RAYTOWN, MO — KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers eastern Jackson County, including Blue Springs and Grain Valley. Share your story idea with Claire.
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At our Let's Talk Raytown event earlier this October, a woman named Janine gave me a story idea to visit KC Art Van Gogh and learn what the studio is all about.
The business is fairly new to the city of Raytown, so I stopped by and spoke with the owners. I found there is a lot more going on inside — and a bigger impact they're hoping to make — than just painting canvases.
Jacoba Hardman and her partner, Alan Voyles, moved KC Art Van Gogh to Raytown from Raymore last year, and they have no regrets.
"We have been hugged by Raytown. I absolutely love. I love Raytown," Hardman said.
Inside the art studio, people of all ages can come and create as they please. From epoxy to pottery to painting, Hardman has a goal to let the paint flow.
KC Art Van Gogh started with Hardman's brother, Andy, to help him through his cancer treatments.
Andy Sheldrake now teaches art classes to those with special needs.
"Oh, the favorite thing that I have is just seeing the people happy. It is so beautiful, and it touches my heart to see people happy doing art," Sheldrake said.
KC Art Van Gogh is one of three businesses Hardman and Voyles have to make sure that, as an artist, Hardman can have a steady income. That is a stigma she and Voyles want to tackle by offering trades training in the future for the youth of Raytown.
"So we want to be that light, that moral compass for kids to kind of push them towards arts and trades. You know, there's good money in it. It's a bright future, you know. And we need more tradesmen," Voyles said.
You can visit their website here to learn more about the studio and their 508(c)(1)(a), Activation Impact Maker.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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