Garage Door Studio to Offer Kids Summer Art Camps

Things are hopping around Tudor Square in Avondale Estates these days! With several new restaurants and craft breweries scheduled to open, the quaint English-style Avondale Estates area is being revitalized -- and has become the "hip" place to be at the moment. In fact, in June, five of the area's favorite artisans are joining forces to open a collaborative studio space in Tudor Square called GARAGE DOOR STUDIO [119 Center St.(Tudor Square), Avondale Estates].

What's so cool about the initiative is that each of these founding artists brings a unique gift and talent to the cooperative. The result is an amazing retail boutique space that specializing in locally-crafted arts and goods, complimented by a creative learning studio.

Now, what is truly exciting for Decatur-area PARENTS is that GARAGE DOOR STUDIO will be debuting new, weekly SUMMER ARTS & CRAFTS CAMPS (woo-hoo!) for creative kids (girls AND boys alike), ages 2nd-8th grades, starting June 8th through July 25th. Camp class sizes are limited to 15 campers/week, so it's important to sign-up SOON. (Word is that classes are filling quickly!) Camp sessions will include unique experiences like a “green thumb” project, local business excursions, scavenger hunts, and personalized t-shirt. Custom works of art will be created using mixed media and found art assemblage. Other activities include jewelry making, clay sculpture, drawing, sewing, and photography walking tours. Each week, GARAGE DOOR STUDIO will highlight a different creative discovery - so each and every camp is completely different!

Two professional instructors will lead the camp each week with additional artist "pop-in" projects daily to keep the creative juices flowing! The camp environment will be relaxed and non-competitive, allowing participating children to gain knowledge and confidence through the creative thinking process.

For additional camp information and to secure a registration form for your child, email: avondalesummerartcamp@gmail.com .  

Garage Door Studio's founding artists include:

LOU CALLAWAY -- Lou grew up in Atlanta and now lives in Avondale Estates, GA with her two girls and husband, Bill. She is a goldsmith & jewelry designer by trade, but wanted to unleash her more whimsical, creative side. She started her company, Skipping Daisies in hopes of making jewelry fun while putting a smiles on the faces that wear it. Lou takes inspiration from flowers and creates something beautiful using bright colors of enamel over copper. At the beginning of Skipping Daisies, Lou was using Copper, fine silver,18k, 14k gold and gemstones only. Because of her true love of color, she started enameling her pieces with bright, vibrant hues. Lou takes pride in each, colorfully-crafted piece, ensuring that no two are exactly the same.

RACHEL HERZOG - Rachel grew up in New Jersey and now lives in Avondale Estates, GA with her son, daughter & husband, Mike. She started her company, Tickleworm because of her love of all things old and vintage. An incredibly talented sewer, she works with cashmere & wool, then sews unique pieces using old buttons & keys to adorn them. She has always loved color & texture. She felts the sweaters herself, which binds the fibers making the fabric stronger. She's recently been using waxed canvas because of its aged, worn look. Her little "Felties" adorn many little girls heads!

PATTY ROLLINS - Patty grew up in Florida and now lives in Avondale Estates, GA with her two boys and husband, Matt. Patty started her company, Bliss108 Jewelry Design, after a trip to Thailand where she was given Buddhist prayer beads, or mala, from a monk who blessed them for her. The mala has 108 beads. Her LoveBeads collection started in 2005 after Patty left a yoga class with a vision to design a necklace with 108 beads containing all seven colors representing our energy chakras—Bliss, Intuition, Communication, Love, Inner Strength, Creativity, and Earthly Connection. LoveBeads were created and designed for women to wear as a reminder that they are love. The sterling silver tag, worn in the front, is called the guru bead or touchstone. Over the years, Patty’s passion for creating beaded jewelry has developed from craft to true art, connecting people and spreading the message of self love one bead at a time. 

JEN NEWMAN -- Jen grew up in New Jersey and now lives in Avondale Estates, GA with her son, daughter and husband, David. She started her company Lillibands, out of necessity, when her daughter Lilly was a born. Jen searched high and low for a cute, feminine accessory for Lilly’s sweet little bald head. Unfortunately, she could not find a headband that would actually stay put. Jen channeled her passion for fashion (and sewing), and soon she had soon designed the very first “Lilliband.” Since then, Lillibands™ have become a staple accessory on babies, girls, and ladies’ everywhere. From there, she created a children's clothing line, LilliWear, again to serve a need. . .to dress her daughter, Lilly. She was also the owner of "Square Roots", a local art, gift & flower shop in Decatur, GA.

JEN SINGH -- Jen grew up in Michigan and now lives in Avondale Estates, GA with her two girls and husband, JT. As a talented artist, illustrator and graphic designer for the past 20 years, her mixed media paintings and watercolor works have been featured in magazines and commissioned by children's publishers. She is also the president of the Avondale Arts Alliance that presents the annual AutumnFest Arts & Music Festival in the fall. She has been involved in community art-related events and shares her talents with students at The Museum School of Avondale Estates.