Sometimes somewhere along the way, creating becomes complicated.
When we are children, creativity often comes naturally.
We draw.
We build.
We imagine.
We experiment.
We make things simply because making things is fun.
We are usually not worrying about whether our artwork belongs in a gallery.
We are not comparing every brushstroke.
We are not questioning whether we are “creative enough” to deserve making something.
We just create.
But as we get older, something often changes.
Many people start questioning themselves.
- “I’m not artistic.”
- “I wouldn’t know where to start.”
- “I’m not talented enough.”
- “What if it doesn’t turn out?”
Slowly, something that once felt playful and natural can become surrounded by expectations.
Instead of creating for curiosity, expression, connection, or joy, people start believing they need permission.
Permission to try.
Permission to learn.
Permission to call themselves creative.
But creativity was never meant to belong only to a select few.
Art is not only for professional artists.
It is not only for people with expensive supplies, years of training, or perfectly polished techniques.
Creativity belongs to everyone.
Sometimes we just need a place that reminds us.
Recently, I have been exploring creative resources throughout St. Louis that make art more accessible, welcoming, and community-centered.
Places that encourage people to create, experiment, and reconnect with the joy of making.
That journey led me to Marnie’s Creative Outlet in Webster Groves.
What is Marnie’s Creative Outlet?
Marnie’s Creative Outlet is a welcoming art space in Webster Groves, Missouri focused on helping people explore creativity, learn new techniques, and have fun through the process of making art.
And that idea — enjoying the process — is important.
Because creativity is not only about the final product.
It is about the experience.
The exploration.
The discoveries that happen along the way.
Marnie’s Creative Outlet began around 13 years ago when Marnie Claunch and some friends started gathering together to create art.
What started as friends making art together in her garage studio slowly grew.
And I think there is something really special about that beginning.
Because in many ways, the origin story reflects the mission.
It did not start as something complicated.
It started with people coming together to create.
Friends gathering.
Making things.
Sharing ideas.
Enjoying the process.
And over time, that small creative gathering grew into a space where even more people could experience that same joy.
Through art meetups and creative gatherings, more people joined.
The community expanded.
More people discovered a place where they could experiment, learn, and reconnect with their creativity.
Eventually, in August 2024, Marnie’s Creative Outlet moved into its new home in Webster Groves.
But even as the location changed, the heart behind it stayed the same:
Helping people find their creative outlet.
Quick Details: Marnie’s Creative Outlet
Location:
Webster Groves, Missouri
Founder:
Marnie Claunch
Experience needed:
Beginner friendly — no prior art experience required
Creative opportunities include:
- Classes and workshops
- Art parties
- Gallery opportunities
- Community events
- Creative gatherings
Possible projects include:
- Linocut
- Copper embossing
- Copper etching
- Pour painting
- Alcohol ink
- Polymer clay
- Painting
- Printmaking
- Basket making
- Macrame
- Paper arts
- Fiber arts
- Mixed media projects
Great for:
- Beginners
- Experienced artists wanting to explore
- Friend groups
- Creative outings
- Adults wanting to reconnect with art
- Anyone looking for a creative outlet
The most important thing to bring is not experience.
It is curiosity.
Sometimes that is where the best creative adventures begin.
Meet Marnie: An Art Teacher Helping Others Rediscover Creativity
One of the things that makes Marnie’s Creative Outlet special is the experience behind it.
Marnie Claunch is a retired art teacher who spent 29 years teaching K-12 students.
She spent 9 years teaching elementary art and 20 years teaching high school art.
And honestly, I think that combination says a lot about the environment she has created.
Elementary art requires nurturing curiosity.
Encouraging experimentation.
Helping people believe they can create.
High school art involves helping students develop skills, explore techniques, and discover their own artistic voices.
Those two worlds come together beautifully at Marnie’s Creative Outlet.
As someone with a background in art education myself, this philosophy especially resonated with me.
One of my favorite things about teaching art has always been watching people surprise themselves.
Someone who starts by saying:
- “I’m not creative.”
- “I’m not good at art.”
- “I can’t make anything.”
And then, with some encouragement, guidance, and willingness to experiment, they create something they never thought they could.
Sometimes people do not need someone to magically give them creativity.
The creativity is already there.
They need someone to help them believe it is worth exploring.
That belief is something I saw reflected throughout Marnie’s Creative Outlet.
There is room to learn.
There is room to grow.
There is room to experiment.
Beyond the physical studio, Marnie has also continued sharing creativity through her YouTube channel, Ms. Claunch’s Art Class, where she provides art lessons and creative inspiration.
And honestly, that feels very fitting.
After nearly three decades in art education, Marnie’s passion for teaching did not simply disappear after leaving the traditional classroom.
It transformed.
From teaching students in schools.
To creating videos online.
To building a community space where adults can reconnect with creativity in person.
Different spaces.
Same mission: helping people discover the joy of making art.
When my artist friend from women’s group and I visited Marnie’s Creative Outlet for a tour, one thing that stood out was how approachable the space felt.
After exploring several creative spaces on my own, it was especially meaningful getting to share this visit with another artist and experience that creative curiosity together.
Marnie shared about the different classes, workshops, art parties, gallery opportunities, and community ideas she is building.
But underneath all of those different offerings was a simple belief: anyone can create.
Every project, class, and workshop offered at Marnie’s Creative Outlet is beginner friendly.
No prior experience required.
You do not have to walk through the door already seeing yourself as an artist.
You do not have to know exactly what you are doing.
You simply have to be willing to try.
Because sometimes creativity is not something we need to find.
Sometimes it is something we need to remember.
Exploring Marnie’s Creative Outlet
When my friend and I visited Marnie’s Creative Outlet, we had the opportunity to tour the space, learn about the different creative opportunities available, and hear more about the community Marnie continues to build.
One of my favorite things about exploring local creative spaces is discovering the different personalities each one has.
Every art space has its own feeling.
Its own focus.
Its own way of supporting creativity.
And Marnie’s Creative Outlet immediately felt like a space centered around exploration, connection, and creative joy.
Even before walking inside, there was a small outdoor seating area that created a welcoming first impression.
A little place to gather.
To talk.
To slow down.
To connect.
Once inside, the first room felt warm and inviting.
Rather than immediately walking into a traditional classroom setting, you enter a cozy hangout area that also serves as a gallery space.
Artwork fills the walls.
Creative voices are displayed.
Before you even begin making something yourself, you are surrounded by reminders of what others have created.
Then you cross the threshold into the studio space.
And that is where the possibilities really open up.
The creative studio is filled with supplies, tools, examples, and projects lining the walls.
The space itself feels like an invitation:
- “What do you want to try?”
- “What could you make?”
- “What sounds interesting?”
There are tables for gathering and creating together.
Materials waiting to become something new.
Examples of different techniques and projects that might spark an idea.
It is the kind of environment where curiosity naturally starts taking over.
During our visit, Marnie shared more about the different ways people can get involved, from workshops and classes to art parties, gallery opportunities, and community gatherings.
There was something especially meaningful about hearing her talk about creativity after spending nearly three decades teaching art.
Because after 29 years helping students create, she is continuing that same mission:
Helping people discover what they are capable of making.
Beginner-Friendly Creativity: No Experience Needed
One of the things I appreciated most about Marnie’s Creative Outlet is that everything is designed to be approachable.
All of the projects, workshops, and classes are beginner friendly.
No prior experience needed.
And I think that matters more than people realize.
So many people carry around the belief: “I am not an artist.”
Usually because somewhere along the way, they decided creativity had a requirement.
Maybe they compared themselves to someone else.
Maybe someone criticized something they made.
Maybe they stopped creating for years and felt like they lost that part of themselves.
But creativity is not a competition.
It is a practice.
A relationship.
Something we continue exploring throughout our lives.
You do not need to already know how to paint before taking a painting class.
You do not need to know how to carve before trying linocut.
You do not need experience working with copper before experimenting with metal.
The point of learning something new is that you are new.
That is where discovery happens.
Spaces like Marnie’s Creative Outlet give people permission to begin exactly where they are.
Art Parties: Creating Together
One of the opportunities Marnie shared with us was their art parties.
I love this idea because it brings creativity back to something many people are craving: connection.
Instead of only meeting friends for dinner or coffee, creative experiences give people a chance to make memories while making something with their hands.
During an art party, participants can choose a project they want to create.
If someone finds a project they are interested in, they can start an art party opportunity where others can sign up and join that same project.
Everyone pays their own admission fee, making it easier for people to participate individually.
For groups of at least four people, there is also the possibility of creating a private art party.
After learning about this option, my friend and I started talking about whether our women’s group might be interested in doing an art party together.
Because honestly, creating alongside other people can be such a different experience than creating alone.
You get conversations.
Shared discoveries.
Moments of: “How did you make that?”
Or: “I want to try that, too.”
Everyone can start with the same project, but every person brings their own ideas, colors, choices, and personality into what they make.
The result is not just a finished artwork.
It is an experience.
A memory.
A moment of connection.
So Many Ways to Create
One of the most exciting parts of Marnie’s Creative Outlet is the variety of creative projects available.
For people interested in printmaking, options like linocut and drypoint etching offer a chance to explore image-making in a hands-on way.
With linocut, participants carve into linoleum to create a stamp-like printing block. That design can then be printed onto paper, cards, fabric, shirts, towels, napkins, and more.
Drypoint etching offers another kind of printmaking experience. Instead of carving linoleum, artists scratch into plexiglass, ink the surface, and print the image using a printing press.
For people who enjoy working with metal, Marnie’s also offers copper-based projects like embossed copper and etched copper.
Embossed copper uses techniques like repoussé and chasing, where artists push the copper from the front and back to create raised relief designs. Those pieces can become hanging art, window decor, ornaments, or other decorative works.
Etched copper gives participants a chance to draw designs onto copper and use an etching process to create jewelry or art pieces like earrings, pendants, cuffs, or small copper artworks.
For people who love color, there are projects like pour painting, alcohol ink, paste paper, marbled paper, and tape painting.
Pour painting allows people to mix, layer, drip, drizzle, and pour paint onto surfaces like canvas, wood, or glassware.
Alcohol ink creates bright, flowing designs on items like coasters, trivets, glassware, ornaments, and jewelry.
Paste paper and marbled paper both invite experimentation with pattern, texture, and color. They are the kind of projects where you can let yourself play with movement and surprise instead of needing to control every single detail.
Tape painting offers a different kind of creative satisfaction. Artists use tape to build designs and compositions, paint over them, and then remove the tape to reveal the final image.
For people interested in wearable art or small sculptural pieces, polymer clay offers another beginner-friendly option. Participants can create marbled, checkered, spiral, or colorful designs for earrings, pendants, and miniature artworks.
There are also fiber and craft-based projects like macrame and basket making.
Macrame can become plant hangers, bracelets, keychains, or wall art using string, twine, and cord.
Basket making uses traditional weaving methods with reed and other natural or contemporary materials.
And, of course, there are painting opportunities inspired by artists, techniques, themes, or creative prompts.
What I appreciate about this variety is that it gives people multiple doorways into creativity.
Someone who feels intimidated by drawing might love alcohol ink.
Someone who does not see themselves as a painter might enjoy copper embossing.
Someone who wants something calming and repetitive might connect with macrame or basket weaving.
Someone who wants to make something functional might enjoy printing on fabric or creating jewelry.
There is no single correct way to be creative.
Sometimes finding your creative outlet simply means finding the material, process, or project that makes you curious enough to begin.
The Upcoming Art Club
Another thing Marnie shared with us was the possibility of a new art club beginning toward the end of the month.
From what she described, the art club would most likely meet on Monday nights from 6–8pm and would be free.
That immediately stood out to me.
Because free creative community spaces matter.
So many art opportunities cost money, and while paying artists, teachers, and studios fairly is important, it is also true that cost can become a barrier for people who want to create but are already stretched thin.
A free art club creates a lower-pressure way for people to show up, meet others, and stay connected to creativity.
It also offers something that can be hard to build on your own:
Consistency.
Sometimes what helps creativity grow is not one big dramatic moment.
Sometimes it is having a regular place to return to.
A weekly rhythm.
A reason to leave the house.
A group of people who also care about making things.
A space where you can continue exploring without needing to have everything figured out.
For adults especially, that kind of creative gathering can be incredibly meaningful.
Many people are looking for community.
Many people want to make art but do not know where to begin.
Many people miss the feeling of creating around others.
An art club can become more than a calendar event.
It can become a reminder that creativity does not have to be practiced alone.
Helping Artists Share Their Work
Another part of Marnie’s Creative Outlet that interested me was the gallery space.
Because creating artwork is one part of being an artist.
Sharing your artwork is another.
And that second step can sometimes feel intimidating.
Many artists create privately for years.
They fill sketchbooks.
They practice techniques.
They make pieces they love.
But then comes the question: “What now?”
- How do you find opportunities?
- Where do you display your work?
- How do you start letting other people see what you create?
Creative spaces with gallery opportunities can help bridge that gap.
At Marnie’s Creative Outlet, artists have the opportunity to display their work in the gallery space.
If artwork sells, Marnie takes a 20% commission.
For artists who are beginning to share their creations publicly, opportunities like this can be incredibly meaningful.
Not only because selling artwork can provide financial support, but because having your artwork seen matters.
Someone stopping to look at something you created.
Someone connecting with your idea.
Someone deciding they want your artwork in their home.
Those moments can remind artists: “What I create has value.”
And that can be powerful.
Building Creative Connections
One thing that really stood out during our visit was that Marnie was not only interested in sharing what happens inside her own studio.
She also wanted to connect us with additional creative resources and people in the community.
And honestly, I think that says a lot.
A strong creative community is not built through competition.
It is built through connection.
Artists supporting artists.
Teachers supporting learners.
People sharing opportunities instead of keeping doors closed.
During our conversation, Marnie suggested additional resources and artists to explore, including Proud Art STL and Maria Ojascastro (Magenta Door).
Those recommendations were another reminder that sometimes finding creative opportunities starts with one connection.
One conversation.
One person saying: “You might also want to look into this.”
Creativity often grows through those little bridges.
The Artists and Educators Behind the Classes
Another thing that makes creative spaces special is the people sharing their knowledge.
Marnie’s Creative Outlet brings together different artists, makers, and instructors with a wide range of creative backgrounds.
That variety means students are not only learning techniques.
They are learning from people who have built their own relationships with creativity.
Maria Ojascastro of Magenta Door Art Studio uses visual arts as a way to encourage collaboration, connection, and well-being. Her work explores the powerful ways creativity can support people and communities.
Julie Graden’s story especially stood out to me because her creative journey connects directly back to Marnie’s Creative Outlet. After attending a copper embossing workshop at Marnie’s, she discovered a new creative direction through copper and mixed media artwork.
That is one of the beautiful things about trying something new.
Sometimes one workshop introduces you to a material, technique, or idea that opens an entirely unexpected creative path.
Jess Dewes, instructor of Grown Folks Art Club, embraces process over perfection, encouraging students to focus less on whether something looks exactly realistic and more on whether it captures expression and feeling.
Ariel Gardner brings years of experience in knitting and fiber arts, sharing a creative practice that has been part of her life for decades.
Shanika Hartrum brings her passion for silversmithing and handmade jewelry, helping students explore jewelry making as a form of storytelling, connection, and self-expression.
Lemon Smith brings a love of colorful multimedia art, collage, painting, and zine-making, along with the belief that everyone has a unique creative voice worth sharing.
There are so many different ways creativity can appear.
Through metal.
Through fiber.
Through paint.
Through paper.
Through words.
Through unexpected combinations of materials.
Seeing different artists and different creative journeys is a reminder:
There is no single path into creativity.
We are allowed to create our own.
Who Would Enjoy Marnie’s Creative Outlet?
One of my favorite things about Marnie’s Creative Outlet is that it truly feels designed for exploration.
You do not need to walk through the door already considering yourself an artist.
You do not need years of experience.
You do not need a perfectly developed creative style.
You simply need curiosity.
Because creativity has never been about already knowing everything.
It is about being willing to discover.
Marnie’s Creative Outlet could be a wonderful fit for someone who:
- Wants to try making art but does not know where to begin
- Has not created in years and wants to reconnect with creativity
- Wants beginner-friendly instruction and guidance
- Enjoys learning new artistic techniques
- Likes hands-on activities and creative experiences
- Wants a unique activity to do with friends or family
- Enjoys exploring different materials
- Wants to meet other creative people
- Likes the idea of creating in a welcoming group environment
- Wants to experiment without needing to buy all the supplies first
It could also be especially meaningful for adults who feel like they “lost” their creative side somewhere along the way.
Because so many people stop creating.
Not because they stopped enjoying it.
Not because they were never creative.
But because life became busy.
Because they were told creativity was not practical.
Because they started comparing themselves.
Because they forgot they were allowed to create simply because creating feels good.
Places like Marnie’s Creative Outlet help people reconnect with that part of themselves.
Finding Your Creative Outlet
One of the things I love most about discovering spaces like Marnie’s Creative Outlet is the reminder that creativity does not have an expiration date.
There is no age where you suddenly stop being allowed to learn.
No deadline where you should already have everything figured out.
No requirement that says creativity only belongs to people who have been practicing consistently their entire lives.
You are allowed to begin.
You are allowed to return.
You are allowed to try something completely new.
Sometimes people hesitate to create because they feel like they are starting too late.
They see someone else’s finished artwork and forget about all the experimenting, learning, mistakes, and practice that happened along the way.
But every artist has a beginning.
Every skill starts somewhere.
Every creative journey includes a first attempt.
That is one of the beautiful things about beginner-friendly spaces.
They remind us that creating is not about proving we already know everything.
It is about giving ourselves permission to explore.
During our visit, what stood out most about Marnie’s Creative Outlet was not only the number of projects available.
Although there are plenty of possibilities.
It was the philosophy behind the space.
The belief that anyone and everyone can create.
That art is not reserved for a select few.
That creativity grows when people are encouraged instead of intimidated.
After nearly three decades teaching art, Marnie has continued creating opportunities for people to discover something many may have forgotten:
They were creative all along.
Maybe creativity looks different than it used to.
Maybe it appears through copper, clay, paint, fiber, paper, or something completely unexpected.
Maybe it starts with an art party.
Maybe it starts with a class.
Maybe it starts with showing up one evening and simply trying.
The medium matters less than the moment you reconnect.
Because sometimes finding your creative outlet is not really about discovering something new.
Sometimes it is about finding your way back to something that was always there.
A part of yourself that still wants to explore.
Still wants to play.
Still wants to make.
Everyone deserves access to creative exploration.
Sometimes we just need a space that helps us remember.
Want even more content about creativity and art?
Be sure to check out all of our creative chronicles!
If you'd like to see drawings made with oil pastel and other media, you can find some of my art and creations at Redbubble and Gumroad!
Want to check out other St. Louis art spaces?
Check out some of these articles:
-Hidden Gems for St. Louis Artists
-Perennial Copper Jewelry Class
Jessica Carey
