I recently discovered a delightful gathering place for community art, craft and music making while walking down Bridge Street in Phoenixville. It’s called Sunstone Studios and Lighthouse Lounge. Intrigued by all the art in the windows, I open the door and stepped into a very welcoming and playful living room/art and music studio, kinda sorta. I heard loud and clearly the call for anyone with a spark of creativity to come on in and play. Wow, never experienced anything like this before.

There are comfy couches and overstuffed chairs and artwork EVERYWHERE, a gigantic chess board and other board games set up and ready to play, murals, a little do it yourself snack bar, video games, a TV! and then way in the back a performance stage.

I had a chance to speak with Dave and Don, founders of this unique place and learned that the art in the Sunstone Art Gallery and Store is made by local artists and craftspeople. In addition, weekly art workshops and monthly craft meetings are held in the lounge.

Dave and Don are artists and musicians themselves and bring in a diverse array of musical performances, and provide jams and open mikes. There seems to be some kind of musical performance every night!  What impressed me immensely is their committment to providing an affordable haven for young people to express themselves.

I took my teenage musician son in one afternoon for a jam, and both Dave and Don hopped up on stage with him. They all played together while I sat and schmoozed with an artist who was in the process of creating a wood sculpture.

This place is huge and goes waaaay back to the performance stage, so I was surprised to hear that even beyond that is a recording studio!

Last Sunday I went to my second art and craft get together there.  It’s was so nice to crawl out of my winter studio and spend the afternoon with some   new and talented friends, including Gwen, Melissa and Holly.

I plan to return for a sock making workshop next month that Melissa will be teaching, as soon as I brush up on some basic knitting skills.

Sunstone Studios/Lighthouse Lounge is an innovative space/place/venue,  available to support each member of the community with whatever is up their creative sleeve.

For more information, and for a schedule of events and opportunities visit the Sunstone Studios website at www.SunstoneMusicStudios.com

Or visit the Lighthouse Lounge Facebook Page

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