My Biz: Marion artist’s studio morphs into ‘creative hub’

MARION - Dori Patrick has long had a passion for creating vibrant works of art.

A local artist turned entrepreneur, Patrick now operates the Dreaming Bear Art Studio in Uptown Marion. The shop is a make-and-take art studio, where Patrick hopes other creative types will dream up their own creative expressions.

'Folks can just stop in and create,” Patrick said. The studio has supplies for painting, collage and mosaic projects and hosts parties, workshops, team building activities and art camps for kids.

'Kids generally have no problem digging right in and being creative,” she said. 'Adults, in my experience however, often need some coaxing. It's very satisfying to see my customers go home with a smile on their face, and a cool project in their hand that they created themselves.”

Patrick opened the Dreaming Bear in the spring of 2004, after having worked in variety of jobs - trying everything from serving Maid Rites to working at a local skating rink. She also had been selling her own art work and eventually found a way to combine her own studio and retail space with a spot for other art lovers to convene.

'Gradually, my calling became helping others - kids in particular - make their own creations,” she said. 'The Dreaming Bear has morphed into a creativity hub.”

Growing up on a farm near Washington, Iowa, Patrick said her family was a huge creative influence. 'I have created with my hands my whole life,” she said. 'The women in my family, and some of the men, are all ‘makers' of some sort - seamstresses, crafters, woodworkers.”

Now, Patrick can be found at the Dreaming Bear most every day it is open. Her two part-time employees help her keep things running, but Patrick admits the search for balance in running her business and creating her own art work continues.

'When you own a small business, you can easily work every hour of every day,” she said. 'I really did, in the beginning, just to keep things afloat.”

But she said she's getting better at making the time for the other things important to her, including her creative spirit.

'You have to have down time if you want to remain creative,” she said.

At a glance

l Name: Dori Patrick

l Title: Owner

l Company: The Dreaming Bear Art Studio

l Address: 720 11th St., Marion

l Phone: (319) 373-7070

l Website: www.thedreamingbear.blogspot.com

l Know a company in business for more than a year that would make an ideal My Biz? Contact Chelsea Keenan at chelsea.keenan@thegazette.com