About Us

MUSEjar is a space for all things inspiring and creative with a goal of supporting wellbeing through self-expression.

We are an art studio, pottery studio and retail shop. Our store carries a curated selection of art supplies and beautifully designed and crafted goods. Our studio hosts a wide variety of workshops to help you find your MUSE. Our art studio is available for private events, parties and get togethers of all kinds. Our private art space is a beautiful blank canvas for creating one of a kind experiences.

Vanessa Frost

OWNER + FOUNDER

Hi! I'm Vanessa, the muse behind MUSEjar. I LOVE teaching and inspiring others to find their muse. What is a muse? It's that one thing that sets your soul on fire. Yes, it changes and evolves over time, but whatever fans the flame, THAT is it. I love helping people discover their muse and encouraging them to keep feeding the fire, whether it's through supplies, conversation, classes, lessons, or even social events. Encouraging and inspiring others is what it's all about.

That is how MUSEjar was born — filling a void of creativity and community. A place where people can gather and express themselves, learn new things, and even find themselves.

The number one question I get is, "Did you go to art school?" Almost like, did you get the universal stamp of approval to DO THE THING? Yes, I did. I went to The University of Vermont for Film and Studio Art. I painted and threw clay until the sun came up and made movies with my friends every chance I got. I moved to NYC to work in film and would staple raw canvas to my apartment walls so I could paint in my free time. I was never not creating.

Some things you may not know about me...I love artichokes, I'd choose cheese over chocolate any day of the week and I was born in the desert (Arizona). I've been to 12 countries and don't plan to stop anytime soon.

Travel, people, nature, and music are my MUSES.

Our Mission

Our passion is living creatively, and we're here to inspire and support you in the pursuit.

We believe in the power of creating, and embrace it's ability to shape a full and fun life.

Art comes in endless forms and we want you to find your MUSE!

Meet the team

Charmaine Mirsky

Charmaine, born and raised in San Jose, CA, grew up helping her father, a self-taught engineer and architect, with home projects. She holds a BA in Design Studies and Photography from San Jose State. In 2015, she moved to East Aurora and left her career as a graphic designer to stay home with her two young boys. Now an artist, maker, builder, and DIYer, Charmaine is always in search of a creative outlet and enjoys working with any artistic tools, whether it's a pen, brush, clay, or power tool.

Lisa Pimental

Lisa Pimental of HandOnTheDoor is a life-long artist as well as a visual arts educator who has a true passion for drawing and for the tactile nuances of paint. Holding a Bachelor degree in Visual Arts, as well as a Master of Arts in Education, Lisa traded in her career as a traditional classroom teacher in order to spend invaluable quality time with her family while also reviving her love for creating meaningful works of art.

Emily O'Connor

I’m Emily! My two biggest passions in life are Art and Mental Health, and I am a huge advocate for using art as a form of self-care. For me, art is therapy. My biggest goal in every one of my classes is to create an open, safe space, to allow the community to have a judgement-free zone to create.