The Founder:
Agnes Pierscieniak
Agnes is a designer, artist and educator living in the Bay Area. Inspired by art, nature and travel, Agnes is passionate about meeting new people and making beautiful things. She loves vibrant color and exuberant patterns, creating art in a variety of media from hand dyed textiles to screenprints and collage. She received her MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and has taught at Otis, Otis Extension, USC and RISD. Having the opportunity to travel and attend art workshops in far flung places like India and Japan, Agnes was inspired to connect global crafts with local students.
Agnes worked as a Graphic Designer then Creative Director in different design firms for 10 plus years. In 2020, she decided to leave her full-time job to focus on bringing art to corporate teams who are dealing with stress and burnout, one art workshop at a time. Since then, she has led mindful making experiences for over 2000 corporate team participants all around the world. She focuses on abstract methods and engaging techniques learned from global artisans. Agnes founded Crave Workshops to encourage community and connection through hands on art experiences.
“I believe in curiosity, creativity and empowering everyone through art and design. I founded Crave Workshops to encourage human connection through hands on art experiences. I have grown Crave Workshops from a series of backyard art parties to workshops, immersions, and retreats for global companies and organizations around the country.
My background in graphic design focused on branding and strategy. I designed numerous international projects, creating stories and experiences. I realized that the success of my projects relied upon building teamwork and encouraging a growth mindset. Art school taught me to be fearless. To try new things. To not be afraid of failure. To work well with others. I started Crave Workshops to encourage improving relationships and empower participants through art.
I am filled with gratitude when people say that I gave them space to breathe or that my art class helped them conquer fears. With Crave Workshops, I get to listen to people, learn about their lives, share my story, connect and belong. Making things together has this power. No matter where we come from or what we do, we all belong. ”
Brittany Halaska
Brittany Halaska is an artist and proud owner of
Painting on the Rocks-Traveling Paint and Sip Parties. She
studied at University of Missouri Saint Louis and earned
her BFA in Art Education. Brittany has painted with
hundreds of guests in homes, restaurants, bars,
community centers, & many more venues.
She attributes her success to the deeper purpose of
helping people ignite their inner creative and is spreading
her love for painting in her community and across the
globe. As Picasso said, "The meaning of life is to find your
gift, the purpose of life is to give it away."
Brittany is our artist partner and helps assemble our kits. She also joins us in assisting larger virtual events.
Cheryl Cooper
Cheryl is our partner in hosting our retreats. She shares her creative talents and mindful spirit to inspire everyone.
Cheryl is a crafter, hand-maker and nature lover with a background in wardrobe styling and organizing art events for high school artists. Her home is in Ojai, where she lives with her husband, Mason and their sweet bunny named Bun.
“I love to encourage people to connect with their own creative spirit through nature crafting. My joy is to provide and share a nurturing, peaceful space where one can be in the present moment, making their own sacred objects made from foraged finds... such as sticks, leaves, feathers, rocks and crystals. Recently, my days have been spent making inks from local plants, berries and flowers. Nature making can teach us to slow down, to breathe in and breathe out, to create freely without judgement and to connect with the beauty all around us and in ourselves. I am so excited and grateful to be sharing the play and practice of mindful making with you.”
We are always looking to collaborate with passionate creatives! If you have an idea for a future workshop, let us know.
“Spent a wonderful day making shibori with Agnes and a lovely group of people. Agnes is a pro instructor, thorough and attentive to each person. Shibori is a great technique because you can be as precise or as effortless as you want to be. There are pleasant surprises either way and I don’t think you can have a “bad” result even if you tried!”