What’s in a Name: Yucandu Art Studio
We get asked all the time, “what does your name mean?” Some people get it right away once they say it aloud. Other responses range from the quizzical to the downright confounded. Our name is very special to us and says everything about us you need to know: It’s art you can do. Today I’d love to share with you the inspiration for the name “Yucandu Art Studio” and how it came to be.
The Story of “Yucandu Art Studio”
Over 13 years ago, before Yucandu Art Studio came into existence, I taught art classes in my basement studio as well as a backyard summer camp. I, my 35+ students, and my new business partner, Holly Smith, started brainstorming names for our business idea. I received some wise advice from JB Lester, friend and publisher of The Healthy Planet. He advised us to include in our business name what we are and what we did.
While working on a business plan, Holly and I found ourselves finding/discovering all kinds of things and all types of art that “you can do”. In fact, we said the words “you can do” so often, it felt like it became one word to us, our mantra even. You can do mosaics. You can do collage projects. You can do painting projects. You can do jewelry projects. It went on and on.
So, to have a little fun with it, I played around with the spelling:
- Youcando
- you can do
- yucando
- yucandu
…but I wanted the word to look symmetrically pleasing, to be unique, and able to sound out easily. I took it to my art students, who ranged from Kindergarten to 4th grade-aged children. The kids LOVED the name YUCANDU. They could read it immediately and knew exactly how to say it.
We added the “Art Studio” to further include what we are and what we did. We had considered all kinds of things like “Art Center”, “Art Bar”, “Art Room”, and so many more. We decided on “Studio” because it felt right. We wanted it to evoke the feeling that the business was coming directly from my basement studio – shelves, tables, chairs and all.
You Can Do It!
Above is a painting my students all contributed to for our first Yucandu Art Studio banner and mailing. I remember us all painting it in my basement with the anticipation that soon we would be a real business in downtown Webster Groves, MO. Holly and I and our youngest children also included paintings of their self-portraits. It still proudly hangs in Yucandu Art Studio and has inspired many groups to make their own. It whispers ‘you can do this,’ to all who enter our studio. It’s why we keep the banner up to this day – to inspire you to try something new and to be unafraid when pursuing your creativity.
Our hope is that any time you come to Yucandu Art Studio you can see the potential for creativity everywhere. Art is something that everyone can and should do. We want to make sure that you know that you can!
