Where Creativity Finds Its True Voice
Opening in Spring 2026 in Church Street Studios, The Artful Being School is a place for returning to what is quiet and true. We slow down, breathe, and soften the noise that keeps expression tight. Creativity rises from feeling, intuition, and presence. Over time, students learn to hear their real creative voice again, and technique becomes a tool for expression rather than something to perfect. Art grows naturally, without performance, comparison, or pressure.
A Place for Community
Church Street Studios was built in the 1950s as St. John’s School and served generations of families for more than seventy years. Today, it has been thoughtfully restored by Harmony Haus as a home for artists, makers, and wellness practitioners.
This building carries a sense of continuity and care, and The Artful Being School will become part of that story. The intention is for this space to grow into a creative anchor for Waynesville, a place where people return to connect with themselves and with one another.
Inside the Classroom
This beautiful room will soon hold creativity, reflection, and community. The images below show the space in its present state as it becomes a welcoming home for workshops and gatherings. With tall ceilings, soft light, and mountain views through the windows, the room already feels open and calming, a place where people can breathe and make art with ease.
What Makes This Different
At The Artful Being School, art is not about performance, perfection, or mastery. Through meditation and gentle guidance, we quiet the inner critic so creativity can rise naturally as expression. Classes feel welcoming and unpressured, inviting students to explore rather than impress. This work is for anyone who wants to reconnect with their creativity, from professional artists moving through creative blocks to complete beginners who are curious but unsure where to start.
Workshops are accessible, ranging from $20 to $45. For those who want more personalized support, coaching programs are available at varying levels of depth. In time, we will also offer intimate creative retreats in inspiring locations for those who feel called to explore further.
Why Waynesville
Waynesville is a mountain town with a growing creative culture and a pace of life that encourages presence. It sits close to Asheville’s dynamic art scene while maintaining a quieter rhythm that feels grounding.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, our community is healing and rebuilding in many ways. The Artful Being School will support that process by offering a space for creative renewal, rest, and hope. Creativity is one of the most powerful tools we have for well-being, resilience, and connection.
Image by Harmony Haus
Development + Launch Plan
Phase One centers on preparing the studio: installing workshop stations, gathering materials, shaping the flow of the room, and creating a space that invites slow, reflective artmaking. As the environment takes form, I am weaving into the community and connecting with local businesses, artists, and wellness practitioners to explore co-created offerings such as gentle yoga, sound baths, live model drawing, and occasional paint and sip evenings held through licensed venues. Local businesses are welcome to reach out for conversation, partnership, and shared creative possibility. Early interest is already emerging, with several collaborations beginning to take shape.
How the School Will Grow
We will begin with workshops, open studio sessions, and small group gatherings, with private coaching available for deeper support. As the program develops, multi-day retreats will be hosted in a nearby mountain retreat environment that offers lodging, meals, and wellness amenities for a fully immersive creative experience. As the school becomes established, growth will allow us to open a small scholarship fund so that community members who cannot afford tuition may still participate. The vision reaches beyond art instruction to cultivate a place where creativity supports emotional wellbeing for our community and visitors.
About the Founder
Alongside her studio practice, Liane has guided both children and adults through creative and meditative practices, offering experiences that support presence, emotional grounding, and self-expression. With a background shaped by her studies at the Art Students League of New York, the Fashion Institute of Technology, Hartford Art School, and a fresco painting intensive in Italy, her teaching reflects both formal training and intuitive understanding. These early experiences helped shape her belief that creativity is a pathway back to the self, and they inform the heart of The Artful Being School today.
