Sourced from Dubois County Free Press
“I told someone the other day that essentially, I am a female Bob Ross,” Emily Meyer said referencing the beloved instructional painter who hosted a show on PBS.
Like Ross, Emily plans on helping people explore and expand on their artistic visions while hosting classes in her new shop on Fourth Street, The Art Factory.
“You’ll follow along with me as we work with a blank canvas or a wood plank or even ceramics,” she explained.
When she opens this Saturday, July 8, visitors will find a brightly painted and airy shop with plenty of supplies for their artful aspirations. The colorful stools lining the tables lend to the fun and creative atmosphere.
It’s the atmosphere Emily wants to give her students as they work to create their next piece of home decor or a gift for someone special.
She’ll host classes painting on traditional canvas but will also include other items like mason jars, wooden cutouts and glass stemware. “Any surface can be painted on,” she explained. “And anything can be art, right?”
In the future, she plans on adding ceramics and will even invite guest instructors to teach other classes like jewelry making.
“I really like all medias,” Emily explained. “And I think a lot of people like them too, but they just don’t want to get all the supplies to do them.”
So, she’ll provide the supplies and help facilitate for people and then take care of the cleanup afterward. It makes it easy for anyone to try something new and allows Emily to introduce more people to something that has always been a part of her life.
“I have always had my sketchbook handy,” she said. “It has always been something that provided a get-away and helped me spark new ideas. It helps me to think about things going on in my life and focus.”
Emily joined the U.S. Air Force after graduating from Southridge. While stationed in Louisianna, she took part in a couple of painting events at similar businesses. “I really liked the idea of what some of those shops were doing,” she explained. “And wanted to bring something like that here.”
The Huntingburg native began planning for the new business last summer after a brainstorming session with her sister Liz. “I had that idea kinda concocted in my head but wasn’t sure how many people would be interested around here,” she explained.
But she decided with the Stellar Community projects going on in downtown Huntingburg, her idea for an art shop would add another element to the mixture of food, culture and history featured there.
Emily’s love for the artist Andy Warhol led to the name for the new business. Warhol named his studios The Factory. “In the era he painted in, it was all about the mass production of art, so this is kind of a play on Andy Warhol and that history,” she said
Opening a business on Fourth Street isn’t a huge step for the 26-year-old. She spent a lot of time there growing up. “As a kid, my grandma (Mary Lou Kramer) worked at the deli down the street where Old School (Café) is, so I’ve always kind of in a sense lived on Fourth Street,” Emily explained. “We followed grandma wherever she worked on Fourth Street, and we were always in and out of the local shops.”
Now, as the sole proprietor of the new business opening this Saturday, she is making her mark on the iconic downtown.
“I’m really excited to see who comes in and what they make,” Emily said.
Classes will be available for private parties as well as themed events like girls nights out and date nights. They will be held mainly in the evening on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. She’ll alternate classes on Saturdays and Sundays and will also host mini sessions during events on Fourth Street like the upcoming rescheduled Garden Gate Jazz, Art, Wine and Craft Beer Festival coming up on Saturday, July 15.
While she doesn’t plan on providing food and drinks regularly for events, she is working out details to host wineries during special events in the future. Also, private parties are welcome to bring refreshments and a full kitchen is available in the store.
The Art Factory’s grand opening is planned for Saturday, July 8. A mini painting session will be available after a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m.
Details on upcoming classes and events can be found on the business’s Facebook page and in a calendar posted in the shop’s window at 403 E. Fourth St. Sign up for classes by calling 812-684-9050.