Frederick mom Tina Harper, her husband Isaac Bentzen and their larger-than-life family have a very full schedule. Between sports, activities, the older kids’ part-time jobs and other commitments, this family of nine is constantly on the move!
Harper is the founder of Dream Free Art, an innovative art studio that offers classes, workshops, summer camps, a splatter room, date nights and other fun activities like slime-making parties. Harper believes in art’s healing powers — without stressing over the end result. Dream Free Art focuses on lowering stress, supporting mental health, having fun and self-expression.
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Tell me about your big, beautiful family.
We are a unique, blended family. Our seven children are Chrissy (20), Kai (17), Alex (16), Tiffani (15), Kam (13), Stephanie (12) and Dominic (7). We’re a sports family. Dominic’s in track and field. His sisters are in cheer, dance and theater, and the boys play soccer, football or flag football and track. Isaac is the assistant director and coach of an individual youth football league. And I’m the cheer director and coach for that same team. Our schedules are constantly filled.
How did you get the idea for Dream Free Art?
When we moved to Frederick, I worked at a call center. It was really draining. My coworkers and I would keep our minds and hands busy with coloring pages. A coworker brought me an adult coloring book, and I also started crocheting. I realized I was happier when I was creating art. Once, I accidentally left my things at home, and I had a terrible day. I realized that the art was keeping me sane. That’s when I had the idea to use art as a creative outlet and a business. In 2017, I started as a traveling artist — going to daycares, homes and businesses. I realized I could serve more people in the community with a physical location. The pandemic hit; then I opened my brick and mortar studio in December 2022.
Do you have plans to expand?
Absolutely. Dream Free Art is focused on the connections we make. We recently had a family come the whole way from Hustontown, PA. They said there is nothing like this where they live. I feel like we’ve really captured [lightning] in a bottle here, and we’re actively making plans to expand.
And your husband also has his own business?
Yes, Isaac recently started a photography business, A. Bentz Media, after our oldest son, Alex, was interested in photography. They both love sports, so Isaac got into it, too. Isaac stayed with it even when Alex lost interest. Isaac’s into sports photography and is excited to capture special moments for players and their families. Photography is a beautiful artform.
What do you hope to teach your children?
Definitely being themselves, and to put God first. And I want them to be good humans and be surrounded by love and joy. And don’t let other people take your joy.
Family Favorites:
Holidays and Meals: We celebrate just about every holiday because it’s a chance to cook and enjoy time together. There’s a lot of us, each with different tastes, so we lean on the concept of food bars —sandwiches, tacos, pizza. Then, everyone can choose what they want.
Activities: All of my kids are sports kids. When one is out there, we all come out to support. We’re also a gaming family — video games, board games, field games.
Vacation Spots: We’re a beach family. We like Ocean City, Maryland, and Tampa was one of our favorites.
