A Maker’s Space in Paradise

Be the Change: Pamela Teeter

Mother, Entrepreneur, and Maker of A Maker’s Space in Paradise

Creativity runs in Pamela Teeter’s family. Her mother taught her to sew, and Pamela explored an array of other art forms on her own. “My mother was always creative,” Pamela says, “I grew up spending hours making jewelry and doll clothes. When it comes to creativity, the more hands-on I can get, the better I grasp it.”

Pamela, her husband Doug, and their “Irish twins” Rae (9) and Vivian (8) live in Paradise, CA. Pamela first dreamed up A Maker’s Space because she wanted to pass her love for creativity to her daughters. “I realized there weren’t many options for kids to experience making,” Pamela says, “I kept driving by the old Natural Foods place on Almond Street, and I had this vision in my head.”

Originally, this “vision” meant creating an arts and crafts environment. In 2013, Pamela’s purchase of the building on Almond Street coincided with learning about the STEAM movement, which recognizes art as an essential component to the existence and advancement of STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and math). “There’s a reason art and science come together,” says Pamela. “They both are about creativity and problem solving.” Pamela’s new goal became to open a “makerspace,” a place stocked with resources for guests to experiment and unleash creativity. In December 2016, A Maker’s Space celebrated its grand opening.

Pamela receives many donated supplies from community members, which provides for an unpredictable and eclectic inventory, perfect for inspiring inventive works of art and science. Kids can experiment with everything from painting a canvas to growing crystals on pipe cleaners with borax and water. “The biggest thing I tell my girls and anyone else who comes into the studio is that there are no rules in art,” says Pamela. “There’s never a wrong answer, but there are opportunities to learn and do new things.”

In addition to the artistic side of making, A Maker’s Space hosts a Girls Who Code club and offers 3D printing and robotics classes, taught by Jason Hastain. Jason, who says he has “always been a maker,” was thrilled to join Pamela’s vision to promote STEAM skills. “Pamela dedicates her professional life to helping out the community,” Jason says. “She’s motivated by enabling the success of other people, especially kids.”

Perhaps one of Pamela’s greatest testimonies to influencing her community comes through her attitude toward her business. Though creating a makerspace in a larger town might have brought more business, Pamela wanted to provide this resource to her more rural community. She charges minimal fees and holds fundraisers like Sip and Make Nights to keep the studio’s doors open to families of various economic means.  She has also arranged the business around her family and work at Youth for Change. “I run the makerspace as a passion, so I’m not stressing about it,” she says.

A Maker’s Space requires adults to accompany children for open studio times, so visiting the makerspace fosters family relationships – starting with Pamela’s own family. All four Teeters poured hours into creating an aesthetically inspiring atmosphere out of the old building. Pamela says Vivian and Rae view the space as a second home and love to help vacuum out the storefront, manage the cash register, and, of course, rummage through the creative supplies.

“It’s a big joy when families continually return, or when I pick up my girls at school and see kids who have come to the studio,” says Pamela. “I’m just so happy and honored to provide this in our community, and if I can expand kids’ mind a little bit, that’s a great bonus.”

Aside from the makerspace, Pamela finds other ways to challenge herself. She’s currently training for the 2019 Iron Man in Santa Rosa. She also devotes herself to engaging in the community in a variety of ways. In recent years, Pamela has served terms as president of Paradise Friends of the Library and the Paradise Chamber of Commerce. Tammi Fabris, who has volunteered with Pamela at Paradise Chocolate Festival and the Elks Lodge, also works with Pamela in Youth for Change’s Strengthening Families program. “Pamela is an amazing woman who expands minds in everything she does,” says Tammi. “That is quite a virtue to have.”

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The mission of our be the change column is to feature community members from the north state who are actively making a difference in community life. If you would like to nominate someone who is making a difference, please write to pn@northstateparent.com.