Seven years ago, former elementary art school teacher Amy Major set out to make a creative space of her own.
That space became Wee Create, a studio geared toward young artists and their families. Since its original opening in Prairie Village, the studio has continued to expand, relocating into two different Mission spaces along the way.
Now this summer, the art studio will leave its Johnson Drive space and head back to its original home base, with a new, larger Prairie Village space that Major hopes can expand the studio’s capabilities.
Wee Create will operate at 4030 W. 83rd St.
- The studio is moving into a space on the southern end of the Corinth Square shopping center in Prairie Village.
- It will neighbor BRGR Kitchen + Bar and In Clover Boutique at the shopping center.
- Sopra Salon & Med Spa previously occupied the space, before it moved into its larger space across the street at the neighboring Corinth Quarter shopping center.
Wee Create offers ’process-based’ art classes
The studio offers classes for a range of ages, from preschool and elementary school ages all the way up to “tweens” (ages 9 through 12).
At Wee Create, students can partake in a range of artistic endeavors — from painting and collaging to music with local vocalist Barbara Jurgensmeier.
Major describes the studio’s approach as “process-based.” That means that students have an end-result to aim for in their art projects, but rather than receiving a step-by-step instruction for the whole project, students are given the first few steps and then get to determine their own process from there.
“We just really like them to enjoy the process, and we want them to all feel like they’re at an equal level as far as ability goes,” she said.
One of the fun parts of operating Wee Create, Major said, is watching the students progress — both in age and in their artistic growth — and seeing them form a community among themselves.
“I just love being able to work with families for multiple years — that was one of the things I loved about teaching elementary art,” she said. “I get to see them grow and really get to know them over the years.”
The studio will offer new and expanded activities in Prairie Village
With both a ground-level and a basement-level studio space, Major said the new Prairie Village location for pave the way for more activity at Wee Create.
That means Wee Create will be able to hold some of the studio’s most popular events, including birthday parties and weekly summer camps. Major said she also plans to implement weekend classes at the new location, and some new black-light classes in the studio’s basement.
As it expanded over the years, Wee Create has still managed to maintain a lot of its original clientele — including some who live in Prairie Village, and have eagerly awaited the studio’s return to its old stomping grounds, Major said. That is what makes the move feel particularly meaningful.
“It really does kind of feel like moving back home for us,” she said. “It’s been a journey, but I really feel like this is the perfect culmination of everything that we’ve been working towards.”
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