Conversations with Sarah Tucker

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Tucker

Hi Sarah, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
How many small business origin stories these days start with the phrase, “Well, during the pandemic…”?
And that’s right where mine starts!

Our small school was offering to stay open, but only if they could get enough substitute teachers. I volunteered and casually mentioned that I’d be happy to sub in the art room, knowing that may be a difficult spot for them to find coverage. My very first call was to sub in elementary art, and I was hooked!

I spent the next few years continuing to substitute teach but also teaching art at a privately owned art studio and at a homeschool co-op for about 60 kids a week, honing my skills and growing in confidence.

I really love what I get to do. Truly, from the bottom of my soul, I adore teaching art to kids! Pushing them to create their best work, high fiving them when they’ve had a personal victory, holding them while they shed tears because they think they’ve made a mistake, then suggesting ways to turn their mistake into something beautiful. Watching their tears dry up, and a big smile of satisfaction spread slowly across their face. Seeing them stare, mouth gaping, at their work because they never imagined that they could make something so stunning. It’s deeply rewarding to me, and as I shared stories from my day around the dinner table with my family, my husband Kyle and I started dreaming and praying about what it could look like to teach from our house.

Our home has always been the fun house, with revolving doors for our three kids, their friends and a host of neighbors. We regularly have a pile of Crocs by the front door, and they all know where to grab snacks, homemade French toast or a listening ear. For the 18 years that we have lived in this house, it has been important to us that we share it.

Last year Kyle and I started doing more than just dreaming about an art studio in our backyard, we designed a building and poured a slab of concrete! Today the cozy little Garden Studio is nestled behind our house, surrounded by billowing blue hydrangeas, the sweet scent of gardenias, and heaps of love. It is a warm, friendly place where kiddos can feel comfortable as budding artists.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Bringing any kind of beauty into the world inevitably invites resistance- even from ourselves. Cultivating beauty takes a lot of effort, but it is so very worth it! As soon as the thoughts of, “Who am I to do this?” start creeping in, I make a conscious effort to recognize these doubts, capture them, and then replace them with the truth from God’s Word about who God says I am and what I feel called to do. Believing God’s Word over my own self-doubt has been key to overcoming the mental blocks I’ve faced.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I own and operate a cozy backyard art studio for elementary-aged kids. I mostly teach kids who are homeschooled. We are less than a year old and already our classes sell out within hours of being released!

Faith is important to me, I believe we were wonderfully made by a creative God, and since we were made in His image, we share his creative nature. I have found that there are many parents in Raleigh who are searching for a faith component to their children’s extra-curriculars. They are looking for a creative outlet, a skill-building workshop where their children can grow in their technical skills, but also a spiritual discipleship opportunity. At the Garden Studio, I do just that. I teach art from a Biblical perspective and that makes us different from other art studios. Here we notice and appreciate God’s beauty, order and intentional design of nature through the things He created. We then train our hands to create like Him. What a joy it is to watch kids grow in their faith and in their art skills over the course of our time together!

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
When I was in elementary school, I had the opportunity to take a sewing class with a group of kids in a woman’s home. Her sewing space wasn’t anything special, just a dedicated basement room. This woman gave her time and shared her talents with us, and 30 years later I still remember how proud I was to bring home that pink drawstring bag and those loud jungle-print shorts! Maybe she dealt with fears of inferiority too, but she didn’t let it stop her. Many years from now when the memory of my face has long been erased from my student’s minds, I hope they remember how I made them feel. Maybe they will remember a couple of projects we made, but mostly I hope the love of our creative God will forever be imprinted on their hearts.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artwithmrstucker.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artwithmrs.tucker/
• Other: Monthly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/a9eb296d2724/art-with-mrs-tucker