Get Creative

By Lisa Arnett
October 2025 View more Discover

These studios encourage the artist in you

Naperville Art League

508 N. Center St., Naperville

In addition to showcasing the work of local artists in its gallery, this nonprofit—founded in 1961—offers a variety of classes. “Part of the mission of the Naperville Art League is art education and bringing it to children as well as adults of all ages,” says Lynne Kornecki, who serves as director of education on the league’s volunteer board. “Every skill level is welcome, so you don’t have to feel intimidated about walking in the door. The whole idea is to give people an art experience and let them experiment and learn and see if something is a good fit for them.” Class options for kids include the basics of drawing and elements of arts, in which students will dabble in different media, from mosaics to pottery to self-portraiture. Classes for adults might range from collage to fabric arts to painting with oils, watercolors, or acrylics.

Good to know: During Open Studio ($5) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, artists are invited to bring their own projects to work on in the company of others. “They can just receive inspiration from their classmates and find out what other people are doing and share the experience of creating art,” Kornecki says.

Alicia’s Art Studio

ON738 Gart Ave., Wheaton

Originally from Australia and now living in Carol Stream, Alicia Blanco found her calling teaching art to children. “My mission is to pay it forward. I invest all my time and effort to give any child that comes in the best skills that they can acquire for where they are in life,” says Blanco, who received her bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Monash University in Australia and her master’s from SUNY Albany. She opened this Wheaton studio in 2015 and teaches classes for children ages 3 to 18 in painting, drawing, and fashion design. “Everyone comes in with different skill sets and you’re not there to complete with one another; we are there to evolve as individuals,” she says. “The kids that stay with me for many years…I’ve helped them to get into very good art schools, and they’re earning money selling their work.” Blanco’s chosen medium is drawing, especially with charcoal. “Charcoal comes from a willow tree, and the paper comes from a tree; you’re putting it back together in a really beautiful form,” she says. In addition to camps during the summer, Blanco offers afternoon and evening classes during the school year ($30 to $35 per class with a $25 registration fee to start). She also hosts birthday parties in her studio year round.

Good to know:You can see artwork from Blanco’s students for sale at Back Alley Boba and Market, 125 N. Main St.

Mud & Easel

4958 Main St., Downers Grove

Art Institute of Chicago grad and Lisle resident Srishti Bahl is celebrating the first anniversary of her painting and pottery studio this month. “I feel like art can sometimes be a prestige thing, and I wanted to bring it to daily lives. I feel like every home should have handmade things,” she says. “Everybody who comes to the studio meets me directly, and I just wanted that kind of space that feels homey and easily accessible.” At her pottery workshops, students spend two to three hours in the studio and learn how to complete one project, such as a cake stand, coffee mug, or ceramic jewelry. After class, Bahl handles firing and glazing her students’ creations, which can be picked up several weeks later. She also offers eight- and 10-week classes in ceramics and painting where students advance in their skills week over week. Classes are designated for either kids or adults, and she also offers private sessions for groups who want to work on a project together. She says one of the most rewarding parts of her day is watching students discover the stress-relieving nature of working with clay. “Throwing at the wheel, it’s kind of meditative,” she says. “You can’t really have another thought because if you do, your piece is going to break.” Once you get the hang of using the pottery wheel, you can come work on your own during open studio hours ($20 for two hours).

Where to play: Bahl’s studio has a small retail area where she sells work of her own and that of her students. “We have lots of matcha sets, pasta bowls, utensil dishes, candle holders—things you can gift easily,” she says. “And then we have larges vases that are more artistic, one-of-a-kind pieces.”

Photos: Naperville Art League; Alicia Blanco; Shashank Sharma