More than 20 years ago, Jeff and Kay Benesi were strolling along Sixth Avenue and saw that the beauty shop at 1959 Sixth Ave. at the corner at West Crockett Street in Queen Anne, was gone and the space was vacant.
This was two doors down from their home, and they kept their eye on it for awhile, imagining opening a place of their own one day, an art school where students could learn to paint. The place was close to Coe Elementary School and St. Anne School, and plenty of neighborhood children.
"It was the only place we looked at," Kay Benesi said. "It was convenient and cheerful."
Then, in 1990, they went for it.
Hundreds of students have passed through the Colorwheel doors since then, including there son, Steven, who is now at Seattle Pacific University training to be a school teacher.
Now, 20 years later, Colorwheel Studio is still going strong, teaching students different themes and using different mediums.
"I'm happy we've lasted this long," Kay Benesi said.
But last fall, the couple decided to reduce their workload and run the business in their basement two blocks away, to save money and for the sheer convenience.
Aside from the move, the focus of the business has remained the same over the years, teaching students fine arts.[[In-content Ad]]
