I opened MAKE ART, a small, urban neighborhood art studio in the North End neighborhood (little Italy) of Boston in March, 2001. From that time through 2006, MAKE ART housed my private counseling practice, and offered artmaking for adults and kids 7 days a week.
MAKE ART offered instruction in drawing, painting, sculpture, knitting, life drawing, collage, and printmaking. In the Fall of 2003, MAKE ART incorporated yoga into the mix as well. ‘YOGART’ classes for kids and vinyassa flow yoga classes with "Best in Boston" Amy Leydon were added to the roster.
In addition to scheduled classes, there was also always time scheduled throughout the week for ARTIME, or open studio time. People came to the studio to work on whatever they wanted to, use the supplies and get some help if they needed it. During ARTIME, it was okay to hang out until you felt ready to try something new, or even just use the art materials to unwind.
Workshops at MAKE ART in Boston focused on a variety of topics that included family artmaking, life drawing, art for stress relief, and painting for women. Workshops were also uniquely designed upon request for birthday parties and small groups. MAKE ART and I were additionally honored to host several community events and open houses. We showed fantastic neighborhood student work, showcased emerging artists, and celebrated birthdays young and old!
At MAKE ART people of all ages were able to use art and yoga to celebrate community, have fun, as well as feel creatively, personally, and professionally inspired. Word got out and there were several pieces written in the Boston Globe and local press. The building that housed MAKE ART was sold in 2006, and MAKE ART closed at the end of that year. Another incarnation of MAKE ART emerged briefly in Pasadena, California in 2007 before I returned to Boston in 2008.
