Color me Crazy Ceramics owner Lisa Evans began painting ceramics in Emmett, Idaho, in 1995

JOHN DAY — Lisa Evans is finally living her dream.

The May 31 opening of Color me Crazy Ceramics, 121 SW Canton St. in John Day, is the culmination of 30 years of aspirations and hopes of opening a ceramics shop for Evans. She said a lack of amenities within the community also played a factor in her opening her ceramics shop.

“I did it as a service to the community,” she said. “I think that there is just not much to do here so I thought it would give everybody something to do.”

Evans said the opening of Color me Crazy ceramics was simply good timing. She was lucky enough to find the building on Southwest Canton was for rent and got all of her molds merchandise from a ceramics shop in Prairie City that was closing its doors.

“It worked out great,” she said.

The Color me Crazy process is simple. Customers enter the front doors and are greeted with shelves of fired and unpainted ceramics, called bisques.

Customers choose a bisque and paint the works in Evans’ shop using paints she provides. A protective clear coat is then painted over the finished product if the customer desires.

Choices vary and include Christmas and Halloween themed bisques, birds and lions and bisques with Native American themes. Bisques of popular culture icons such as Spider-Man and SpongeBob Squarepants also are available.

Prices range from $1 to $40  based on the size of the bisque.

Finished works Evans or her daughter-in-law painted also are available for purchase. Customers also buy the bisque and paint them at home if they wish.

The shop is open Tuesday to Friday with varied hours. Tuesdays are kid’s night at the shop , 3:30-7 p.m.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. The shop is open to the public from noon to 6 p.m. on Fridays.

But 6-9 p.m. on Fridays is for women only — no exceptions.

“Ladies night is just for them,” she said. “It’s quiet, we gossip — we just have fun.”

The shop is closed Saturday through Monday.

Color me Crazy Ceramics will be moving to summer hours starting Friday, July 4. Hours will be 2-6 p.m. with ladies night still on Friday nights.

Evans said the response from the community has been one of overwhelming support.

“They’re excited,” she said. “They’re excited that it’s here and I’ve had several people that are already repeat customers, they come in daily while I’m open.”