Art for the future

When 4-year-old Libby runs up to her mom, Meagan Robichaux, to show her the recent painting she did of flowers, she proudly tells her mom, “Look, it’s Monet’s lilies!”

“She’s paying attention,” Robichaux, the owner of The Art House in Cahaba Heights, laughed. They had recently done a lesson on Claude Monet’s water lily painting.

The Art House is an art lesson studio and creative hub that incorporates art history and classical techniques for everyone from toddlers to adults through after-school programs, “mommy and me classes,” private lessons, wine paint nights, birthday parties and more.

Robichaux, who opened her unique studio last summer, said she went in wanting to create something similar to what she knew growing up in Montgomery, where her mom ran a child-centric art studio. She said it was so much fun to be around in her childhood that she knew she wanted to provide something similar for her kids and the surrounding community when she grew up.

“Kids are just great. They’re fearless artists. They aren’t afraid to make mistakes, and the pride they have in their art is really fun to watch,” she said. 

After Robichaux graduated high school, she majored in arts management at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, moved back to Birmingham, got married and had two girls: Julia, 3 years old, and Libby, 4 and a half years old. Much like she did, they both love coming to the art studio to “doodle,” as they say, and paint with other kids.

“Once I had Julia and she got a little older, I decided I wanted to do this. I also ran art camps out of our house, just real small ones, with four kids at a time, kind of like how we are now,” she said. 

When one of the moms of the camp saw the “pink house” for rent on 3131 Bellwood Drive, she encouraged Robichaux to use it for her dream studio. “…So, I threw together a business plan, figured out a name and that was that.” 

She said it brings back memories of when she was a kid and how much she loved it. Growing up, Robichaux said, the schools she went to had really great art programs where she was classically trained. She said she dabbled in abstracts, as well as doing pet portraits. 

What she’s learned from having the studio is that she loves teaching art even more than making it, which surprised her. A huge reason for that, she added, is how passionate she is about teaching kids how to create and take pride in what they’ve created. 

“My lessons are art history-based, so I try to teach them about the masters and also some artists that people haven’t heard of, some contemporary artists, and so I like for them to learn some history, some classical techniques, while making it their own,” she said.

Afterwards, the kids take home their creations. Three times a week, she offers “mommy and me” classes that are open in the mornings to moms and children one year or older to make art together.

“Even if a mom is artistic, it’s scary to have paint in your house, and people are afraid it’s going to get messy. We have a system here where it doesn’t get too messy, and it gives them an opportunity to just do something together and create a piece of art they’ll be able to cherish for a long time,” she said.

The after-school lessons, where classes generally range from four to eight kids, are offered in four-week segments throughout the school year. Robichaux said she hosts anywhere from one to five birthday parties per weekend, and if she has a free weekend, she hosts open studio days.

“I didn’t realize there was such a need just for something different. Depending on the age, I either draw it out ahead of time on a canvas or I’ll teach them how to draw whatever the birthday boy or girl chooses,” she said. “It helps with problem solving and gross and fine motor skills. It’s really good for the toddler age to kindergarten.”

Robichaux said Cahaba Heights has been a hugely supportive community. 

“I mean, everyone here is really interested in what we are doing here and spreading the word for us. I think Cahaba Heights has a really cool thing going, and I’d like to think maybe we are doing something here that’s not really being done anywhere else in the area. A lot of people do private lessons and there’s a couple of studios, but we do it all here,” she said, adding that so far, she’s the only one teaching for the most part. 

She also loves doing private lessons for teenagers or adults trying to better their art skills. 

For more information on classes, check out their social media and go to thearthousebhm.com.