The Launch of Our Limited Series Workshops

By Jules McVey, Wicked Rae's Splatter Studio

A few months ago, an awesome woman from ParentMap reached out and asked if we’d consider creating a few 1990s‑themed summer art experiences. Oakley and I looked at each other and said, “Yeah, absolutely. We'll do it.”

Starting June 30, 2026, Wicked Rae’s will launch six limited-edition 1990s art workshops, available only through September 30, 2026. After that, we’ll release a brand-new limited series based on a different decade.

A Brief, Chaotic, and Surprisingly Accurate History of Seattle Grunge

Before we dive into painting guitars and forming garage bands, let’s talk about why grunge mattered - and why Seattle was the only place it could have happened.

In the late 1980s and early 90s, Seattle wasn’t the polished tech metropolis it is today. It was a rain-soaked refuge for kids who didn’t fit anywhere else.

Teenagers ran away from home, hitchhiked north, and landed in a city where rent was $600 for a three-bedroom apartment, everyone shared everything - tapes, clothes, ramen, trauma, and no one had a plan and yet somehow, that was the plan.

Kids recorded music in basements that smelled like mildew and ambition. Swapped demo tapes like currency. Formed bands in kitchens, garages, alleys, and occasionally while waiting for the bus - I looked this up and it's pretty wild and cool.

Grunge wasn’t and isn't about looking cool. It's about telling the truth. It was the sound of kids who had been through too much, too young, letting others know they weren't alone and we could all do something about it together.

Seattle held us all even if we didn't live here in 90s.

Then Came the Tech Boom (aka: The Rent Apocalypse)

While Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains were rewriting music history, something else was happening in the background: Amazon and Microsoft were quietly becoming giants. And giants need space, workers, and office parks.

Suddenly, the city that once housed broke musicians in $600 apartments was gone.

Rents rose. Neighborhoods changed. The cheap, gritty, communal lifestyle that made grunge possible started disappearing and the people who built the culture that drew the crowds was fading.

The city that birthed grunge eventually priced out grunge itself.

But the music?

The movement?

The honesty?

That's still here if you look deep enough.

And that’s what we’re honoring.

Workshop #1: Paint Your Own Strat Electric Guitar

We’re kicking off the series with a tribute to Kurt Cobain, Seattle grunge, and the era when everyone’s hair was either bleached, unwashed, or both.

You’ll custom design and paint your own Strat-style electric guitar - the same style that shaped the sound of the 90s. We give you the full kit, you paint it here, and then you take it home to assemble.

After that?

Form a band.

Practice in alleys, garages, cars, basements - wherever the acoustics are terrible and the vibes are immaculate. Do it for the music, not the money.

Final Thoughts, for now...

We’re pretty fired up about this Limited Series launch. The decades we’re diving into, the stories will be telling in our blogs, the wild art builds y'all are going to make, and the memories we’re about to stack together… it’s the good stuff. The secret sauce of life.

If you want to see everything we’re offering for the 90s - every workshop, every build, every chance to create core memories with your people, head over to the 90s page and check them out.

Tell us which ones you’re into and when you want to book and again, we book the experiences around your schedule (10pm, 3am, 1pm...) because we know how precious your time is and we're honored you're here with us. With your people. And because we know the traffic is drag.

We are closed Mondays and Tuesdays - but we do open up Tuesdays occasionally for events and team buildings so if you fall into that realm, let us know.

Get ready to make some seriously cool builds this summer. And like Stu says in Scream...its a real scream, baby!

Cheers to the grunge that raised me, the curiosity that dragged us to Seattle, and the chance to bring it all back; at least for one more summer.