Colorbridge art was founded on the Belief that art, in all its forms, brings us together.
ART EDUCATION is a catalyst for connection.
Colorbridge Art’s mission is to provide familiarity and fluency in concepts of art, creating the foundation for confidence, self-expression, problem-solving and social change.
Colorbridge Art is a safe space that aims to provide its community a meeting place through art education. Inspired teaching-artists host studio classes at our Macklind Avenue location in South St. Louis and within local after-school programs. At our Macklind location, we offer painting, drawing, clay and wheel throwing classes for adults & a parent/child wheel throwing class on Saturdays. Our studio and wheel throwing classes have a 6:1 and 4:1 student/teacher ratio to provide small class sizes and individualized studio instruction. We will resume programming for children and teens and community wheel times shortly.
A Brief History of Colorbridge Art: 2014 to the present
Colorbridge Art was founded in 2014 by artist Jenna Bauer out of her South Saint Louis painting studio. At that time, Bauer offered private art lessons and after school art classes at local schools. The demand for classes grew and other teaching-artists began working with Colorbridge to offer more studio art classes. Through the years, a small rotating collective of teaching-artists have developed a wide variety of curricula for their after-school students, from the long-running “Clay Club” to “Messy Fantastic”; Puppetry to “Figure it Art” (a math+studio art class) and many others.
As these after school classes were being offered between 2014 and 2019, Bauer developed and facilitated Colorbridge’s signature studio arts curriculum, Color Wheel Connections: Handmade Books about Human Beings” - a socially-minded studio art bookmaking unit that celebrates Human Being/s.
2020 to the present day, with the help of potter Tom Dykas, the collective has built an outdoor and “open-air” clay studio. It houses four potter’s wheels that were donated to the art project a few years earlier. Pottery wheel classes debuted in October of 2020. (Halloween afternoon:)
Just as a collective of teaching-artists have mentored students on behalf of Colorbridge, a collective of group of arts administrators have helped connect all the moving parts since 2016 (thanks to an initial artist support grant from the Regional Arts Commission in that year.)
In May of 2022, Colorbridge Art was determined a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit arts organization by the IRS and is managed by a small board of directors. Heading into 2023, Colorbridge continues to offer on-site art lessons and afterschool programs.
community members and partners
Through the years, Colorbridge Art has partnered with schools and community organizations:
South City Catholic Academy, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta School, Hawthorne Leadership School for Girls, BiOME School, Pink House, North Campus STL, Kennard Classical Junior Academy, Restoration Presbyterian Fellowship, Springboard to Learning, Word of Life School, Our Lady of Sorrows School, St. Gabriel School, St. Cecilia School, St. Louis Kidney Foundation, St. Margarets of Scotland, St. John's Community Improvement Center, Creative Exchange Labs (CEL) & The Sweet Potato Project, The Hands-On Arts (HAT) Institute at Webster University, The Contemporary Art Museum's LEAP Program, Art in the Park, St. Louis Hills Neighborhood Association, Kitebridge Inc.
Kudos:
“I meant to tell you how impressed I was with Charlie’s last lesson. I had not expected art lessons to address so many of the things that we hope to help Charlie grow more comfortable with - taking risks, being brave, not giving up easily, accepting his best effort. I was amazed at how quickly you zeroed in on these and how art could be a vehicle for personal growth for him! - Leslie, parent of a child attending private lessons”
“I was so pleased with the magic that was created yesterday in the studio. The kids seem so comfortable in your space and presence and the creative energy just caught on fire, didn’t it? Thank you for all you’ve done for our kids!”
”Colorbridge has transformed my children’s homeschool art class from a humble arts and crafts hour into an educational and exploratory art journey. Rich colors, quality materials, and new techniques have nourished the creative minds of my little artists and inspired them to produce charming original art for friends and family. Creating in a real artist’s studio surrounded by artwork heightens the experience for my 5 and 8 year old. At the end of the lesson they leave class joyful, with arms full of projects, new vocabulary to share with me, and an expanded appreciation for the beautiful world around them.” -Ashley, parent of homeschool students (since April 2015)”
