Keira Gladstone has been teaching art for twenty years. She started her teaching career in Washington, DC where she taught early childhood art. Her collaboration with Little Loft Studios created more opportunities to offer art to families in her community. She and her family moved back to Portland, Oregon a few years ago. She continues to teach art to elementary students and offers summer sessions in her backyard art studio.
Lia Salza Goldstein is co-founder and owner of Little Loft Studios in Takoma Park, MD, at the edge of Washington DC.
A graduate of Wesleyan University, she worked as a teacher and reading tutor before studying child development at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
While raising her own young children, she opened Little Loft with art teacher Keira Havner in 2012. Their combined vision resulted in a beautiful space for children to play and create, and a gathering spot for neighborhood families. She lives in Takoma Park MD with her husband and three children.
Little Loft offers art classes for children as young as two, an after school art program for children in grades K-5, a sewing club for ages 9-12, and school day off camps including winter, spring and summer camps. Visit our website or follow us on Instagram.
Benares Angeley is the owner of Children’s Art Lab, a process based art studio for kids and families on the Southcoast of Massachusetts. Benares has an MFA in Fiber Art from UMASS-Dartmouth and studied as a Core Fellow at Penland School of Crafts. She has been working with children in creative art endeavors for more than twenty years and loves what she does with her whole heart. She is deeply inspired by children making art, both those who visit her studio and her own two little innovators, Penelope and Silas.
Abbey Donald is a home educator and the creator behind Wild Wattle Folk, a website dedicated to connecting children with the natural world and its seasonal rhythms with a range of nature-based craft and learning activities. These activities have free tutorials, some of which are used for West Melbourne Wildlings, a non-profit, homeschool pre-school co-op which Abbey founded to help families in the area connect, support and grow into a village. Abbey believes children have a birthright to be in nature when they choose and as frequently as possible. She draws educational inspiration from the Reggio Emilia approach where children are considered “knowledge bearers” and should be given endless ways and opportunities to express themselves.
Samara Caughey is the owner of Purple Twig, an art studio for kids and families in Los Angeles, CA. She has a BFA from the Art Institute of Chicago in Photography and an MFA from USC in sculpture. Samara has been creating art with children for 15 years and continues to be constantly surprised and delighted by watching kids explore materials to create their work.
I'm Danielle, Mum of our feisty studio name-sake, qualified Primary teacher, experienced Art Educator, recycled materials hoarder, crafter and all-round manager of things.
I created Little Ginger Studio 3 years ago after 20 years working in Elementary Schools.
My favorite unattributed quote is "Art makes Children Powerful" and it's easy to see how that's true!
