We had the good fortune of connecting with Sam Peterson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sam, why did you pursue a creative career?
I personally love to be creative. It has a huge impact on my mental health. I am very proud to have created a business where people of any age or skill level can come and enjoy spending time being creative and have success at it. A huge amount of our customers make comments about how therapeutic their experience at my studio was for them and nothing could make me happier than hearing that.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I own a paint your own pottery studio in Fort Collins, CO. I have owned the studio for almost 7 years now and I honestly could not ask for a better job. My favorite aspect of the studio is seeing friends and family spent uninterrupted time creating not only art but also memories together. Owning and operating a small business is never easy however, for me it has always been worth it. I have met so many amazing families in our community over the years. The continuous love, support and friendships I have made mean the world to me.
With my business I am trying to create the space and opportunity for anyone to tap into their creative side and enjoy quality time with themselves or others. It’s not about the end product (although that is a fun bonus) but rather about the process and time spent alone or together.
I want everyone to leave my studio not only with a unique piece of pottery created by them but also with a happy memory of the time spent creating it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take them to my 2 favorite restaurants in Fort Collins – La Creperie and Luciles (both breakfast, both amazing)! I would like to spend some time outdoors with them on Horsetooth lake. We would also spend time at Color Me Mine painting pottery (I honestly never get sick of spending time with the people I love at my studio). Lastly, I would take them to spend some time in old town at the exchange and get some ice cream from churn!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My team! I could not do this without my wonderful employees over the years and the effort and love they put into the studio!

Website: fortcollins.colormemine.com

Instagram: fortcollins_colormemine

Facebook: Color Me Mine Fort Collins, CO

Other: tik tok: fortcollins_colormemine

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.