Where can kids and adults go to have fun and be creative? The Makery on 601

Children and adults who are looking for “something to do” this summer, or at any time during the year, can look to The Makery on 601 to make creating art a fun, personal experience.

Kristan Niessner and her husband, Luke, opened the art studio in March at 248 Penn Avenue in Hollsopple. The Niessners bought the building along state Route 601 about two years ago, with thoughts of opening a licensed child care center.

That plan didn’t work out, so the Windber couple decided to take a chance on another dream of theirs: To open an art studio where customers of all ages and artistic abilities can come in and, for a reasonable price, create a painting, suncatcher or sand art piece, paint a ceramic figure, form a lump of clay into a pot or bowl or to make some other kind of unique art project.

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“This was something we wanted to do for years,” Kristan Niessner said. “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to be involved with art. It’s my happy place. So, we figured we would give it a try.”

Luke added: “We had struggle after struggle when we were looking at this place as a day care. When we decided to do this, everything came into place, from start to finish.”

Inside the Niessners’ art studio are canvases, wooden and ceramic pieces of all kinds, ribbons, pom poms, skeins of yarn and other materials. In a corner of the room sit four pottery wheels, ready for making pottery. The couple designs all the art projects they offer, and they make and fire their own ceramics on site.

“There’s something for everyone from 2 to 102, all ages and abilities,” Kristan Niessner said.

The Makery on 601 does not charge customers for the time they spend in the art studio. Instead, customers pay for the canvas, ceramic piece or another product they select, then they can use the studio’s paints, yarns, ribbon and other items to create the finished piece. A three-dimensional printer and some wood and vinyl cutting equipment are also available to add custom details to a project.

They offer workshops for adults and children, including a weekly “Make with Me” art project that a child and a parent, grandparent or other family member can work on together. There’s also a “Christmas in July” activity planned for July 23 and 24, where customers can come by to make a Christmas tree ornament, paint a ceramic Christmas tree (like the old-fashioned kind, with lights) and create other Christmas projects.

Niessner said that a customer with an idea for a special project is welcome to call 814-254-3226 or send a message through The Makery on 601’s Facebook page to discuss their project.

“Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start,” she said. “We take the time to work with them and show them what to do. It’s also nice to be able to try something new without (the cost of) buying all the materials.”

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Reservations are requested to use the pottery wheels, but otherwise, customers can come in to create at any time during open hours. The Makery on 601 is open from 1-8 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, from 4 to 9 p.m. on Friday, from 1 to 9 p.m. on Saturday and from 1 to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Parking is available in front of the building, and for customers with disabilities, the entrance and the interior of the studio are accessible.

“Anyone can come through our doors,” Kristan Niessner said. “We are very big on (believing that) different is normal. The art studio is a place where judgement doesn’t exist.

“People love it here, they don’t want to leave. We’ve been told it’s like walking into a whole different world. It’s a getaway from the negativity outside.”

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Group activities like birthday parties, bridal or baby showers, painting parties and other private events can be arranged as well, Niessner said.

Schedule changes, upcoming events and other information are shared through the studio’s Facebook page.

The Niessners run the studio and teach the workshops, so much of their family time is based around art too. The couple have three daughters, Ellie, Harper and Brynleigh.

“It’s a fun place,” Kristan Niessner said about their family business. “It sounds weird calling it work, because (to us) it doesn’t feel like work. We’re sharing what we love to do with others.

“We want to bring people happiness through art, and show people what impact art can have on their lives.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Somerset County family offers creative fun daily at The Makery on 601