By Ann Cipperly
After the success of her first pottery business and teaching children’s art camps, Crysten Conner felt there was a need for adults to enjoy an art experience and opened The Fired Fox Art Studio in downtown Opelika. To offer other opportunities for inspiring artists, she is hosting an Alley Art Walk the third Friday evening each month that will also benefit a local charity.
While Crysten had planned on a career in marketing, the work led to graphic art, which expanded over the years. She was living in Athens in North Alabama when she attended the University of Alabama at Huntsville to study marketing after first trying engineering.
After graduating from college, she began working in sales for billboard ads. When she had long waits for graphic artists to finish an ad, she decided to try the art herself. She created her own billboard ads for about 15 years.
Crysten moved to Auburn in 2006 and started a marketing company working with locally owned businesses and doing graphic art. When she saw a friend’s painted pottery molding of her children’s hand and footprints, Crysten thought she could do that too.
In 2009, she started the Let’s Get Personal Pottery in Auburn, an event-based business where someone can host a party and bring their children. Those attending select blank pieces of pottery to imprint their child’s hand, foot or both. She does all the painting and has its fired. Last year, she fired almost 14,000 pieces of pottery.
At the pottery business, she also began holding summer art camp for kids. Parents would look around at the children having fun and say they wanted to go to an art camp. That gave Crysten the idea to open an art studio for adults.
“There was such an interest in adults who saw how much fun their kids were having,” she says. “There was not a venue that provides options for them to create an art piece.”
In April, Crysten took over the building that had been The Tiny Closet in downtown Opelika. The shop has rich character with a wall of old brick, wood floors and big windows in front.
She painted the walls and accented the back wall with colorful red foxes. “My grandmother, who played a huge role in raising me, had red hair,” says Crysten. “When she passed away, a family of red foxes moved into my yard. The fox family made me think of my grandmother. I wanted to honor her as she would have loved this business.”
The Fired Fox opened in August as a walk-in art studio where customers can select a piece of ceramics that has been fired and is ready to paint. The price on each item includes the paints, specialty glazes, brushes and firing. The paints are lead free and food safe. The ceramics are made with a special clay Crysten selected.
The shop has a large assortment of items, and Crysten and her staff will assist customers with selecting brushes and paint choices. They will teach customers different painting techniques. When the piece is painted, it will be fired, and the customer will pick it up. Clubs and groups can schedule a time to paint together.
Another class teaches how to make a stained-glass resin panel, which creates vibrant colored pieces. They can be hung like stained glass with the light shining through. She will also occasionally teach woodworking and glassblowing.
When opening the art studio, Crysten wanted an outdoor space where she could hold shows to support local arts benefit charity. She talked to Lisa Harrelson, Mayor Gary Fuller and other city officials about using the breezeway on Eight Street for a monthly art show. They were encouraging and thought it was a great idea.
The Alley Art Walk will be held monthly on the third Friday from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. in downtown Opelika on the same night as Food Truck Fridays. The art show will have 20 spots for artists to sell their work with a vendor cost of $25. Artists wishing to participate can contact Crysten for an application.
Crysten and her husband, Jay Conner, are involved in many charities and wanted to help them as well. Crysten will select a different charity to spotlight each month to receive the vendor fees. “I am hopeful we are going to be able to do a little good and give artists an opportunity to sell their work,” Crysten says. “The charity will also benefit by having exposure and being able to educate those attending what they do.”
The vendors won’t need a license as they will be operating under her business. “I know many artists who are struggling,” Crysten says. “There are many artists who don’t have anywhere to sell their work. They have a passion for creating and having so much joy in doing it. When someone buys a piece of homemade art, it creates joy for the owner too.”
In the spacious back room of her art studio, Crysten is planning to use it for private events, such as birthday parties and showers. She will have two 10-foot tables. She has had people contact her about having a stoneware painting event for a bridal shower. Everyone would paint a piece of stoneware and give it to the bride. The shop has stoneware plates, cups, and saucers, among many other items.
“I love the charm I feel every time I come to downtown Opelika,” Crysten says. “It is supportive, and there is a hometown feel or vibe downtown that many towns are losing. The mayor and others are focused on preserving the charm.
“Everyone in downtown Opelika has been so encouraging, accommodating and welcoming,” Crysten adds. “It has been so wonderful.”
Hours at The Fired Fox Art Studio can change seasonally. Currently, hours are Wednesday and Thursdays, noon until 6 p.m., Fridays noon until 8 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. For additional information contact Crysten on Facebook, Instagram or email at [email protected].
