Artist Alley is soon to open at 1316 Gaskins Road in the Gayton Crossing shopping center. (BizSense file photo)
A local artist is adding to the offerings for kids at a western Henrico shopping center.
Eunice Li is set to open Artist Alley, which will host a variety of art classes for children ages 7 through 18, at 1316 Gaskins Road in Gayton Crossing next month .
Li, who originally hails from Hong Kong, has been in the art world since she was a child. She worked with watercolors when she was young, training in an academic studio for young artists starting as a toddler.
When she relocated to the U.S. in her teen years, Li began working with oil paints, and her passion for art only grew.
After working as an art teacher at the Center for Creative Arts in Glen Allen for five years, Li began teaching at home before realizing she wanted a bigger space, deciding on the 1,200-square-foot Gayton Crossing space.
The storefront will house an office and a sitting area, along with a larger studio area that will be able to split into two classroom spaces by a curtain. The youngest children will have tables to work on, while the older children will work on easels, Li said. Some adult classes will also be offered.
Li originally hoped to open the space in September, but with permitting pushing her back, she’s now planning for October. Renovations are ongoing, she said.
Li’s reasoning for choosing the Gayton Crossing space was multifold; she liked being in a populated shopping center and liked that the space is next door to children’s gym KidStrong.
Artist Alley will offer classes across mediums, including acrylics, clay, collages, design, oil, printing, and water colors. Classes are split into age ranges, with 7- and 8-year-olds in “Mini Masters” classes, 9-to-11-year-olds in “Young Artists,” 12-to-14-year-olds in “Intermediate Techniques” and 15-to-18-year-olds in “Art Portfolio.”
Eunice Li
Mini Masters classes begin with teaching students things like basic shapes and form and color understanding, while Young Artists classes focus on developing subject matter, composition and design details.
Intermediate Techniques focuses on developing different techniques and skills using different painting mediums, and Art Portfolio classes focus on building a body of work students can use in their portfolio and for art major college applications.
Li is teaching “semester-long” courses that run for several months. There is a one-time, $100 registration fee, and students are then billed monthly for around four classes per month. The youngest three classes are around $112 per month, while Art Portfolio classes are $140 per month, per the Artist Alley website.
Li told BizSense that she plans on using a months-long program instead of drop-in classes so students can build upon their skills, and work on their projects over a course of classes instead of during one session.
She said she tries to keep her classes technique-based while still providing fun, unique projects for children to explore different styles.
“I don’t just say, this is a painting class, or still life class or cartoon class. When they sign up for it, they sign up for everything,” Li said. “It’s more complicated than just one class’s project.”
The studio will also offer drop-in adult classes for adults of all skill levels to come paint and relax. Art supplies are provided.
Li also plans on offering some party and group event packages for both children and adults. Party options will include things like creating acrylic paintings on canvas, painting crafts like terracotta vases and picture frames, and wearable art parties, where guests can paint tote bags or t-shirts.
And while Li praised the Richmond art scene, noting well-known programs in the area like VCUArts, she hopes Artist Alley can provide some more unique programming to younger, aspiring artists.
“For art-based training for kids … I don’t feel like we have it in the market in Richmond. I see more in California or even in Northern Virginia, but I don’t really see much in this area. So I’m like, ‘Let’s do this.’”
Artist Alley currently has a team of three instructors, including Li.
Other tenants in the Gayton Crossing shopping center include crepe restaurant Les Crepes, Goldfish Swim School and pet store Dog Krazy. The bulk of the shopping center was purchased last year by Baltimore-based real estate investment and management company Continental Realty Corp. for $22 million, according to Henrico County records.
