Newport News woman rediscovers her love for art, wants to share it

Harsh words from a teacher years ago convinced Camille Donne she wasn’t an artist.

She’d always loved art, but after becoming discouraged, she forgot how much she enjoyed creating until she was in her 40′s. Donne made it her mission to make sure others don’t suffer a similar fate by encouraging people of all ages and skill levels to explore their creativity at her new studio — Village Studio Arts — in Newport News.

“I don’t want people to have to wait 20 years to make art,” Donne said. “I want people to try it and see that they can do it — anybody can do it.”

She attended Christopher Newport University where she earned her bachelor of arts in psychology and fine arts. Doubting her artistic abilities, Donne pursued work as a historical interpreter for Colonial Williamsburg, then as a teacher.

She eventually became an education director for the Peninsula Fine Arts Center, and worked there for six years until it closed during a contentious merger with Christopher Newport University, leaving Donne to forge her own path in art education.

She quickly filled her schedule offering families art lessons in their backyards before realizing she’d be able to reach more people with her own studio space.

“It feels like every step I’ve taken has been pointed in this direction,” Donne said. “Art is the place I need to be and where I’m truly happy.”

She started hosting sold-out summer camps for students in late June and hosted the studio’s official grand opening Saturday.

She offers classes for homeschooled students, as well as classes for kids, teenagers and beginner-level adults.

“I love working with adults that kind of forgot that they liked being creative,” Donne said. “I do workshops where they can come in and make something from start to finish and then they remember how much they loved being creative.”

Donne plans to limit each of her classes to 2-3 weeks to keep costs lower for participants and to accommodate adults that may be juggling work and family schedules or who might be hesitant to commit more time.

She also plans to draw from her experience at the fine arts center by creating classes for people with autism and early-onset dementia.

“You’re looking at the healing properties of art rather than the product — it’s about the process and what it does for the body instead of looking at the product that you’re making,” Donne said. “You still make a beautiful product, but the focus is on the process.”

There’s no cure for dementia, but a few small studies have found indications that art may have positive effects on people with the disease. The studies found that art therapy may improve mood, focus and self-esteem, according to the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation.

She said it was important that her studio, which is located at 10864 Warwick Blvd. in the Warwick Shopping Center, was accessible and inclusive.

Donne offers tools such as noise-canceling headphones and fidget spinners available for people with autism. She estimates about 25% of her students are autistic.

She also consulted with other people to ensure the space she picked for the studio was wheelchair accessible.

“Everything I do is about lifting people up, finding what they’re good at, and then helping them grow that,” Donne said.

She offers lessons and projects in a variety of mediums including clay — wheel and handbuilding — as well as drawing, painting, printmaking and needle felting.

On Saturdays, she’ll offer open studio hours for up to 12 people to stop by and work on projects on their own or in small groups at a rate of $15 per person per hour. The fee includes the clay, tools, glaze and firing.

She offers a unique glaze that can be used on unfired or damp clay for potters looking to complete their project in one sitting, as well as traditional glazes that require multiple studio visits.

“You don’t have to be good, you don’t have to have art experience. We will find something for you,” Donne said. “Even if you don’t make something that’s going to be in a museum, you’re going to be proud of it and you’re going to feel good leaving.”

For more information visit www.villagestudioarts.com or call 757-528-2031.

Jessica Nolte, 757-912-1675, jnolte@dailypress.com