Yellow Panda Art Studio on Concord Road blends art and education to help children and adults alike find their hidden creativity. The 400-square-foot studio offers step-by-step instructions by qualified artists to create acrylic paintings on canvas.
"When I was young, I always had to paint or sketch exactly what the teacher told me to, and it ruined my creativity," said studio owner Renee Rayles, 34. "Whether you draw with stick figures or not, at this studio you'll leave with something that looks like a painting and shows individual creativity."
Rayles said it's fun to watch adults try their hand at art, and often they don't trust their own creativity.
"A lot of adults ask if I have any paint-by-numbers art," Rayles said.
She said she chose the panda theme because "everyone loves pandas."
The art studio opened last month, just in time for a Valentine's Day event where kids and parents painted hearts to give to grandparents, friends or to each other, Rayles said. She offers art experiences as part of birthday parties, classes and even ladies' nights out, where women can come with friends and bring their own food.
"It's fun to be creative no matter what age you are," said Rayles, a five-year Smyrna resident who wanted to open her studio where she resides. "I love Smyrna and I wanted to bring something to my community."
Her son, Xavier, 13, attends Griffin Middle School and is often at the studio helping with classes and parties, she added.
Rayles said she believes arts learning experiences often improve a student's academic achievement - and she has the facts to back it up. According to a recent study by the University of California, students with high arts involvement performed better on standardized achievement tests. They also watched fewer hours of television, participated in more community service and reported less boredom with school.
Jennifer Davis said she believes that art helps in a child's development and has had her children participate in several classes at Yellow Panda.
"My oldest daughter really loves art, and this is a great outlet for her," said Davis, a Cumming resident. Her children are Lainey, 7, and Ellie, 4. At a recent class, the two girls learned how to draw a frog with instructor Danielle Maskery, 23, a 2010 fine arts graduate of Georgia Southern University in Statesboro.
"Art is really individual and expressive," Maskery said as she drew big circles for the frog's eyes on a brightly colored canvas. "It's fun to inspire others to be creative, and I always try to keep it simple."
Located in the rear of a house, Yellow Panda Studio offers classes at $15 for children and $20 for adults ($15 if a parent is with a child). Sessions last about 90 minutes and all paints and materials are provided. Participants leave with their 16 byb 20 canvas artwork that day. Rayles said moms can bring their own food and cake for children's birthday parties, which makes having an art studio party more reasonable. She also hosts bachelorette parties where the art is created and given to the bride-to-be.
Rayles said she is planning summer arts camps and hopes to add clay and printmaking mediums to her mix. On March 28, she will have an Eat and Paint night out at the Crepe Revolution restaurant in Smyrna.
For more information, visit www.yellowpandaartstudio.com.
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