Today we’d like to introduce you to Celeste Frederickson.
Celeste, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
For Art’s Sake Studio is a private Art studio that has been in business and providing Art instruction in the local surrounding communities for over 60 years now. A six decade, multigenerational, family owned art school that has grown and evolved into what is referred to by many as “their happy place”.
Started by my late Grandfather in the 1960’s, I, too, immersed myself in weekly oil painting lessons in the studio both as a young child and a teen, I attended lessons taught by my grandfather and soaked up all that I could about how to paint, as well as how the family business operated. As fate would have it, when I was attending my first year of college I was faced with a rare medical condition that brought me home. This is when my journey really began to take shape at the studio.
In 1987, I began managing the studio and assisting classes under my Grandfather. My main tasks at that time were scheduling, ordering, cleaning and answering inquiry calls, It was not what I had envisioned for my college years, but it also felt like home. I quickly began taking on more and more responsibility in the studio as well as continuing my schooling at local colleges and taking classes at other art schools. In 1988, my Grandfather gave me the opportunity to begin my own class to teach and this is when I realized that teaching was my passion.
My grandfather and I worked very closely at the studio and we continued to teach together and separately in classes for 18 years, while I continued to operate and manage the studio in it’s entirety. During those years, I myself began to see the beauty of this unique business and how I could touch peoples hearts the through Art. In 2005, my Grandfather fully retired and that is when I took over ownership of the studio.
Fast forward, I have now owned the studio for 21 years and I have now dedicated a total of 37 years to supporting artists of all ages. Not only teaching, but building community and friendships within the studio and genuinely touching people’s lives and hearts. I have been lucky enough to have had many students who begin as a child, continue through their teens and have now returned to take classes with me as an adult. I have also had numerous students who began their own art journey with me and are now living their lives as professional artists. To know I was a catalyst and a spark in shaping someones career and nurturing their passions in a way that they became confident enough to build a life and career in Art is the most rewarding feeling in the world.
I attribute this success to the process in which I learned to teach technique and theory under my late Grandfather, as well as my personal approach to take the time to really individualize my teaching principles to each individual students needs and interests. I believe that no two students are the same. Each student has their own journey and learning style and I do my best to nurture that. I, myself, have a very calm and nurturing teaching style combined with the knowledge and a lifetime of experience in process and technique to really embrace each students strengths and encourage their development at their own paces and individual learning style. To see my students learn, grow and find their flow state in their own Art continues to fill my passion for teaching. I feel very humbled every day that I am able to do something I love and share my experience with others.
I think what I am most proud to say is that not only have I kept the family business going strong for 38 years, but I have grown the studio into something my Grandfather never imagined. Not only do we provide Art instruction to kids, teens and adults, but I have built a creative platform for Group Art events such as birthday parties, special celebrations, team building events, as well as a yearly Children and Teen Summer Art Camp,
For Art’s Sake Studio continues to be a rare find in the Art community offering fulfilling lessons in drawing, oil painting, crochet and digital art, as well as birthday parties, special events and workshops for children, teens and adults.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My THREE biggest challenges were juggling being a mother of two young children while owning and operating the studio full time, keeping the studio above water during the great recession during the years 2007-2009, as well as surviving and successfully being able to provide classes and camp during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2005, when my grandfather fully retired I took over ownership the studio, my son was just an infant and my daughter was 4 yrs old. Finding balance between the two was difficult, but it also allowed me flexibility to bring my children to work with me.
Shortly after taking over the business, the great recession hit. I was faced with the decision to shut down the studio completely or find a way to make it work. I went for the latter. I renegotiated my rent and lease and was able to keep afloat. It wasn’t pretty or easy, but it allowed me time to reinvent the studio to make it more my own and create a business plan that would allow me to grow the business.
In, 2010, I built a new studio in the same shopping center that we had occupied for 25 years. The new space allowed me to expand the business in classes, supplies, framing and parties as well as build a secure space for my children to play and do homework while I was teaching. They too immersed themselves in the daily operations of the business and they ultimately began also working in the studio as young teens. This experience helped shape them both into artists themselves and also gain some knowledge of running a small business. An invaluable opportunity that they were immersed in and are both grateful for to this day.
In 2018, I was unable to renew my lease where I had been teaching for 25 + years. It was a scary time, but I also found my dream space for my studio to continue on. I made the difficult decision to once again to construct a new space to carry on the legacy of the studio. This new space just a couple miles away provided me with an attached outdoor patio which was a blessing as just 6 months in to operating , the COVID-19 pandemic halted the entire world.
I shut down with the rest of small businesses, but I was able to return to 1/2 strength after just 2 months. That Summer of 2019, my new space became a real life blessing in disguise. That new patio addition allowed me to follow protocol and run classes and camp with social distancing in place as my reputation and presence in the community gave parents and students a safe place to create with a peace of mind.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Growing up in the studio has provided me then opportunity to teach Art and paint for myself, as well sell my own Art. I think the most unique thing about me is that I teach in all subjects and styles therefore, I also create in many subjects and styles from realism to abstract. Having a studio has always allowed me to sell my work through the studio gallery, but I have also worked with designers and private parties creating commissioned artwork. I am most proud that I can both run a business, teach and paint. Not many people can manage multi faceted aspects of a career successfully.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up I was very responsible, quiet and shy. I moved around a lot and attended many schools, but Art was always the constant and the consistency kept me grounded. I became very perceptive and developed a keen awareness of paying attention to details and navigating relationships and friendships at a very young age. Whether it was the anatomy of a tree or how I was perceived and/or interpreted others, painting instilled a subconscious and keen awareness of the world around me.
Pricing:
- Daily Classes offered for Kids, Teens & Adults
- Birthday Parties
- Summer Art Camps/Workshops
- Team Building/Events
- Private Lessons
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.4artsakestudio.com
- Instagram: forartsakestudio
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forartsakewlv
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/for-arts-sake-studio-westlake-village-4?osq=For+Art%27s+Sake+Studio
