About
WHO we are…We are 2 friends who met while teaching at an elementary school in Austin, Texas. Students & families know us as Mrs. Smith (Griffin), & Mrs. Volk (Gunter), but moving forward you can call us Mrs. Natalie & Mrs. Carley.
The 2 of us would describe ourselves as creators, educators, crafters, mistake-makers, taco-obsessed, Swifties, social butterflies & lovers of all things rainbow & sparkly!
HOW we got started…
The Nest was dreamed up one Saturday afternoon while we were hanging out & catching up. It started as a “wouldn’t it be fun if we had a space where we could teach & play with complete freedom?…” The idea very quickly turned into a… “Wait, a second, let’s actually make this happen.”
We come from teaching backgrounds. Natalie’s experience is teaching art K-5 and Carley’s passion is working with kiddos in the primary K-2 grades (but did have a 1 year stint teaching 5th grade!). Together our teaching experience adds up to 25 years!
Throughout the years, we have seen the nature of teaching & priorities in education shift, both positively & negatively, but the relationships with our students, their families & our colleagues have always outweighed the challenging aspects & demands of the job. It has always been the relationships & our love of teaching that has kept us coming back to the classroom.
We saw an opportunity to re-imagine our roles as teachers & provide a space for kids (& adults) to come freely create & connect without distractions. And so, on that random Saturday afternoon, The Nest was officially dreamed into existence!
WHAT The Nest is…
Our little Nest is a communal space open to kids & adults. We offer a variety of classes that range from pre-k sensory play, after-school classes (art & academic), private parties/events, craft nights, & camps.
Our space consists of 2 stories – on the first floor, we have a large common area – with tables to work at, a play area, and a little shop with art supplies & other magical knick-knacks! Upstairs we have 2 studio classrooms, The Flamingo & The Peacock studio! Both studios are usually where we host our classes, parties & events!
The Nest is fueled by a love of design & a focus on quality. One-stop shop for all things. 🙂
We can’t wait to create & learn alongside you at The Nest!
Our ProcessNo matter what age you are or what type of class you take with us- we want to meet you right where you are. We celebrate & encourage making mistakes & getting messy, because we can’t grow or learn without them!
Whatever you’re doing with us at The Nest we’ll always encourage you to focus on the process rather than the final outcome. Process Art goes hand in hand with the nature of learning allowing children room to be themselves, make their own decisions, fearlessly create while truly learning to embrace the whole “process”! (same goes for us older people too!)
When we lean into the uncomfortable-incredible opportunities & ideas are born! Trust us, we’re doin’ it right now! We can’t wait to walk alongside you as you grow & learn.
Xo,
Carley & Natalie
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