Today we’d like to introduce you to Katterina.
Hi Katterina, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Vamos Chicos: Our Journey of Creativity, Community, and Bilingual Learning
In 2017, Vamos Chicos was born out of a shared dream—a passion for art, a love for nature, and a desire to spark creativity in children of all ages. My husband and I took a bold leap, leaving our full-time jobs to turn this dream into reality. Our vision? To provide children with a bilingual eco-arts experience where creativity, sustainability, and cultural appreciation come together, all while empowering them with new Spanish vocabulary and language skills.
Our adventure began with a brightly painted charter bus—a reimagined mobile art studio. We transformed it by removing most of the seats, installing tables and stools, and filling it with eco-friendly art supplies. This rolling creative space became a magical workshop, bringing art right to school doorsteps and community events across the metro Atlanta area.
But by 2021, our dream had outgrown the bus. With growing demand, we sold the bus and shifted our focus to offering after-school classes directly in schools. This allowed us to reach even more young artists while maintaining our eco-friendly mission. Our little art bus may have moved on, but our passion for teaching and inspiring young creators only grew stronger.
Vamos Chicos is more than just an art program—it’s a bilingual eco-arts experience. We cater our classes to the language levels of each school we partner with. In some schools, our sessions are fully immersed in Spanish, while in others, we maintain a more basic bilingual approach. No matter the setting, children are not only learning creative skills but also expanding their Spanish vocabulary, making language learning a natural part of their artistic exploration.
When the world paused in 2020 due to the pandemic, Vamos Chicos didn’t stop. As schools shut down, we quickly adapted, offering online classes and small, private group sessions to keep the joy of art alive. Our “chicos” continued to create, explore, and express themselves, proving that art can be a source of comfort and connection even in challenging times.
What started with just 30 students a week in three schools has now blossomed into a thriving program reaching 250 students each week across 10 schools. Our team has also grown, from just the two of us to a dedicated group of eight talented instructors. They not only teach our eco-arts classes but also help us prepare and create all the materials at our studio, ensuring every class is packed with creativity and excitement.
Over the years, Vamos Chicos has become a vibrant community where children’s eyes light up as they create with natural and recycled materials, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. Our classes have earned enthusiastic feedback from students, parents, and school administrators alike, a testament to the joy and inspiration we bring to young artists each week.
This is just the beginning of our journey, and we can’t wait to keep creating, exploring, and growing with our amazing community.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Besides the pandemic, our struggles is expanding. The challenge is to get into new schools and camps.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Vamos Chicos, we bring a fresh, eco-friendly twist to art education, and we call it Eco Arts. Our mission is to inspire creativity, teach sustainability, and make art an unforgettable adventure for kids. We specialize in transforming ordinary, everyday materials—like cardboard, recycled fabrics, natural elements, and modeling clay—into extraordinary art projects that spark imagination and teach essential creative skills.
Our signature classes include:
Arts & Facts: A journey through history, culture, and science, where kids learn fascinating facts and bring them to life through hands-on art projects.
Modeling Clay: Students sculpt, shape, and create amazing 3D masterpieces using our special modeling clay, “masita,” while developing fine motor skills and creativity.
Cardboard Engineering: Kids become young inventors, building incredible creations like castles, robots, and intricate structures using cardboard and other recycled materials.
Eco Fashion: A one-of-a-kind fashion design experience where children learn the basics of sewing and design using upcycled fabrics, creating stylish and sustainable accessories and clothing.
What truly sets us apart is the originality of our projects. Our students don’t just make crafts—they create one-of-a-kind art pieces that they are genuinely proud of. Every week, they eagerly anticipate what new, creative challenge awaits them, and we make sure each class is a fresh and exciting experience.
But it’s not just about the art—it’s about the community we’ve built. Our teaching approach is hands-on, fun, and bilingual, with students learning new Spanish vocabulary as they explore their artistic abilities. We are proud of our high rate of returning students, many of whom have been with us for years. Their excitement and the incredible artworks they produce are a testament to the magic of Vamos Chicos.
In a world where creativity is often confined to a screen, we give kids the chance to explore, get messy, and discover the joy of transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. That’s the heart of what we do.
What’s next?
At Vamos Chicos, our future is all about growth, creativity, and community impact. Our primary goal is to expand our eco-arts program to reach even more schools across the metro Atlanta area and beyond. We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to explore their creativity while learning about sustainability, and we’re excited to bring our unique brand of eco arts to new communities.
But we’re not stopping there. One of our biggest dreams is to establish our own dedicated studio space with an adjoining green area. This space will be more than just an art studio—it will be an eco-friendly creative hub where children can connect with nature while exploring their artistic talents. Our vision includes:
Indoor and Outdoor Art Spaces: Children can experience art in a fresh, open environment, using natural materials straight from the garden.
Sustainable Practices: Our studio will be a model of eco-conscious creativity, with a focus on using recycled materials, natural dyes, and sustainable art supplies.
Community Events and Workshops: We’ll offer family art days, seasonal workshops, and community events that celebrate creativity, culture, and sustainability.
Bilingual Learning: Our space will continue to support bilingual (Spanish-English) learning, making art a fun way for kids to enhance their language skills.
We’re also exploring the idea of launching an online platform where families can access our unique eco-arts kits, complete with materials and step-by-step instructions, so they can bring the magic of Vamos Chicos home.
As we look to the future, our focus remains on creating a space where children can learn, create, and explore in a nurturing, eco-friendly fun environment—one that inspires them to become confident creators and caring stewards of the planet.
Pricing:
- For more info, go to our website where we offer info on kits, classes & parties.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vamoschicos.com/
- Instagram: @Vamoschicosarts
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EcoArtBus
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/AbNLeIh9_7Y
Image Credits
All photos were taken by the owners of Vamos Chicos.
