4 minute read
Dunbar Art Studio
A Love of Art, Beauty, and Learning
If you have been searching for an artistic outlet for your child or yourself, you will be delighted to know that after a number of years Dunbar Art Studio (aka 4Cats) has recently reopened on Dunbar Street under new management. While the business model has changed, the concept of offering stimulating and creative programs remains the same.
4Cats Arts Studio got its start in 2005 in Victoria. Founder Joey Alice has grown the company into a Canadian success story with locations in B.C. Alberta, Ontario, and Nova Scotia. She is very involved with each studio to ensure high quality and aesthetic standards are being met.
Anna, Manager of Dunbar Art Studio
Anna “Banana” (as the kids fondly refer to her) is the manager of the Dunbar Art Studio that opened in mid-March.
Anna previously managed 4Cats Kitsilano at West 10th Avenue and Alma Street, as well as the West Vancouver studio. She remarks, “I am excited to be in Dunbar. I moved here at the end of March and love the community.”
She mentions, “4Cats has always believed in fostering a love of art and art history, but now we also offer quite a few more specialized classes as well as our classic exploratory class. This class is fun and educational. Students explore a variety of mediums while learning about famous artists, art history, and culture. Our curriculum encourages a love of learning, independence, art technique learning, and skill development. We have been offering this class for many years now, and it is what most families are familiar with.”
Anna adds, “We have new specialized classes that are aimed at students who have perhaps already done an exploratory class, and are interested in exploring clay and sculpture, macramé, and stop-motion animation, as well as themed classes from Pokémon, to bees, mermaids, Minecraft, whales and many more to come!”
There is something for anyone with artistic aspirations with programs for kids as young as two years old, all the way up to adults. The studio’s primary age group is three to 12-year-olds for the classes, but they also offer a Kittens class for two to four-yearolds (with an adult participant), and a teen class for ages 12 to 17.
When the pandemic hit, 4Cats restructured their studios to comply with social distancing regulations. This includes smaller class sizes, special creation stations for each student (or a pair of students in the same bubble) separated by plexiglass, and a health check/contact tracing QR code form that is filled out at the door before entering the studio. They also require masks to be worn at all times while inside the studio, as per B.C. regulations.
School will soon be out and the studio’s summer camps are open for registration.
Anna mentions, “We are currently only offering full-day camps to reduce the number of bodies in and out of the studio. These camps consist of two art projects every day, including artist/ art history lessons with each, and an hour-long lunch break/free time in the middle. There is also a badge ceremony at the end of each day where students earn badges that celebrate something they excelled at on a given day.”
At present, there are two staff working at the studio, with a plan to double that number this summer. Anna has a passion for pottery projects and enjoys teaching them. Like the students, she is always excited about different mediums and looks forward to an upcoming screen-printing project.
As for the kids, their preferences vary, however, Anna says, “Oven bake clay is always a hit, as well as any mediums we don’t do very often such as printmaking and acrylic pours!”
“The most rewarding thing for us is watching the kids grow and develop their skills and interests. There’s nothing more special than watching a child really connect with a project and work really hard to create something beautiful. From the feedback we’ve heard, the most rewarding thing for our 4Cats families is the knowledge that while their children are having fun making art and getting messy, they’re also learning professional art techniques, discovering new mediums that they may never have tried before, and coming out of their shell,” says Anna.
Although the pandemic has altered so many activities in our lives, 4Cats birthday parties are still able to proceed with protocols in place. Parties can accommodate up to 20 participants (10 per room, in the two-room space) although they are no longer able to have party guests’ parents inside (just the party parent).
There is something for every age to explore at the Dunbar Art Studio. Whether you have toddlers, school-aged children, or teenagers; Anna guarantees there is a class they will love.
She concludes, “If you don’t have kids and just love art, our workshops are perfect for you. Even if you don’t feel comfortable spending time in the studio yet, we also sell take-home oven-bake clay kits that are fun on a rainy day or afternoon at a friend’s house.”
Participating in a 4Cats workshop is a wonderful way to take a break from the stress we have all been feeling over the last year. That is the beauty of art; it allows one’s imagination to take flight as you escape and focus on the sheer pleasure of creating.
Dunbar Art Studio 4305 Dunbar Street Vancouver, BC V6S 1P8
www.dunbarartstudio.com
