What I do know was this: It was not the kind of place any self-respecting boy would venture into or be seen in. That stuff was for girls. We boys were too busy tearing around the neighborhood on our bikes, playing Batman, Green Hornet or whatever TV hero was currently hip.
Besides, I was never good at artsy-craftsy stuff. Like many children of the 50s and 60s, I received my share of paint-by-numbers kits and other similar items for birthdays and Christmas gifts. My paintings never looked like the ones on the box; they more closely resembled the works of abstract expressionists than the Renaissance masters.
Enter Meghan Davis at Color Me Happy studio in downtown Brunswick. She and her mom, Lois Spinner Henry, opened their studio four years ago on Newcastle Street. The place has been jumping ever since.
“We offer a lot more than ceramics painting,” Meghan explained. “We also offer glass fusing. Most men really like that because they get to wear goggles and use tools.”
Glass fusing. Glass. Tools. Goggles. Fire. Real manly man stuff. “Sounds like fun,” I thought.Megan invited me to come by the shop and see for myself. Color Me Happy was having a “Paint ‘Til You Faint” party that night to raise funds for the annual Relay for Life. It sounded like an excellent introduction to the modern world of ceramics painting and glass fusing.
When I arrived, the party was in full swing. Led Zeppelin was playing on the stereo, and four women were at a table painting serving dishes and sharing a bottle of wine. The place was packed with women, some girls and even a couple of men. There was a wonderful selection of hors d’oeuvres and liquid refreshments.
This was a long way from the ceramic shop on Marshall Avenue.
Meghan Davis opened the first Color Me Happy studio five years ago in Bremen, GA outside Atlanta. In fall 2005, Meghan and her husband learned they were expecting their first child and decided to return to her hometown, Brunswick. She and her mom, Lois Henry, joined forces and opened their door on Newcastle Street in October that year.
In addition to ceramics painting, Color Me Happy offers the aforementioned glass fusing. Create your own stuffed animal in The Bear Factory, or make your own tie-died shirt. Meghan and Lois offer a great variety of custom painted items in addition to the traditional “paint your own” pottery. The creative possibilities are nearly endless. You can make it yourself (they’ll show you how), or they’ll do it for you. If it’s glass or ceramic and it can be fired, this is the place to be.
Oh, and that business about being just for girls? Forget it. Color Me Happy truly has something for everyone. Kids parties. Office parties. Girls Nights Out. Wedding showers. Bridal luncheons. Summer art classes. The first and third Fridays of each month are Ladies Nights. Lois and Meghan provide the chocolate and the venue; you bring your friends, a beverage of your choice and a creative spirit. They even serve pizza.Meghan was right about glass fusing. I got to work with tools and melt stuff. I made a rendering of the St. Simons Lighthouse with various bits of flat glass, glass rods and this crushed glass sprinkly stuff in jars. It was a lot less messy than the “Thingmaker” I had when I was a kid, and was probably a lot safer.
And though it’s far from the Renaissance masters, my little glass picture actually resembles the lighthouse. There may be hope for me yet.
Color Me Happy is at 1426 Newcastle Street in downtown Brunswick. Meghan and Lois are generally there Tuesday-Friday from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, and Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Call them at 912-554-1900 or visit them online.
