When community advocates talk about revitalizing Warrenton’s downtown area, they dream of not only providing shops, but also memorable positive experiences. Enter Art and Soul, one of the newest offerings to the area that allows visitors young and old to let out their inner artist in guided, beginner-level classes.

The art studio, tucked away on North East Street just off of Main Street, was founded by art teacher Amy Jamison. She has a busy studio in O’Fallon where she works with about 100 students per week, but Jamison said after moving to Warrenton three years ago, she was eventually drawn to expand her business here.

“I’m drawn to downtown areas and small towns. I grew up in a small town,” Jamison commented. “I really like the small-town appeal. ... It would be nice to be able to move everything out here.”

After opening earlier this year, the art studio has still been finding its legs. Jamison said she’s been experimenting with different kinds of classes, age groups and community partnerships to see what people here are enthusiastic to learn. She hopes to expand her interaction with local schools, and also books birthday parties where kids and families can have fun creating together.

Although a lot of her business could come from children, Jamison said art is something that should be enjoyed by people of any age, and she loves giving adults the chance to reconnect with creative activities they once loved.

“I love teaching adults who are beginners that are looking to get back into the arts, because they put it off and got a ‘real’ job, and they’re interested in learning,” Jamison said with a laugh. “Adults that take my classes don’t feel intimidated by it, and they’re usually surprised by what they can do.”

Recent examples of classes at Art and Soul include beginner brush paintings, “pour painting” where participants create abstract art just by pouring paint, and mosaic tiling that Jamison said has been a popular offering.

She added that she tries to keep group size to less than 10 so that she can work individually with each participant.

Classes at Art and Soul include all of the supplies needed to create the art. Party bookings usually cost around $225, and individual classes cost anywhere from $25 to $60 per person, depending on the supplies required. The classes usually last between 2-3 hours.

Participants at a mosaic tiling class in May said they enjoyed the chance to get a new experience close to home.

“It’s addictive. It’s relaxing. And Amy is really great,” commented Ruth Walters, who was at the class with her granddaughter Lucy. “We work at our own pace, we get to talk with others, it’s just a relaxing class and there’s no right or wrong to it.”

Participant Sara Van Horn said she found out about the studio on Facebook and decided to give herself a birthday treat and attend the class. She said she was a little nervous to do a mosaic for the first time.

“I love learning new things,” she said. “I’ve never done anything with glass.”

As she soon learned, mosaics are like many creative works: You control the pieces you work with, and you get to decide the outcome.