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Child’s Play: Rock Paper Scissors 30A

Children’s games run the gamut from the simple to the complex. Hopscotch and hide-and-seek require little more than sidewalk chalk, quick feet and imagination. Games like Monopoly or even a basic scavenger hunt require a bit more strategy. And, then there’s the classic: Rock, paper, scissors. Around here, Rock Paper Scissors is more about letting the creative juices flow than paper covering rock” although there are plenty of opportunities for “scissors to cut paper.”

Confused? Don’t be.

Rock Paper Scissors 30A is a unique art experience for both locals and visitors of all ages and skill levels. From creations on canvas to more functional projects like painting birdhouses, this creative space is the perfect place to spend a day — rain or shine.

“I totally understand why people come in when it rains because there’s not much else to do and you’re stuck in your rental and you can’t go outside,” said owner Jessica Williams, remembering a particularly lengthy rainy day waitlist. “But, I always encourage people, if you can, take 45 minutes out of a nice day and come in. It’s a totally different experience and so much more enjoyable.”

Williams opened Rock Paper Scissors in 2019 to help fill the void left when Fired Up left Seaside, Florida, and to supplement the creative experience for older artists offered by Grayton Beach’s The Shard Shop. Williams’ husband, Chandler, is the face of Modus Photography, which occupies gallery space nearby. When the couple’s youngest child started kindergarten, they started brainstorming ideas for a new venture.

“I’ve always enjoyed doing artistic things so when I was a stay-at-home mom, a bunch of us would get together and do things just to sort of help each other out,” said Williams, who took art classes in college. “Our first ‘child’ was a set of twins and then we had another so I can entertain some kids.”

While The Shard Shop caters to a slightly older audience, Williams opted to gear projects toward a younger audience, making it the perfect pit stop for everyone from today’s budding Picasso to the more seasoned crowd. Opening in 2019, they’d only had their doors open for a year when COVID hit.

“We were kind of figuring everything out, finding the right vendors, sourcing the right products and then COVID happened,” Williams said. “Out of that, we started making what we call our ‘Take-Home Kits,’ with all the supplies needed and little YouTube tutorials to follow. It was so well received and it was fun, too. 

“A lot of locals were like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s what got us through COVID,” she continued. “So, each week, we released a new project and then had a pick-up day to get the kits.”

From creating slime and painting rocks and fashioning bobblehead animals made from nut shells, everything at Rock Paper Scissors is priced per project — as little as $5 each. You can book a time to make something in-studio (perfect after a day of too much sun) or grab a kit to do at home. And, true to the creative personality type, there are no rules. Well, sort of.

“You can come in, stay as long as you want, and make one project or several,” she offered, citing one exclusion — her ‘rainy day policy’ of one project per child. “If the weather is bad, we just want everyone to get their chance to come in.”

Williams cited one family that started coming to the studio when their child was just five years old. Years later, she found herself—and her art—on the Rock Paper Scissors social media accounts.

“It’s really fun for us to hear those stories,” she said. “And, we have this whole gallery wall here dedicated to the projects we make.”

Rock Paper Scissors offers roughly 70 different projects, some of which require little to no artistic experience. Templates for tracing sea turtles and bits and bobs like glass, shells, rocks and more can be used to customize each project. And, dismiss the notion that this is only for girls; boys love projects like sharks, surfers, dragons and more.

“We have some parents who use this as a souvenir so instead of buying some little plastic ​​tchotchke you throw out in a few months, they can take these home and not only remember the experience but the vacation, too,” Williams said.

Maybe the biggest draw for parents, Williams opined, is there’s no mess to clean up.

“Parents are so thrilled,” she said, with a laugh. “The paint on the tables, the sand, the glitter, the shells, the glass … it’s everywhere. And, we clean it up. People are like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is the best thing ever because it’s not happening at my house.’”

Rock Paper Scissors offers open studio hours on a walk-in, go-at-your-own-pace basis. The only limitation is the one-project maximum on bad weather days. Budding artists can walk in, choose a project by the numbering system and get all the necessary components to get started.

“If you have a three-year-old, a seven-year-old and a 13-year-old, all of them are going to find something here that will interest them,” Williams said. “Everyone gets to pick their own age-appropriate project but you’re all creating at the same time.”

To learn more, visit rockpaperscissors30a.com or check out operating hours and opportunities on Facebook or Instagram.

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