Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Smith.
Lindsey, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Art played a huge role in my childhood. It was fun, challenging, and therapeutic. It was my own language when I didn’t have the words to express my thoughts and feelings. It brought me so much joy.
When I was in elementary school, an artist visited our school and held a free drawing class for us. His name was Commander Mark, and I’ll never forget sitting there completely in awe of all the incredible drawings he guided us through. That experience was truly life-changing for me. It opened up my world to art and creativity in a way I had never experienced before.
Fast forward to adulthood. I’m still carrying that same little girl inside me, longing for creative experiences. I never stopped drawing, and thankfully I had very supportive parents who always encouraged me to keep creating. But even with their support, I always had the phrase “starving artist” lingering in the back of my mind. So when it came time for college, I chose not to attend art school and instead pursued a degree in Early Childhood Development.
I began teaching at a local children’s center and absolutely loved spending my days with kids. Their carefree spirits, ability to live in the moment, and limitless creativity brought so much joy and inspiration into my life. I later earned my Montessori teaching diploma and taught at a wonderful Montessori school in Austin.
As much as I loved teaching, the artist inside me was still begging to come out. I started taking on mural jobs, painting on the walls of local businesses — even a 15-foot satellite dish! I sold paintings at art shows around Austin, created commissioned pieces for people all over the map, and even illustrated three published children’s books.
I quickly realized that while I was finding success with my art, I still needed the stability of my teaching career. So I decided to combine the two things I loved most: art and working with children.
In 2012, I started offering after-school art classes at the school where I was teaching. The owners were incredibly supportive, and I’ll always be grateful for the way they encouraged my dream. I named my program Scribbles for Littles, officially registered it as a business, and jumped in wholeheartedly. I taught classes after my school day ended and throughout summer breaks. Before long, the program began growing and expanding into multiple schools.
After three years, I took the leap and left my teaching job to pursue my business full time. That was back in 2015.
Since then, with the help of my amazing teachers, we’ve grown to partner with dozens of schools and bring creative art experiences to children all across the Austin area. And now, through Scribble Land Studio, I get to continue sharing the same kind of magical creative experiences that once inspired little-girl me all those years ago.
Sometimes all it takes is one creative experience, one encouraging adult, or one moment of inspiration to change the course of a child’s life. I know because it changed mine.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Over the past 14 years, I’ve definitely hit some bumps in the road. In the beginning though, things felt surprisingly smooth, and honestly, I think a lot of that had to do with being young, naive, and not yet having a child. Since my business was mobile at the time, I also didn’t have the overhead of a storefront. Everything worked in my favor and gave me the courage to take risks. I was able to bootstrap the business and slowly build it step by step.
For the first seven years, things ran almost *too* smoothly. It was like I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop.
And then it did.
In March of 2020, the pandemic hit, and everything came to a screeching halt — just like the rest of the world. My classes stopped overnight. I tried to pivot by boxing up our art projects into art kits and selling them online. We sold hundreds of kits on Etsy, and I loved being able to share our projects with children all over the country. We received such wonderful feedback, and I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who supported us during that time.
But the truth is — it still wasn’t sustainable.
I had no idea how to market a product-based business, and while I appreciated the opportunity, it didn’t bring me the same joy that teaching in person did. I missed being with the kids. I missed hearing the funny stories my teachers would share after class. I missed the connection, the laughter, the creativity happening together in real time.
I felt defeated. I was convinced the dream business I had built was gone for good. I truly didn’t think it would be possible to revive it.
But in 2022… we came back.
That season changed me deeply. It was painful, and I never want to relive it, but it taught me so much about resilience, gratitude, and growth. I learned that sometimes, in order to grow, things have to get uncomfortable first.
For a long time, I viewed the art kits as a failure. But now I see them differently. I realize that what we often call “failure” is really just wisdom in disguise. Sometimes you win, and when you don’t, you gain lessons, perspective, and strength. It’s all part of the process.
And now, here I am again — on another bumpy road — after taking a huge leap and opening our very first brick-and-mortar location: Scribble Land Studio.
I already know this journey will continue to stretch and challenge me. These first few months alone have taught me so much. It’s not easy, and I know there will be more lessons ahead. But no matter what comes from this experience, one thing remains true:
I’m doing something I absolutely love.
I get to create meaningful art experiences for some of the coolest, most creative kids imaginable and witness the joy that art brings into their lives every single day.
That’s my mission in life.
And while pursuing your dream can come at a cost sometimes… to me, it’s worth it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Scribble Land Studio?
Scribble Land Studio and Scribbles for Littles were created to give children meaningful creative experiences that inspire confidence, imagination, and joy through art.
Scribbles for Littles began in 2012 as a mobile art program offering after-school classes at schools throughout the Austin area. Over the years, the program has grown to partner with dozens of schools and serve children all over central Texas. That journey eventually led to the opening of Scribble Land Studio, our first brick-and-mortar creative space in Liberty Hill, where we offer classes, camps, workshops, and birthday parties.
What sets us apart is that we focus on the creative experience just as much as the final artwork. Our classes encourage individuality, self-expression, and process-based art rather than perfection. With a background in Early Childhood Development and Montessori education, our programs are thoughtfully designed to support both creativity and child development.
We’re most proud of the welcoming community we’ve built and the joy we get to bring to children through art. At the heart of everything we do is the belief that creativity matters, childhood should feel magical, and every child deserves a space where they feel inspired, confident, and free to create.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
The thing about risk-taking is that it’s terrifying and exciting all at the same time. I once heard someone say that fear will always be part of taking risks, but if the excitement is greater than the fear, then it’s probably a risk worth taking. That really stayed with me.
You never truly know what’s possible unless you try. And personally, I’d rather take the risk of failing — or really, gaining wisdom — than spend my life wondering “what if?”
I also think there are many different levels of risk-taking, and being more cautious has honestly been healthier for me and my nervous system. I’m not trying to build some giant empire. I simply want to make a living serving children and the community by sharing the joy of creating art.
That alone feels incredibly meaningful and fulfilling to me. Knowing I might be making a positive difference in the lives of young children is what truly makes my life feel rich.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://scribblelandstudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scribblesforlittles/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scribblesforlittles/
