When I first moved to Summit in December of 2024, one of the very first places people told me about was The Happy Easel. As a mom, I was immediately intrigued — my kids have always loved art. And as an artist myself, I thought, how perfect! But here’s the funny thing: my kids don’t really want to learn from me. They’d much rather go somewhere fun, get their hands messy, and hear instructions from someone new — someone like Beth Sheppard, the owner of The Happy Easel.
From the start, I could tell Beth had something special. When I first met her, she modestly told me, “I don’t do fine art, I do fun art.” But after getting to know her and seeing what she does, I couldn’t disagree more. What Beth does — teaching, planning, and encouraging creativity in others — takes incredible patience, skill, and heart. In my eyes, that’s every bit as much an art form as painting itself.
Beth opened The Happy Easel with a clear mission: to create a space where creativity feels natural, not intimidating — a place where anyone, at any age or skill level, can feel like an artist. “My inspiration came from wanting people to have a fun and stress-free place to relax, enjoy themselves, and forget about everything else except what’s happening in that moment,” she says.
Before opening her studio, Beth taught in the classroom and began hosting small afterschool paint parties for her students. She noticed how happy it made them — that spark of pride when they created something all on their own. “They were proud of what they did,” she recalls. “It became so popular that I thought, I need to share this with not only kids, but adults too.”
Today, The Happy Easel offers a wide variety of creative opportunities: afterschool art classes for kids from K4 through 9th grade, summer art camps, open studio hours, birthday parties, private paint events, and themed workshops. Whether you’ve been painting for years or have never picked up a brush, Beth’s step-by-step guidance makes it easy to join in. “I say, art is for everyone,” she explains. “Art takes practice, just like anything else. Most people aren’t born artists — it’s learned. If you can follow instructions, you can paint.”
When new customers walk into her studio, Beth says she usually sees curiosity first — and then a smile. “I get told daily that people are so glad our community has something like this now,” she says. “I wanted to create an atmosphere of welcome and happiness, and that’s what I did.”
That joy and connection carry over into every event she hosts. Beth laughs when recalling a couple of memorable moments — like the time the water was shut off or when the power went out mid-class. “We didn’t let that stop us!” she says. “Each party and class has taught me something and reminded me why I do this. When people leave smiling, that’s how I know it’s a success.”
The Happy Easel isn’t just about art — it’s about community. Beth regularly partners with local schools, church groups, and nonprofits, including Pike School of Art. She also works with small businesses that sponsor paint parties for others. “Being a small business in a small town has its perks,” she says. “Word of mouth is everything, and my customers are my best advertisers.”
As for what’s next, Beth has plenty of creative plans up her sleeve. She recently added hat painting classes and a new “Paint & Graze” mini charcuterie workshop. She hopes to expand into ceramics, wood, glass resin, and other specialty art forms — and one day, she’d love to transform an old school bus into a mobile art studio. “That sounds so fun to me,” she says with a grin. “I’m always wanting to do more.”
And that’s what makes The Happy Easel such a special place — it’s not just about painting, it’s about possibility. For kids, for adults, for anyone looking to rediscover the simple joy of creating. In Summit, Mississippi, Beth Sheppard has built more than an art studio — she’s built a place where happiness and creativity live side by side.
*Photos courtesy of The Happy Easel/Chelsey George
