From this week's Focus

Wooing the young at art

Valerie Bertenshaw enrolled her daughter, Christina, in art classes at the Paintbrush so the 4-year-old could paint, draw and glue without making a mess at home.

What Ms. Bertenshaw didn't expect was for Christina to start recognizing famous works like "Nude Under a Pine Tree" by Pablo Picasso, which the budding artist pointed out during a visit to the Art Institute last year.

"The fact that Christina is learning about artists and art history is icing on the cake," Ms. Bertenshaw, 38, says.

The Paintbrush, a children's art studio in Lakeview owned by sisters Melanie and Mindy Apel, introduces kids to famous artists, then has them do projects inspired by the artists' styles. During a lesson on Jackson Pollack, the kids splatter paint on canvases. To mimic American pop artist Wayne Thiebaud, they create giant ice cream sundaes out of newspaper and empty ice cream pints.

Founded three years ago, the Paintbrush is one of dozens of children's art programs offered in Chicago and the suburbs. For entrepreneurs, who dominate the growing industry, success in this competitive market requires developing a new twist on arts and crafts.

At the Paintbrush, a storefront at 2856 N. Halsted St., that means combining art, history and music. The Apels teach their students about the artists' hometowns, backgrounds and technique and play music from the artist's era or country of origin while the kids work — an idea Melanie Apel got from seeing how much her then-15-month-old son enjoyed painting and drawing while listening to a "Baby Mozart" CD.

"Hayden would always say, 'Put on the painting music' as I pulled out the art supplies, and I thought, 'Wouldn't it be cool to teach kids about Monet and play Mozart to inspire them?' " she says.

MARCH MADNESS

Although art classes have always been a staple of childhood learning, in the past five years, they have become big business in Chicago. The niche once populated exclusively by community centers and grammar schools is being filled by for-profit companies like the Paintbrush and Lillstreet Art Center, one of Chicago's largest art studios. As a result, the course offerings have become more creative.

Lillstreet's children division, Kidstreet, attracts 300 students during the school year and another 1,200 during the summer for classes ranging from clay sculpting for toddlers to metalsmithing for grade-schoolers and glass-bead projects for teens.

Founded in 1986, Kidstreet brings in $400,000 a year, roughly a quarter of Lillstreet's total revenue. And Kidstreet's revenue is growing, as is its competitors'.

At the Paintbrush, which Mindy, 36, and Melanie, 40, started with $8,000 they inherited from their grandmother, enrollment has grown from 30 students in its first year to 200 last year. They started out offering eight-week sessions for pre-schoolers and school-age kids. Now sessions are 16 weeks (at a cost of $295), and they've added classes for toddlers.

To boost profits, they also host birthday parties, which cost $275 to $675, depending on the number of guests and add-ons like balloons, piñatas and goodie bags.

The Apels decline to disclose revenue but say the business became profitable enough last year for Mindy, who teaches the classes, and Melanie, who handles the administrative and business side, to start taking modest salaries.

To attract more business, they offer incentives like their "March Madness" promotion: a 19-week session for the price of a 16-week session. Last month, they offered a $25 discount to customers who got a friend to sign up.

The duo's efforts seem to be paying off.

Nearly 70% of current students re-enrolled during the March promotion.

©2008 by Crain Communications Inc.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/mag/article.pl?id=29825

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grand Image Artist Gregory Garrett Inspires Young Artists