Terra Studios is a 501(c)3 non profit organization devoting all resources, profits, energies and donations to a dream of a brighter future through using art to create a better world. Our purpose is to promote art and inspire creativity. We hope you will visit and join us in our quest.
Location
Terra Studios is located 13.5 miles SE of Fayetteville, AR on Washington County Road 47, just off Arkansas HWY 16 E (near Elkins, Ar).
Although we are outside of Fayetteville, our physical address is 12103 Hazel Valley Rd. Fayetteville, AR 72701.
479-643-3185
terrastudios@terrastudios.com
Our hours are:
Wednesday - Sunday, 10-5. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Dogs are allowed on the grounds as long as they are leashed and picked up after. No pets are allowed inside the gallery, except for service animals.
Who We Are
Terra Studios is about a quest, a pledge, to use art to create a better world.
It's about a dream to be the spark that ignites the inner flames of creativity in everyone who visits.
It's about magical, fun, free artistic festivals for everyone including children, families, veterans, and our elders.
It's about exciting new educational art installations.
It's about free educational art projects for kids.
It's about the alchemy of art that transforms, empowers, invigorates, and enlivens those it touches.
It's about visionaries and dreamers who can imagine the possibilities of what we can achieve as a community.
Our Vision & Mission
We exist to promote art, teach art methods, and inspire creativity. We teach heritage and contemporary arts and crafts to children and adults, school groups, faith groups, and senior groups. We also provide training to regional artists, and through the gallery, showcase their artistic endeavors.
Art supports personal growth and development, problem-solving skills, creative thinking, and social skills. New ideas, inventions and solutions will have the power to shape a brighter future!
Our History
In 1975, in the beautiful Ozark Mountains, just east of Fayetteville, Leo and Rita Ward and their son John established Terra Studios as a family glass and pottery studio. Leo was a master glass craftsman, Rita was a recognized potter and sculptor, and John is an accomplished artist in a variety of media including cartooning, pottery, sculpture, painting and photography. The original Bluebirds of Happiness were created in about 1983, and soared from a fledgling mail order business into a successful national and international gift-ware business. To date, over 8 million Bluebirds of Happiness have been produced at Terra Studios. This success enabled the Ward family to follow their artistic passions. They personally produced many wonderful art installations and enlisted over 200 different artists to create the whimsical wonderland that is Terra Studios. Leo and Rita have both passed on, and John continues to create in his private studio.
In 2007, James Ulick, artist, musician, and entrepreneur, bought Terra Studios. After experiencing an “aha moment” about art as a means to create a better world, he spent the next several years reinventing, renovating and revitalizing Terra Studios into the cool place it is today. In 2015, he gave Terra Studios to the community through the vision of “using art to create a better world.” Today, Jamie continues to be actively engaged by volunteering as president of the board of directors of the nonprofit and serving wherever he possibly can to further the dream.