Local Color — Painting a Bright Future in Historic Setting

Local Color Art Studio was created by Shanna Coulter “to support creative work, which can transform people and entire communities.” A former art teacher at Cherokee High School known for the mural painted along Railroad Street in Canton, Shanna believes there is almost no limit to what is considered creative work, and what constitutes support. And while that can be a little chaotic, Shanna says that’s just how she likes it, because creativity thrives in chaos.

Shanna is aiming big. She wants Local Color to be a place where artists of any technique and at any level can come and create in a totally supportive environment. “You learn something about yourself when you do art,” she says.

The studio is located on North Street in the former Kessler’s Department Store, which served as a general store, an ice cream shop, and even the post office around the turn of the century, before becoming the popular five-and-dime store. The pottery portion of the studio is in the former toy section of Kessler’s, and coincidentally, the studio manager Hannah Roman of Local Color is the great-granddaughter of Vonceil McCurley, who worked at Kessler’s for many years.

Shanna describes Local Color as a business that runs a lot like a health club. Artists can rent their own private studio space or come in and use the communal space. You can have an annual membership, a monthly membership, or just purchase a day pass.

If you want to take a class to learn more about art, that’s available. If you’d prefer to have the equivalent of a personal trainer to teach you, that’s also possible. There are several artists-in-residence and while some also teach, others use their space only as their studio.

“Art is messy, so why trash your place when you can come in here,” Shanna points out. Classes including drawing, painting, hand pottery, and wheel pottery are available at every level. Shanna calls the levels “just curious, novice, and professional.” The goal of the classes is simply to allow you to try something new, and if you enjoy it, to get you to the point where you can do it independently.

Classically trained in studio art with a bachelor of art and a master’s degree in art education, Shanna loves art and creative work, but was never motivated when it came to marketing her own work. She found great satisfaction in seeing art bring wildly diverse children together and watching them discover things about themselves through the creative process.

Then, in the spring of 2021, her proposal for a mural along Railroad Street was chosen by the city of Canton. Under her direction, she and a handful of fellow art teachers painted the mural you see today. It was her first experience with outdoor art. People honked as they drove by, stopped just to bring them beverages, and showed their support in many ways. It was a revelation. She could do art right in the community, giving not just students, but everyone, a chance to explore their creative side in a freethinking, freewheeling environment—just the kind of chaos she sees as nurturing the creative spark. She returned to teach in the fall of 2021, but never signed another contract. Two years after quitting “without a clear plan,” Local Color opened its doors.

Local Color is all about exploring your creative side. You can rent out the space for private events. It’s been used for bridal showers, birthday parties, and even a special “date night.” Romantic “Ghost-themed” pottery date nights for couples have been very popular.

Every Friday night they have live music, when, for a small cover charge, you can hang out and listen to music when creating your own art or watching other artists work. On First Fridays, they convert the studio into an art market with works for sale, and not just by the artists-in-residence. Any local artist can rent space to sell their work from 6:00–9:00 p.m.

Artist-in-Residence Erin Meyer loves being in a “maker’s space,” saying she comes here “to get welcomed, encouraged, and inspired.” She describes the studio as “so outside the box,” and is especially encouraged by the incredible diversity of creative arts being practiced in the space.

Supporting creative work in the community goes beyond the business model for Local Color. They’ve also created a 501(c)3 nonprofit called the Creative Hands Foundation, that will provide scholarships to hardworking seniors, has a bus that allows them to bring their studio to people with accessibility issues, and that helps special needs children find their creative voice. They even have a program to support up-and-coming artists by giving them free or greatly reduced rates on studio space for several months.

Shanna prides herself on having something for everyone, and it’s true. If you haven’t stopped by yet, you really should. Come, and give it a try. You might just learn something about yourself that you may not yet know.

This article was featured in the Historic Canton magazine. Read more here.