A Space Where People Slow Down and Create Together

We’re not an art school. We’re not a paint-and-sip franchise. We’re a place where busy people take a breath, make something with their hands, and leave feeling more human.

Who We Are

A Mother-Daughter Team Building Something Different

Mary Szakmeister and Virginia Ellen run Hangout for Art as a mother-daughter partnership. We’re hands-on owners who believe in what we’re building.

We opened this space because we saw the need. People want meaningful experiences, not more stuff. They want to connect without pressure. They want to create without judgment.

Hangout for Art reflects that. Come visit us at 3325 Hamilton Blvd in Allentown, just minutes from Dorney Park. See what we’ve built. Make something. Be part of what’s growing.

From Franchise to Independent Studio

We opened in November 2024 as a Hawaii Fluid Art franchise location. Within months, we realized the community needed something broader than one art technique. So we went independent.

Now we’re Hangout for Art. We still offer fluid art and resin projects, but we’ve expanded into workshops, creative events, networking gatherings, and team building. We’re building the creative community space Lehigh Valley didn’t have.

The vision keeps growing. A front-of-house café. Partner-led workshops. More events that bring people together. We’re not just a studio. We’re becoming a hub.

WHY WE EXIST

Because Everyone's Overwhelmed and Nobody Has Time to Be Present

People are stretched thin. Work bleeds into evenings. Screens demand constant attention. Free time gets filled with errands and obligations. There’s no space left to just create, play, or connect.

Research shows that hands-on creative activity lowers stress hormones, boosts happiness, and increases life satisfaction. Making something forces you to slow down and be present. Your brain shifts out of productivity mode and into flow.

We built Hangout for Art because the Lehigh Valley needed a place designed specifically for that. Not a class with homework. Not a workshop where you replicate someone else’s vision. Just a welcoming studio where you show up, choose a project, and make something yours.

No Experience Required. No Pressure. Just Create.

We hear “I’m not artistic” constantly. That’s the point. This space wasn’t built for artists. It was built for people who want to make something but feel intimidated by traditional art spaces.

Everything here is designed to be accessible. Our instructors guide without hovering. Our projects work for beginners but stay engaging for people who come back repeatedly. Ages 3 to 103 create side by side.

The focus is connection, not perfection. You leave with finished artwork, yes. But more importantly, you leave having spent time creating instead of consuming. That shift matters more than the piece you take home.