Feature: Mary Pottenger and The Process Art Studio

In August of this year I launched LIT Comms and within a few short weeks I had been connected with 1 Million Cups – Mishawaka, thanks to Liz Georges. That first time I was there I met Mary Pottenger of The Process Art Studio, and I knew I wanted to boost her local image as she was focused on the arts. Eventually I got to sit down with Mary at Chicory Cafe and we talked about our artistic, personal, and professional backgrounds.

Shortly after, I took a trip to Indianapolis and on the way back I noticed a sign for Tipton, Indiana. I remembered that’s where Mary said she was originally from, and so I looked them up to learn about the town of approximately 5,000 residents. Moving to northwestern Indiana to attend Bethel University (then Bethel College) was definitely a change for Mary. From the 5,000 folks in Tipton to over 150,000 in South Bend/Mishawaka, the possibilities only grew for the artist. 

“I have been an artist all my life. My earliest memories involve goofy projects that my grandfather came up with to keep me busy as a toddler. I had no idea that this stuff was process art – and neither did he. Art stayed with me and helped me throughout my life and I am so glad I have the opportunity to give others the same gift! I really believe in the power of process art and want others to also experience it.”

Process Art is an artistic movement that should be self-explanatory: the focus is not on the end goal or finished product, but on the…wait for it…process of creating the art.

According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children, these are the characteristics of Process-Focused Art:

• There are no step-by-step instructions
• There is no sample for children to follow
• There is no right or wrong way to explore and create
• The art is focused on the experience and on exploration of techniques, tools, and materials
• The art is unique and original
• The experience is relaxing or calming
• The art is entirely the children’s own
• The art experience is a child’s choice
• Ideas are not readily available online

Conversely, these are the characteristics of Product-Focused Art:

• Children have instructions to follow
• The teacher created a sample for children to copy
• There’s a right and a wrong way to proceed
• There’s a finished product in mind
• The children’s finished art all looks the same
• The children experience frustration
• The teacher might “fix mistakes”
• The whole class took part in an art project at the same time
• Patterns and examples are readily available online

The Process Art Studio is located in downtown Mishawaka, less than a mile from the beautiful Riverwalk area. Before The Process was opened, Mary obtained Bachelor’s degrees in Visual Arts and Psychology from Bethel University in 2015. In 2023 she finished her master’s in Art Therapy from St. Mary’s of the Woods College.

“I was burnt out from working a full-time job, being in graduate school, and working at an internship for 20 hours a week. I needed a change and I thought why not turn the self-care that I need into something that can help others? I knew I could not be the only one who needed an outlet for creativity without pressure of a perfect end result. I had the space for it and decided to jump in and see what happened.”

So what’s the drive behind The Process Art Studio?

“I teach art classes that are all about exploration, trying new things, thinking outside the box. Like the title of the business, I focus on the process of making art, not the end result. There is something for all ages – adults need this exploration just as much as kids do! Process art is so important for our ability to be creative, solve problems, be mindful, have fun, and a never-ending list of other benefits I could go on and on about.”

What special sauce do you bring?

“I really focus on allowing my customers to explore and learn. One of my favorite things is when I get asked “Can I do this?” or “What would happen if I…?”. My response is almost always “Well, let’s try it and find out!”. If I have it in the studio, it’s probably fair game to use in a class. Because of this, nobody leaves a class making something that looks exactly like what someone else made. Everyone gets a completely unique experience. Everyone can leave knowing a little more about art and a little more about themselves.”

Mary continues to share, “We live in a world that says our worth is based on our accomplishments, money, and charisma. But I want to create a world where even if it’s just for an hour in one of my classes, we don’t have to measure ourselves by if our art (or anything else) is “good.” I want to create an environment where we can be happy to exist and create without pressure or judgment.”

Imagine that, a place where someone can just feel and create and express and not have to worry about the end result, or anyone passing judgement on what’s being created. We aren’t creating for criticism’s sake, we’re creating to create and express. It’s all about…you guess it…The Process.