Paula Kay Kerouac of Bennington creates art and community

Hillsborough’s Village Art Cafe coffee shop opened last summer. 

Hillsborough’s Village Art Cafe coffee shop opened last summer.  COURTESY PHOTO VILLAGE ARTS CAFE

A jewelry class at  Dancing Wind Studio at Village Art Cafe in Hillsborough. 

A jewelry class at  Dancing Wind Studio at Village Art Cafe in Hillsborough.  COURTESY PHOTO VILLAGE ART CAFE

A mountain scene by artist Paula Kay Kerouac of Bennington.

A mountain scene by artist Paula Kay Kerouac of Bennington. COURTESY IMAGE PAULA KAY KEROUAC

Artist Paula Kay Kerouac of Bennington stands in front of a wall of her artwork at Dancing Wind Studio in the Village Art Cafe in Hillsborough, 

Artist Paula Kay Kerouac of Bennington stands in front of a wall of her artwork at Dancing Wind Studio in the Village Art Cafe in Hillsborough,  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Paula Kay Kerouac points out student work from a recent class. 

Paula Kay Kerouac points out student work from a recent class.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Painter Paula Kay Kerouac talks about work from a recent class. 

Painter Paula Kay Kerouac talks about work from a recent class.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

An example of a “Tree of Life” from a recent class at Dancing Wind Studio.

An example of a “Tree of Life” from a recent class at Dancing Wind Studio. STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

By JESSECA TIMMONS

Monadnock Ledger Transcript

Published: 01-22-2025 12:18 PM

Modified: 01-23-2025 2:31 PM


Paula Kay Kerouac of Bennington remembers looking in the front window of the former Nonni’s restaurant space in Hillsborough and thinking, “We must be nuts.”

Kerouac, a lifelong artist, and her friend and business partner Christine Carr took the plunge and opened the Village Art Cafe at 17 West Main St. in Hillsborough in summer 2023. The space now houses a coffee shop, community space and Kerouac’s art studio, Dancing Wind. The cafe also hosts live music, yoga classes, tarot readings and vendors, with handmade local art and consignment items on display. 

“It was a total mess when we first walked in,” Kerouac says. “It took almost a year to get it where we wanted it to be.”

Carr and Kerouac became friends after Carr attended to one of Kerouac’s painting classes in her previous space. The two began to meet up at the former Moka Pot in Antrim, and eventually began to talk about renting a space for art and community events. Carr, an entrepreneur and community organizer, wanted a place to put her grand piano, and Kerouac wanted a new space for Dancing Wind. They decided to join forces and look for a space, which led them to the old restaurant space.

After Christine’s husband, Dan Carr, made extensive renovations to the kitchen, the coffee shop opened in summer 2024. 

“It’s been busy every since. The piano has been a huge hit,” Kerouac said. “We have a young woman who comes in and plays classical music and sings every Saturday morning, and it is always packed. It’s like heaven. We have people come in off the street and play the piano and sing all the time.”

One the art studio side of the cafe, Kerouac offers a full schedule of classes taught by herself and other artists and makers, including stained glass artist Susana Miles, wool artist Jenna Colby  and textile artist Tracey Szanto. Kerouac also offers birthday parties for adults and children. Fridays are Senior Days, where for $5, seniors can come and paint from 1 to 4 pm.

The walls of Dancing Wind Studio are covered with Kerouac’s brightly colored paintings, pastels and greeting  cards. Kerouac’s philosophy is to unleash the natural creativity in her students. 

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“My theory is, here are the bones, and I want to see what you can with it. When I teach a class, I don’t stand with my back to the class and have painting on the easel and say, ‘Everyone do this.’ I walk around and give them guidance. Everyone is not walking out wit the same thing,” Kerouac said. “For my students, their work has to be theirs. I want to make to their own. I just give suggestions – it’s whatever seems  most comfortable to you.”

Kerouac enjoys getting students, especially those who are new to art, out of their comfort zones and away from preconceived notions about how to paint or draw. 

“Perfection is a huge thing for adults,” Kerouac said. “I have students who have been coming for a few years, and they have made amazing progress. It amazes me and thrills me when people will stop outside of the little space they have tucked themselves into and just explore. Who cares if colors don’t go together? It’s fun when I have a class of regulars and a new person comes in. Old students all kind of gather around the new student  and teach them ‘Don’t worry, just enjoy it.’ ”

Kerouac embraces many different techniques, going far beyond the conventional.

“Painting a nature scene, I’ll teach people, they don’t have to use a paintbrush. We can use twigs for nature painting. When people realize how many paint tools they have in their kitchen, they are amazed!  Some people just want to be told what brush is best, and they want to stick to it. But there are so many other ways of painting without using a brush,” Kerouac said. “I get people to realize they can just explore.” 

The Village Art Cafe joins a slew of creative local businesses in downtown Hillsborough, including The Emporium and The Ice Cream Bar, Olive and Oak, Cake Mama, The Monadnock Green Shop and the Earth Magic Shop. Kerouac said so far, the cafe has been a big hit with the community. 

“It’s been absolutely fantastic since we opened,” Kerouac says. “It’s wonderful to be a part of this community.”

For information about the Village Art Cafe and Dancing Wind Studio, go to villageartcafe.com. For updates on events,  go to facebook.com/christinecarrvillageartcafe.