Former elementary school teacher Emily Bacon spent 16 years helping children learn inside a classroom, but one childhood dream eventually led her down an entirely different creative path.
"As a child, I dreamed of creating the art version of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory," Bacon says. "A place where kids would have access to every art supply imaginable and could be as creative as they wanted without worrying about the mess."
That dream became much more than an idea after her young daughter asked to take art classes. Unable to find the kind of program she envisioned, Bacon created one herself. What started as a children's art studio inside her garage quickly grew into a mobile program serving schools, libraries, and community organizations before opening Hot Potato Art Studio's Gilbert storefront in 2025.
The studio's playful name carries a meaningful story. When her daughter Harlow was just three years old, she proudly brought home what looked like a scribbled red drawing.
"To me it looked like a scribbly red blob," Bacon laughs, "but to her, it was a hot potato that she couldn't have been more proud of."
That original masterpiece still hangs inside the studio today as a daily reminder that creativity isn't about perfection. It's about imagination, confidence, and self-expression.
While many art classes focus on teaching techniques, Hot Potato Art Studio is equally focused on developing life skills. Students ages 4½ through 17 are encouraged to experiment, solve problems, and embrace mistakes as part of the creative process.
"Children spend much of their day searching for the 'right answer,'" Bacon explains. "In art there are many different solutions. It gives them permission to experiment, make mistakes, and discover ideas they didn't know they had."
That philosophy helps students build confidence far beyond the canvas. Some arrive convinced they aren't artistic, only to surprise themselves weeks later with what they're capable of creating.
One unforgettable moment came when a mother admired her daughter's finished landscape painting at pickup.
"When her mom said, 'Wow... I didn't know you could do that,' her daughter smiled and replied, 'I didn't know I could either,'" Bacon recalls. "Watching a child surprise themselves and realize they can overcome a challenge is exactly why I started Hot Potato Art Studio."
Creativity also comes alive through imaginative classes like the wildly popular Adopt a Squishmallow experience. Each child opens a mystery Squishmallow before painting its portrait and designing a custom home from the box. Every project becomes completely unique, giving students ownership of both the process and the final creation.
Today, Hot Potato Art Studio continues to grow alongside the families it serves. In addition to weekly classes, the studio offers camps, birthday parties, tutoring, school programs, and community art events, with new opportunities continuing to expand each season. This fall, students can explore everything from beginner and advanced fine art to digital illustration with Procreate, anime drawing, and cardboard building.
As Bacon prepares to welcome another semester of young artists, she remains focused on the same mission that inspired her very first garage class.
"Our mission has always stayed the same," Bacon says. "We want students to leave our studio feeling confident and creative."
Families interested in experiencing the studio for themselves can visit Hot Potato Art Studio at 1661 S. Val Vista Dr., Suite #105 in Gilbert, where creativity and confidence are nurtured in every class. To explore upcoming classes, camps, and events, visit www.hotpotatoartstudio.com. It's a place where imagination is celebrated, every child is encouraged to take creative risks, and even a simple drawing of a "hot potato" can become the beginning of something extraordinary.