Welcome to the studio of Anita Rochelle Nixon.
Join Ms. Anita and her young artists on a joyful journey through creativity, art history, and hands-on studio practice—celebrating Black artists and artists from cultures around the world, and the magic of making.
Every day is an adventure filled with creativity, curiosity, and a little bit of magic.
We celebrate inspiring artists—from Black visionaries to artists from cultures around the world—whose work shapes our stories, our communities, and our imagination.
and many more!
Hands-on studio practices help young artists explore, express, and create with confidence and joy.
Art is how we tell our stories, remember our history, and imagine our future.
— Ms. AnitaBook one in the Studio Days series.
Step inside Ms. Anita's studio, where colors dance, paintbrushes become magic wands, and every young artist has an idea worth exploring.
The first in the Studio Days series, this book celebrates Alma Thomas and begins a journey through the work of diverse, pioneering artists—inviting young creators to explore, imagine, and let their own creativity soar.
Filled with creativity, curiosity, and hands-on fun, Making Art Magic with Ms. Anita reminds young readers that there is no single right way to create. The magic begins when they trust their imaginations and make something uniquely theirs.
Every Studio Days book follows one pioneering artist into the studio. Here's who's coming.
COLOR & PATTERN
Mosaics of pure color. The first book follows her into a primary-color mixing lesson.
STORY QUILTS
Painting stories onto cloth — where making and storytelling become one thing.
SHAPE & SERIES
Flat, bold shapes telling one long story across many panels.
SCULPTURE & PRINT
Carving and printing the dignity of everyday people.
and many more!
Studio pages for classrooms, libraries, and kitchen tables. No sign-up required.
One of Ms. Anita's own habits: draw from the Smithsonian's National Zoo animal cams. The animals move, so you have to look fast and look closely — which is exactly the skill. No perfect lines required.
How to do it: pick a cam. Watch for two full minutes before your pencil touches the paper. Then draw the same animal three times, one minute each. Compare them. The third one is almost always the best, and that's the whole lesson.
The elephant and panda cams run 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern; after that you'll see a replay of the last twelve hours. The Zoo also publishes free observation bingo cards and behavior-tracking sheets that pair well with this.
Five minutes at the start of class. Everyone draws the same animal, nobody erases, and you tape all of them up together at the end.
A one-page color-mixing sheet that follows the lesson in book one.
Coming soonAn observation drawing prompt — five minutes, one small object.
Coming soonTorn-paper collage in the spirit of Alma Thomas's color blocks.
Coming soon
Ms. Anita
Anita Rochelle Nixon is an artist, author, educator, and storyteller whose work celebrates imagination, memory, culture, and the power of story. Through books and visual art, she creates thoughtful layered experiences that invite readers of all ages to wonder, reflect, and dream.
Books, prints, and studio goods.
Be the first to hear about new books, artists, activities, and studio adventures.
Questions, school visits, or press: hello@midnightlightincbooks.com
Studio Days is for classrooms, libraries, homeschools, and any place where creativity is celebrated!
Two more doors out of the studio.
