When the kids want to let their creativity roam free, that usually means you have a new crayon masterpiece to scrub off the walls. Luckily, Westport native Joyce Bottone is here to offer a creative and nurturing space for your budding Picassos (bonus: no cleanup by Mom and Dad). A former graphic designer who turned to craft and art projects while she was raising her children, Joyce opened Joy2Crafts in 2011. The cozy studio, with sweeping views of the Saugatuck, is the perfect place for the little ones to feel inspired. “I love introducing the kids to traditional artists but then encouraging them to do their own rendition of things,” Joyce says. With hands-on art classes and a variety of materials like paint, smudging pastels and papier-mâché, the kids explore texture, technique, color and shape.
Joyce now offers crafting birthday parties, and you can reserve the studio for one-hour sessions if you and the kids can’t make regularly scheduled classes in the six-week sessions. Visit her website for the latest course offerings. It’s time for the little ones to roll up their sleeves because getting artistic (and a little messy) has never been more fun.
263 Riverside Ave.; joy2crafts.com