New DIY Pottery And Art Studio In Sarasota Focuses On Beginners, Kids

SARASOTA, FL — The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, an indie indoor market in Sarasota, has welcomed its newest vendor: a do-it-yourself pottery and art studio.

The Makery, owned and founded by artist and entrepreneur Gina Fortino, opened its doors for the first time Saturday.

Fortino, who grew up in upstate New York, spent much of her youth in the arts.

“Ceramics, paint, clay, a little bit of everything,” she told Patch. “Being so close to Syracuse University, I did a lot of ceramics and art training through them all through the years. And I went to a high school with an art major, which I think is a big deal. I got a lot of hands-on art training.”

After high school, she went into sales and marketing.

“And art became kind of a side project,” she said.

Working with the city of Syracuse, Fortino participated in public art projects, and even planned events and festivals, including a street painting chalk festival.

She also ran a theater company for a while, the Appleseed Academy.

“It was really fun and that’s where I learned to teach kids,” she said.

She combines all of her past experiences at The Makery.

“There’s my business experience and art and teaching, and The Makery is kind of theatrical, too,” Fortino said. “It’s more than just the art. It’s the experience of the art, too, and the experience of creating the art.”

She moved to Sarasota from New York three years ago knowing she wanted to start a business offering art classes to kids and adults.

“But I didn’t really know what it would look like,” she said.

She started small, teaching classes in various spaces, including at The Bazaar, under the name Northern Charm Arts.

“I went from place to place and it allowed me to get to know this community better,” Fortino said.

Eventually, she wanted her own storefront rather than working for other people in their spaces.

When the owners of The Bazaar told her that they wanted to open a permanent pottery studio there, it was a “serendipitous” moment, she said.

She told them, “That’s awesome. I’m writing a business plan for a pottery studio right now.

Fortino added, “The Bazaar is the perfect place for it, too. There are kids and artists and people who appreciate art all in that space. There’s something really electric about it.”

In her new space, she’ll offer both a monthly schedule of group workshops as well as individual crafts that people can stop by to do at any time on their own and without an appointment.

“There are people who want to create a piece without being in a class environment. I find that some people are really nervous in a class environment,” she said. “I want to make a space where you can be social and hang out with people if you want or if you want to come and explore on your own but with an artist next to you, you can do that, too.”

November’s workshop schedule includes moss art, pumpkin centerpiece succulents, needle felting and slime making for the kids, among others. A full schedule can be found online here.

In addition to children, Fortino’s classes are geared toward beginners and nonartists.

“It’s not that I don’t want artists, but I’m creating a space for beginners who are maybe a little fearful of the process. Those people who say, ‘I can’t even draw a stick figure.’ That’s who I kind of specialize in,” she said.