PELHAM – On June 27, painting studio Party Art opened its doors at a new location at 2655 Pelham Parkway in the Pelham Promenade shopping center.

After being located in Old Town Helena for two and a half years, Party Art owner Abbey Thompson said she was in need of a bigger studio.

“We are thrilled to be in Pelham and so very thankful to Helena for supporting us through this journey the last two and a half years,” Thompson said.

Thompson said her studio went from being 750 square feet to 2,500 square feet, which has given her the space needed to incorporate more interior décor painting options for customers.

Party Art offers painting parties for children and adults, walk-in painting hours, custom door hangers and more. Thompson said Party Art has more than 20 door hanger options per season for customers to pick from.

“Everything is custom,” Thompson said. “People bring in their own ideas and pictures and I help them bring it to life.”

Thompson said she helps customers as much or as little as they’d like her to.

The new studio also features a party room where customers are allowed to bring their own food and beverages. Party Art’s walk-in painting hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Customers are also allowed to bring in their own art projects and receive help and guidance from Thompson.

Since Party Art started nine years ago in Thompson’s basement, the business has found great success. In May, Party Art was named the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year in the one to five employees category.

“Winning Small Business of the Year was just confirmation that God has me where he wants me,” Thompson said. “It’s truly a ministry to me. I get to meet so many wonderful people and painting is such therapy. It’s wonderful to know I’m using a gift God has given me to help others. It motivates me to work harder every day.”

Party Art draws customers from throughout the area. On Thursday, July 6, Mississippi resident Vicki Cagle visited Party Art with her 5-year-old grandson Xander Franklin.

“I’m in Alabama visiting my family who lives in Trussville,” Cagle said. “I’m babysitting my grandson this week and this is one of the activities he loves to do. This week he and I are doing a different activity every day.”

A group of teachers from Hueytown, Oak Grove and McCulla also visited the painting studio on July 6. The teachers said they heard about Party Art via Facebook and wanted to try it out.

For more information about Party Art, call 253-2984 or go to Facebook.com/groups/partyartstudio/.