About Emma’s Art Studio
Emma’s Art Studio is a new creative space in downtown Bethesda that opened in January 2026. Founded by artist and educator Emma Stevenson Cowan, the studio offers fine arts–based programs for children, teens, and adults — including classes, camps, private lessons, and art parties.
Rooted in the belief that everyone is capable of meaningful artistic expression, the studio’s programs balance classical art training with a modern, exploratory approach. Students learn drawing, painting, and mixed media through hands-on experiences that foster confidence, creativity, and skill.
With a philosophy grounded in art and design education theory, Emma’s Art Studio emphasizes process, composition, and technique — offering a more academic, fine-arts–driven alternative to traditional craft studios. Whether you’re a beginner, a seasoned artist, or a family seeking creative connection, the studio provides a joyful, inspiring environment to make art and grow as an artist.
About the Founder
Emma Stevenson Cowan is a classically trained artist and accomplished art educator with over two decades of teaching experience. She holds both a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Science in Art and Design Education from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, where she developed a dual foundation in studio practice and progressive educational theory.
Emma began her teaching career in New York and Philadelphia before relocating to Bethesda, where she taught upper school studio art at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart. She is the founder of Deco Arts Camp at Glen Echo Park and now Emma’s Art Studio, where she continues her mission to make high-quality art education accessible and joyful for artists of all ages.
Her teaching practice emphasizes drawing from observation, color theory, and creative problem-solving — encouraging students to develop both technical mastery and artistic voice.
Emma lives in Silver Spring with her husband, two children, and their dogs. Her own artwork, which explores themes of memory and landscape, can be viewed at emmastevensoncowan.com.
Meet the Rest of the Team
Candice Bloch specializes in three-dimensional arts, though she has experience in many mediums, including digital. She spent over 15 years as a professional video editor and graphic designer, while simultaneously working on hands-on freelance projects – from art departments on film & tv sets, to commissions for whimsical sculpted cakes.
She earned a degree from the University of Maryland in Media and Popular Culture and received additional formal education from The Art League School in Alexandria, VA, and the Corcoran College of Art + Design in Washington, DC. Candice has studied art domestically and abroad, and continues to hone her craft, working and collaborating throughout the region.
More recently she has focused on educating, teaching students of all ages, both privately and through local schools. Hailing from a family of visual artists, Candice is an ever-curious creative who enjoys any opportunity to learn new skills and to bring creativity and joy to situations, whether through cosplay, craft, or fine arts.
In addition, Candice produces and interviews media industry professionals as a host of MediaMaker Spotlight, the official podcast from the non-profit, Women in Film & Video. When not taking on creative endeavors, Candice enjoys spending time with great friends and her cat, Hazel.
Taylor Gambrell relocated to our DMV region in late 2025 and brought all of his native Florida sunshine with him! Taylor studied education and the humanities at University of South Florida and has practical experience working with children in the arts on stage and on canvas.
As a passionate appreciator and creator of art, he has experimented with a broad range of mediums from traditional craft to progressive digital design. His specialty in three-dimensional modeling is where his talents are showcased and he lets his geek flag fly for retro fantasy and sci-fi.
Taylor aspires to pass on his passion for art to all generations, providing a safe space of learning and encouragement for others to fully express themselves through creativity and, most importantly, have fun.
Ginger Crockett Hammer is an artist whose work is shaped by a lifelong engagement with making and looking. For over two decades at the National Gallery of Art, she worked in the print and drawing study room, guiding visitors of all ages through close encounters with works on paper—an experience that continues to inform her own practice.
Her background includes curatorial work with traveling exhibitions at the Trust for Museum Exhibitions and as a curatorial assistant in Byzantine art at Dumbarton Oaks. She holds a BA in Art History from UC Berkeley and an MA in Museum Studies from The George Washington University.
Working across painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and the decorative arts, her practice reflects a deep, material understanding of art grounded in both study and experience.
Maile Walder is a multimedia artist specializing in 3D arts, including pottery, crochet, and jewelry making.
She comes from a family of multi-disciplinary artists, and has been creatively inclined her entire life. She grew up grew up in Silver Spring and has experience tutoring kids with Chabad of Chevy Chase and babysitting in her neighborhood. She has also spent time in the mountains of North Carolina, backpacking and learning wood carving, sewing, and bookmaking.
Maile is an intuitive artist and brings a calm, down-to-earth style to creating, and hopes to inspire new generations to do the same.