Mount Vernon Matters

Hooray Art Children’s Studio Opens in Hollin Hall

Paige Bradford is excited about her new studio and welcoming students.(Photo: Kelli Goel/The Zebra Press)

Alexandria, VA – A colorful, new children’s art studio, Hooray Art, opened its doors on Jan. 20 in Hollin Hall Shopping Center. Paige Bradford, the owner and a resident, welcomes young artists to 7908 Fort Hunt Rd.
What started as four kids in her backyard is now 150 registered students for her upcoming classes. Mornings consist of parent-accompanied toddler classes and preschool drop-off classes. The art club is held in the afternoon for older children.
“This studio is too pristine,” Bradford told The Zebra, “I can’t wait to get paint on the walls, on the tables, and just break this space in.”
Hooray Art is open to babies (six months old and up) through tweens, They have the opportunity to explore and experiment in a play-focused atmosphere.
During the nine-week sessions, Bradford introduces a tool or process and then puts out materials. The focus is not on guided projects for kids to follow, but rather on the process of creating. It’s a very low-pressure environment, allowing kids to make their own choices and projects.
“Sometimes they work out and sometimes they fail,” Bradford said, referring to the projects. “But that’s a great experience [and] I think a lot of times they don’t get this opportunity because we are often too careful about what we let them do.”
Experimenting in her mom’s home art studio was always her favorite activity. As a young woman, she never dreamed she could make art for a living. So she chose a more traditional career in marketing and public relations.
After the birth of her son, Bradford realized how much she loved generating art and doing sensory play with him. When he was just six months old, she started dreaming of opening a kids’ art studio.

Light Table is one of the stations kids can check out (Photo courtesy Paige Bradford)

Starting small, she hosted free playgroups for her friends, engaging their children. She then became the art teacher at Two Birds Preschool, when it opened a branch in Old Town. Bradford looks back on that time as a magical experience that was fun for both mother and son. During those years, she learned so much about the child-centered teaching philosophy.
When her son started kindergarten in 2023, Bradford wanted more flexibility, so she started Hooray Art in a building in her backyard. She started formally by hosting summer camps. In time, four kids ballooned to 80, maxing out her backyard space.
Her new community studio has light tables, water tables, sand areas, and tools for every type of art imaginable. Bradford is always there to guide the children, but she really wants any art to come from their creativity. The point, she said, is to come and have fun. “This would be my dream as a kid,” she shared, “and it still is!”
Hooray Art also offers monthly adult classes, Saturday drop-in times, and Sunday birthday parties. Visit hoorayartstudio.com for more information and to book a class.

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Kelli Goel

Kelli Goel is a food blogger with The Zebra Press and lives with her husband and children in Alexandria, Virginia.

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