Street Style: Meet Paige Bradford
“I’m from Colorado,” shares Paige Bradford, founder of Hooray Art! “We moved here in 2020 when my husband started a fellowship with the SEC. It was supposed to be temporary, for three years.” They landed in Hollin Hills by chance, and Paige admits she expected to hate it.
“I didn’t want to move; our family’s in Colorado. When we were looking at houses online, I found one I liked, the only one in all of Virginia, and then I discovered a whole neighborhood of them. That was November 2020, and we’re still here!” she says smiling.
Paige’s career path has been anything but linear. She began in marketing but never felt inspired until she joined the Colorado-based yogurt company Noosa. “I worked on a dairy farm in Northern Colorado. I’d give baby calves bottles on my lunch break. The company was founded by an amazing woman, Koel Thomae, and I had the chance to work closely with her on innovation and flavor development. That’s when I realized you can have an idea and actually make it happen. That changed everything for me.”
Art wasn’t always part of her plan until she became a mom. “My mom is an artist, the most creative person I know, and we had an art studio in our house growing up,” Paige says. “When my son was little, we did tons of crafts together, and I started hosting art playgroups. Friends loved them and kept saying, ‘I love that, but I wouldn’t want to do it at my house!’”
Paige Bradford
Self-styled
Photography: Renée C. Gage Photography
Shoot location: Hooray Art, Hollin Hall Shopping Center, VA
When the family moved to Alexandria, Paige decided to start fresh. “I did more playgroups and birthday parties while consulting in marketing on the side. But I didn’t have the confidence yet. I thought, ‘I don’t have a degree in art or teaching.’” Eventually, she took a job teaching preschool art, which reignited her creative spark.
In their Hollin Hills backyard, Paige and her husband built an ADU (accessory dwelling unit) as a guest room, but she quickly saw its potential. “We hosted our first summer camp there in 2023 with just four kids, including my own, and it grew every week. Soon, we had more kids than space.”
In January 2025, Hooray Art! officially opened in the Hollin Hall Shopping Center. Her son Bodhi, now seven, is a proud helper (“He works for Pokémon cards”), and her husband Alex, an accountant, manages the financial side.
“It’s an art studio for kids, from toddlers through tweens,” Paige explains. “We also host weekend birthday parties and adult art nights. Our classes are all about encouraging creativity, not perfection. Kids learn to make choices, experiment, and even make mistakes. It’s their break from school structure, a space where they can just create.”
Art has taken over their home life too. “Our dining room table? Covered in art supplies,” she laughs. “There’s no separation between home and studio anymore.”
Running a small business, Paige says, has been a constant evolution. “There’s always another challenge, but I love reflecting on how far we’ve come. Seeing kids grow in confidence and creativity, that’s the magic.”
Hooray Art! fall sessions for toddlers to tweens begin the week of October 20, with half-day summer camps already in the works. “I want to reach every kid who wants to be here, and that means bringing on more teachers,” Paige says.
When she’s not teaching, you’ll find Paige painting her own canvases or walking the family’s two Golden Retrievers along Hollin Hills’ hidden trails.
Check out Paige’s Street (and studio) Style:
ABOUT PAIGE
Neighborhood: Hollin Hills
Hometown: Denver, CO
What would surprise people about you? I’ve been to 25 Avett Brothers’ shows.
Favorite book or movie: Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic changed the way I think about creativity. I re-read it whenever I’m feeling stuck.
Guilty Pleasure: Cheesy rom-com books and movies.
Latest binge-watch: Currently rewatching Gilmore Girls.
Bucket list travel destination: An art retreat in Italy.
STYLE
Define your style in three words or less: Covered in paint.
The go-to piece in your wardrobe: Oversized denim shirts.
Favorite trend: Wide-leg jeans.
Beauty product you can’t live without: Thrive tubing mascara.
Boots, dress shoes or sneakers? Sneakers
WELLNESS
Go-to way to de-stress: Watercolor painting
Most fun way to stay active: Walking my two golden retrievers.
Wellness goal: Finding some work life balance while running a small business.
Want to try: Puppy yoga
Proudest wellness achievement: Running two marathons.
HOME
Favorite room in your home: Our backyard - it’s lush and wooded and peaceful.
Antiques, modern, or a mix?: A mix
Last item bought for your home: Does a puppy count? We welcomed a golden retriever puppy, Bucket, into our family this summer.
Favorite way to entertain: With margs and tacos.
Clutter-free or well-lived in?: I’d love to be clutter-free but am constantly collecting art supplies and random recyclables for art projects!
Next planned purchase: Dreaming of a kitchen and bath renovation.
ALEXANDRIA
What do you love about Alexandria Stylebook? Hearing the stories behind my favorite local businesses.
Favorite spot in Alexandria: Our neighborhood pool at Hollin Meadows Swim & Tennis.
Your go-to shop: The Hollin Hall Variety Store; it’s magical and nostalgic (and conveniently right next to Hooray Art!). They have everything you’re looking for, plus plenty of fun finds you didn’t even know you needed.
Best food spot: Revel for a cozy dinner or girls night out, The Cut Butchery for local meats and fancy snacks.
Favorite local organization: The Art League
Annual Alexandria event you most look forward to: The Hollin Hills House + Garden Tour
