All parents want to nurture their children’s creativity, but who needs to add another drop-off, pickup, or supply run to an already full schedule? With a heart for making art accessible, Stay Good Studio is meeting families where they are—literally.
The mobile art education business brings guided, hands-on creative experiences to homes and community spaces across the St. Louis region, removing barriers that often keep kids from exploring art beyond the classroom.
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Founded by former K–5 art educator Emilee Fritsche, the studio was created to close gaps in access to art supplies, instruction, and creative time, especially for families and communities without easy access to traditional studio spaces. By traveling to neighborhoods across the metro area and providing the materials, Stay Good Studio aims to make art approachable, confidence-building, and accessible for artists of all ages.
“Studio spaces can be really intimidating. Being in your own home allows you to take your time,” Fritsche says. “It’s comfortable, and I’m there to set up and break down, to take that pressure off of them. I’ve heard a lot of kids saying, ‘I really wish that I had this at home,’ and I realized a lot of households just didn’t have access.”
Fritsche launched Stay Good Studio in November, after an unexpected career pivot during the pandemic reshaped how and where she could teach. Although she had planned to follow a traditional path in art education, she found herself missing the classroom and looking for a way to reconnect with students on her own terms. The mobile model, she says, allowed her to keep teaching while responding to families’ needs for flexible, hands-on art experiences.
“I really missed education, but I didn’t have the platform to go back to being a weekly public school teacher. I just decided, ‘Why not start my own thing?’” she says. “It’s really picked up—I’ve done six or seven birthdays already and two private lessons. I’ve found it to be beyond fulfilling, and I’ve been having the best time with it.”
Much of that growth has come organically, through word-of-mouth and neighborhood Facebook groups, as families share the experience with one another. Fritsche says the mobile model is especially important for families in more rural areas, where art studios and creative programming can be harder to find. By traveling directly to homes and community spaces, she removes those geographic barriers.
For Fritsche, art education has always been about more than technique or finished projects. She sees creative time as a rare opportunity for kids to slow down, express what they’re feeling, and build confidence. In her experience, art offers children a space that belongs entirely to them, one where process matters more than perfection and where growth happens quietly, brushstroke by brushstroke.
“Your art is your art, and it’s made for you,” Fritsche says. “It allows you to put a thought on paper, and it’s a space just for you.”
In an age of constant stimulation and screen time, Fritsche says art gives children something increasingly rare: unstructured moments to focus, reflect, and explore at their own pace. Beyond creativity, she’s seen art help kids practice patience, emotional regulation, and self-trust—skills that extend far beyond the page or canvas. Whether working with paint, clay, or simple materials, students are encouraged to sit with an idea, work through frustration, and experience the confidence that comes from seeing something through.
“It’s so good for students just to get messy, have fun, sit quietly, and slow down,” she says. “It helps tremendously with confidence and self-care, and it really helps with mood and attitude, too.”
That philosophy shapes every Stay Good Studio session, which are designed to feel welcoming, flexible, and low-pressure. Fritsche offers everything from in-home birthday parties and private lessons to community workshops and pop-up events, adapting projects to fit different ages, group sizes, and spaces. By bringing all supplies and instruction directly to families, she removes many of the logistical hurdles that can keep kids from engaging with art.
All private, public, and specialty sessions are tailored to each group, with materials provided, and typically begin with kids as young as age 4. Fritsche encourages parents and community partners to reach out via email to discuss ideas, availability, and custom projects, noting that flexibility and collaboration are at the heart of her approach. In the future, Fritsche hopes to explore more partnerships with farms, community organizations, and nonprofits, including animal-themed workshops and outreach opportunities.
For parents trying to make space for creativity amid busy schedules and endless logistics, Fritsche offers a simple reminder: Art doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful. Sometimes, all it takes is the freedom to slow down, get a little messy, and create.
“Art’s not a race—being in your own home or space allows you to take your time,” she says. “Everyone can create. I love the ‘Wow, I just did that!’ reaction.”
