Owner Hazel Cochran says the back part of the cafe will be a "messy, creative zone." (Submitted)
A new cafe in Saint John wants to help you channel your inner artist.
The Art Warehouse will be a licensed bar, cafe and drop-in art studio where people can paint whatever they wish, with their friends, date, family or on their own.
Owner Hazel Cochran says pricing will be based on the size of the canvas you’re using.
“You can pay based on the size of the canvas to use all of the art supplies in the studio. You have access to the brushes and the paints and everything that you’d need to create something at home but at the cafe,” she explained.
Cochran says she hopes the cafe will provide a place where art is accessible and people can show their passion, regardless of skill level.
“It’s the brushes and its different styles of brushes and its the paints and do you want to start with three paints or seven. It’s costly, and if you just want to experiment or just want to have fun or just try it, then its nice to have that option where you’re not going and spending a fortune,” she said.
She says she is getting her material through an art supplier, and will be starting with a handful of acrylic paints. Water colour paints may come further down the road.
Cochran says the cafe will be licensed too. She hopes to have it open later this month.
“I hope that (the space) gets covered in that creative mess. The back of the cafe is going to be a messy zone. If paint gets on the floor or paint gets on the easels, I want it to look like a creative space,” she said.
-
- The cafe on Prince William Street is expected to open later this month. (Submitted)
-
- The cafe has brick walls perfect for displaying art. (Submitted)
-
- The Art Warehouse will serve coffee, tea and alcohol. (Submitted)
-
- The back wall of the cafe has a mural painted by local artist Pamela Pierce. (Submitted)
Cochran says she got the business idea a year ago while travelling in Central America.
“We happened upon this little art cafe. I had gone in for a break, worked away for an hour and then left it and continued on with my family, but to me it was such a great idea. It was a place to relax, it was also a place to get a drink,” she said.
Cochran says at home, she doesn’t have the space to be as creative as she wants to be, especially with a new-born baby.
“If I were to paint anything I’d have to pack it back up at the end of the day. To have a designated space to create something really appealed to me,” she said.
“I could leave home for an hour, and come and create, and kind of leave that mess and leave that work behind, and also socialize,” she said..
Cochran wants to have people display their work, and hopes to feature local artists in the space.
“There’s this gorgeous brick wall,” she said. “If there’s people in there creating in the back, there’s a few blank walls that could also display some of their work.”
The space also sports a mural wall painted by local artist Pamela Pierce.
“It’s stunning. Even if you’re not interested in painting, it’s worth a trip to go and check out her work,” she said.
Cochran says you also don’t have to paint to come hang out at the cafe.
“If you want to come in and have a latte or a cappuccino and just watch people create, to me that’s really fun and really unique,” she said.
