Bloom Gallery and Creative Ground, 5205 W. North Ave., opened in 2013, but I didn’t make my way into the inspiring gallery and gift space until a few weeks ago when my kids attended a birthday party.

I went back to interview the owners, Gina Nygro, Vicki Strobel and Tanya Ingvoldstad Otero, and asked them how the business started.

"We should sit down on the sofa for this," Strobel said, nodding at a once-white couch now covered in colorful scribbles, signatures, drawings and designs.

"This was Gina’s couch up until six months ago and now we have everyone who visits decorate it," she went on to explain.

We sat together for an hour, surrounded by art and light, and the three women, all mothers, shared the story of Bloom.

Turns out, the concept originated eight or nine years ago when the three found each other through parenting and a passion for art. They decided to offer art classes at a church at 55th and Lloyd Streets.

The initial idea was to provide a safe, free place for neighborhood kids to create art; however, they soon realized the majority of drop-in guests were women wanting to discover or rediscover their creative side.

"The timing for this was a little off, though," said Otero. "Our kids were really young and they were more into running around than doing art."

The women discontinued the public art classes, but continued to meet with their kids and make art together.

Otero, who graduated from Milwaukee High School of the Arts and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, is a ceramicist. Strobel paints and creates jewelry. Nygro dabbles.

"I provide appreciation and support to my many artist friends," says Nygro.

In the fall of 2013, the women decided they were ready – and their children were old enough – to rent a space where they could branch out, make more art, support more artists and offer classes to inspire more people.

Two days later they, the found their building, a former bakery, and rented it.

Today, Bloom offers the creations of more than 70 artists, who receive an impressive 75 percent of consignment sales. The items range from mugs to earrings to cards to wall pieces and start in price at $10.

"We wanted to do something really positive for the artists and the community," said Strobel.

Bloom also offers "first Friday" art socials, birthday parties, private parties for adults, corporate events and art-filled summer day camps for kids.

The day camps run July 6-10 and July 13-17. The cost is $145 per week. (For more information, go here.)

All three of the women live in the area – Otero lives within walking distance – and feel strongly about making a positive contribution to the neighborhood.

"There are a lot of check cashing and liquor stores on North Avenue," says Nygro. "We wanted to add a little bit of beauty and light to the block."

In the future, the Bloom owners hope to operate as a co-op with more artists who regularly access the space.

"We want to encourage friendships as well as creativity, a space where we can talk and lift each other up," says Otero.

Recently, a stay-at-home mom created a painting through Bloom that she later sold in the gallery for $500.

"She went from not making art of any kind for 20 years to considering herself an artist again," says Strobel. "We love it when people grow with us."

Bloom is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., other days and times for special events and by appointment. Check the Facebook page or call for more information.