Beth West and AJ Meadows. Photos: Chris Emeott
A St. Croix Falls couple expands their reach from a successful gallery to a new art school.
In the heart of St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, a new chapter in the town’s artistic evolution is about to unfold. Husband-and-wife team AJ Meadows and Beth West are expanding WHAT Art Gallery, their vibrant art space, into an exciting new venture: an art school. West and Meadows hope the school—set to open its doors officially in May with classes beginning in March—will provide a hub for current regional artists and inspire beginners, too.
The couple met in 2017 at Franconia Sculpture Park, where West was attending an event and Meadows was a site manager. Art connected the pair immediately. They married and moved to St. Croix Falls, and in 2021, realized their shared dream.
“We had always talked about opening our own gallery,” West says. They transformed their garage into a gallery space, offering socially distanced exhibits and informal art talks during the pandemic. Later that year, they opened WHAT Art Gallery in the restored bank vault of the Vincent House Commons building downtown.
WHAT Art Gallery was a perfect location for exhibits and intimate artist talks, but trying to add classroom space there—including the inherent mess that comes with creating art—wasn’t feasible. Enter a new project: WHAT Art School, where they could offer classes and help make art (and especially art-making) accessible to anyone, from experienced creators who need studio space to beginning adults and kids who want to try their hands at something new. “I taught ceramics several years ago, and I really loved it,” West says. “We want people to feel some ownership over the art school as well.”
West and Meadows found an ideal location in the historic hardware store building on North Washington Street and have hosted various fundraisers—including a rummage sale last summer—to raise some of the capital needed for renovations. “We’ve had to deal with structural issues, a new roof and lots of demolition,” West says. “But when we posted on Instagram about entering the purchase agreement, we had friends and acquaintances call us offering their support.”
The historic Clayton’s Hardware building on North Washington Street will soon be WHAT Art School.
WHAT Art School will offer diverse classes, including basket-weaving, drawing, painting, pottery, printmaking and textiles. “We’re working closely with Jim Shoop, an artist in the area, to develop a sculpture program,” West says. “One of the first classes we’ll offer is a bas-relief class on portraiture in clay.”
The art school’s opening will not just be a personal milestone for West and Meadows, but also a significant addition to the St. Croix Falls art scene. “We want to see people connected and engaged with the arts,” West says. “Our goal is to collaborate with established organizations and create a space that adapts to what the community needs. I’ve already spoken to a few other arts leaders, and I think everyone is on board and super excited to do collaborative events, art tours and classes that blend the performing arts with the visual arts.”
To learn more about WHAT Art School and how to sign up for classes when it opens this spring, visit whatartschool.com.
Instagram: @what_scf
