The Art Garage

About our CEO & Founder:  Kelly Emmert

How did the Art Garage come about? After having my two daughters and being a stay home mama for a few years, I was looking for a way to creatively re-enter the workforce.  I really wanted to balance working and being a mother.  As a former high school art teacher, I began to teach private art lessons out of our garage.  At this time, I was also creating and marketing my own fused glass art.  I adore glass–it’s so beautiful!  A friend suggested that I hold a summer art camp; (thanks Therese!)  I found that I loved it.  I got to plan a whole week of fun, creative activities that teach art fundamentals.  Kids were happy; building confidence, making new friends, and learning art.  That first camp was seven kiddos, all friends’ children.  The next summer I held about four weeks of camps and not all were friends’ kids!  By then, I had found my passion.

I did what came naturally to me, which was art and teaching.  The Art Garage grew. I realized that I wanted to provide a venue that was expansive enough to cover a wide range of art formats for people of all ages and experience levels.  In 2011, we opened our storefront at 11190 Circle Drive.  We opened offering art camps, art classes; walk-in paint-your-own pottery, and glass fusion.  We are still “The Art Garage,” but no longer in an actual garage!  We have a well-educated and caring staff of teachers.  Since our opening, we have added so much more: canvas painting, mosaics, and tie-dye!

My favorite part of this journey is the people.  Some of my campers have been coming since that first summer in 2008; I get to see them grow up!  I have created cherished friendships with many customers, our kids have grown up here and are now an integral part of the business.

Our staff is very important to me. Especially one of my studio managers, my daughter, Kaiya. Kaiya has grown up with art in our studio and truly embodies the core values of The Art Garage (she was 7 when I began this journey!)  I am continually impressed with her ability to make every guest feel at home in our studio, and I am so fortunate to get to work closely with my daughter into her adult life. We are also graced with young staff members, some of whom grew up coming to The Art Garage, and others who have been joining us for our summer program for many years. It has been a joy having such wonderful people to work with who so positively reflect the spirit of ATX and our community at large.

We have also had the opportunity to support our local schools and families and children in need.  We are so appreciative to have such a great community and a sense of belonging within it.  We hope to get to know you soon!

“The purpose of life is to find your gift. The meaning of life is to give it away.”  ~Picasso