Mission Statement: To provide arts education in a variety of media that merges traditional and emerging technologies and empower people with creativity, artistic skills, and advanced thinking abilities.
What We Do:
ARTistic ASPirations (A2) provides quality artwork alongside art education for all age groups.
We are an art studio, art supplies store, classrooms and gallery. Art classes and workshops for all ages and are offered evenings and weekends (for now). Memberships are available to jewelry artists who want to utilize studio time*. The gallery space will display works by students, members, instructors and the owner. Hard-to-find art materials are sold, as well*.
Who We Are:
The owner/operator is an experienced national-award winning art educator and jewelry artist known as Alysia Asp (and Ms. A by her younger students). Please see her RESUME for further background.
Our History:
I have dreamed of owning my own studio and school since I was in middle school. After 8 years of public school teaching, national awards, public speaking engagements, and leadership experience, I decided she wanted to make more artwork and be able to teach the things I love the most. I also saw the new testing and educational policies changing arts in the public schools. Art programs across the country are being diminished to make room (and money) to accommodate math and reading mandates. In addition, our society has become more stressful, and people want to relax and have fun in a safe environment while CREATING something meaningful. There is a need now more than ever for art programs in our communities.
On a hunch, my husband and I went to look at a house that was for sale. It was the perfect location (it is right in front of Perryville High School and one mile from Perryville Middle School). We fell in love with the cute house and the small artistic touches it already had. We put in an offer and the final sale went through end of June 2007.
A2 Studio is a WORK IN PROGRESS! It will be set to open main areas for teaching and sales in the fall of 2007. The jewelry studio will be ready by summer of 08. Many parts of the house will be undergoing transformations. We will have weekly progress updates for students and patrons. I think it can be fun this way! Come see what we are up to THIS week!
What things mean (logo & A2)
The logo design shows the landscape orientation of my artwork. The two peaks of the mountains represent two A's (the first initials of ARTistic ASPirations and my name Alysia Asp). If you look closer, the river creates an S and the tree creates a P. This spells out my last name in a more hidden way. A2 Art Studio (a-squared) represents the first two letters of ARTistic ASPIrations and the owners names. It was also her nickname in college (given to her by her art history professor)
Goals:
Everyone has to have goals. The items with an * are parts of the business that will be phased in over the next few years as renovations continue. The future goals of the company are to expand offerings and facilities to become one of the top ten art centers in the Mid Atlantic.