Maplewood Business: The Turner Center for the Arts

Maplewood is a blossoming city that has a very unique and special persona shaped by an abundance of artistic energy, boundless creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, a sense of community, and widespread charitable kindness. One member of our business community that embodies the very best of the fabrics that make up Maplewood is the Turner Center for the Arts.

From just walking in to the Turner Center I knew right away that it was a special place. I was warmly greeted by several artists who were eager to show me their work. The Turner Center is an art studio which gives people with behavioral issues and disabilities an outlet to express their creativity.

 The studio sessions for these artists have proven to be very beneficial. Some artists who have not been able to contain their behavioral issues elsewhere have had no problems at all at the Turner Center. Director Nate Larson attributes this to the freedom of choice that the artists have and the noninvasive environment that the friendly staff provides.

Many of the artists at the Turner Center are highly skilled despite whatever disabilities they may have. The art is created using a variety of media like pencils, paints, and paint markers and is created on many surfaces ranging from paper to suitcases. 

The Turner Center is a very affordable place for the artists to work and is willing to make deals with artists who can’t meet the very nominal fees. In order to support the Turner Center they sell some of the art that is created there. Half of the proceeds go to the artists who often times are on very limited fixed incomes and the other half goes to the Turner Center to help support the costs of supplies. The Turner Center utilizes another creative project to generate funding as well called Art House Coffee.

Art House Coffee is a coffee service that benefits the Turner Center for the Arts. You can have everything coffee, from beans to full service, delivered to your door for daily coffee or meetings. The coffee beans are purchased from responsibly grown suppliers and are roasted at the Turner Center. In addition to the coffee delivery service Art House Coffee has a coffee machine dubbed the“Coffee Beast”. The Beast was previously housed at the Crestwood Courts where it dispensed fresh coffee and provided its proceeds to the Turner Center. In addition to serving delicious coffee the Beast provided a supported work experience for a person with disabilities. Really, how could you go wrong with delicious coffee while supporting a great cause?

Be sure to make a stop at the Turner Center during Let Them Eat Art on Friday July 13th and be sure to try out their coffee as well. Their website is www.turnercenterforthearts.org, and they can be reached at 781-4440. Art House Coffee has a website www.arthousecoffees.com gibe them a try for your daily coffee or meetings. If you know of any places that they may be able to fit the Coffee Beast give them a call at 306-7626.