About Us

THE STUDIO opened its doors near downtown McHenry in the summer of 2008. Since then we’ve welcomed artists of all ages in search of an authentic creative experience. With enticing materials at hand and the guidance of professional instructors ready to challenge and inspire, we think you’ll find the perfect place to relax, explore, and develop your talents among others who share your interests.

Lucy Tonyan, Studio Director; Artist & Instructor

A lifelong McHenry resident, Lucy Tonyan is co-author of the “Art Works” curriculum, currently in use in classrooms across the United States. She holds a BFA in fine art and art history and has taught elementary art for many years at Montini Catholic School.

"My passion for art began as a child who could never get enough drawing and coloring. When I was still very young, my artist grandmother Lucille declared with certainty that I was an artist. I was sure of that too! I sat at her kitchen table for endless happy hours with a tin of well used crayons and a stack of recycled paper to color on. She encouraged my dreams and cultivated my appreciation for the masters with train trips to Chicago’s Art Institute, heavy books on the lives of great artists and always a symphony playing on the stereo. The Studio is a place to share my love of art and what I know about it. Like Lucille, I hope to guide and inspire young students to use their minds and hearts to make art of their own."

Click here for Directions To The Studio