That Art Place provides space for creativity
By BRANDY CRUZ | Photos by BECKY STINEHOUR
”I’ve been creating art for as long as I can remember,” Michelle Weaver said. “As a child, art was my happy place — a way to explore and express myself. Over the years, my passion for art grew into a love for teaching and helping others discover their creative potential.”
After realizing the need for a place in Central Texas where people can go to express themselves creatively, Michelle and her husband Ben opened That Art Place in 2014, with one simple idea in mind — to make art easy and accessible for everyone.
The Belton art studio offers a variety of creative experiences. Michelle said they wanted to create a joyful, welcoming space where families, children and adults could come together to explore their creativity and make lasting memories.
That Art Place is a fully-equipped creative space for painting, molding pottery, creating fused glass and a host of other things. Michelle said they have assembled an amazing team who welcome, encourage and guide their customers.
They help “make art easy” by ensuring the studio is organized, inspiring and running smoothly. She said they also personally welcome each guest, guide them through the creative process, carefully kiln fire projects, clean up, and facilitate workshops. She believes she is only one small part of the amazing team, who are better together.
“For me, art is both relaxing and empowering. It’s a chance to focus on the moment and let go of stress. I love that art gives us a way to express ourselves and connect with others,” she added. “Seeing the joy and confidence that creating art brings — whether it’s a child proudly showing off their painting or an adult rediscovering the fun of making something by hand — continues to inspire everything we do.”
With a background in art and education — including five years of teaching in public schools — and seeing the lack of art programs in schools, Michelle said she was happy to be able to provide that creative outlet for children and said the best part of her job is still being able to teach.
“My happy place is in the clay room, with muddy hands, surrounded by people creating and exploring clay for the first time. I especially love teaching pottery wheel classes to first-timers — there’s something magical about guiding someone through the process of shaping clay and seeing their excitement when they realize what they’ve created. It’s moments like those that make all the difficult and tedious parts of running your own business worth it. The joy of teaching and sharing art with others is what keeps me inspired every day.”
Michelle said she believes art is for everyone, no matter their skill level or experience, and encourages people to try their hand at art because they will be surprised at what they can do if they just try. She is amazed by people’s imagination and talent every single day.
“People are so much more creative than they give themselves credit for. I love watching someone who thinks they’re ‘not artistic’ surprise themselves with what they can create,” Michelle said. “It’s not about being the most creative person or being able to draw the best stick figure, life is about enjoying the experience of creating and trying new things that excite you.”
After more than a decade in operation, Michelle said she has had many happy memories that stick with her and looks forward to many more happy memories in the years to come.
“We have a few kids who have first come in to do handprints as an infant and are now in our kids after school classes. Some families come in each year at Christmas to make a new ornament for their tree. It’s so fun to watch our community grow. My own kids have grown up in the studio. Soon they will be old enough to help out!”
That Art Place
Address: 108 Lake Road in Belton
Phone: 254-613-4292
Website: www.thatartplacestudio.com
Social Media: www.facebook.com/thatartplacestudio
