Unicoi Art Studio

Join us for a fun collab class at on May 3. We will be bringing our Art Inspired by Stories Curriculum and reading a Mother’s Day inspired story and creating masterpieces based on the book!

Click the link in our bio to register🐰

Feeling full spring mode during playgroup yesterday in the sensory bin!! Join us each week not only for engaging crafts for your little one, but also rotating sensory bins - themed weekly🌷🍃

We are so excited for our Pal-entine’s Day drop-off Party next Friday! Join us in painting this adorable love pup❤️🐾 Register thru the link in our bio now

We hope you all had a Merry Christmas to our families that celebrate and are wishing a Happy Hanukkah ❄️✨❣️and warm winter wishes to all! We are back at the studio making some holiday-themed art and have more in store next week. Few spots remain next week!

Moments from our last camp day when we got Halloween inspired!! 🎃🎃 Students created raining candy corn compositions using watercolor and oil pastels to create these beautifully bright pieces!

Hello friends, I am in an art contest and would appreciate your vote!
See painting below and the link to vote!
The contest is for artists to interpret the final scene in Shawshank Redemption ( filmed at on of our beaches Sandy Point)
vote here:
https://form.jotform.com/242745655310152

Title
Laugh till you are “soar”
Nora Unicoi Stewart
Owner of DODAT toys and gifts
Artist Statement
What makes you smile? This painting is about finding the things in life that make you happy, because happiness is freedom. No one can take your happiness away from you. You are the one who can decide how to live your life and whether you want to feel joy or misery each day. There are always gifts even in the worst days, it is all in your perspective and how you choose to look at things.
Many people come to St. Croix on vacation to rest, relax and escape the daily anxieties and stressors of life. They come to find the freedom to just enjoy moments and have a good time! People who decide to stay, are those who have either found their smile or feel that they can find it here. St. Croix is a special place where if you choose to, you can discover these things. In my painting there are seven individuals who have gathered on the beach at Sandy Point to have fun, feel free and enjoy the day. The number seven, also has significance to the seven flags in our Islands history. The kites are symbolic of freedom. The rainbow colors on the kites give a sense of hope and happiness. Focus on what makes you happy and let your kite soar high into the sky.

I am Nora Unicoi Stewart, owner of Unicoi Art Studio, and I started Unicoi Art Studio 26 years ago at the age of 23, offering classes after school. Today the awesome team at Unicoi travels to over 20 schools in Chicago and the suburbs and are teaching over 300 students per week! If you don't know much about me, I wrote thousands of lesson plans and taught thousands of children in my 20 years running the art studio. Many of these lessons are still used today in Unicoi class and camp curriculums. At age 21, I was diagnosed with a juvenile form of macular degeneration and am considered "legally blind" today with vision of 20/200. Although I do not live in Chicago anymore and can't even drive, I still am painting. Fox 32 news did a feature on my story see below if you would like to learn more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voIL2Wmzc6g&t=24s

Currently I am living on St. Croix and I check on Unicoi and the great team that is keeping the arts flowing and the dream alive frequently. In the past 3 years I have published three children's books and my mom as many of you know as "Mrs. Judy" has published 2 books . We both have the same eye condition. I am so grateful to have such a wonderful team continue what I started in 1998. I wanted to share my books if anyone is interested in purchasing for the holidays they can be found below. I will also add my mom's book links! We hope you are loving our classes as much as ever and if you are a former student of mine and would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below on how my classes have impacted you.

You can view my current paintings here:
https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fcolors_of_st_croix_paintings%2F%3Figsh%3DMWhvNGs1ZWx2ZW5oNQ%253D%253D%26utm_source%3Dqr&is_from_rle

THE COLORS OF ST. CROIX by NORA STEWART
https://www.amazon.com/Colors-St-Croix-Nora-Stewart/dp/B09S68YLNM/ref=sr_1_2?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sYTI8GComYqtwbT6UkSNfuE8WfXgL9q2sKP4C2zZ7ro-pyd7ecl5iF8gVjl6-Cr23KZXisqQbfM5f3qy5gdFIzP096oPtzwOJrxBUC7ICKj5819GTkW4O3Z7JiOLsGxEcRppb9468hVUl-gZIwGWaqzHARXZyNC6nzA4RLD2LRZdjRepaKb60LN2fn8JV88wNWwRNkQSjHZAgKb8FjcGi7byaC1tGBnXsBOrHZmysL8.C2QnF_mNhdpb66RlIhopAoiy4Lzco0uAAf3Tr5-7r6o&dib_tag=se&keywords=nora+stewart&qid=1726687773&sr=8-2

BALANCE by NORASTEWART
https://www.amazon.com/Balance-Nora-Unicoi-Stewart/dp/B0DH4F3N1Q/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sYTI8GComYqtwbT6UkSNfuE8WfXgL9q2sKP4C2zZ7ro-pyd7ecl5iF8gVjl6-Cr23KZXisqQbfM5f3qy5gdFIzP096oPtzwOJrxBUC7ICKj5819GTkW4O3Z7JiOLsGxEcRppb9468hVUl-gZIwGWaqzHARXZyNC6nzA4RLD2LRZdjRepaKb60LN2fn8JV88wNWwRNkQSjHZAgKb8FjcGi7byaC1tGBnXsBOrHZmysL8.C2QnF_mNhdpb66RlIhopAoiy4Lzco0uAAf3Tr5-7r6o&dib_tag=se&keywords=nora+stewart&qid=1726687773&sr=8-1

THE BANANA WHO NEVER QUIT by NORA AND JUDY
https://www.amazon.com/Banana-who-never-quit/dp/B09XFB1GCJ/ref=sr_1_8?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sYTI8GComYqtwbT6UkSNfuE8WfXgL9q2sKP4C2zZ7ro-pyd7ecl5iF8gVjl6-Cr23KZXisqQbfM5f3qy5gdFIzP096oPtzwOJrxBUC7ICKj5819GTkW4O3Z7JiOLsGxEcRppb9468hVUl-gZIwGWaqzHARXZyNC6nzA4RLD2LRZdjRepaKb60LN2fn8JV88wNWwRNkQSjHZAgKb8FjcGi7byaC1tGBnXsBOrHZmysL8.C2QnF_mNhdpb66RlIhopAoiy4Lzco0uAAf3Tr5-7r6o&dib_tag=se&keywords=nora+stewart&qid=1726687773&sr=8-8

MRS JUDY'S SILLY PETS
https://www.amazon.com/Silly-Pets-Judith-Stipanuk/dp/B09XZMPQ2P/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3UPXAWTUHYL4B&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1DxWnWmpEtcWjw4C6G61FQ.zMqZ0DrNa9BjQ9J0WJ4C7RkDJ5zX1bPnKMeKSwLdadg&dib_tag=se&keywords=silly+pets+judith+stipanuk&qid=1726689890&sprefix=silly+pets+judith+stipanuk%2Caps%2C204&sr=8-1

MRS. JUDY's THE CATS CABARET
https://www.amazon.com/Cats-Cabaret-Judith-Stipanuk/dp/B09XZP7ZB4/ref=sr_1_2?crid=187IL1AF313RU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.W-2kVs3e7Qw64cqyEhm1_CWB9RWVyUM47qKabx-dGnSWzFa-0UjwtJnKYgMOGGr4.AHdYsF77ddO1GQkXBztCAvwsenIGNcaYuuyw6BjdIfI&dib_tag=se&keywords=judith+stipanuk&qid=1726689924&sprefix=judith+stipanuk%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-2

Another fun class for the little ones!! Starting next Monday, Sep. 9th.

Join us at 1PM for an art class inspired by a new short story each week. Ages 3-5 recommended. 📚

Now that summer camp is over, we are back to our regularly scheduled in-studio programming!

Join us Tuesdays and Thursday from 10-10:45 AM for an exploratory pre-k aged playgroup full of art and sensory activities! Head to the link in our bio to register now - first class is Sep. 10th💜

Last week of camp is BLACK WEEK🖤🖤

Kicking it off with a watercolor painting inspired by American traditional tattooing techniques, we made fierce panther heads with simple floral designs🐆

Next color scheme on the docket: MONOCHROMATIC 🌚🖤⚪️

We kicked off monochrome week by combining a mixture of watercolor and acrylic paint to create depth, highlights, and shadows of a quaint, eerie cabin scene🌲

🎨 Hello new class!! 🎨

Starting this Fall, we will be offering Smartist Artists. Dive head first into the world of Art History and explore famous artists, artistic styles, and important art periods. 🖼️

Students might paint a mini Impressionist painting, sculpt a bold modern work, or recreate Classical studies from the Renaissance period.

Register through the link in our bio and use code FALLINTOART for 20% off registration thru the end of the month. You don’t want to miss out on this enriching class experience ❤️💜🧡🎨

It’s ANALOGOUS WEEK!! Now that we’ve gone through our entire rainbow, it’s time for color schemes. Analogous colors represent similar hues next to each other on a color wheel🌈🌈

To showcase their understanding of analogous blues, our students made super cool fish sculptures and finished it off using sequins, glitter, and buttons!✨

Kick off the 24-25 school year with Unicoi! Join us the day before school starts to decorate your very own pencil pouch. Each child will get one canvas pouch and have the opportunity to customize and make it their own.

We will also be making zipper pulls and keychains to adorn our adorable pencil pouches!

Registration now open! Click the link in our bio to get in on the fun🎨💜❤️

Moments from our last Messy Family Paint Night 🎨❤️

Missed out on our last one? Register through the link in our bio to be apart of our next one on July 26th, from 6-8PM. Registration includes materials for a family of 4!

Mixed Media FUN!! We had a blast introducing students to the color PURPLE today💜💜💜

Take a look at these mixed media tigers in a purple-toned jungle

What better way to celebrate orange than to make some Garfield drawings?? 🧡🧡🧡

OMG!!! It’s ORANGE WEEK🍊🐅🧡

Yesterday we kicked it off with a scenic painting, depicting a poppy field on a rocky coast🧡🧡