Terra Studios Art Wonderland

The children were out of school yesterday, so when we were invited to join Mardee C and Tara F on a field trip, we jumped in the van and set out for adventure. 

An hour south of us is an art park called Terra Studios Art Wonderland. Wonderland it was! The place was covered with murals, mosaics, sculptures, fountains, games, gazebos, and all things beautiful both handmade and nature made. It is a space designed for people to interact with the art, a refuge for trolls and fairies, a gallery, and the place where the glass bluebirds of happiness are made. 

Flemming, Clive, and Willy children ran wild through the gardens and touched everything to be touched and explored everything to be explored. 

Every corner hosts a treasure 

We packed in a picnic lunch and ate on mosaic tiled tables while the children played house, homestead, and royal guard in three charming play houses and gazebo. 

Outdoor spaces are covered in games, trails, benches, swings, and a large rock path labyrinth. 

Indoors, a classroom, a "koi pond" fountain with glass blown fish, colored glass and I'm sure, every mythical magical creature imaginable twinkling to life with the laughter of so many children dancing around. 

Secret gardens with fairy doors, troll houses, dragon benches, and words of wisdom, memorial, and magic glittered among moss and Ivy covered paths. 

Did I mention the weather was perfect? I could not have asked for a more gorgeous autumn day. Sunny and warm with a very light crisp breeze. The kind of weather you can spend hours outside in and never find yourself uncomfortable. Perfection. 

My favorite part about outside is that the space was meant to be participated in. It wasn't a roped off display. The gardens at Terra Studios are an interactive world that welcome you in.  This is the closest to Northern California I have ever felt in Arkansas. 

Inside the gallery, a cafe had the cutest tables! Each booth, a magical themed cove. We colored and ate ice cream in an underwater kingdom, a treasure chest, a dragon's lair, and an enchanted forest.

Finally, the reason we came: to watch the master artists "perform" glass forming. Each bluebird was formed in just over a minute. I could have watched this art all day long. It was a relaxing to watch the artist create with careful methodical exactness. 

I bought a little bluebird of happiness to join the willardson family, and it has been snatched up by the girls and nestled into a home on their bookshelf. I hope the bluebird sings memories of fun childhood adventures and worry free days of happy togetherness to them. 

Thanks for the spell, Terra Studios. We're charmed.