Our story
Little Beasties is a drop-in art studio designed for early learners—and an affordable place where children of all ages can create with parents and caregivers.
How Little Beasties began
The idea for Little Beasties began in 2011 after Norlene Gowdy took two of her grandchildren—then four and two—to a children’s drop-in art studio in downtown Sacramento, California. For one hour, they created nonstop with puffy paints, construction paper, craft sticks, wood letters, pom-poms, and cotton balls.
They left with paint on their faces, projects in their hands, and memories made. Norlene left with a desire to create those same experiences for local children and the people who love them.
That hour became the blueprint for Little Beasties: not a studio built around perfect results, but a place where the creative process itself becomes time shared between children and the people who care for them.
Meet the founder
A family-rooted idea became a creative home for children, caregivers, and the wider Rockbridge community.
Bio
Norlene has lived in Virginia for 11 years and received her B.A. degree in Liberal Arts from Southern Virginia University. She has seven children, all married, and 25 grandchildren. Little Beasties is a labor of love for Norlene. She treasures helping children create, learn new skills, and develop their talents—and the friendships she builds with parents, grandparents, and neighbors throughout the Rockbridge area.
Why Little Beasties exists
The studio was built to make hands-on art affordable and welcoming for children of all ages alongside their parents or caregivers.
Children experiment with many art mediums instead of following one prescribed result.
Age-appropriate art, story time, and crafts help enhance creativity, self-esteem, and healthy cognitive, social-emotional, and multisensory development.
Parents, grandparents, caregivers, and children share the experience while making connections across the Rockbridge area.
Inside the Art Bar
The studio is stocked with beads, buttons, pom-poms, foam shapes, pipe cleaners, construction paper, paints, markers, pencils, crayons, pastels, and other drawing materials.
Explore the Art BarGrowing since 2024
Formal art classes began in 2024 and have included masters art classes, clay, gouache, and basic art and painting classes.
See current classes