Byram artist opens Crafters, offers paint classes

Brianna Graham is owner of Crafters in Byram that offers paint classes and paint parties for adults and children. PHOTO BY SHANDERIA K. POSEY

By Shanderia K. Posey

Editor

Brianna Graham is owner of Crafters in Byram that offers paint classes and paint parties for adults and children. PHOTO BY SHANDERIA K. POSEY
Brianna Graham is owner of Crafters in Byram that offers paint classes and paint parties for adults and children. PHOTO BY SHANDERIA K. POSEY

What is faith?

Well for 23 year-old Brianna Graham of Byram, faith is leaving a full-time job to start your own business.

Graham, a naturally talented painter/artist, held a grand opening for her new store called Crafters April 9, in Byram. The store is located off Siwell Road next to Kroger.

“God just placed this on my heart to do … and we need something in Byram to do because we always have to travel so far to do things,” Graham said. Around September of last year, she had the idea to open Crafters.

Crafters offers children paint parties and adult paint parties to celebrate birthdays or just a “girls night out.” Children parties for those 16 and younger are $10 per person and each child gets an 11 x 14 canvas to create artwork. Adult parties are $16 per person and each person gets a 16 x 20 canvas to paint. All parties last for two hours.

Art classes will be offered at various times. Sometimes the classes will direct participants to paint certain pictures and other classes will allow participants to paint anything they want.

One unique aspect of Crafters is what Graham calls “painting for a cause.” Under this category, participants can paint to raise awareness and funds for an issue. For example, April is Autism Awareness Month and Child Abuse Awareness Month, so from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 16, Crafters will host a special class for autism awareness and 10 percent of the proceeds will go toward the cause.

Store hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and Graham is still working on including a break at some point in the day. The morning hours will be reserved for home-schooled students and other kids to enjoy art.

Unlike other establishments similar to Crafters who allow adults to bring in alcohol to “sip and paint” during classes or parties, at Crafters no alcohol is allowed, but snacks and nonalcoholic drinks are permitted.

Graham has some formal training in painting thanks to graphic design and interior design classes she took at the University of Southern Mississippi. However,  the artwork on display at Crafters’ grand opening reflects her natural talent. She’s been painting since she was a little girl.

It was scary for her to give up a full-time job, and she almost talked herself out of starting Crafters, but she forged ahead.

“The more I saw people being interested in it, I knew that it would be a success,” Graham said.

Plenty of friends, family and fellow church members of Relate Church in Byram came out in support of Graham’s entrepreneurial endeavor last weekend.

Imani Badon, 19, of Jackson attends Relate with Graham and was at the event.

“She’s been talking about doing this for a long time. She’s been working so hard. It’s just so good to see it,” said Badon.

For more information, visit www.craftersms.com.

Participants in Crafters classes can learn to create all sorts of paintings. PHOTO BY SHANDERIA K. POSEY
Participants in Crafters classes can learn to create all sorts of paintings. PHOTO BY SHANDERIA K. POSEY

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