Jordan’s Ozarts Impressions Studio brings painting sessions to former Hardenville store and post office


Left: Ozarts Impressions Studio owner Carey Jordan, left, pictured with daughter Carissa, holds two paintings that were completed during a painting session last month. Carey is hosting painting sessions every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday this month.

Above: David and Carey Jordan purchased the building that formerly housed the Hardenville post office and store about a year and a half ago and have worked since then to renovate the space for their new business, Jordan’s Ozarts Studio. The Jordans were able to salvage and refinish the original pine wood floors, shown in this photo. The studio has space for 18 painters to participate in each painting session the Jordans plan to host.

In the future, the business hopes to expand to feature David Jordan’s handmade fishing lures and artwork.

Editor’s note: The Times shares news about any new business that is established inside Ozark County. Email jessi@ozarkcountytimes.com to submit information about a new business to be featured in an upcoming edition.

 

Zanoni resident Carey Jordan and husband David have officially opened Jordan’s Ozarts Impressions Studio in the old Hardenville store and post office on Highway 160 about 4 miles east of Gainesville. 

The couple have spent the last year and a half renovating the interior of the building to include a large workshop area where Carey will host painting sessions several times each month. 

 

July’s sessions

The sessions are being held from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays this month. Guests are asked to be at the studio by 5:40 p.m. to allow time to get situated and pay before “brushes up” at 6 p.m. 

“You walk in the door, and everything is provided for you. You walk out with your finished painting. We want this place to be a completely stress-free zone. Just come in, enjoy yourself and we’ll provide everything for you.”

This month’s sessions are $40 per person and each session includes all supplies for a finished 16-by-20-inch painting, which attendees take home with them at the end of the session. Payment can be made by cash or debit card. Checks are not accepted. 

July’s sessions are restricted to adults over age 21, but Carey says she plans to incorporate sessions for children and teens beginning in August.  

The studio has bottled water, soda, coffee and tea available for purchase. It also has a consumption alcohol license, which allows attendees to bring their own wine, wine coolers or beer to drink during the session. 

Alcohol is not sold or served on the premises and will not be allowed on the premises during children’s classes.

Carey kindly asks that guests refrain from bringing hard alcohol and limit beer and wine to two servings each per session. 

 

What to expect

Guests will enter through the front door (at least 15 minutes early) to fill out paperwork, show an ID to show that they’re at least 21 and provide payment. They will be asked to silence cell phones to help ensure a relaxing environment for all participants. 

After that’s taken care of, everyone will be outfitted with an apron and invited to choose where they want to sit. A canvas, the right-sized brushes for that session’s project, canvas spray, a wash-water jar and all the required tools will be waiting at each station. 

Carey will hand out paint trays to each painter with the correct colored paints, and guests will be encouraged to settle in, relax and enjoy their beverages and company as they begin. 

A finished canvas at the front of the room gives painters an idea of what the final product will look like. Carey will stand at the front of the room with a fresh canvas on an easel next to the finished painting. She’ll guide guests through a step-by-step process to recreate a painting like the finished one, giving painters tips and techniques throughout the process. 

Those attending shouldn’t get caught up in whether they’re a “good artist” or not, Carey says, and instead should just have fun with the process. 

“This is a no-judgment zone. No one is going to judge your painting. It’s yours, specific to you. This is where I want you to relax and just follow my lead,” she said. “I’m not an artist; I’m an impressionist. I’m going to do an impression of the final painting – and I guarantee it’s not going to look the same as the original. And you’re going to do an impression of that painting too, and it’s not going to look the same as the original or the version I’m working on. But we’re going to have a good time doing it.”

Right now the studio seats 18 people, making it a fun option for larger groups of friends or club members who wish to come together. Two big tables can fit up to seven guests at a time, and another smaller table is set for four artists. 

 

Painting session future

Starting sometime in August, Carey hopes to host children’s sessions in two age groups: 6 to 13, and a teen/young adult session for those age 13 to 21. The sessions will likely be held earlier in the day to better accommodate children’s schedules. 

The children’s canvases will be slightly smaller, and the price will be reduced to $20 or $30, depending on size. Guests can “size up” and pay the higher price for the larger canvas if they’d like, Carey says. 

Adults are welcome to join the children’s sessions too, painting alongside the younger artists.

“I’d love to see ‘mommy and me’ dates, daddy and son, grandparents and grandchildren,” Carey said. “It could be so much fun!”

Adult supervision is required for participants age 15 and younger. Younger children will likely paint while seated on plastic sheeting covering the floor to avoid falling off the tall studio stools that adults will use. 

Carey says as they settle in, she hopes to expand the painting sessions to a variety of media including barnwood, gourd birdhouses, terra cotta pots and other fun items. 

 

 

Carey’s dream – and David’s dream

Carey has been painting for 20 years, including painting commissioned murals at various local businesses, and she says she is thrilled with the new venture.

“This is the dream. I love to paint. Give me a paintbrush and a canvas, and I’m happy,” she said.

Carey’s husband, David, is also an artist and plans to have his own space in the building in the future. 

He hand-carves and paints fishing lures, and also produces his own artwork focused on wildlife, portraits and other works. In a few years, after he retires, he and Carey hope to renovate the building to include two other sections that will feature his handmade fishing lures and a studio where artwork will be sold. 

 

How to sign up

Those interested in signing up for a future painting session are asked to call the studio at 417-679-0183 and leave a message on the answering machine with name, phone number and information on which date’s session they’re interested in. 

More information can also be found at jordansozartllc.com or on Facebook by searching for, ‘Jordan’s Ozart LLC Impressions Studio.’

Ozark County Times

504 Third Steet
PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

Phone: (417) 679-4641
Fax: (417) 679-3423