Nestled in a colorful turquoise building in Avon on Hatteras Island, Studio 12, a DIY art makers studio and working gallery, serves as a creative hub for locals, vacationers and artists. After its change of hands from founder Carolyn Schena to now owner Dawn Eskins three years ago, Studio 12 honors its legacy while always continuing to evolve.
Studio 12 and the adjacent Swept Away Cafe are run by island residents who pride themselves on hosting exclusively local vendors, artists and makers of all kinds. For the 2025 season Eskins and her staff have initiated new ways to make the gift shop more interactive by offering quick crafts like a candle bar and a necklace assembly station.
At the Candle Bar, they offer made-in-house ceramic containers to build your own all-natural soy wax candles. Choose from different botanicals to scent your candles and little shells to decorate them.
At the Studio Essentials table, makers can de sign aromatherapy jewelry using natural cords, beads and handmade ceramic pendants infused with essential oils. Elements are sourced locally and crafted onsite, of course.
Beyond the new hands-on gift shop activities, Studio 12 also offers a wide range of classes on a weekly schedule like building mugs, pottery wheel basics, watercolor painting and wire-wrapping jewelry. All classes offer booking ahead as well as walk-ins depending on available seats. The studio also accommodates private classes and birthday parties for larger groups or families.
A big part of the evolution of Studio 12 has been their new internship program, developed over the last year. Studio 12 interns work on-site six hours each week in exchange for access to studio equipment, discounted supplies and free art classes. Interns learn to throw pottery, fuse glass, glaze and fire ceramics, make jewelry and receive business mentoring. In 2024 two out of four interns opened their own studios after their experiences at Studio 12.
At a time when the world can seem disconnected from the source of its goods, with items ready to arrive at our doorsteps with the press of a button, local, community-driven hubs of connection like Studio 12 are increasingly precious. Supporting small businesses and shopping local whenever possible is not only a great way to get to know your neighbors and community, but also a means to ensure they can continue expanding and cultivating a more beautiful, interwoven Outer Banks.
Fuel Up at Swept Away Cafe
You don’t have to be taking an art class or shopping for local art to enjoy Swept Away Cafe. The coffee shop and cafe is part of Studio but it’s separate, of fering seating for socializing or working or a quick place to fuel up for your day. Stop in for perfectly blended coffee and espresso drinks, Italian sodas, fresh-baked pastries and sweets (including allergy-friendly, dairy free, vegan and keto options), fresh-fruit smoothies and their highly popular acai bowls. Don’t miss their famous Carolina Cupcakery cupcakes as featured on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars.
(252) 995-7899
41008 NC Hwy 12, Avon
Studio12Avon.com
About the Author Gabrielle Giannone
Gabrielle Giannone is a contributing writer for OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved from Virginia to the Outer Banks in early 2023. Outside of writing and exploring the area, she is a server at three local restaurants and a fine art painter.
