A new art studio and workshop space has opened its doors on Strawberry Street in Richmond's Fan district, offering creative classes for both children and adults. Les Sardines Studio, located at 425 Strawberry Street, recently debuted as a colorful, welcoming space designed to provide hands-on crafting experiences for creators of all ages in a relaxed, low-pressure environment.
Owner Dominga Gardner officially opened the 1,000-square-foot studio earlier this month, marking her first brick-and-mortar location after years of hosting crafting workshops from her home and through pop-up events across the Richmond area. The studio features an eclectic design with shades of blues, pinks, and greens, complemented by vibrant striped accents, vases of wildflowers, animal statues, and craft supplies thoughtfully arranged throughout the space.
Gardner brings a unique background to her new venture, having moved to Richmond seven years ago from New York City, where she worked in the fashion industry with brands like Kate Spade. After relocating to Richmond, she transitioned into the advertising industry, first serving as cultural engagement director at the Martin Agency, then taking on multiple community-based roles at Arts & Letters.
The inspiration for Les Sardines Studio came from Gardner's personal experience as a mother searching for creative outlets for her young children. "I was on the hunt in Richmond for my kids to get creative and work with their hands," Gardner explained. Finding limited options for craft studios catering to very small children, she began doing crafting projects with her daughters in the mid-2010s. In 2020, she started sharing their creations on a newly created Les Sardines Studio Instagram account, providing tutorials for other parents to try with their kids.
What began as home crafting sessions evolved into neighborhood craft parties and adult pop-up workshops, eventually leading to Gardner's dream of opening a dedicated studio space. "It's always been my dream to have a brick-and-mortar place that I could have kids come over and do this, because I think for most parents, they don't want the mess in their house, or to do all the prep and all the cleanup," Gardner said.
The choice of Strawberry Street was intentional, as Gardner felt it resembled the atmosphere she missed from New York City. She told BizSense that Strawberry Street "felt like the most New York City street in Richmond," with its fun name and eclectic mix of quirky independent businesses, including Idle Hands Bread Company, the Strawberry Street Market, and small-batch ice cream shop Scoop.
Gardner deliberately designed the studio to challenge conventional expectations for children's art spaces. "I did not want a kids art craft studio to be just primary colors and boys get pirate ships and girls get unicorns," she explained. "I feel like kids are so much more elevated than we provide the spaces for. Their artistic sophistication is so much higher than we ever allow for." The studio reflects this philosophy with its sophisticated color palette and thoughtful design elements.
The physical layout includes a dedicated area for children's classes and a high-table section for adult workshops. Gardner also plans to transform a back deck space for outdoor crafting activities in the future. With accessibility in mind, particularly because her youngest daughter has Down syndrome, Gardner designed the studio to be welcoming to neurodivergent children, incorporating quiet areas where they can relax if they feel overwhelmed during classes.
Since beginning classes in early November, Les Sardines Studio has established a regular schedule with weekly sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, with plans to expand offerings. The studio caters to various age groups, offering classes for toddlers who are just walking up to age 3, preschoolers ages 3 to 5, and after-school workshops for children ages 6 and up. Additional programming includes craft parties with pizza and dancing for kids 6 and up, as well as tween nights for ages 10 and up.
The range of children's crafts spans multiple mediums and creative projects, from watercolor painting and creating animal masks to making fairy wings out of craft paper. For adults, Gardner offers more complex crafting classes, including seasonal offerings such as wreath-making, tin foil garlands, and tree ornament crafting. Other adult workshops have included phone case making and charm bracelet creation.
Pricing reflects the complexity and duration of different classes. Classes for young children are priced at $25 per session, while after-school workshops cost $45 per class due to their more complicated nature. Adult classes range from $45 to $125 depending on the supplies required, and typically include cocktails and snacks as part of the experience. All class fees include necessary supplies.
Now running Les Sardines Studio full-time, Gardner hopes to expand the impact she began with her home workshops over recent years, providing both children and adults with opportunities to create with their hands while making lasting memories. The personal satisfaction of seeing her work in the community is evident in her daily life. "Right now when I drive around in my neighborhood, we made sun catchers for the summer solstice, and I can see in every girl's window a suncatcher. It warms my heart," she said, reflecting on the lasting impact of creative experiences shared in her studio.
