Goodbye, Steveston!

Goodbye, Steveston!

It's been an amazing 5 years!

When we signed the lease for our Steveston studio in January 2020, we were full of excitement and optimism for this beautiful, vibrant community. Our first Spring Camps were scheduled for March, but - like so many plans around the world - everything came to a sudden halt. As many of you scrambled to find online classes for your little ones, we were doing our best to keep the dream alive: extending our lease, adapting our art classes to Zoom, and holding on tight through a time we thought would only last a few months… but of course, lasted much longer.

Still, we never gave up. We anxiously prepared for when we could see our students face to face, with our "Welcome to Steveston" mural and open space art making set up. We were finally able to open our doors on June 1st, 2020! and eagerly taught our small-group Summer Camps with just a handful of students. We’ll never forget the joy of seeing our very first two sign-ups walk through the door! And when seven kids registered across three camps in a single day, Messy Jessy and Trendy Wendy danced and shouted, “We’re going to be OK!” It was a moment of pure hope and happiness we’ll always hold close.

That September, we gradually returned to Weekly Classes. Our “new normal” included forehead thermometers, mandatory hand-washing, constant sanitizing, and masked smiles—so many masked smiles! For a while, we couldn’t even recognize our students or parents without their masks, and that became its own kind of funny memory. Over the years, our Steveston studio became home to so many wonderful moments—Halloween art parties where students dressed up to carve and paint pumpkins, cozy Winter Camps filled with hot cocoa mug sculptures and felted charms, and unforgettable Canada Day workshops where everyone went crazy for our temporary tattoos and painted alongside family and friends. We’ve hosted countless birthday parties, themed workshops, messy art sessions, and joyful reunions with familiar faces. We love this neighbourhood dearly, from gelato runs at Timmy’s, to picking up spot prawns off the dock when they’re in season, to wandering the charming local shops that make Steveston feel like a small town nestled in a big city. After five incredible years, this has been our longest-standing location, and leaving it was not a decision we made lightly.

Unfortunately, with our current lease expiring and commercial rental costs continuing to rise, we couldn’t find a space in Steveston that met the needs of our studio and families. Despite our best efforts, the available options would have meant giving up more than half our space, with rent that didn’t reflect the reduction. We explored every possibility, but ultimately, the timing and circumstances just didn’t align for us to continue here - at least for now. Our classes at Steveston will end on the last day of May 2025.

But this isn’t goodbye, it’s just “see you soon!” We’re thrilled to announce our next chapter at Fairchild Square, right across from Parker Place Plaza on Hazelbridge Way! Our new space will officially open on June 1st, 2025, and while it’s a bit cozier, it will still have all the heart. We’ll even have a designated ceramics room, and space for our much-loved birthday parties!

To say farewell properly, we’re hosting a special open house at the Steveston studio (follow @lab.artstudio to stay tuned!), and will run our last classes until the end of May 2025. We’d love for you to join us, to create art one last time in this beloved space, reconnect with old friends, and share a hug or high-five with your favourite instructors. Let’s give Steveston the send-off it deserves!

With love and gratitude, 

Messy Jessy, Trendy Wendy and The LAB Team

Creative Carmen, Terrific Tina, Bubbly Bernice, Sunshine Shenyin, Rainbow Rachel, Leo Lion, Friendly Emily, Busy Izzy, Emma Banana, Nifty Namita, Yay Yisu, Amazing Andrea, Twinkly Tommy, Silly Sandra, Artsy Alpha, Mona Lyssa, Jiffy Tiffy, Awesome Ava, Elly Cat, Crafty Cait, Myah Papaya, Lucky Liv, Lorena Banana