Family-owned art and magic studio to open next week in Indian Land

Indian Land will welcome its second public art studio and its first home for magic shows on Monday, September 28

September 22, 2020 | Wilson

Offering activities and entertainment for both children and adults, The Magic Canvas is a family-owned and operated establishment that is coming soon to Indian Land. Husband and wife team Scott and Janet Robinson share ownership with a few family members who are silent partners. I reached out via phone to Janet to learn more about her and her family’s new venture.

Janet’s passion for The Magic Canvas was immediately evident as she described how she pulled from her creative background in developing the art side of the business.

“I’ve been a professional photographer for ten years,” Janet shared. “I started painting for stress relief several years ago and love it!”

She went on to explain how she feels local children could benefit from making art during these times. “A lot of kids are home right now with distance learning, so we set up these weekly art classes for the kids to meet from 10:00-11:30 a.m. to give them a break from the computer.”

Once a week, The Magic Canvas will offer a special education art class in a sensory-friendly environment. It is open to people of all ages with a 504/IEP (individuals with an IDD). I decided to ask her more about that. 

Janet got a little choked up when she explained that her and Scott’s 14-year-old son Shane was the inspiration for The Magic Canvas. Shane is on the autism spectrum and currently attends a therapeutic boarding school out of state. The school had created a transition plan for Shane when he finishes school. In the plan, they determined that he would be best suited for a manufacturing job. “That made me really sad because he is incredibly creative, loves to draw and loves magic,” said Janet. “That put the wheels in motion for creating something for his future.”

Janet went on to share that twice a month they will bring in a professional magician and have a magic performance for adults. “My husband used to be a magician at Carowinds in the ‘80s so we have a lot of friends who have been on Penn & Teller, who have had shows in Vegas, and are well-known magicians.” 

Scott has always had a strong connection to the magic community. He continued doing sleight-of-hand magic on the side after taking a job at Microsoft. After publishing over 100 magic tricks, last year a book containing 47 of his effects was published by Vanishing, Inc. and sold out within weeks. 

A few days later I took Janet up on her offer of giving me a tour of the place which is located right off U.S. 521. She greeted me wearing a Winnie the Pooh face mask and a Hogwarts smock. She explained that when it came time to choose a location for their business, they didn’t have to look far. Bridgemill Commons was being developed at the entrance of their neighborhood. 

She guided me through the 1200 square foot space which gives off a steampunk industrial vibe with its red, black, and grey color palette, concrete floors, Edison bulbs, and black ceiling. Janet pointed out all the artwork and decor that shows off the family’s personality as well as their love of both art and magic. 

Janet showed me the main studio where the art classes and camps will take place and a separate room which will be for parties and private events. Janet said they plan to install a bookcase which will be a secret door between the rooms.

While there, I met their one full-time employee, Tiff, who is both an artist and a magician. “Tiff has managed summer camps for children and has been performing magic professionally for years,” Janet said. “She has a character, Princess Tiff, who hosts magical princess tea parties.”

Outside of The Magic Canvas, Jane advocates for families with autism to raise awareness for more inclusion and diversity. She serves on the Advisory Council for Educating Students with Disabilities for the SC Department of Education. Along with her husband Scott, she is on the Advisory Council for Best Buddies of North Carolina. The couple also has a daughter Jessica who is getting married soon. 

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THE DETAILS

The location will offer a variety of entertainment for all ages with art classes, mini-camps, private events, themed parties for kids, sip and paint sessions for adults, and monthly performances by world-renowned magicians. 

Registration is now open. Classes are filling up quickly as class sizes are limited to accommodate social distancing. Learn more by visiting: themagiccanvas.com or calling 803-619-9199. 

For kids: 

Weekly art classes at the Magic Canvas are divided by age groups and are 90 minutes long. During the class, the artists will create a project on canvas with a different theme each week. The classes are offered for a monthly subscription fee of $60.

The mini-camps are for ages 5-12 and are $100 a week from 2:00-5:30 p.m. During the camps, the children will create a project on canvas, create a craft, and have storytime. 

Starting October 3rd, the studio will offer free storytime Saturday mornings for kids under 6 and their guardians.

For children with upcoming birthdays, The Magic Canvas offers three different themed parties to choose from:

• The Magic Princess Tea Party is hosted by Princess Tiff and will include the princesses being officially announced by their princess name, a magic show, and tea will be served in real china. 

• The Wizard Party includes a magic show, a magic trick lesson, a craft on canvas, and making a magic wand.

• Color Your Dreams will be an art party where guests will create a project on canvas.

For adults:

The sip and paint sessions are BYOB (beer and wine). Each class is $35 per person and is 2 hours long. No experience required! 

Magic shows will begin in October. See more info here.

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OPEN HOUSE

This Sunday, September 27th the Magic Canvas will host an Open House from 3-5 p.m. Refreshments, pizza, and of course, magic will be served.

2012 Bridgemill Dr. Suite 104, Indian Land, SC 29707