Painting provides creative outlet at Artgarden
Alison Huntzinger, right, Samantha Rodebach, middle, and Brydon Rodebach, left, get creative during Friday night's "Paint 'til You Faint" event at the Artgarden Pottery in downtown Moses Lake.
Artgarden Pottery owner Laura Mayer draws the winning raffle ticket during Friday night's "Paint 'til You Faint" event.
MOSES LAKE — It’s nearly midnight on a Friday night and the paint in the trays is still wet, people are still visiting, and the shelves are stacked with newly-painted pottery pieces waiting to be glazed.
Most call it fun. Some also call it therapy. But for Laura Mayer, owner of Artgarden Pottery, the “Paint ‘Til You Faint” event has become a monthly tradition filled with giveaways, snacks and entertainment for all ages.
The “Paint ‘Til You Faint” event, which takes place the first Friday of each month, lasts until midnight with the idea that “the later you stay the less you pay.”
Customers who stay past 8 p.m. see increased discounts on their pottery projects the longer they stay. Children are welcome until 9 p.m., then adults only are welcome until midnight.
“It does amaze me how busy it gets on Fridays,” Mayer said. She is trying to run more specials on Fridays because that’s when more people tend to come in, she said.
Barbi Schachtschneider has been a customer of Artgarden Pottery since it first opened. She attends “Paint ‘Til You Faint” each month, and also tries to make it in more than once a month. This last “Paint ‘Til You Faint” night she worked on completing a pasta bowl set.
“It’s a great place to take your family,” Schachtschneider said. She said she frequently takes her daughter, mom and other family members to work on pottery projects.
Located at 104 West Third Ave., Artgarden Pottery offers more than 350 different pottery items to choose from. Customers can come in, pick out a piece of pottery and start painting.
Stencils and tools are also available for use. Mayer and her three employees are available to lend a creative hand to customers whenever they need help or advice.
The shop is open until 7 p.m. every Monday through Thursday, and until 8 p.m. on Fridays. Having later hours allows more people to come in and paint because they can still come in after work or school, Mayer said.
She said she also has some customers who will come in on their lunch break just to sit and paint and visit with friends. They call it their therapy, she said.
Along with “Paint ‘Til You Faint,” Mayer also holds art classes for children and adults, along with other events such as pottery bingo and B.O.G.O. (buy one get one) Sundays. Wednesdays are also discount days offering 10 percent off purchases.
Custom pottery is available for customers who want to have a piece made but don’t want to paint it themselves. Most recently, Mayer said she painted Seahawks-themed platters, which sold out before they were even finished.
“I think the best thing about this store is that it’s entertainment,” Mayer said.
She’s seen both parents and children get into painting pieces together, as well as friends who come into the shop to hang out and paint.
It’s a bonding experience, she said, because they get to share in the experience of working on a project together or in making gifts or matching pieces.