TheraPaint Studio—a first-of-its-kind paint throwing wellness studio owned by Jackie Laurian Long and former all-star NFL player Jake Long— announced its grand opening in Nashville’s Music Row neighborhood on September 12, 2024, at 1613 17th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212 in a 1920s-era bungalow. An open house held that night from 4:30 to 6 p.m. will kick-off special programming planned throughout the month of September to celebrate the opening, as well as special pricing on founding memberships through the end of the year while available.
TheraPaint Studio soft opened in June 2024 as the first of its kind to offer a luxurious and non-clinical approach to releasing and processing emotions in a visual and cathartic way. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. by appointment only, the 2,225-square-foot studio is equipped with four private, generously sized, single occupancy and sound-dampened “throw rooms” where clientele dressed head-to-toe in protective gear throw milk-based paint on a compostable canvas during 45-minute focused sessions. Afterwards, clients are invited to freshen up in adjoining private dressing areas and reflect in the “zen den” or meditative garden that is lovingly grown with compost made from each canvas. A polaroid photograph of the completed work is gifted to each client upon departure and each room is cleaned top-to-bottom and restocked with a fresh canvas for the next session. Adults and children eight years of age and older are welcome.
Every decision pertaining to the concept and design of TheraPaint Studio was made through the lens of sustainability. Great effort was made to ensure materials selected for throw sessions were either compostable or reusable. After each session, the milk-based paint, paint containers and canvases are composted, the paint brushes and protective glasses are washed for reuse and clients are encouraged to save their paint-throwing suit for future visits. The design of the space itself was also done with sustainability top of mind. With a background in design, Jackie Laurian Long incorporated eco-friendly paints and materials and second-hand furnishings and decorative items to refresh the historic property while maintaining many of the original elements like the wood flooring, fireplace surround and mantel and banister.
“The idea for TheraPaint Studio was born in 2018 after an especially trying season of life when Jake and I were settling in Nashville after nine seasons in the NFL on four teams, 14 cross-country moves, 24 orthopedic surgeries and two near-death experiences from surgical staph infections, the birth of two children, and one miscarriage. When we thought things had leveled out post-NFL, we were surprised when within two weeks of each other my preschooler had an unprecedented seizure on the playground at her school and a dangerous infection popped up in my husband’s knee requiring immediate surgery. It was an incredibly difficult time and I longed for a productive way to release and process the insurmountable stress I was under that I couldn’t achieve with traditional therapy and exercise,” says Jackie Laurian Long, founder, co-owner and CEO of TheraPaint Studio in a statement. “To say I was stressed and overwhelmed is an understatement. When I later told my husband Jake that I couldn’t stop thinking about throwing paint as a release when we were going through our own personal struggles in 2021, he surprised me with a make-shift studio in our garage and it quickly turned into a regular practice. Eventually I started to share my practice with friends who were going through their own challenges and it just took off from there. I’m so honored to now provide this service to our Nashville community.”
Since TheraPaint Studio’s opening this summer, an ongoing study conducted by Gina De La Guardia through Georgia Tech’s interdisciplinary Master of Science in Analytics program, has found that 100% of clients to date have an improved mood after a TheraPaint Studio session and would recommend to a friend.
“In retirement from the NFL I have become such a firm believer in traditional and adjunct therapies, especially for men who tend to shy away from such practices,” says Jake Long, TheraPaint Studio co-owner and chief operating officer. “Since our opening, we have seen first-hand the positive impact paint throwing has on our clients and are thrilled to have concrete evidence that it really works. Our sessionscan be booked by individuals or groups for wellness or corporate retreats and we are so excited to introduce this effective and unconventional practice to those living in or visiting the Nashville area.”
Beginning September 12, TheraPaint Studio will offer founding memberships through the end of the year which include one single throw session per month for $125/month plus a TheraPaint Studio tote bag for all your throwing gear — a 25% savings on a single throw session. Individual sessions can be purchased for $160 and 3-packs and 6-packs are available for $435 and $840 respectively. Individual sessions, packages and gift certificates can be purchased online at TheraPaintStudio.com. Groups up to 30 can book out the space for highly-customizable events or retreats by contacting the TheraPaint Studio team at [email protected].
