The Vision for The Artful Gathering

Jessica has been teaching art full-time since 2009.  She started summer art camps after completing her undergraduate degree in Art Education (Mount St. Joseph: Art Education & her master's degree from NKU: Gifted Education). She modeled the summer camps after an internship at the Taft Museum of Art.  That internship changed her life and she decided she would direct art camps every summer from then on! 

Dave Hensley is the behind-the-scenes man who makes sure all of Jessica's visionary ideas work out! With a degree in accounting and years of experience fixing things, maintaining buildings, grounds and lots of problem-solving, he and Jessica are a great team. 

Dave and Jessica have been friends for years as well as co-workers.  They teamed up in 2021 to bring the Artful Gathering to fruition in real life.  Although it was strictly online and traveling for over a year, it is now in the most beautiful location possible! 

The Artful Gathering is a place for studio classes and creative events.  We are committed to being a family-friendly location, always alcohol-free.  Our classes, parties, and creative events are for memory-making!
 

Our goal is to be a hub for learning, growing and gathering together in our community.  We have several teachers already and hope to have more in the future so that we can offer more artforms and educational expertise.  

The Artful Gathering hosts art classes, camps, a gift shop plus special events and is a beautiful rental venue. 

As a second grader, I decided that I wanted to grow up to be an art teacher.  I started college as a double major: art education and interior design.  Although I eventually dropped to interior design to focus on art ed, I find that this studio fulfills both parts of those gifts.  I get to teach my art camps and classes.... but I also have gotten to design the studio space to comfortably host people.  I have combined fresh turquoise with contrasts of black and white , against gothic arched stained glass windows in our historic, former church.  The sanctuary is now a large group setting with tables and chairs as well as soft couches for conversation.  The loft space is a classroom setting mixed with stylish comfort and casual gathering.  We called our business The Artful Gathering because it truly is a gathering ground for many types of events and learning. 

I had a strong love of learning, curiosity, and creativity.  The wonderful teachers I had along the way inspired me in many ways in enriching classroom environments and I wanted to create the same connection for my own students in the future.  

My obsession with self-reflection and education has led me to achieve a master's degree in gifted education and a whole collection of entrepreneurial courses and personal development.  This list includes biblical financial mindset, Christian marriage and parenting,  health and wellness, etc. I would call this broad list "the art of stewardship" in life.  An artful life is a fulfilled life, balanced and enriched as well as stable and secure.