A Kid's Coloring Dream: Anna Banana Celebrates One Year

Colorful paper balls hang in the window, smiling portraits line neatly on one wall, speckled with a watercolor here, handprint there and butterflies everywhere.

Those are just the walls that surround an art table where children in tiny smocks paint pictures and scribble with crayons at Anna Banana Arts and Crafts Studio. 

Anne Freeman, owner and teacher at Anna Banana, celebrated one year since she signed her lease for the art studio on Nov.16, 2012. She opened in January and has since been teaching art classes to kids aged 2-10, all day Monday through Friday. She also hosts an unstructured art session every first and third Saturday of the month. 

"It's very much art, art, art," Freeman said of the environment at Anna Banana. 

She teaches everything from materials to art history to contemporary to masks, depending on the age of her students, Freeman said. 

Before settling into a studio, Freeman taught private art lessons in the Georgetown area. And before that, she was an art dealer for 20 years. Once upon a time she wanted to be an artist, but needed to support herself financially, Freeman said. 

"I've always painted. I'm always drawing and painting," Freeman said. 

With a warm, colorful, directive personality, Freeman plants a crayon into a young student's hand, and it is clear that at Anna Banana, everyone should be always drawing, always painting, too. 

Find the studio at 3270 S Street NW, and more details on class times, ages and pricing at www.annabananaartsandcrafts.com.