Having encouraged her toddler’s artistic side so successfully that by age 4 he was creating impressive paintings, artist Joey Simon was urged by her community members to start art workshops for children. Beginning in 2005, she did just that, hosting classes out of the basement of a Victorian home on Vancouver Island. Today, 4Cats Arts Studio has locations throughout North America, including the Port Moody studio where children’s workshops are flanked by adult classes and family events on the packed schedule. In addition to making its community members a more artistic bunch, the business gives back by hosting food drive events in the winter.