Miss LaLa Expands Her Creative Vision from Whitlock to West Cobb

Lauren McBride, better known as Lala, is working diligently to give Mariettans something new, fresh and outside the norm in the arts arena with A.R.T.S. (Artistry, Rhythm & music, Theatre, Special Offerings) @ West Cobb. After working for years going against what was in her heart, McBride took the initiative to begin walking in her destiny.

McBride comes from a long lineage of singers, dancers and entertainers. In the 1930s, her grandmother, Dorthy Tyre, and grandfather, Sim Hessler, met at the Fox Theater while in a dance ensemble. They married and became members of the original Atlanta Ballet, where Sim Hessler would later teach. As they began their family, the Hesslers instilled a great appreciation for the arts and music to their two daughters.

That appreciation for the arts was passed down to McBride by her mother Nancy, who is now a serious artist in the Marietta scene. McBride’s memories of her early childhood have begun to fade, but she still recalls specific instances that give her comfort.

“I remember dancing with my great-grandmother and the music playing on the old Victrola,” she says. “I remember musicals playing and big bands – they [her grandparents] surrounded you with a knowledge and love for the arts.”

For her mother’s part, she says Nancy grew up as a free spirit on a farm near Stone Mountain. Her mother always encouraged her creative freedoms, though McBride says her creative expression was developed in music as she played the clarinet since the age of four.

However, McBride tells the story of her artistic prowess peeping through as a teen. Growing up on a 20-acre farm in Marietta, McBride and her siblings would often entertain themselves. She says they would dress up their cows, which lead to competing in the parade. Before long, the effort became serious as they learned to paint the cows, groom and tease their hair and even “halter break” them – where the cow is trained to walk for show. McBride and her prized cow “Blackie” went on to win three state championships.

By her senior year at Marietta High, McBride was student director of choirs and the first student in advanced placement music theory student for the school. She furthered her education by attending Florida’s Jacksonville University majoring in elementary music education with a focus on voice and clarinet. Assuming the role of assistant director of choirs while there, McBride performed with madrigal choirs, vocal jazz ensembles, mixed groups and women’s groups.

But, like so many others with degrees in the arts, McBride found gaining employment in her passion to be difficult. She chose to get a “real” job and took a position working as a legal assistant, an industry she worked for nearly 15 years. All the while she continued working side gigs to feed her spirit, singing at weddings and funerals or the occasional national anthem, which is among her favorite things to do.

After returning to Marietta from a move to Indiana where she met her husband Scott, Lala came back with a new focus. She decided to use her talents and relationships, to create an opportunity for herself. While attending McEachern Methodist Church, McBride started their preschool music/art camp. After some time, she added First Presbyterian Church (near Marietta Square) to her roster.

Soon McBride realized she would need to open her own space if she wanted to continue to grow her clientele and take the programs in the direction she wanted. A studio or space of her own would also feed her need for creativity. Capitalizing on her lifelong nickname “Lala”, a combination of Lauren and singing, McBride decided to embark on her new business venture Miss Lala’s Treehouse located on Whitlock Avenue, a couple blocks off the square.

After a couple short years, she had the idea of wanting to change her business model from focusing on preschoolers to opening the space up to older groups and other offerings. So, McBride relocated her business to another area in Marietta off Due West Road. At the new location McBride changed the name to A.R.T.S. @ West Cobb in an effort to appeal to a larger demographic of people interested in the arts.

“God said go,” McBride coolly defends her decision in leaving her old location for the new one and keeping her faith despite an abundance of naysayers who offered few words of encouragement.

A.R.T.S. is a uniquely designed collective of arts oriented classes, theater and a gallery all bundled into one community-supported package.

“The purpose [of A.R.T.S.] is to find the creative outlets and passions of people and connect them to others in the community,” says McBride proudly.

McBride now offers classes for all ages ranging from 2 years to senior adults. The class offerings include "Fired Pottery with John Fite," "Styles of Art" and "Sewing Basics with Amanda Vatter," "Sequential Music Education" (in voice, violin, viola, cello, guitar) and theater (acting, drama and musical theater productions). Her most recent addition is "Wiggles and Squiggles," a 1½-hour pretend and creative play class for ages 1 to 4 years instruction without parents – ideal for drop offs.

In the arts gallery, Nancy Clemmer’s work is on display throughout the end of June. Clemmer’s work illuminates the use of garden images in water colors, pastels, oils and photography.

For more information on ARTS @ West Cobb visit them at: 3894 Due West Road; phone: 770.425.9660; email: info@ArtsWestCobb.com or Facebook.