew!
You have told me a little bit about the different jobs (art licensing, art teacher, art show circuit, etc.) you have had in the art world and how they helped you grow as an artist. Can you share with our readers what you enjoyed about each one and what impact they had on your life?
I truly consider every part of my career a gift, and it has all been a part of shaping me into the person I am today: a woman, a mother, a friend, a teacher, etc. The one thing I will say about everything I have done is that I have never been afraid to fail. I go into everything seeing what I can learn from it and trying to enjoy every step of the way. Anyone who is an artist will tell you that if you can spend your life creating, then you have found success!
My style and artwork is ever evolving, and that is exciting to me. I look forward to seeing what comes next!
In May you opened Palette Art Studio. What made you decide to take the big step of opening your own studio?
It's something I've always wanted to do. The truth is that being a teacher in the public school system is not easy right now, and it was time for me to take the leap!
My goal for Palette is to provide a safe and encouraging space for my students, no matter their age. The studio allows me access to much smaller class sizes, which really allows me to work one-on-one with my students and get to know them and create relationships with them. That part is very important to me.
Please talk a little bit about the techniques you use to teach the young artists in our community. How do you begin to help a young artist recognize their potential?
Teaching art is a combination of allowing young kids to play while learning techniques. I am much more concerned with young kids being confident in their art and learning how to express themselves than I am with the idea of perfection.
The conversation we are always having is that we are allowed to make messes in the art room, we are allowed to make mistakes in the art room, we are always learning and growing in the art room. Technique comes when I get kids to understand that art is like anything else if we want to get better than we practice. And the practice should be fun!
What is your favorite part of teaching young artists?
My absolute favorite part is the uninhibited and natural hugs I get at the end of the class when they don't want to leave! :)
I also love looking at all the art at the end of the lesson and seeing how unique and individual each artwork is. It's so much fun seeing how the personality of the little artists shine through!
---------------------------------------------------
A big thank you to Chrissie for taking the time to share some of her story with us. If you would like to learn more about Chrissie and Palette Art Studio you can visit their website at www.paletteartstudiows.com. You can also follow them on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/paletteartstudiowintersprings and on Instagram @ www.instagram.com/paletteartstudio_ws/.
Palette's Fall After-School Art Class schedule is out, and you can register your kids now at
AFTER-SCHOOL CLASSES | Palette Art Studio (paletteartstudiows.com). There will be a Fall A Session running from August 16 to September 23, 2022, and a Fall B Session running from September 27 to November 1, 2022. Both sessions will include brand new pottery classes for elementary and middle school students so be sure to go check that out!
Thank you all again for visiting our blog and as always, Enjoy the Arts!
Brian K. Smith
