Studio No. 7 celebrates a year’s worth of creativity

?In June 2012, Studio No. 7, a hip space known for embracing and engaging Atlanta’s creative community, had a fire that nearly destroyed it. But not unlike the artists she’s intent on celebrating, owner/creative director Shannon Evans wouldn’t allow her vision to be shattered.
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?“It took two years to get the space back,” remembers Evans, who runs the space with her business partner and co-founder, Earl Adams. “It was definitely a rough time. After two years of delays there were a couple of times when it was like, ‘I don’t know if I want to do this’— but I felt like I had to.”
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?The passion that Evan’s displays has marked Studio No. 7 as one of the city’s newest cultural hubs — a space that’s modern and slickly designed without losing it’s easy, eclectic vibe. Evans says she eventually plans to display her photos from the fire because it’s such a big part of Studio No. 7’s story. The idea for the Studio was actually sparked by Evans’ own creative passion — she’s a photographer by trade and at first, she just wanted a cool space to display her work, but the pickings were slim. Not long after, the idea flourished from a place to showcase her own work, into developing a full-on community artist space. Artists, photographers, start-ups and other creatives are encouraged to become members of the studio, which offers a discount on the use of the location for casual business.
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?Although Evans has yet to display her own work (she says she’s been too busy running the place to focus on curating her show) in the year since it’s been open, Studio No. 7 has become a gathering place for some of Atlanta’s most notable creative progressives. Artist/designer Sean Fahie hosts a monthly event called the Influencers, an interview series featuring creative movers and shakers in Atlanta who are leaving a notable mark on the city. Then there’s DJ Salah Ananse’s monthly event, Sunday School, a break away from mainstream day parties. There’s also a weekly Foreign Film showing on Tuesdays, and a Wednesday Vinyl Night. Studio No. 7 also does art openings, and the 800-square-feet of gallery space features a different artist every five to six weeks.
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?“I just wanted the space to be a creative hub,” the Howard University alum says. “I’ve always respected the creative talent in Atlanta. We decided early on to stick to our mission of being a creative space, and that wasn’t always easy. But in the past five months, we’ve really grown. We’ve started to build the community we wanted to build.”
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?Studio No. 7’s one year anniversary, taking place on Fri., Sep. 11, at 8 p.m., is open to the public and will be a time to celebrate the space and the tight-knit community it’s helped foster.
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?“I think Atlanta’s creative community is unique because it’s community focused — there’s a familial vibe,” Evans says. “I get to discover cool people who are doing great things.”