After 16 years of running a chiropractic clinic together, local couple Natausha Light and Brad Benefield are taking their commitment to wellness in a new direction. Their pottery and ceramic art studio, Field & Light Design Co, recently opened on Gee Street, offering a creative sanctuary for the community.

Drawing on their belief in the power of positivity and art as therapy, Light and Benefield use their newly renovated space to help people manage stress and anxiety through hands-on creativity—just as they’ve done for years in their clinic, blending healing with artistic expression.

Originally natives of the Arkansas Delta, with Light hailing from West Ridge and Benefield from Cherry Valley, the couple came to Jonesboro in the early 2000s to attend Arkansas State University. They met a few years after their time as students and quickly became partners in life and in business.

“Even though we both spent a good deal of time taking electives in the art department, our paths never crossed until years later when I returned from chiropractic school in St. Louis, Missouri,” said Light. “We met just before I was leaving to do an associateship with a clinic in Hot Springs. We became friends and stayed in touch during that year while I was in Hot Springs. We got married when I returned to Jonesboro and worked together in our clinic, Light’s Chiropractic, for 16 years.

“Working with a spouse can be challenging, but we have grown up working as a couple. You rarely see one of us without the other, and we always have our dog, Rosie, with us. She was part of our clinic, and she’s a regular here in the studio, as well.”

The couple initially had the idea to start their own studio during the COVID-19 pandemic, when their chiropractic clinic was closed for seven weeks.

“It was a dark time, and we used art as a way to cope with stress while celebrating the small moments we had together each day,” said Light. “Art has always been a way for me to untangle my mind, and I find that the more I practice it, the more my mind stays in a state of creative problem solving.

“When we returned back to the clinic, the stress was intense, so we came home each day to work on ceramics and paintings to clear our minds. I found myself talking with more and more patients about art as I practiced during this time. People came to see me with physical pain caused by emotional stress, and we often spoke about creative activities to help manage anxiety and frustration. Over time, Brad and I realized that we may be able to help people with art while we explored our own creative work. That’s when we got serious about opening Field & Light Design Co here in Jonesboro.”

When considering the location for their studio, choosing a spot in the West End felt like a natural fit for Light and Benefield. They co-purchased their building at 304 S. Gee St. last fall with Leah Shroeder, the owner of Open Studio, which is a collaborative business with Field & Light Design Co that offers group ceramic, sewing and painting classes.

“We have lived in the West End for years, and we love this side of town,” said Light. “I remember coming to eat at Presley’s as a kid and walking around the car dealerships with my mom as a teenager. Gee Street has always been nostalgic for me. I used to visit this building and admire all the windows and light. It's been home to many businesses over the years. Originally built in 1947, it was a Nash auto showroom and has been everything from a boat repair shop to an antique mall since then.

“We co-purchased the building with Open Studio last fall and started the restoration immediately. It has been a pleasure to be in this part of town. I think Gee Street has a special potential for a thriving arts community due to the mixed-use zoning in this area. There are restaurants and stores all within walking distance of residential housing. People walk through our parking lot every day. We love it when someone pops in just to see what we’re up to.”

Field & Light Design Co offers private pottery lessons on the wheel to any student ages 8 and above. Benefield teaches these individual lessons and enjoys the opportunity to teach his students about pottery, along with valuable life skills.

“I love pottery because of the connection to the earth,” said Benefield. “This clay has been around much longer than any of us. When I throw on the wheel, I can feel that earth in my hands. It has a grounding effect. I can be gentle and shape it, but I have to respect that it has its own memory, its own form, and the fire will do things that I can’t control. It’s a mindset that I try to apply in my life, as well. There are things I can control and things that I can’t. I will take a patient and gentle approach, always.

“If you had asked me as a kid if I’d be teaching ceramics, I would have laughed. I had no idea this would be in my future, but when I started working with clay, I just fell in love. I had to share that. I hope I bring more than clay skills to my students. I hope that I can teach them that it’s okay to fail, to learn and to be easy on themselves. I grew up watching Bob Ross. Someone told me the other day that I reminded her of him. I think this is the best compliment I have ever received in my whole life.”

Connection with community is a value that Light and Benefield hope to nurture through their offerings at the studio. In addition to private pottery lessons, Field & Light Design Co hosts pottery painting on Saturdays, offering artists of all levels the opportunity to paint pottery that will then be fired in the kiln on location. The studio can also host private parties for up to 10 guests, making Field & Light Design Co a fresh option for a creative birthday party or girls’ night out. The stoneware pottery pieces that Light and Benefield create are also available for purchase in studio.

Along with options to heal the mind with art, Field & Light Design Co also provides acupuncture on-site to heal the body.

“Of course, I couldn’t just leave my patients completely stranded after working for 16 years,” said Light. “I am also certified in acupuncture, and I had been practicing that in my clinic along with my chiropractic. I have an acupuncture suite here in the studio where I still practice.

“It’s a great balance for me because acupuncture is how I give back, and my art is what recharges my own battery. It creates a very natural rhythm for me as the sore muscles of my patients remind me of cold clay that gradually becomes softer with a gentle touch. I work a lot of pressure points and warm towel compression into the sessions. I practice acupuncture three mornings per week, and the rest of my time is spent working on projects here in the studio.”

Field & Light Design Co will continue to focus on community, collaboration and art by hosting the Gee Street Art and Craft Fair on May 31.

“Hopefully, Field & Light Design Co and Open Studio will continue to collaborate on projects for many years,” said Light. “We are hosting a joint event on May 31, the Gee Street Art and Craft Fair, with over 30 artists and vendors. It should be a day filled with beautiful artwork and community. We can’t wait to see this neighborhood blossom with art.”

Field & Light Design Co is located at 304 S. Gee St. and is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call (870) 206-8040, or follow Field & Light Design Co on Facebook or Instagram
@field.light.design.