Sumner’s main street is now home to the town’s first art studio. Voilá! Art Studio is a unique space where people of all ages can discover their artistic abilities and a love for art. From commissioned portraits, personal instruction, events and parties, Voilá! can provide the perfect atmosphere to unleash anyone’s true artistic abilities.
Located on the corner of Main Street and Ryan Avenue, the studio is surrounded by chic boutiques and a treasure-trove antique stores. Voilá! is the perfect addition to the artistic vibe of Sumner and the best new location for events in the quaint city. The studio features a gallery of eye-catching and highly realistic portraits of people, animals, plants and more – all painted by owner Lori Paine and the three other artists – Katie Le Fevre-Marler, Michele Faubert, and Roxanna Muller – at the art studio.
Lori Paine, the creative mind and owner of the business, is a born and raised Washingtonian. Her love for art has always been part of her soul, but it wasn’t until recently that she pursued the ambition of opening a gallery. After a life as a nurse, mother and hypno-therapist, among many other adventurous things, Lori decided to follow her dreams. Lori says, “I became a registered nurse but my husband Greg realized that I was pretty frustrated all these years by being unable to express myself through art. Unbeknownst to me, he started looking for a studio space just for me to go and paint pictures.”
From there, they found the space in Sumner, scooping it up within moments of the space being available on the market. Lori’s secret hideaway to paint soon became Sumner’s newest attraction in February 2017 and was welcomed to the city by the Puyallup-Sumner Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon cutting ceremony on July 11, 2017.
Events and parties are the main activities at Voilá! During a painting party, a group of people, typically ten or more, paints step-by-step with Lori while enjoying delicious beverages. Event organizers can pick a new subject or a painting already designed by Voilá! Art Studio. Art studio parties are great for team building activities, bachelorette celebrations, girls night out, birthday parties and more. Lori can accommodate any style or idea and will even decorate the studio to fit an event’s theme.
Many people think they might not have what it takes to paint something spectacular, but it’s always a fun time at Voilá! “People can maybe discover that they have some talent they didn’t realize they had and just feel good. Socialize, laugh, be silly and have some nice beverages,” Lori says. She also offers one-on-one instruction and paints commissioned pieces like portraits.
The name Voilá! stems from Lori’s love of Paris. Since she has always loved the artistic and romantic feel of the city, she wanted to incorporate that feel into her business. “Paris strikes a chord for some reason,” she says. All who visit the studio can agree that there is a certain je ne sais quoi about the Parisian flair of Lori’s art and the love behind it. Oddly enough, some people do get the name confused with the word viola, which is a spring-summer flower and a stringed instrument. The big difference most people miss is in the spelling: v-i-o-l-a and v-o-i-l-a. Lori has created a game to remember the differences of each.
Lori recently entered a portrait into a contest for a coffee table book. The competition called for artists to submit paintings of Bill Murray and the winners would have their art featured in the book. The book and chosen art pieces are intended to travel along on a world tour. In early July 2017, Lori learned she is one of the contest winners and is now working on more pieces for the publication. The book, called The Art of Being Bill, is authored by Ezra Croft. Lori hopes Bill Murray will one day visit the studio to see the portraits.
Lori wanted to surround herself with art: her true passion in life. From the beautiful paintings and true love Lori exudes for her business, it is evident that she has found her true calling and is a great example of someone reaching out to achieve their dreams. To meet Lori, peruse the paintings, or schedule an event, stop by Voilá! at 1202 Main St., Suite 101 in Sumner. The studio is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and events can be held at later times throughout the week. You can also visit the Voila! Art Studio website or Facebook page for more information about ticket sales, parties and contact information.
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