It is no wonder that the name Fayetteville conjures up images of fairies. The Ozark landscape seems to invite all manner of magic, and perhaps no place around Fayetteville is more magical than Terra Studios.
The aroma of gardens and the sound of fountains greet visitors to the studios’ six-acre art park, where whimsical statues perch on rocks and peek at visitors from behind shrubbery. Hundreds of artists contributed to the sculptures, murals and glasswork that have made Terra Studios such an iconic spot for photos.Â
Two highlights of the grounds are the Wizard’s Cave, a charming structure home to crafted creatures and dazzling glasswork, and the Terra Studios Labyrinth, a classic seven-channel outdoor labyrinth constructed using standing slabs of Weddington limestone.
Inside the gallery, visitors can browse artwork by more than 120 regional artists. In addition to pottery, glasswork, paintings and drawings, the collection offers jewelry, metalwork, woodwork, textiles and papercrafts.
Terra Studios also has a snack bar that features imaginative hand-decorated booths where diners can nosh on desserts made by local chefs while sipping locally roasted Arsaga’s Coffee. On Sundays, the space plays host to northwest Arkansas musicians, who perform acoustic tunes from a variety of genres.
“We are a nonprofit with the mission of using art to create a better world,” said Emma Fuston, executive director. “We are always looking for new artists to include in our gallery and new musicians to add to our performance roster.”
Running a successful nonprofit requires unwavering dedication and the mindset that one is never truly off the clock, she said, adding that the organization devotes all its resources, profits, donations and energy to promoting art, inspiring creativity and fostering a brighter future.
Those interested in pursuing the arts can find classes for all ages and at all price points that allow students to complete projects ranging from pinch pots, dyed scarves and stained-glass birds to clay figurines, fairy houses and troll sculptures. Terra Studios also hosts monthly events such as Art Lab, a low-cost, all-ages class in which participants make projects ranging from origami to paintings.Â
“No registration is required,” Fuston said. “Just drop in, sit down and make the craft.” Â
She added that she and the rest of the five-person staff at Terra Studios enjoy feeling the love of visitors and donors, as well as seeing guests’ faces light up when they see the artwork or complete a piece of their own.
“We are so proud of the long history we have with the northwest Arkansas community,” Fuston said.
Terra Studios began in 1975, when Leo and Rita Ward established the glass and pottery studio with their son John. Leo was a master glass artist, Rita was a recognized potter and sculptor, and John is an accomplished artist who works in a variety of forms, including cartooning, pottery, sculpture, painting and photography. Leo and Rita are now deceased, and John continues his work from his private studio.
In 2007, James Ulick bought Terra Studios and, struck with a vision of using art to create a better world, spent several years reinvesting, renovating and revitalizing to turn Terra Studios into the Wonderland it is today.
Perhaps the most iconic item ever crafted at Terra Studios is the glass Bluebird of Happiness. Created in 1983, the Wards first sold the bluebirds via mail-order before the items achieved national and international renown. More than 8 million Bluebirds of Happiness were handblown at Terra Studios, and the figurines are a common sight in Arkansas homes.
However, the birds have not been produced in the past several years because the manufacturing process generates large amounts of greenhouse gases.
“We suspended our Bluebird of Happiness production in January 2020, hoping to find a cleaner, more sustainable way of creating the bluebirds so as not to add to the growing climate change concern,” Fuston said. “We are still researching ways we can make bringing them back possible.”
She said she and the staff at Terra Studios hope to continue the organization’s community outreach through seasonal events and low-cost art projects as well as further the studios’ emphasis on offering art education for all and creating a place where local artists can show and sell their work.Â
“I am so happy and honored to be a representative and leader of Terra Studios,” she added. “I have an enormous respect for the legacy the Wards left behind, and I strive to continue our mission of using art to create a better world.”
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