Around two years ago, Liz Jordan initiated an art club in her Brentwood backyard, mainly to bond with her eldest daughter and engage in more artistic activities with her children.
Anyone who has participated in an art project with children recognizes that the preparation and clean-up often outweigh the actual creative process. Jordan discovered that increasing the number of children involved made each art project more worthwhile. By establishing a club setting, the overall experience became more rewarding for the effort expended.
The inaugural workshop occurred outdoors, which brought about its own challenges, such as bugs, allergies, and paint on outdoor furniture. Despite these natural obstacles, Jordan fell in love with the unique atmosphere of the intimate art workshop, leading her family to create a dedicated indoor studio space in their basement. This fall, I Wonder Studio commenced its first sessions, catering to two distinct age groups: kindergarten to second grade and third to fifth grade.
The drop-off sessions are conducted over six weeks, with each session lasting an hour. The upcoming sessions will start in the first week of January and continue through mid-February, taking place on Monday and Tuesday evenings. Each six-week session costs $195 per child, and availability is limited, as Jordan emphasizes the importance of maintaining smaller class sizes for now. Ultimately, she hopes to introduce single-class offerings for holiday crafts and similar projects.
Jordan firmly believes that art plays a vital role in children’s development. “Art offers children the freedom of self-expression,” she states. “It empowers them to take control and creatively solve problems. I cherish moments when they encounter challenges [in their projects] because I can respond with, ‘Hmm, how might we resolve this?’… It’s delightful to witness the storytelling they express through art—granting them the freedom to investigate their surroundings, thoughts, and feelings is immensely important.”
Jordan describes the variety of projects in her classes as somewhat eclectic. With small class sizes, she can customize projects to align with the interests of each individual group while teaching age-appropriate art concepts, from color theory to design fundamentals. So far, featured projects have included watercolor, collage, upcycled materials, fiber art, and more.
Jordan’s enthusiasm is fueled by her personal journey through motherhood. As a stay-at-home mom, she immersed herself in understanding early childhood education. “I developed a strong passion for learning how young children learn and perceive the world,” she reflects. “I’ve always engaged in art with my kids, and I love observing how little ones interact with artistic materials.”
Jordan credits her two daughters—aged 6 and 10—as her biggest supporters in launching I Wonder, which is no surprise considering she has championed their creativity for years. “I recently sifted through all of my daughters’ preschool artwork to compile a book,” she shares. “It’s challenging to part with their creations because they put in so much effort, and there’s always something delightful to discover, like the texture of a brushstroke or an intriguing shape, making me think, ‘Oh, that’s wonderful. Let’s preserve that forever.’”
In the future, Jordan envisions a brick-and-mortar studio space to broaden and enhance her offerings. For now, however, she enjoys the personalized touch of I Wonder—and the opportunity to adapt based on her students’ inspirations each day. “Several children have expressed, ‘I want to be an artist when I grow up.’ And I respond with, ‘Yes! I love that for you!’”
