The gift shop and gallery at downtown’s Studio 8 Ten is filled with whimsy. One-of-a-kind earrings and butterflies, handmade from soda cans adorn selves, stuffed alien dolls and lizards run across the ceiling and walls, and rows of tote bags made out of Capri Sun and Kool-Aid packages fill shelves.
Cards made of recycled paper, decorated with stamped tin and hand painted designs occupy a rack, and along one wall, shelves display soaps and lotions. The opposite wall boasts “paintings” made of rolled balls of handmade paper.
The items are made with care at Studio 8 Ten, crafted by about 70 workers with developmental disabilities, who are employed thanks to a program that took a competitive marketplace as inspiration to get creative.
“With the economy going down, we had to look at how we could be more unique, and different from others, and that was by creating the job, making our own businesses, and giving the individuals we work with different choices,” said Denise Woods, Studio 8 Ten Program Supervisor.
Transition Services, Inc. (TSI) was established in 1998, with the goal of providing meaningful work for people with developmental disabilities. Because employment options for those with disabilities are often limited, TSI created six small business enterprises that provided meaningful and supportive job opportunities that give workers dignity.
The organization as a whole serves more than 300 people with disabilities through six channels: Studio 8 Ten; Yards 4 You, which provides yard cleaning and maintenance; Time 2 Shine, which provides home and office cleaning; Circles Magazine, a lifestyle magazine; Projects 4 Pets, which provides pet care, and toys for animals; and Woodcrafting, which turns scrap wood into furniture and other household items.
Many of the individuals served by the organization have disabilities profound enough that they would otherwise be overlooked for employment, considered to have only “recreational” options for activities. Woods’ response to that is simple: everyone can do something.
Sam, who has worked at Studio 8 Ten for a couple of years, said his favorite task is working the register, checking out purchases. Carolyn, another employee, enjoys working with soda cans, cutting them up and fashioning them in earrings.
“It all started with little alien dolls, and then it was bigger alien dolls, then different types of aliens. The individuals come in with all of these ideas, and we just make it happen, because we want them to come up with the ideas,” Woods said.
There’s an emphasis on recycling and reusing for Studio 8 Ten’s various arts projects, and the organization loves to receive donations. Material for most of the studio’s creations come from donations. Fabric, thread, sewing needles, buttons, paint, and even tiles are among the items Studio 8 Ten can always use, and there’s a wish list online for those who want to donate.
There’s also a woodshop located on Industrial Road, and TSI individuals work there making a variety of household goods, including the occasional special request. “If you have any special requests – the public can come and ask and we’ll try to do it. Give us a chance, we’ll try to figure it out,” Woods said.
As individuals work on projects, from making paper to sewing little cloth turtles, staff members help keep work on track, talking through the steps in the process, and prompting discussion of how each step is done, and why it’s necessary. The constant lessons are part of the job training. Woods points out that it takes more to run a business than just making products, so some of Studio 8 Ten’s workers do the cleaning, some run the gift shop, or learn cashiering, quality control, or packaging and labeling.
“Anything it takes to run a business, they learn those skills here,” Woods said. “We don’t say ‘no’ to anybody. They might have to wait their turn, but everybody can have a hand in doing something. What makes it unique at Transitions is that we have all of the different choices and worksites that allows us to teach those working skills.”
In addition to traditional job skills like cashiering, packaging, or even cleaning the gallery and gift shop, individuals at Studio 8 Ten also gain sewing, papermaking, and design skills, as well as customer service and experience giving tours the studio’s gift shop and work areas.
Studio 8 Ten also celebrates First Fridays, staying open to the public until 8 p.m., and displaying work by participants in all of TSI’s channels for a show. Woods said the studio also hopes to return to a former tradition of welcoming an artist of the month into the space to display some of their work, and hold a reception on First Friday. Part of the artist of a month role includes teaching a class for the Studio 8 Ten workforce, in the medium of the artist’s choice.
Studio 8 Ten is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and until 8 p.m. the first Friday of each month, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, visit studio8ten.com.