About Hands to Art Pottery Studio
Our Inspiration
At Hands to Art, we believe life is like a continuous line. Every turn you take and every choice you make becomes part of that continuous line.
Sometimes, you may not understand why things happen, but when you step back to see the bigger picture, you’ll see those moments led you to where you are.
The pieces you create here aren’t just art – they hold the memories you made while creating them, becoming part of your story and etched in your mind. Our continuous line drawings reflect that belief – that every memory, every curve of the line, comes together to form your unique masterpiece that is your life story.
Meet Melissa
I first joined the Hands to Art team in 2012 and quickly fell in love with the warm, family-friendly environment and the joy it brings to others. When Kim Washko (the previous owner) decided to retire, I couldn’t imagine letting go of the incredible community she had nurtured. I knew I wanted to help it live on.
Now, as the studio’s owner, my goal is to preserve everything that made Hands to Art special while continuing to grow, adapt, and serve the amazing families, artists, and visitors who walk through our doors. Whether it’s a child’s first birthday plate, a weekend outing, or just a quiet afternoon of painting, we aim to make each visit memorable.
How It All Started for Me
In 2012, I had come to Idaho to visit my cousin and during the trip she suggested we go to the local pyop studio. There she took that opportunity to try to convince me to move to Idaho. My cousin decided to ask if the studio we were at was hiring.
She went over and talked to the owner who was working and apparently someone had just moved away. We set up an interview a few days later.
The day I went to pick up my pottery, changed the entire trajectory of my life as I knew it.
The owner asked when I would be able to start.
Next thing I knew I was packing up everything I owned into a uhaul, towing my car behind it and I drove from Portland, Oregon to Post Falls, Idaho, where I moved in with my cousin for about 3 months until I found my very own apartment.
Over the years I had come to love this little pottery studio and I was scared someone was going to come in and change everything and get rid of everything that made it special!
It was at that time, it hit me, maybe I could find a way to buy it from her? I talked with my family, and with their help, I went to Kim two days later and I told her I was thinking I wanted to buy the studio. I asked if she would consider selling Hands to Art to me. She happily agreed to let me take the reins. Just like that, three short months later, on December 30th 2021 we signed the papers and I officially took over as the owner of Hands to Art.
When I first started to work it was very part time, maybe 4 hours a day 3 days a week, but I was smitten, I loved the job.
I loved all the people, and I loved getting to learn from the owner! After a few years getting the hang of how everything worked, I was promoted to manager and I continued working here for nearly 10 years. I was content to stay here for the foreseeable future, I simply loved the job!
Then, one day in September of 2021, the owner announced she had decided that it was time to step back and retire, and that she would be putting the business up for sale in the coming weeks.
Meet The Team
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Melissa
Owner, Artist
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Kristi
Manager
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Bre
Studio Supervisor
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Kim
Previous Owner, Impressions
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Tiffany
Staff Member
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Ky
Staff member
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Kai
Staff Member
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Rochelle
Staff member
In addition to the folks above, we also employ many amazing artists and friendly folks all around Coeur d'Alene! You’ll see more friendly faces at Hands to Art, and we appreciate every one.
Melissa’s Backstory & Experience
I have been creative since I was little, so when I went to college at Washington State University I decided I wanted to study fine arts. After about 18 months I got wary about what jobs I might be able to get with a fine arts degree when I graduated.
So, I decided to change my major to Hospitality and Business Management, while still keeping Fine Arts as my minor. When I left school in 2007 I wasn’t sure what I was going to do for work… I surely didn't think that the two things I studied in college would BOTH actually become very helpful in my day to day life nearly 20 years later!
