SOME HISTORY OF MAKE ART STUDIO:   MAKE ART, a small, urban neighborhood art studio opened at 44 North Bennet Street in the North End neighborhood (little Italy) of Boston in March, 2001.  From that time through December, 2006, MAKE ART offered artmaking for adults and kids 7 days a week, and in the Fall of 2003, MAKE ART incorporated yoga into the mix as well.  The building that housed MAKE ART was sold in 2006, and MAKE ART closed in Boston at the end of that year.  MAKE ART briefly re-emerged in Pasadena, California before returning to Boston in 2008 in its current studio without walls incarnation!

MAKE ART is operated by me, Deborah Jacobs .  I have more than 20 years experience as a visual artist, art teacher and art therapist.  I am a licensed mental health counselor and a nationally board certified art therapist.  I also hold a Master of Fine Arts degree.  At MAKE ART, I combine these skills to help people of all ages learn art techniques, and develop their creativity in order to release stress, learn about themselves and feel good.  Amy Leydon,  my close friend and yogi taught the yoga classes at MAKE ART in Boston from late 2003 through 2006.  Amy is a certified Vinyasa Flow Yoga Teacher, and was voted 2007 Best Yoga Teacher in Boston!  Her classes at MAKE ART combined vigorous asana sequences with slow, gentle postures as a way to find balance in class and in life.

MAKE ART STUDIO IN BOSTON 3/01-12/06: In Boston, MAKE ART studio offered instruction in drawing, painting, sculpture, knitting, life drawing, collage, printmaking, as well as Amy’s vinyassa flow yoga classes.  No previous artmaking or yoga experience was necessary to participate, and supplies were always included. Amy and I combined our love of art and yoga and invented ‘YOGART.’  We were thrilled to offer these classes that gave kids the opportunity creatively express themselves both physically and artistically.  We also had lots of laughs, huge messes, some bumps on the head, and tons of fun! At MAKE ART in Boston, there was also always time scheduled throughout the week for ARTIME, or open studio time.  People came to the studio to work on whatever they wanted to, use the supplies and get some help if they needed it.  During ARTIME, it was okay to hang out until you felt ready to try something new, or even just use the art materials to unwind. Workshops at MAKE ART in Boston focused on a variety of topics that included family artmaking, life drawing, art for stress relief, and painting for women.  Workshops were also uniquely designed upon request for birthday parties and small groups. Additional offerings at MAKE ART have included creative life coaching for individuals, consultation to businesses, art therapy for adults and children, and clinical art therapy supervision.  (I always hear the question, “What is art therapy?”  Expressive Art Therapy is a powerful psychological healing modality.  This practice allows both adults and children to shed stress and resolve personal issues via non-threatening and productive self expression.  No previous art experience is necessary and talking is allowed throughout the session.  Clinical art therapy supervision is the part of the training process for art therapy graduate students and recent graduates who are working towards certification.) Over these years in Boston, MAKE ART and I were additionally honored to host several community events and open houses.  We showed fantastic neighborhood student work, showcased emerging artists, and celebrated birthdays young and old!

A LITTLE MORE PERSONAL HISTORY & AN IDEA OF WHAT’S IN STORE FOR MAKE ART:   The building at 44 N. Bennet that housed both my apartment of 13½ years and MAKE ART studio was sold in 2006.  I was enamored with a man living in California at the time.  We became engaged at the MAKE ART grand finale Boston party.  So for weather and love, in 2007 MAKE ART and I relocated to sunny southern California.  I’m an East Coast girl I guess, and the West Coast lifestyle just didn’t take.  By the end of 2007 I found myself gravitating back to Boston just in time for Winter! While in SoCal, I developed a new passion for integrating yoga into my expressive art therapy practice.  So, in addition to utilizing artmaking, talking, writing, movement and music in various group and individual therapy sessions, I also incorporated more structured yoga postures and vinyassa flow types of yoga sequences.  The response to this type of work was inspiring!  People reported decreased stress, increased focus, less depression and anxiety with a greater sense of personal hope and self esteem.  I’m very much looking forward to meeting the future of MAKE ART, as well as my own.  I envision a place similar to the MAKE ARTs of past and present where people of all ages can entertain the idea of using art and yoga to have fun, as well as feel creatively, personally, and professionally inspired.   Thank you so much for your interest in MAKE ART, Debbie J