Welcome to Whidbey Island Art Parties!
We’re a small, family-run creative studio in Freeland, Washington, where we believe making art should be fun, welcoming, and a little messy!
Whether you’re picking up a paintbrush for the first time, learning a new craft, or just looking for somewhere to spend a little time being creative, we’re happy you’re here.
We love helping people discover new interests, try things they never thought they could do, and make something that’s entirely their own.
How It All Started
Whidbey Island Art Parties began as Whidbey ART Party, founded by Amy Hauser. After three and a half years of sharing painting experiences with the community, Amy decided it was time to pursue more of her own artistic interests.
That’s where we come in!
We’re Debby and Olivia, a mother-daughter team who had attended several of Amy’s paint parties and dreamed of creating something similar ourselves. When we heard she was ready to sell the business, we jumped at the opportunity.
We renamed it Whidbey Island Art Parties and set out to continue bringing fun, creative experiences to our island community.
Near the end of 2021, we got our very own studio space in Freeland! Having a dedicated space opened up all sorts of possibilities, from hosting private parties and public painting events to experimenting with new projects and creative activities.
And we’re still exploring those possibilities today.
What started with guided acrylic painting has grown into a place where we can share our love of all kinds of art and crafting.
Meet The Family
Debby Ellis — Owner
Born and raised in Texas, Debby has always had a passion for art and connecting with people. She spent several years living in New Mexico, where experiencing the local culture helped inspire her creativity even more.
Our family has called Whidbey Island home since 2004, and Debby’s love of making things has definitely been passed along to the next generation!
As the owner of Whidbey Island Art Parties, Debby helped turn our shared dream into a reality.
Olivia Ellis — Manager & Creative Lead
I’ve loved making things for as long as I can remember. Over the years I’ve explored drawing, knitting, pottery, digital art, website design, painting, and all sorts of other creative projects.
Pencil and colored-pencil drawing were my favorites for a long time, but discovering acrylic painting opened up a whole new world of possibilities.
These days, I’m always finding something new to experiment with, whether that’s 3D printing, learning another craft, or coming up with ideas for projects to share at the studio.
I’m the one you’ll most often find planning events, helping with projects, answering questions, and generally keeping things running around here.
One of my favorite parts of this business is helping someone who says “I’m not artistic” discover that they’re capable of making something pretty wonderful.
A Little Help From Our Family
We’re fortunate to have family who help make everything possible!
Olivia’s fiancé, Thomas, and our extended family, including Kelsi and her family, lend a hand with different parts of the business.
From helping out around the studio to supporting events and projects, it’s very much a family effort.
Creativity Is for Everyone
We don’t believe you need to be a professional artist to enjoy making art.
You don’t need experience, expensive equipment, or even a particular project in mind. Sometimes the best place to start is simply being curious.
We’re here to offer guidance when you want it, encouragement when you need it, and room to make your projects your own.
After all, there’s no rule that says your project has to look exactly like ours!
Whether you come with friends, family, or just yourself, we hope you’ll feel comfortable trying something new.
Imagine. Create. Explore.
That’s what we’re here for.
Come Create With Us!
We’d love to welcome you into our Freeland studio, whether you’re joining a painting party, exploring a new craft, or just curious about what we do.
And if you’d like to help our little business grow, sharing our events and telling your friends about us means a lot!