Today we’d like to introduce you to Becky Vlaming.
Hi Becky, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Creating opportunities for children to explore and make has always been a love of mine. I studied Art Education at Western Michigan University but never really wanted to teach in a traditional setting. After having my children, the opportunity to teach came to me in a very unexpected way- through homeschooling! Those years were the joy of my life, learning alongside my kids- devouring books, adventuring to museums, exploring nature together and of course, lots of art-making! As my children got older and their educational needs changed, I found myself longing to create with young minds again. I was able to find opportunities in the Orlando area to teach art with after-school programs and eventually working for a local museum coordinating their children’s educational programming. It had always been a dream of mine to own my own brick-and-mortar art studio, made to give children and adults opportunities to create and explore the process of art-making.
Everything fell into place the fall of 2019 and I was able to open the doors to the studio in January 2020. When Covid hit in March, I had to close for a few months but was able to keep things going with the offerings of at-home Sensory Kits, Art Kits and virtual classes. In June 2020, we opened our doors again and hosted Summer Art Camps – which surprisingly filled quickly! Ever since, our classes, workshops and camps have been consistently full and I am so thankful for the way our community has embraced Creative Jane!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting a business is a huge leap of faith and doing that followed by a global pandemic was pretty nerve-wracking. The decision to close temporarily as everything shut down was scary- but because so many people were finding ways to pivot, I found it as another opportunity to get creative and hustle!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Creative Jane Art Studio?
Creative Jane Art Studio exists to give children the opportunity to explore art-making while enjoying the process and not just focusing on the finished product. Our experiences are for the youngest artists to teenagers. Toddler Art Play & Pre-K Art Play are creative station-based experiences for the little ones, while our Maker Classes, Saturday Afternoon Art Workshops and out-of-the-box creative camps offer many options for older kids. Additionally, we host birthday parties on Saturdays and our bright and open space is also available to rent for private events.
What makes you happy?
Serving my community through doing what I love makes me happy! Also, watching my kids, Grace & Jack, grow into amazing, creative people, beach days and Black Rooster Tacos.
Pricing:
- Toddler Art Play is $15 for one class or $75 for a 6 class pack
- Pre-K Art Play is $30 for one class or $150 for a 6 class pack
- Summer Art Camps are $235 per child, M-Th, half days. 9-noon or 2-5p
- Maker Classes are on a break for the summer but normally are $180 for a 6 week session
- Saturday Afternoon Art Workshops are $60 per child – 2 hours on select Saturday afternoons
Contact Info:
- Email: becky@creativejaneart.com
- Website: www.creativejaneart.com
- Instagram: @creativejaneorl
- Facebook: @creativejaneorl
Image Credits
The photo of me and the one of my front window is by LemonHearted – Lindsay Thompson
