GREAT FALLS — The downtown Great Falls art studio Brush Crazy is one of many Brush Crazy stores hand-crafting a new business model: take-home art kits.
Great Falls studio manager Samantha Houston said to-go art kits offer the artists emotional outlets during this period where people are both stressed but have more time on their hands to fill.
“You know it's such a stressful time right now and there's such a need for a healthy and productive way to kind of express those emotions and art's really good for that. So we wanted to make sure that everybody had the ability to keep doing that in a safe way at home that was convenient and cost-effective,” Houston said.
While she recognizes this is a troubling time for many, she believes it can be used as a creative opportunity.
“Of course it is a hardship for a lot of people and I don’t want to minimize that in any way. But I do think that to a certain extent we as a human race are kind of being forced into a time where we can be more introspective. It is a perfect time to read all the books you haven’t read or learn the foreign languages or do the art projects,” Houston said.
Since many of their projects use instruction sheets and materials that are suitable for transportation, Brush Crazy decided to keep their doors open - for two hours every day.
From now until the end of the coronavirus pandemic, painters can pick up paint kits to use at home. These include the standard cabin fever kit - a canvas with primary colors, and an easter kit with ceramic eggs and rabbit figurines and pastel paints.
Customers also have the option of designing their own kit out of any materials they like. Kits range from $10 to $100, from the most basic kit (cabin fever kit) to more elaborate kits.
Houston also emphasized that customers can request a customized to-go kit of any kind. “Any project in the studio can be prepped for a to-go kit...And really we will go above and beyond to make sure people get the project that they want,” Houston said.
Brush Crazy is located at 315 Central Avenue and will be open for pick-ups every day from 1p.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.You can also email Samantha directly at studio1@brushcrazy.com to arrange a pick up outside the scheduled time.
